Goucher Hosts 2024 Athletic Awards Ceremony Monday Evening

Goucher Hosts 2024 Athletic Awards Ceremony Monday Evening
May 17, 2024

PHOTO GALLERY (Photos by Adan Rodriguez)

TOWSON, Md. - The Goucher College athletic department hosted its annual Awards Ceremony on Monday evening at the Hyman Forum inside the Ungar Athenaeum.

Senior Cordela Edwards (equestrian) and junior Jackson Beam (men's tennis) along with coaches E.A. Jackson (field hockey) and Katie Russo (women's lacrosse) were the athletics recipients of the Ruth Baird Thompson '31 Award.  The Josephine E. Fiske Gopher Pride Award was given to sophomore Lily L'Oiseau (equestrian) and sophomore Jacob Morgan (men's basketball/men's lacrosse).

The Neumann Award was presented to women's cross country and track and field sophomore Tanise Thornton-Fillyaw.  The Scholar-Athlete Award was given to field hockey junior Zoe Mikles.  The Coaches' Award was presented to senior women's soccer standout Belle St. Jean.  Junior Quinn Kirkpatrick was the recipient of the equestrian Neena Tolley Ewing Award.

Women's tennis won the Robert Lewand Team GPA Award for the seventh straight year.  A total of 47 graduating seniors were recognized, while the night concluded with the announcement of the annual All-Goucher Team.

Ruth Baird Thompson '31 Award

The Ruth Baird Thompson '31 Award was established in 2002 and presented annually to one or more students who have demonstrated academic excellence and sportsmanship in an athletic endeavor, through their participation in Goucher's sports, dance and/or equestrian programs. The award may also be awarded to a coach or coaches who exemplify and uphold all facets of the educational experience, commitment to the greater college community, and excellence in providing a transformational student experience.

Ruth Baird Thompson '31 Award winners (L-R): E.A. Jackson, Jackson Beam, Cordelia Edwards and Katie Russo

Josephine E. Fiske Gopher Pride Award

The Josephine E. Fiske Gopher Pride Award, established in 1986, is presented annually to one men's sport athlete and one women's sport athlete in good academic standing who play important roles in the success of their teams.  Variables to be weighed in determining the recipients include, but are not limited to, sportsmanship, citizenship, positive attitude, leadership and service to young adults or children.

Josephine E. Fiske Gopher Pride Award winners: Jacob Morgan and Lily L'Oiseau

Robert Lewand Team GPA Award

The Robert Lewand Team GPA Award is presented to the athletic team that holds the highest team grade point average for the 2023 calendar year. Women's tennis won for the seventh straight year, edging women's swimming by less than one-one hundreth of a point.

Women's tennis team captains Eliza Abady and Aaliyah Ybarra accepting the Robert Leward Team GPA Award

Neena Tolley Ewing Award

The Neena Tolley Ewing Memorial Fund award is an honor for the student on the Goucher equestrian team who is judged to demonstrate the most outstanding leadership, scholarship, riding talent and teamwork.

Neena Tolley Ewing Award winner Quinn Kirkpatrick

Scholar-Athlete Award

The Scholar-Athlete Award has been presented annually since 1923 to a member of the junior class who has maintained high standards of academic achievement and consistently demonstrated varied and admirable participation in athletics and extra-curricular activities.  In choosing a recipient, coaches and staff are asked to consider 70 percent a student's academic background, 20 percent athletic achievement and 10 percent extra-curricular experience.

Scholar-Athlete Award winner Zoe Mikles

Coaches' Award

The Coaches' Award is given annually to the senior athlete that has most completely represented Goucher College throughout their athletic career.  Factors involved in the selection of the winner include accomplishments in their sport, including awards and honors garnered for athletic ability, and displayed leadership skills towards their teammates.

Coaches' Award winner Belle St. Jean

Neumann Award

The Neumann Award has been presented annually since 1973 to the well-rounded student-athlete who, through their character, loyalty and dedication, has evolved into an effective leader, outstanding citizen and distinguished athlete.  The members of the department take great pride in honoring the student-athlete who has shown, through example, the principles that Bill Neumann, a former chair of the History Department at Goucher, believed in.

The 2023-24 winner of the Neumann Award, Tanise Thornton-Fillyaw, was competing at the Widener Final Qualifier, setting a new school and Landmark Conference record in the women's outdoor 800-meter run.

All-Goucher Team

The All-Goucher Team, established in 2010-11, is selected by a panel of coaches and administrators and represents the 10 most distinguished athletes and most outstanding coach during an academic year.

This Year's All-Goucher Team:

First Team

  • Tanise Thornton-Fillyaw (women's cross country/track and field) (captain)
  • Clay Allen (men's tennis) (head coach)
  • Michael Adekanmbi (men's soccer)
  • Jacob Connell (equestrian)
  • Gabe Naftoly (men's tennis)
  • Belle St. Jean (women's soccer)

Second Team

  • Lucy Ingraham (women's tennis)
  • Unai Laguardia Alvarez (men's tennis)
  • Jacob Morgan (men's basketball/men's lacrosse)
  • Iseline Schenk (women's golf/field hockey)
  • Evan Yue (men's golf)

All-Goucher Team (L-R): Michael Adekanmbi, Jacob Connell, Clay Allen, Unai Laguardia Alvarez, Gabe Naftoly, Jacob Morgan, Belle St. Jean, Iseline Schenk, Lucy Ingraham

Not pictured: Tanise Thornton-Fillyaw