Office of Academic Services for Student-Athletes Also Presented Its Annual Awards

DAYTON – The University of Dayton Athletics Department held the 10th annual R.U.D.Y.S. awards banquet Monday at UD Arena.  The event included the 15th annual presentation of the Presidential Scholar-Athlete Awards by the Office of Academic Services for Student-Athletes.

R.U.D.Y.S is hosted by the UD Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Dayton Athletics administration for the student-athletes to recognize individuals and teams for their accomplishments this past year.

R.U.D.Y.S. stands for Recognition and Celebration of University of Dayton Student-Athletes Year-End Showcase.

The 2022 award winners were as follows:

Social Justice Award
Winner – Araion Bradshaw (women’s basketball)
Nominees – Araion Bradshaw (women’s basketball), Amari Davidson (women’s basketball), Alexis Goins (women’s soccer), Bryce Hellgeth (baseball), Aileen Hull (women’s cross country/track & field), Keelin Kelly (track & field), Paige Kompa (women’s tennis), Mackenzie Lutz (women’s soccer), Amelia Moore (volleyball), Elizabeth Shafer (softball), Emma Speyer (rowing)

Rookie of the Year
Female – Chante Clinkscale (track & field)
Nominees – Lila Acott (rowing), Noel Blain (women’s soccer), Chante Clinkscale (track & field), Neena Katauskas (women’s tennis), Hannah Moulton (women’s cross country/track & field), Emma Schutter (softball), Brynn Shoup-Hill (women’s basketball), Ashley Stewart (women’s soccer), Sonia Studnicka (rowing), Megan Yoder (women’s golf)

Male – DaRon Holmes II (men’s basketball)
Nominees – Austin Callahan (men’s cross country), Connor Ewert (men’s cross country), DaRon Holmes II (men’s basketball), Jerell Lewis (football), Matt Maloney (baseball), Eric Perkowski (men’s tennis), Malachi Smith (men’s basketball), Romeo Yao (men’s soccer)
 
Rising Star
Female – Abby Carter (women’s cross country/track & field) and Elizabeth Hamilton (women’s tennis)
Nominees – Lexie Almodovar (volleyball), Carolyn Bakx (track & field), Rayana Burns (track & field, Abby Carter (women’s cross country/track & field), Madelyn Dewey (women’s soccer), Elizabeth Hamilton (women’s tennis), Grace Homan (track & field), Elizabeth Myers (rowing), Sarah O’Connor (women’s golf), Jessica Sheldson (women’s soccer), Kaelyn Stepic (rowing), Ali Weekley (softball)

Male – Forster Ajago (men’s soccer)
Nominees – Forster Ajago (men’s soccer), Koby Brea (men’s basketball), Sam Bubonics (football), Bryce Conley (men’s cross country), Ronit Hiryur (men’s tennis), Andrew Shuster (men’s cross country), Ben Schmiesing (football), Ryan Steinhauer (baseball), Joey Swanson (football), Xavier Zengue (men’s soccer)

Unsung Hero
Female – Grace Gressly (softball)
Nominees – Elli Ertl (rowing), Alexis Goins (women’s soccer), Grace Gressly (softball), Alexa Holl (women’s soccer), Aileen Hull (women’s cross country/track & field), Chloe Keating (track & field), Lauren Myers (rowing), Alli Papesh (volleyball), Natalie Stanton (women’s tennis), Hailey Tanis (women’s golf), Kyla Whitehead (women’s basketball)

Male – Jose Martinez (baseball)
Nominees – Seth Antwi (men’s soccer), Jonas Chimbanda (men’s cross country), Connor Hinerman (baseball), Steven Karl (men’s tennis), Jose Martinez (baseball), Danny Meehan (football), Davis Phillips (men’s tennis), Drew Swerlein (men’s basketball), Andrew Tighe (men’s cross country), Ryan VanSchelven (football), A.J. Watson (football)

