General | 5/4/2016 10:00:00 AM

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Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Athletic Department hosted the fourth annual WUSPYS Monday night at the Union County Agricultural Center. Women's Swimming took home four awards, including Female Team of the Year and Female Athlete of the Year, while Men's Soccer picked up three WUSPYS, including Male Team of the Year and Male Freshman of the Year. 

The idea of the WUSPYS was created by the Wingate University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Awards such as best breakthrough athlete, best championship team, best game, best championship performances and other categories were added in addition to the traditional male and female athlete of the year awards. In addition, team awards were handed out at the beginning of the show, with each team recognizing an MVP and then another award such as a Coaches Award or Newcomer of the Year. To learn more about the WUSPYS, follow @WUSPYS on Twitter or go to wingatebulldogs.com/wuspys.

Female Breakthrough Athlete
Vika Arkhipova, Women's Swimming
Vika Arkhipova picked up All-American honors in five events in 2016, after notching one All-American swim during her sophomore year. Arkhipova swam the first leg of Wingate's 400 Medley Relay team that not only won the national championship, but also set a new Division II record. She also won a national title in the 200 Backstroke, helping the Bulldogs notch a second-place finish at the NCAA championships.

Other Nominees
Paulena Dempsey, Women's Lacrosse
Misty Doran, Softball
Samantha Haering, Women's Cross Country
Alexis Jones, Women's Soccer

Male Breakthrough Athlete
Lawrence Pittman, Football
After running for 237 yards during his freshman season, Lawrence Pittman piled up 1,227 rushing yards as a sophomore, scoring 11 touchdowns while earning first team All-SAC honors. He ranked second in the league with 111.5 rushing yards per game and fourth in rushing touchdowns. Pittman ran for over 100 yards five times, including a 205-yard effort at Lenoir-Rhyne.

Other Nominees
Anthanee Doyle, Men's Basketball
Nepolian Patel, Men's Cross Country
Callum Ross, Men's Soccer
Tyler Simmons, Baseball

Freshman Female Athlete of the Year
Claudia De Andreis, Women's Tennis
Claudia De Andreis was named the SAC Freshman of the Year, while also earning first team All-SAC singles and doubles honors for the Bulldogs, who went 11-0 in SAC play to win a sixth straight title. Wingate's number one singles player all year, De Andreis went 13-7, with an 8-3 mark against league opponents. She also went 16-5 in doubles play, with a 10-1 record against the SAC.

Other Nominees
Kimberly Hovey, Volleyball
Maria Madsen, Women's Swimming
Arion Pierre, Women's Lacrosse
Naomi Sapp, Softball
Vanisha Wilshire, Women's Track & Field
Danasia Witherspoon, Women's Basketball

Freshman Male Athlete of the Year
Pablo Jara, Men's Soccer
Pablo Jara was named the SAC Freshman of the Year and SAC Tournament MVP, earning first team All-SAC honors and All-Region honors, while also being named an NSCAA third team All-American. He played every minute in goal for the SAC champion Bulldogs, leading the league in goals-against average and ranking second in save percentage.

Other Nominees
Mike Baez, Men's Basketball
Daniel Godwin, Men's Lacrosse
Kameron Johnson, Football
Isaiah Kyle, Men's Track & Field
Lennart Queiss, Men's Swimming
Austin Turgeon, Baseball                     
  
Newcomer of the Year
Jon Ander, Men's Soccer
Jon Ander was named the SAC Player of the Year in 2015, earning first team All-SAC and All-Region honors while being named an NSCAA second team All-American. Ander led the conference with 11 goals in 2015, adding four assists to finish third in the SAC with 26 points. He notched a hat trick in Wingate's 5-0 win against Queens. Ander also earned a spot on the All-SAC Tournament Team.

