Spartanburg, S.C. - The USC Upstate Athletics Department held its annual Coca-Cola Awards Banquet Monday night and distance runner Jemeli Sang, men’s basketball standout Torrey Craig and distance runner Gilbert Kemboi received the highest honors while being named the Student-Athlete of the Year. In all, the Athletics Department gave out 94 awards and honors.

In addition to the Student-Athlete of the Year awards, Upstate Athletics presented the Dr. John C. Stockwell Vision Award to Dr. Ron & Mrs. Peggy Romine for their dedication, leadership and support to the Athletics Department. Rose Mary Ritchie was the recipient of the Outstanding Faculty/Staff Award.

Sang, a senior from Eldoret, Kenya, earned the Female Student-Athlete of the Year award after a tremendous year running cross country and track & field. She won two individual A-Sun Championships, the 2011 A-Sun Cross Country title and the 10,000 meters at the A-Sun Outdoor Track & Field Championships. She also placed second in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters at the 2012 A-Sun Indoor Track & Field Championships. In addition to her performance on the course, she is a standout student-athlete. She carries a 3.477 GPA as a chemistry major. She is also active in the community, serving as a volunteer at the Spartanburg Soup Kitchen and as an active member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Craig, a sophomore from Great Falls, S.C., earned the Male Student-Athlete of the Year award after leading the men’s basketball team to the best turnaround in the country, a 16-game improvement, while also winning 21 games. He was named the A-Sun Player of the Year after leading the A-Sun in scoring at 16.4 points per game and ranking second with 7.7 rebounds per outing. It marked the first conference player of the year honor by an Upstate men’s basketball player in 20 years. He also earned Honorable Mention All-America honors and was the conference player of the year as chosen by College Insider, College Sports Madness and Roundball Daily. A finalist for the Lou Henson Award for the best mid-major basketball player in the nation, he also secured All-District honors from the NABC. A standout in the classroom as a communications major, he also was active in the community as a volunteer with Food from the Heart Ministries.

Kemboi, a senior from Eldoret, Kenya, earned the Male Student-Athlete of the Year award after claiming five A-Sun individual championships in 2011-12. He began his championship run by claiming his second-straight A-Sun cross country title while leading the men’s squad to the conference team championship. He was named the A-Sun Scholar-Athlete of the Year in cross country and was an All-Southeast selection. He continued to pace the Spartans during the indoor track & field season. He claimed A-Sun individual titles in the 3,000 and 5,000 meter races, breaking the A-Sun record in the 5,000 en route to earning the Most Outstanding Track Athlete at the championships. He was also named the A-Sun Scholar-Athlete of the Year for indoor track & field. Just last weekend, he helped lead the Upstate cause at the A-Sun Outdoor Track & Field Championships. He won two more titles during the weekend, taking home gold in the 5,000 and 10,000 meter races. Also a dedicated student as a sociology major, he has been active in the community. He has served as a volunteer with the USC Upstate Orientation staff, the local S.P.A.C.E. organization and is a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, International Club and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Upstate gave out additional career awards as well, handing out the Dr. Joe Bowman Pinnacle Award to six deserving senior student-athletes for tremendous career athletic achievement. Earning the awards were Ramiro Blanco (Men’s Tennis), Carolyne Chelulei (Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field), Perrish Goggins (Men’s Track & Field), Jemeli Sang (Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field), Joan Tangwar (Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field) and Morgan Thomas (Volleyball).

The volleyball and men’s soccer teams took home the Team GPA Award for having the highest team GPA, while volleyball player Kelsie Queen and men’s soccer player Jan Wienholt earned the honors for the highest individual GPA. Shellie Robinson (softball) and Ty Greene (men’s basketball) earned the Outstanding Freshman Award for their contributions in their first year in their respective programs.

