Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
DePriest, Moonen, Owens big winners at RCA Awards
4/30/2020 8:45:00 PM | General, BRAA
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Soccer's Peyton DePriest, tennis's Tom Moonen and golf's Tanner Owens were the big winners at the 9th Annual Raiders' Choice Awards on Thursday night broadcast on Facebook.com. The year-end "Academy Awards" style show highlighted all the academic and athletic accomplishments of the Blue Raider student-athletes for the 2019-20 academic year.
DePriest, Moonen and Owens were honored with the True Blue President's Award, which is the highest honor bestowed upon a current MT student-athlete who epitomizes all that is good in intercollegiate athletics. Presented annually to one male and one female student-athlete, the President's Award recognizes outstanding academic and athletic accomplishments, university/community service and leadership.
All three excelled in the classroom, community and on the field and court. DePriest carries an impressive 3.9 GPA in exercise science while blasting a career-high 18 goals during her junior campaign to become the Blue Raiders' career goals leader. Moonen also owns a 3.9 GPA in accounting and is ranked in the top 10 all-time in victories. Owens sports a 3.9 GPA, as well, in health care administration and this past season put together an under par stroke average to become just the fourth Blue Raider all-time to accomplish that feat.
"Every year this is one of the top nights that we put together to honor and celebrate our student-athletes," said Director of Athletics Chris Massaro. "We would much prefer to recognize them in person at Tucker Theatre like normal but this is the next best way. A night like this serves as a great reminder of the immense talent we have in this athletic department. I applaud all their efforts and it's just a great night for Blue Raider Athletics."
Academically, the Student-Athlete Enhancement Center awarded the highest Team GPA honors for the spring 2019 semester and the fall 2019 semester. The spring 2019 honor went to women's tennis with a 3.90 GPA, while men's tennis won the fall 2019 award with a 3.81 GPA.
In the individual categories, track and cross country standout Jacob Choge was voted Male Athlete of the Year, while women's basketball star Anastasia Hayes and track performer Eusila Chepkemei shared the Female Athlete of the Year honor. Choge was the C-USA Male Cross Country Athlete of the Year, Hayes was the C-USA Newcomer of the Year, and Chepkemei earned the C-USA Female Cross Country Athlete of the Year award.
The Male and Female Newcomer of the Year awards went to Fausto Lopez from baseball and women's basketball star Aislynn Hayes. Lopez enjoyed a .328 batting average, was second on the team in hits and led team in stolen bases, while Hayes brought home C-USA Freshman of the Year accolades.
The Breakout Performer of the Year awards went to Charity Savage (basketball) and Asher O'Hara (football). Savage, who averaged 1.9 points and 5.7 minutes per game her first three years, earned second team all-conference honors after averaging 10.9 points and 11. 3 rebounds her senior year. O'Hara, in his first year as the starter at quarterback, became the second player in school history to throw for over 2,500 yards and rush for more than 1,000 yards in a single-season.
Fans determined the winners of the Play of the Year, Performance of the Year, and the Game/Event of the Year by voting on GoBlueRaiders.com. The Play of the Year was junior Greg Bennett's spectacular diving catch to end the third inning against undefeated Alabama. The Performance of the Year award went to golfer Caroline Caudill after going birdie-birdie-hole in one-birdie on the final four holes of the Cardinal Cup to finish with a 5-under par 67. The Game/Event of the Year was men's golf and their dramatic come-from-behind win in match play to capture the 2019 C-USA Championship.
The Director's Cup Award was won for the third straight year by men's tennis for leading the way in the department's 1,396 hours of service. This award was created to recognize the student-athletes who go above and beyond and who demonstrate an unselfish attitude toward their team, family and community. The team who has earned the most points throughout the year in academic achievement, community outreach, and personal development, take home this prestigious award.
Numerous athletes were also recognized for their academic honors and All-American accolades.
2020 RAIDERS CHOICE AWARDS WINNERS
PRESIDENTS AWARD (MALE): Tanner Owens, golf; Tom Moonen, tennis
PRESIDENTS AWARD (FEMALE): Peyton DePriest, soccer
MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Jacob Choge, track
FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Anastasia Hayes, basketball; Eusila Chepkemei, track
MALE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Fausto Lopez, baseball
FEMALE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Aislynn Hayes, basketball
FEMALE BREAKOUT PERFORMER OF THE YEAR: Charity Savage, basketball
MALE BREAKOUT PERFORMER OF THE YEAR: Asher O'Hara, football
ALL-AMERICANS: Kigen Chemadi - First Team Outdoor Track 3000 meters, First Team Outdoor Track 5000 meters; Hanley Long - CoSIDA Academic All-American; James Beckner - CoSIDA Academic All-American; Aislynn Hayes - Her Hoops Freshman Fab 15 All-American
DIRECTOR'S CUP: Men's Tennis
TEAM GPA AWARD/SPRING 2019: Women's Tennis (3.90)
TEAM GPA AWARD/FALL 2019: Men's Tennis (3.81)
GAME/EVENT OF THE YEAR: Men's Golf dramatic come-from-behind win in match play to capture 2019 C-USA Championship
PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR: Golfer Caroline Caudill goes birdie-birdie-hole in one-birdie on the final four holes of the Cardinal Cup to finish with a 5-under par 67
PLAY OF THE YEAR: Junior Greg Bennett's spectacular diving catch to end the third inning against undefeated Alabama
DePriest, Moonen and Owens were honored with the True Blue President's Award, which is the highest honor bestowed upon a current MT student-athlete who epitomizes all that is good in intercollegiate athletics. Presented annually to one male and one female student-athlete, the President's Award recognizes outstanding academic and athletic accomplishments, university/community service and leadership.