Other Nominees
Ray Edwards, Football
Madison Hiatt, Women's Track & Field
Shannon O'Neal, Women's Lacrosse
Kristina Rumplasch, Women's Basketball

Best Championship Performance
Armony Dumur, WSWIM (NCAA Championships)
Armony Dumur piled up four national championship swims for the Bulldogs at the 2016 NCAA Championships, helping Wingate finish a school-record second in the nation. Dumur notched an individual title in the 100 Butterfly, while playing a huge role in three national champion relay teams (200 Medley Relay, 200 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay). Both the 200 Medley Relay and 400 Medley Relay teams set new NCAA Division II records.

Othher Nominees 
Madison Hiatt, WTRACK (SAC Championship Meet)
Pablo Jara, MSOC (SAC Tournament)
Alyssa Johnson, WXC (SAC Championship Meet)
Isaiah Kyle, MTRACK (NCAA Indoor Championship)
Marta Miscenko, WBB (SAC Tourney)

Play of the Year
Women's Swimming 400 Medley Relay – NCAA Meet
The highlight of Wingate's incredible week at the NCAA championships came on the second night. The Bulldogs won three national titles, capped by setting a new NCAA Division II record in the 400 Medley Relay. Vika Arkhipova and Jessika Weiss swam the first two legs, followed by Armony Dumur and Sofia Petrenko.

Other Nominees
Kaitlyn Brunworth goal in SAC Tourney semis
Lawrence Pittman run at Lenoir-Rhyne
Mike Baez three against Montevallo in NCAA Tourney
Charlie Machell goal at Limestone
Jeremy Sullivan OT game-winner vs. Catawba

Best Upset
Football wins 24-14 at #16 Lenoir-Rhyne
Wingate ended Lenoir-Rhyne's 22-game SAC winning streak on national television, holding the potent LR offense to just 14 points while Lawrence Pittman piled up 205 rushing yards. Kyle Johnson added 128 passing yards and two touchdowns, while running for another 98 yards.

Other Nominees
Men's Soccer wins 3-1 at #9 Limestone
Men's Basketball beats #6 Mount Olive 84-68
Women's Basketball beats #21 Anderson 73-62
Softball wins 4-1 at #13 North Georgia
Men's Lacrosse beats #12 Queens 9-8

Best Comeback
Volleyball vs. Lincoln Memorial (SAC Tournament)
Wingate's run of making 11 straight SAC title matches was in jeopardy, with Lincoln Memorial winning the first two sets in the SAC Tourney semifinals. The Bulldogs rolled to a 25-16 win in set three, while winning by the same score in the fourth to force a fifth set. The 'Dogs had a tight 10-9 lead when a Shelly Stumpff kill and two LMU errors made it 13-10. Katie Bludau added a kill to make it 14-10, while another Stumpff kill capped the incredible comeback. Stumpff had 19 kills and 16 digs, while Bludau and Oakley Attaway added 14 kills each.

Other Nominees
Men's Lacrosse vs. Catawba
Softball vs. Limestone
Baseball at Tusculum
Men's Soccer vs. Lenoir-Rhyne
Women's Lacrosse vs. SCAD

Game of the Year
Men's Basketball beats Montevallo in overtime (NCAA Tournament)
In a game that featured nine ties and 11 lead changes, Montevallo took an 11-point lead with nine minutes left in the NCAA Tournament opener. Keith Griffin cut the lead to four with five minutes left, but the Falcons stretched the lead back to eight with 2:19 remaining. A Mike Baez three and Isiah Cureton jumper cut the lead to three. With the 'Dogs down three in the final seconds, Baez drained a three to tie it, sending it to overtime, where Montevallo led 88-83 with 1:37 left. Two Xavier Griffin free throws cut the lead to three, while a Cureton three-point play tied it. Keith Griffin put the 'Dogs on top with a free throw with 11 seconds left. Montevallo did not have the answer on the other end.

