Childers, Meissner Named Student-Athlete of the Year at Upstate Athletics Awards Banquet
4/21/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Spartanburg, S.C. - The USC Upstate Athletics Department held its annual Pepsi Awards Banquet Thursday night and softball pitcher Morgan Childers and track & field sprinter Mike Meissner received the two highest honors while being named the Student-Athlete of the Year. In all, the Athletics Department gave out 66 awards and made other special recognitions on the night.
In addition to the Student-Athlete of the Year awards, Upstate Athletics presented Dr. John C. Stockwell, Chancellor of the University, a special award for his service to the University and support of the Athletics Department. He is set to retire this summer. From now on, the department's Distinguished Service Award will be named the Dr. John C. Stockwell Vision Award. The award is given out to individuals who have exemplified support for the department over a number of years and who have been instrumental in the growth of the department.
Childers, a senior from Kings Mountain, N.C., is the second person to win the Student-Athlete of the Year award in back-to-back years and is the third to win the award twice. Childers is winding down a brilliant career. She owns 11 career and multiple single-season school records, currently owning the all-time marks with 110 wins, 1,289 strikeouts, 41 shutouts and six no-hitters. Just last week, she broke the all-time A-Sun record for wins and currently ranks second all-time in strikeouts. Because of her stellar athletic, academic and community service record, she was one of 32 semifinalists for the Lowes Senior CLASS Award. She has been stellar this season, leading the nation with 26 wins and ranking in the top three in strikeouts and tossing two no-hitters on the year. She currently carries a 3.512 GPA as a Secondary Education English major. Childers received an additional honor as well when she became the first student-athlete at Upstate to ever have their jersey retired in any sport.
Meissner, a senior from Cottage Grove, Minn., had a strong year in track & field for Upstate. He made an immediate impact during the indoor season and won the A-Sun Championship in the 400-meter dash, capping a successful weekend for the Spartans. He also anchored the 4-x400-meter relay team that finished second at the Championships. He had a strong outdoor season as well. The defending champion in the 400 meters at the A-Sun Outdoor Championships, he claimed a third-place finish this year, earning third team all-conference honors. He again anchored the 4x400-meter relay team to a second-place finish. He is winding down his second term as Vice President of Upstate's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. He currently carries a 3.537 GPA as a Political Science major and won the Earl Gordon Medal, the highest award given out to a student at Upstate, at last week's Student Affairs Awards ceremony.
Upstate gave out additional career awards as well, handing out the Dr. Joe Bowman Pinnacle Award to nine deserving senior student-athletes for tremendous career athletic achievement. Earning the awards were Kim Brasil (softball), Josh Chavis (men's basketball), Morgan Childers (softball), Megan Healey (volleyball), Chelsea McMillan (women's basketball), Mike Meissner (men's track & field), Catherine Nolff (women's soccer), Lauren Quevedo (softball) and Mezie Uzochukwu (men's basketball).
The softball and men's tennis teams took home the Team GPA Award for having the highest team GPA, while women's golfer Johanna Ebenhag and men's tennis player Ignacio Velez earned the honors for the highest individual GPA. Rachel Collins (women's soccer) and Torrey Craig (men's basketball) earned the Outstanding Freshman Award for their contributions in their first year in their respective programs.
Student-Athlete of the Year
Female - Morgan Childers, Softball
Male - Mike Meissner, Men's Track & Field
Dr. Joe Bowman Pinnacle Award
Kim Brasil, Softball
Josh Chavis, Men's Basketball
Morgan Childers, Softball
Megan Healey, Volleyball
Chelsea McMillan, Women's Basketball
Mike Meissner, Men's Track & Field
Catherine Nolff, Women's Soccer
Lauren Quevedo, Softball
Mezie Uzochukwu, Men's Basketball
Dr. John C. Stockwell Vision Award
Dr. John C. Stockwell
Outstanding Faculty/Staff Award
Dr. Jim Griffis
Team GPA Award
Female - Softball
Male - Men's Tennis
Academic Excellence Award
Female - Johanna Ebenhag, Women's Golf
Male - Ignacio Velez, Men's Tennis
Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Fraternity
Juniors - Matt Begley, Carolyne Chelulei, Timo Foerster, Colin Francis, Amber Hamilton, Julia Harris, Hakeem King, Katelyn Molkenthin, Kelsie Queen, Chalmers Rogers, Jemeli Sang, Haley Sheehan, Lauren Walker, Kendra Wallace, Jan Weinholt;
Seniors - Kim Brasil, Morgan Childers, Tyler Cook, Johanna Ebenhag, Megan Healey, Chad McCoy, Chris McCoy, Mike Meissner, Kimberly Pitman, Alyssa Roegner, Philipp Soppa, Jenna Torbert, Mezie Uzochukwu, Ignacio Velez, Leigh Ward, Erkan Yildirim
Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Leader of the Year
Emily Sanders, Volleyball
Leadership Award
Chad McCoy, Men's Soccer
Chris McCoy, Men's Soccer
Mike Meissner, Men's Track & Field
Catherine Nolff, Women's Soccer
Lauren Quevedo, Softball
Emily Sanders, Volleyball
Emily Tangwar, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Morgan Thomas, Volleyball
Mezie Uzochukwu, Men's Basketball
Leigh Ward, Women's Soccer
Sportsmanship Award
Female - Alyssa Roegner, Women's Soccer
Male - Mezie Uzochukwu, Men's Basketball
Spartanburg Regional Sports Medicine Award
Kelsie Queen, Volleyball
Outstanding Freshman Award
Female - Rachel Collins, Women's Soccer
Male - Torrey Craig, Men's Basketball
Wilde Soccer Scholarship Recipient
Female - Krystal Hedderman
Male - Chris McCoy
Team Awards
Baseball - Will be announced after the season
Men's Basketball
Coach's Award - Josh Chavis and Mezie Uzochukwu
Women's Basketball
Most Outstanding Player - Chelsea McMillan
Men's Cross Country
Most Valuable Performer - Gilbert Kemboi
Coach's Award - Davey Dennison
Women's Cross Country
Most Valuable Performer - Joan Tangwar
Coach's Award - Carolyne Chelulei
Men's Golf
Most Valuable Player - Matthew Hopper
Women's Golf
Most Valuable Player - Rachel Lewis
Men's Soccer
Defender Award - Jason McCabe
Spartan Attitude & Effort Award - Andrew Jewell
Women's Soccer
Defensive Player of the Year - Catherine Nolff
Offensive Player of the Year - Jessica Jackyra
Sportsmanship/Positive Attitude Award - Maegan Garner
Softball
Most Valuable Player - Morgan Childers
Impact Player Award - Lauren Quevedo
Men's Tennis
Most Valuable Player - Ramiro Blanco
Spirit Award - Ignacio Velez
Women's Tennis
Heart Award - Karen Martinez
Men's Indoor Track & Field
Most Valuable Performer - Gilbert Kemboi
Coach's Award - Kenny Sugishita
Women's Indoor Track & Field
Most Valuable Performer - Joan Tangwar
Coach's Award - LaTerrica Blocker
Men's Outdoor Track & Field
Most Outstanding Track Performer - Mike Meissner
Most Outstanding Field Performer - Perrish Goggins
Women's Outdoor Track & Field
Most Outstanding Track Performer - Jemeli Sang
Most Outstanding Field Performer - LaTerrica Blocker
Volleyball
Spartan Award - Megan Healey
Heart Award - Mindy Quimby, Emily Sanders
Cheerleading
Most Improved - Jana Crocker
Coach's Choice - Lindsey Newman