Department Awards

Student-Athlete of the Year
Female - Jemeli Sang, Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field
Male - Torrey Craig, Men’s Basketball
Male - Gilbert Kemboi, Men’s Cross Country/Track & Field

Dr. Joe Bowman Pinnacle Award
Ramiro Blanco, Men’s Tennis
Carolyne Chelulei, Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field
Perrish Goggins, Men’s Track & Field
Jemeli Sang, Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field
Joan Tangwar, Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field
Morgan Thomas, Volleyball

Dr. John C. Stockwell Vision Award
Dr. Ron and Mrs. Peggy Romine

Outstanding Faculty & Staff Award
Rose Mary Ritchie

Team GPA Award
Female - Volleyball (3.569 GPA)
Male - Men’s Soccer (3.028 GPA)

Academic Excellence Award
Female - Kelsie Queen, Volleyball (3.861 GPA)
Male - Jan Wienholt, Men’s Soccer (4.0 GPA)

Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Fraternity
Graduating Honors: Matt Begley (men’s soccer), Carolyne Chelulei (women’s cross country/track & field), Tyler Cook (baseball), Timo Foerster (men’s soccer), Colin Francis (men’s soccer), Julia Harris (women’s soccer), Hakeem King (men’s soccer), Katelyn Molkenthin (softball), Kelsie Queen (volleyball), Chalmers Rogers (men’s basketball), Jemeli Sang (women’s basketball), Jan Wienholt (men’s soccer);

2012 Inductees: Ben Augenstein (baseball), Julie Bell (women’s tennis), Emily Bingham (volleyball), Chris Cox (baseball), Gilbert Kemboi (men’s cross country/track & field); Chris Knauff (baseball), Ross Oden (men’s cross country/track & field), Abby Osborne (women’s track & field), Sam Poarch (softball), Emily Sanders (volleyball), Jordan Stampler (baseball), Laura Transue (women’s cross country/track & field)

Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Leader of the Year
Morgan Thomas, Volleyball

Leadership Award
Ramiro Blanco, Men’s Tennis
Tyler Cook, Baseball
Perrish Goggins, Men’s Track & Field
James Jackson, Men’s Cross Country/Track & Field
Janna Lewis, Softball
Jason McCabe, Men’s Soccer
Chad McCoy, Men’s Soccer
Chris McCoy, Men’s Soccer
Emily Sanders, Volleyball
Morgan Thomas, Volleyball
Kendra Wallace, Women’s Basketball
Andrew Wyant, Baseball

Sportsmanship Award
Female - Kelsie Queen, Volleyball
Male - Chalmers Rogers, Men’s Basketball

Spartanburg Regional Sports Medicine Award
Female - Emily Minoofar, Women’s Track & Field
Male - Rob Elam, Men’s Basketball

Conrad Award for Strength & Conditioning
Female - Kelsie Queen, Volleyball
Male - Ricardo Glenn, Men’s Basketball

Outstanding Freshman Award
Female - Shellie Robinson, Softball
Male - Ty Greene, Men’s Basketball

Wilde Soccer Scholarship Recipient
Female - Katelyn Allen
Male - Matt Begley

Team Awards

Baseball
Awards will be given out at the end of the baseball season

Men’s Basketball
Best Defensive Player - Mario Blessing
Spartan Award - Ricardo Glenn
Coach’s Award - Chalmers Rogers

Women’s Basketball
Spartan Warrior Award - Kendra Wallace

Men’s Cross Country
Most Outstanding Performer - Gilbert Kemboi

Women’s Cross Country
Most Outstanding Performer - Jemeli Sang, Joan Tangwar

Men’s Golf
Most Outstanding Player - Adam Goins
Team Player Award - Matthew Hopper

Women’s Golf
Most Outstanding Performer – Amanda Hall
Team Player Award - Kristi Goodman

Men’s Soccer
Coach’s Award - John Collins, Michael Rankin-Byrne

Women’s Soccer
Coach’s Award - Alyssa Wood

Softball
Most Valuable Player - Hannah Alexander
Offensive Player of the Year - Shellie Robinson
Defensive Player of the Year - Ericka Harris

Men’s Tennis
Most Valuable Player - Ramiro Blanco
Spirit Award - Gonzalo Blanco

Women’s Tennis
Most Valuable Player - Maria Tonani
Most Improved Player - Talia Rojas

Men’s Indoor Track & Field
Most Outstanding Track Performer - Gilbert Kemboi
Most Outstanding Field Performer - Kenny Sugishita

Women’s Indoor Track & Field
Most Outstanding Track Performer - Jemeli Sang
Most Outstanding Field Performer - Breana Kwasnik

Men’s Outdoor Track & Field
Most Outstanding Track Performer - Gilbert Kemboi
Most Outstanding Field Performer - Kenny Sugishita

Women’s Outdoor Track & Field
Most Outstanding Track Performer - Jemeli Sang
Most Outstanding Field Performer - Breana Kwasnik

Volleyball
Spartan Award - Morgan Thomas
Heart Award - Kelsie Queen
Unsung Hero Award - Emily Sanders