Other Nominees
Volleyball beats Carson-Newman 3-2
Football wins 17-0 at Catawba
Women's Basketball beats LMU in double overtime
Women's Tennis beats Queens 5-4
Men's Soccer advances past Lander in NCAA Tournament

Bulldog Club Spirit Award
Xavier Griffin, Men's Basketball

Other Nominees
Mathu Gibson, Football
Caroline Holland, Women's Tennis
Shannen Adams, Softball
Robert Godwin, Men's Lacrosse

Wounded Bulldog Award
Amber Neely, Women's Basketball

Other Nominees
Kyle Johnson, Football
Mateo Correa, Men's Soccer
Rachael Cecka, Volleyball
Olisa Obiefuna, Men's Track & Field

Geddings Award – Best Overall Student-Athlete
Kaitlyn Brunworth, Women's Soccer
Kaitlyn Brunworth was a first team All-SAC and All-Region player for the 15-3-2 Bulldogs. She earned second team All-American honors from the NSCAA. Brunworth was named the SAC Scholar-Athlete in 2014. She earned third team Academic All-America accolades during her junior season in 2015. Brunworth led the Bulldogs with six goals, three assists and 15 points, netting four game-winners on the year, including game-winning goals in both of Wingate's 1-0 SAC Tournament victories. A Biology major, Brunworth has a 4.0 GPA in her junior year at Wingate. She is also a Spanish minor. A member of the university's Honors Program, Brunworth has been named to the President's List in every semester at Wingate. A team captain, Brunworth is a Spanish tutor and Biology lab assistant at Wingate. She is also a Gateway peer mentor, spending one hour per week helping freshmen adjust to college life. Brunworth participated in United Way Day of Caring as a freshman. She also volunteers two hours per week at a local medical clinic, spending time translating and scheduling appointments for Spanish-speaking patients. Brunworth spent a week in Honduras in 2013, building a school for kids in an impoverished neighborhood.

Other Nominees
Cameron Burrows, Men's Soccer
Ana Fish, Women's Swimming
Alyssa Johnson, Women's Cross Country
Eric Mapoles, Football
Shelly Stumpff, Volleyball

Female Athlete of the Year
Armony Dumur, Women's Swimming
Armony Dumur piled up four national championship during her senior year, giving her six in her illustrious career. Dumur led Wingate to a school-record second-place finish at the NCAA championships. Dumur notched an individual title in the 100 Butterfly, while playing a huge role in three national champion relay teams (200 Medley Relay, 200 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay). Both the 200 Medley Relay and 400 Medley Relay teams set new NCAA Division II records. She was an All-American in six events in 2016, while also notching five All-American swims in 2015.

Other Nominees
Kaitlyn Brunworth, Women's Soccer
Stacey Houser, Softball
Alyssa Johnson, Women's Cross Country
Emily Nosek, Women's Lacrosse
Shelly Stumpff, Volleyball

Male Athlete of the Year
Shane Billings, Baseball
Shane Billings was a consensus first team All-American in 2015, ranking in the top two nationally in hits and runs. During his senior year, Billings is hitting a league-best .439 while also leading the conference in hits, runs scored and triples, ranking second in stolen bases, third in total bases, fourth in on-base percentage and eighth in doubles and slugging percentage. Billings is the nation's leader in hits, ranking third in runs scored, seventh in triples, 12th in stolen bases and 19th in batting average.

Other Nominees
Jon Ander, Men's Soccer
Isiah Cureton, Men's Basketball
Sebastian Hall, Men's Tennis
Leif-Henning Klüver, Men's Swimming
Jacob Ormerod, Men's Lacrosse

Women's Team of the Year
Women's Swimming
Wingate finished second in the nation, the highest finish in Wingate athletics history. The Bulldogs were also second at the BMC Championship meet, behind only national champion Queens. Wingate piled up a school-record six national championships at the 2016 NCAA championships.