The Rev. Charles L. Collins Outstanding Citizenship Award was donated by Joseph Zusman, ’65, this award recognizes an individual student-athlete who has demonstrated outstanding citizenship.
Recipient – Hannah Osland (women’s soccer)

The Charles R. Kendall Award for Athletic and Academic Achievement was donated by Mrs. Charles R. Kendall and friends, this award recognizes an individual student-athlete who has demonstrated achievement in academic and athletic effort.
Recipient – Emily Sreenan (women’s cross country/track & field)

The Award of Excellence is an award that recognizes an individual student-athlete who has demonstrated achievement in academic and athletic effort in women’s basketball and/or volleyball.
Recipient – Maura Collins (Volleyball)

There were also 60 student-athletes honored with the 4.00 Flyers Award for recording perfect 4.00 GPAs for the spring or fall semesters.  They are Sarah Bailitz (softball), Carolyn Bakx (Track & Field), Cade Beam (Football), Araion Bradshaw (women’s basketball), Connor Bruce (men’s tennis), Isaac Burkart (men’s cross country), Zoe Chappelle (women’s cross country and track& field), Jake Chisholm (football), Bryce Conley (men’s cross country), Emily Daniel (softball) Matt DeMarco (men’s tennis), Oliver Dunne (men’s tennis), Elli Ertl (rowing), Itala Gemelli (women’s soccer), Jenna Giacone (women’s basketball), Caleb Gossett (football), Kelsey Gumm (softball), Spencer Hawkins (football), Natalie Hegg (women’s soccer), Mason Henry (football), Ronit Hiryur (men’s tennis), Andrew Holderer (football), Alexa Holl (women’s soccer), Aileen Hull (women’s cross country and track & field), Adam Jones (men’s cross country), Tristan Karnes (men’s cross country), Paige Kompa (women’s tennis), Liz Lechowicz (women’s cross country and track & field), Kate Lechowicz (women’s cross country and track & field), Elle Lovdal (women’s soccer), Amelia Moore (volleyball), Josh Morgan (men’s soccer), Lauren Myers (rowing), Yaiza Navarro Leon (women’s soccer), Drew Nieman (football), Hannah Osland (women’s soccer), Katie Reeg (softball), Dominic Ruffolo (men’s soccer), Katherine Santangelo (track & field), Emma Schutter (softball), Jessica Sheldon (women’s soccer), Elijah Smith (football), Gabby Snyder (rowing), Emily Sreenan (women’s cross country and track & field), Audrey Steiert (women’s soccer), Ashley Stewart (women’s soccer), Henry Strmecki (baseball), Joey Swanson (football), Marlee Taylor (women’s soccer), Emily Walker (rowing), A.J. Watson (football), Ali Weekley (softball), Melissa Weidner (women’s cross country and track & field), Derek Willits (football), Erica Wojcikiewicz (women’s tennis), Alayna Yates (volleyball), Grace Yingling (rowing), Megan Yoder (women’s golf), Haylee Zigmund (rowing), Hayden Zimmerer (men’s golf).

Beam, Gossett, Hawkins, Henry, Hiryur, Jones, Schutter, Sheldon, Snyder, Steiert, Stewart, Strmecki, Walker, Watson, Weekley, Willits, Yoder and Zimmerer all have cumulative 4.0 grade point averages.

The OASSA Academic Cup was presented to the team with the highest cumulative grade point average combined over the spring and fall semesters. Women’s soccer earned the honor with a 3.74 team GPA.

The Dayton All-Academic Team is made up of the student-athletes with the highest GPA in their programs. The 2022 team is made up of Sarah Frazier (women’s golf), Ronit Hiryur (men’s tennis), Aileen Hull (track & field), Adam Jones (men’s cross country), Paige Kompa (women’s tennis), Nick Rispoli (baseball), Dominic Ruffalo (men’s soccer), Jessica Sheldon (women’s soccer), Gabby Snyder (rowing), Emily Sreenan (women’s cross country), Audrey Steiert (women’s soccer), Drew Swerlein (men’s basketball), Alayna Yates (volleyball), Ali Weekley (softball), Erin Whalen (women’s basketball), Derek Willits (football) and Hayden Zimmerer (men’s golf).

