SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Converse University Athletic Department held their third annual Valkyries Choice Awards Show this past weekend and presented a total of 22 awards to student-athletes and staff members.
The women's track & field team won team of the year following a successful indoor and outdoor season. During the indoor season, the women's track & field team won their first ever team conference championship. The Valkyries followed it up with a second place finish at the outdoor championships back in April. The women's track & field team finished with a combined 30 all-conference selections between the indoor and outdoor season. The team also had nine individual event champions this past season.
Head Track & Field coach Brandon Morton was named Coach of the Year at the VCA's. Morton earned Conference Carolinas Coach of the Year honors following the Valkyries Indoor Track Championship. Morton also earned USTFCCA Southeast Region Coach of the Year honors following the Valkyries performance during the indoor championship.
The Baye Williamson Female Athlete of the Year Award went to Lauren Beatty, a dual sport on both the women's cross country and track & field teams. During the fall season, Beatty finished second overall at the Conference Carolinas Championship meet and helped the Valkyries to their first conference championship in cross country. Beatty also earned First Team All-Conference honors for her performance at the conference championships. During the indoor track season, Beatty helped the Valkyries to their first championship and was named Conference Carolinas Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. At the indoor championships, Beatty won a pair of event titles and finished runner-up in a third event. In the outdoor championships, Beatty finished second in the 10,000 meter race and third in the 5,000 meter race.
The Baye Williamson Male Athlete of the Year Award went Uzziah Dawkins. As a member of the men's basketball team, Dawkins helped guide the Valkyries back to the postseason and the most wins in program history. The senior from Spartanburg became the first men's basketball player to be named to the First Team All-Conference team, NABC Second Team All-District team, and the D2CCA Southeast Region Second Team. Dawkins, was one of only two Converse players to play and start in all 29 games this season. Dawkins set the program record for points in a single season (556), field goals made (200), field goal attempts (419), and scoring average (19.2).
Sydney Wilson brought home a plethora of awards this weekend. The senior women's basketball player, was awarded the Weisiger Cup and was also named the Female Iron Valkyrie. The Weisiger Cup is presented to a Converse graduating student-athlete each year who has a proven record of leadership, community-building skills, is a valuable member of the campus community and is an asset to his or her team. Earlier this semester, Wilson was also a finalist for the prestigious Murphy Osborne Award given out by the Conference every year.
The Male Newcomer of the Year award went to Gabriel Verona of the men's soccer team. Verona led the team in goals this season as a defender and helped the Valkyries make a return to the Conference Carolinas Tournament Championship game. Verona was named to both the All-Conference team and the All-Region team for his performance on the pitch this season.
The Female Newcomer of the Year award went to Riley Lingerfelt from the softball team. Lingerfelt recorded 218 strikeouts for the Valkyries this season, while also throwing the first perfect game and no-hitter in program history. Lingerfelt posted 12 wins on the season, with five shutouts and a 3.93 earned run average.
Laureen Roussel took home Female Freshman of the Year honors for her performance in the pool this season. Roussel helped the Valkyries to a fourth place finish at the Conference Carolinas Championships this past season. The freshman won the 100-yard breast stroke event with a time of 1:03.84 seconds and finished second in the 200-yard breast stroke event. Roussel was also a key member of the relay teams, helping the 400 medley relay team to a second place finish, and both the 200 medley relay team and the 400 free relay teams to a third place finish at the conference championships.
Dorian Bomar of the men's track & field team brought home Male Freshman of the Year honors following his performance on the track this season. Bomar helped the men's team's to their best finishes at the conference championships in program history. As a key member of the 4x400 relay team, Bomar helped the Valkyries to a second place finish at the outdoor championships. The freshman set a new personal record in the 200-meter dash at the outdoor championships as well.
Full List of Award Winners
Team of the Year – Women's Track & Field
Coach of the Year – Brandon Morton (Track & Field)
Weisiger Cup – Sydney Wilson (Women's Basketball)
Baye Williamson Male Athlete of the Year – Uzziah Dawkins (Men's Basketball)
Baye Williamson Female Athlete of the Year – Lauren Beatty (Women's Cross, Track & Field)
Male Newcomer of the Year – Gabriel Verona (Men's Soccer)
Female Newcomer of the Year – Riley Lingerfelt (Softball)
Male Freshman of the Year – Dorian Bomar (Men's Track & Field)
Female Freshman of the Year – Laureen Roussel (Women's Swimming)
Male Scholar Athlete of the Year – Maximilian Seiwald (Men's Soccer)
Female Scholar Athlete of the Year – Evelyn Fitz (Women's Soccer)
Nancy Ellis Knox Scholar Athlete of the Year (Equestrian) – Lauryn Garaux
Game of the Year – Women's Basketball vs UNC Pembroke
Valkyrie Cup – Men's Basketball
Male Breakout Athlete of the Year – Ryan Glenn (Men's Track & Field)
Female Breakout Athlete of the Year – Lizzie Madden (Golf)
Male Comeback Player of the Year – Joan Bauza Sureda (Men's Soccer)
Female Comeback Player of the Year – Aiko Hirata (Acrobatics & Tumbling)
Male Iron Valkyrie – Earl Burgess III (Men's Basketball) & Nicholas Gartung (Men's Soccer)
Female Iron Valkyrie – Reagan Collins (Lacrosse) & Sydney Wilson (Women's Basketball)
2023-24 All-Converse Athletic Team
Aiko Hirata (Acrobatics & Tumbling)
Uzziah Dawkins (Men's Basketball)
Sydney Wilson (Women's Basketball)
Alex Sosa (Men's Cross Country)
Lauren Beatty (Women's Cross Country)
Xavier Vaillaincourt (Esports)
Olivia Liopiros (Equestrian)
Catalina Pistaccio (Field Hockey)
Lizzie Madden (Golf)
Hailey Obenchain (Lacrosse)
Leslie Ramirez (Spirit Squad)
Gabriel Verona (Men's Soccer)
Savannah Melon (Women's Soccer)
Ayellad Howard (Softball)
Daniel Merzthal (Men's Swimming)
Laureen Roussel (Women's Swimming)
Takuma Furumaki (Men's Tennis)
Tonya Glogowski-Watson (Women's Tennis)
Gavin McFadden (Men's Track & Field)
Eseose Okoduwa (Women's Track & Field)
Evelyn Fitz (Volleyball)
Follow Converse
https://www.facebook.com/ConverseValkyries
Twitter:
@Valkyrie_Sports
Instagram:
@Converse_Valkyries
Youtube.com/Converse Athletics