Other Nominees
Women's Cross Country
Women's Soccer
Volleyball
Women's Basketball
Women's Tennis

Men's Team of the Year
Men's Soccer
Wingate went 14-4-4 in 2015, with a 7-2 record in league play. The Bulldogs won the regular season SAC title, then went on to capture the SAC Tournament championship. The 'Dogs have won two straight regular season titles. Wingate advanced to the NCAA region semifinals. Wingate ranked as high as seventh nationally.

Other Nominees
Men's Basketball
Men's Swimming
Men's Tennis
Men's Track & Field

Team Awards

Men's Cross Country
MVP: Nepolian Patel                                                                       
Find A Way Award: Jacob Troutman
 
Women's Cross Country
MVP: Alyssa Johnson                                                                     
Find A Way Award: Morgan Neher
 
Men's Soccer                                                                
Offensive MVP: Jon Ander
Defensive MVP: Pablo Jara
 
Women's Soccer
MVP: Kaitlyn Brunworth
Coaches Award: AJ Lightbody
 
Volleyball
MVP: Shelly Stumpff
Leadership Award: Kori Adams
 
Football 
MVP: Lawrence Pittman
Defensive MVP: Kameron Johnson
 
Athletic Training
Best Overall Athletic Training Student: Catherine Brown
Best Academic Senior Athletic Trainer: Ashley Miles

Cheerleading
MVP: Janine Hazel                                                                
Coaches Award: Destiny Dennis
 
Men's Swimming
MVP: Leif-Henning Klüver                                                              
Scholar-Athlete Award: Ossian Arvidsson        
 
Women's Swimming
MVP: Armony Dumur                                                                    
Bridget Beth Melvin Award: Olga Kosheleva
 
Men's Basketball
Offensive MVP: Isiah Cureton
Defensive MVP: Keith Griffin
 
Women's Basketball
MVP: Amber Neely                                                                         
Most Outstanding Player: Morgan McGee
 
Baseball
MVP: Bill Krebs                                                                              
Coaches Award: Tyler Simmons                                                    
 
Softball
Offensive Player of the Year: Taylor Laskey                                 
Pitcher of the Year: Stacey Houser
 
Men's Lacrosse
MVP: Jacob Ormerod                                                                                
John R. Dodd Award: Chris Gazzio
 
Women's Lacrosse
MVP: Arion Pierre                                                                          
Coaches Award: Emily Nosek
 
Men's Golf
MVP: Lukas Richter                        
MVP: Tyler Stone
 
Women's Golf
MVP: Mikaela Hadaway
ACE Award: Megan Taylor
 
Men's Tennis               
MVP: Sebastian Hall                                                                       
Coaches Award: Westin Bennett
 
Women's Tennis
MVP: Claudia De Andreis                                                               
Coaches Award: Layla Tanik

Men's Track and Field          
Track Performer of the Year: Nepolian Patel                        
Field Performer of the Year: Travis McGriff
 
Women's Track and Field
Track Performer of the Year: Madison Hiatt                                
Field Performer of the Year: Vanisha Wilshire

SAAC Committee Leadership Award
Janna Johnson

Athletic Department Service Award
Gary Williams

WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Wingate University, consistently ranked as a top 10 'best value' in the South by U.S. News & World Report, serves more than 3,100 students on three campuses in Wingate, Charlotte and Hendersonville, N.C. Founded in 1896, the University offers 35 undergraduate majors, 37 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, master's degrees in business, accounting, education, physician assistant studies and sport management and doctorates in pharmacy, physical therapy and education.

With a 15 to 1 student/teacher ratio, Wingate students gain the tools and support needed to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. To view current news, video and story ideas, visit www.youtube.com/wingateuniversity. 

In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past nine years. For more information, go to www.wingate.edu.

Wingate is first among NCAA Division II Academic All-America-producing colleges in the 2000's with 82 selections. Among North Carolina's colleges and universities, Wingate's 82 Academic All-America honorees are number one during this millennium. Wingate's 91 lifetime Academic All-America picks are tops among all SAC schools. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com.