The Flyer Challenge award is presented to the team that is most involved as a group in community service, participation in personal and educational development initiatives, and in supporting their fellow teams.  The 2022 Flyer Challenge winner is the rowing team.

 Most Outstanding Leader
Female – Alyssa Cacini (softball) and Sarah Frazier (women’s golf)
Nominees – Alyssa Cacini (softball) , Maura Collins (volleyball), Sarah Frazier (women’s golf), Catherine Jensen (softball), Angie Loriso (rowing), Audrey Steiert (women’s soccer), Erica Wojcikiewicz (women’s tennis), Grace Yingling (rowing) 

Male – Ryan Clements (men’s golf) and Conner Johanssen (men’s cross country)
Nominees – Connor Bruce (men’s tennis), Joe Bubonics (football), Toumani Camara (men’s basketball), Ryan Clements (men’s golf), Conner Johanssen (men’s cross country), Brian Stevens (football), Tyler Swanbeck (men’s soccer), Andrew Tighe (men’s cross country), Nolan Watson (baseball) 

Presidential Scholar-Athlete
Female – Araion Bradshaw (women’s basketball)
Nominees — Araion Bradshaw (women’s basketball), Maura Collins (volleyball), Taylor Flight (track & field), Sarah Frazier (women’s golf), Paige Kompa (women’s tennis), Colleen McDonnell (rowing), Hannah Osland (women’s soccer), Emily Sreenan (women’s cross country), Ali Weekley (softball)

Male – Jake Chisholm (football)
Nominees – Kingsford Adjei (men’s soccer), Jake Chisholm (football), Joe DeMarco (men’s tennis), Andrew Schuster (men’s cross country), Jake Silverstein (baseball), Christian Wilson (men’s basketball), Hayden Zimmerer (men’s golf)

RUDY Award, the most prestigious award of the night which goes to the people who most epitomize what it means to be a Flyer.

Female – Colleen McDonnell (rowing)
Nominees – Taylor Flight (track & field), Megan Gist (softball), Elizabeth House (volleyball), Colleen McDonnell (rowing), Hannah Osland (women’s soccer), Emily Sreenan (women’s cross country and track & field), Lainey Studebaker (track & field), Erin Whalen (women’s basketball), Kelly Pleiman (women’s tennis), Osa Wheeler (rowing)

Male – Will Harper (men’s tennis)
Nominees – Jake Chisholm (football), Sam Duncan (men’s cross country), Will Harper (men’s tennis), Elias Harryson (men’s soccer), Marcos Pujols (baseball), Cameron Specht (football), Hayden Zimmerer (men’s golf)

In addition, the 2022-2023 executive board of SAAC was announced:
President: Emily Sreenan (women’s cross country and track & field)
Vice President: Derek Willits (football) 
Admin: Alayna Yates (volleyball)
Chairs
Social Media: Alyssa Cacini (softball)
RUDYS: Carolyn Bakx (women’s cross country and track & field)
Flyer Challenge: Sam Duncan (men’s cross country)
Wellness: Alicia Donley (women’s soccer)
Community Service: Elli Ertl (rowing), Tyler Swanbeck (men’s soccer)
Diversity and Inclusion: Elizabeth Shafer (softball)
Atlantic 10 Reps: Alyssa Cacini (softball), Carolyn Bakx (women’s cross country and track & field)
ADCOM Representatives:  Carolyn Bakx (women’s cross country and track & field), Derek Willits (football)

 A special thanks to all who made this year’s event possible, including the Varsity D Club who provided this year’s senior canvases.

COURTESY DAYTON MEDIA RELATIONS