Over 200 athletic and academic honors will be awarded May 6 when the sixth annual Fighting Scots Awards presented by MTC Communications airs on the Monmouth College Athletics Facebook page via a Facebook Live watch party.
The ceremony, which begins at 7 p.m. CDT on May 6, will have a slightly different feel with students absent from campus amidst social distancing guidelines. What won’t be missing is the anticipation for the announcement of the winners of the eight major categories.
Three teams and three athletes are up for the night’s first major honor of Breakthrough Team or Athlete. Men’s cross country earned the nomination for its surprise runner-up finish at the 2019 Midwest Conference Championships; men’s soccer earned a spot after returning to the league tournament for the first time since 2001; and women’s basketball made the grade with its advancement to the NCAA tournament. Dual sport student-athlete Ezzie Baltierra-Chavez (women’s soccer, women’s cross country), Shane Herkert (men’s lacrosse) and Kyle Jones (swimming) are also up for the honor after stellar seasons.
One shoulder and two leg injuries have three student-athletes up for Comeback Athlete of the Year. McCauley Johnston (football) returned for a league title last fall after missing all of 2018 with a preseason injury. Devin Cross (women’s soccer) helped the Scots to their first NCAA berth after an injury took her off the pitch for the last half of the 2018 season. Jeff Knapp (men’s lacrosse) made a triumphant return to the field as the second-leading scorer in goals and points this spring after a 2019 injury ended his year just three games into the season.
Four outstanding dual-sport female student-athletes – Laura Dulee (volleyball, softball), Caitlyn Allen (women’s cross country, women’s track and field), Kara-Jade Gordon (women’s soccer, women’s lacrosse) and Becca Gallis (women’s basketball, softball) – have been nominated for the Kim Mead Award. The honor is bestowed upon a senior woman who is an all-around student-athlete who maintains good academic standing, shows leadership on campus and demonstrates student-athlete responsibility.
Three teams and four games stood out as Upset of the Year candidates. Football’s early-season win over previously nationally ranked St. Norbert, and an 8-7 win over Augustana by the men’s lacrosse team a year after a 13-goal defeat are in the running, but women’s soccer has two entries on the ballot. The women’s 3-2 overtime win over Webster – Monmouth’s first in program history over the Gorlocks – and their penalty kick shootout victory over Knox in the MWC tournament title game round out the field.
A pair of football events top the list of four nominees for the Moment of the Year. Nick Miyler’s game-saving goal-line stop for the MWC South Division title and “The Drive” – the team’s epic last-possession win over St. Norbert in the league title game – are going against each other. The women’s soccer team’s overtime win vs. Knox in the league’s tournament title game and the women’s basketball team’s season-long journey to the NCAA tournament were also nominated.
Two All-Americans and two record-setters faceoff for the Individual Performance of the Year. Joe Krall (football, track and field) gained a spot on the ballot for his body of work as a two-sport athlete that included an All-American honor and football league title. Will Carius (men’s basketball) earned a preseason All-American award and led the Scots to their first win in program history over highly regarded UW-Whitewater. Kyle Jones’ (men’s water polo) record performance in goal and Gordon Kiesgen’s (men’s lacrosse) 18-for-19 single game effort in faceoffs round out the field.
Three individuals and three teams are vying for the Championship Performance of the Year. Football’s win in the conference title game over St. Norbert and the quarterback who directed “The Drive” – Carter Boyer – are each up for separate honors. Griff Morrill (men’s cross country) and Preston Bocchi (men’s swimming) each turned in worthy efforts in their respective MWC Championships to take a ballot position. The men’s indoor track teams’ 21st straight league team title and the women’s basketball MWC tournament crown also made the list of six nominees.
Two women and two men will battle for the night’s final – and most coveted – honor, the Fighting Scots Leadership Award. Laura Dulee (volleyball, softball) was lauded for her all-around athletic and academic excellence. Aleeka Gentzler (women’s track and field) was a founding member of the college’s educational studies department’s program to help rural and small district schools meet today’s challenges. Campbell Quirk (baseball) used his mentoring skills with younger players to earn a spot on the ballot and Will Carius (men’s basketball) turned a season-ending injury into a positive as the Scots stayed in the MWC postseason race until the final weekend.
The eight major award winners will receive an acrylic plaque inscribed with the Fighting Scots and MTC Communications logos, recognizing them for their achievements during this academic year.
Due to the remote status of this year’s awards, the Faculty/Staff and Alumni Recognition awards were put on hold for this year, but are expected to return for the 2021 ceremony. Monmouth’s nearly 100 senior student-athletes will also be recognized and awarded with a senior letter plaque.
The Facebook Live video link on the Monmouth College Athletics Facebook page will go live at 7 p.m., on May 6.
***Report Courtesy of Monmouth College***