All three excelled in the classroom, community and on the field and court. DePriest carries an impressive 3.9 GPA in exercise science while blasting a career-high 18 goals during her junior campaign to become the Blue Raiders' career goals leader. Moonen also owns a 3.9 GPA in accounting and is ranked in the top 10 all-time in victories. Owens sports a 3.9 GPA, as well, in health care administration and this past season put together an under par stroke average to become just the fourth Blue Raider all-time to accomplish that feat.
"Every year this is one of the top nights that we put together to honor and celebrate our student-athletes," said Director of Athletics Chris Massaro. "We would much prefer to recognize them in person at Tucker Theatre like normal but this is the next best way. A night like this serves as a great reminder of the immense talent we have in this athletic department. I applaud all their efforts and it's just a great night for Blue Raider Athletics."
Academically, the Student-Athlete Enhancement Center awarded the highest Team GPA honors for the spring 2019 semester and the fall 2019 semester. The spring 2019 honor went to women's tennis with a 3.90 GPA, while men's tennis won the fall 2019 award with a 3.81 GPA.
In the individual categories, track and cross country standout Jacob Choge was voted Male Athlete of the Year, while women's basketball star Anastasia Hayes and track performer Eusila Chepkemei shared the Female Athlete of the Year honor. Choge was the C-USA Male Cross Country Athlete of the Year, Hayes was the C-USA Newcomer of the Year, and Chepkemei earned the C-USA Female Cross Country Athlete of the Year award.
The Male and Female Newcomer of the Year awards went to Fausto Lopez from baseball and women's basketball star Aislynn Hayes. Lopez enjoyed a .328 batting average, was second on the team in hits and led team in stolen bases, while Hayes brought home C-USA Freshman of the Year accolades.
The Breakout Performer of the Year awards went to Charity Savage (basketball) and Asher O'Hara (football). Savage, who averaged 1.9 points and 5.7 minutes per game her first three years, earned second team all-conference honors after averaging 10.9 points and 11. 3 rebounds her senior year. O'Hara, in his first year as the starter at quarterback, became the second player in school history to throw for over 2,500 yards and rush for more than 1,000 yards in a single-season.
Fans determined the winners of the Play of the Year, Performance of the Year, and the Game/Event of the Year by voting on GoBlueRaiders.com. The Play of the Year was junior Greg Bennett's spectacular diving catch to end the third inning against undefeated Alabama. The Performance of the Year award went to golfer Caroline Caudill after going birdie-birdie-hole in one-birdie on the final four holes of the Cardinal Cup to finish with a 5-under par 67. The Game/Event of the Year was men's golf and their dramatic come-from-behind win in match play to capture the 2019 C-USA Championship.
The Director's Cup Award was won for the third straight year by men's tennis for leading the way in the department's 1,396 hours of service. This award was created to recognize the student-athletes who go above and beyond and who demonstrate an unselfish attitude toward their team, family and community. The team who has earned the most points throughout the year in academic achievement, community outreach, and personal development, take home this prestigious award.
Numerous athletes were also recognized for their academic honors and All-American accolades.
2020 RAIDERS CHOICE AWARDS WINNERS
PRESIDENTS AWARD (MALE): Tanner Owens, golf; Tom Moonen, tennis
PRESIDENTS AWARD (FEMALE): Peyton DePriest, soccer
MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Jacob Choge, track
FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Anastasia Hayes, basketball; Eusila Chepkemei, track
MALE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Fausto Lopez, baseball
FEMALE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Aislynn Hayes, basketball
FEMALE BREAKOUT PERFORMER OF THE YEAR: Charity Savage, basketball
MALE BREAKOUT PERFORMER OF THE YEAR: Asher O'Hara, football
ALL-AMERICANS: Kigen Chemadi - First Team Outdoor Track 3000 meters, First Team Outdoor Track 5000 meters; Hanley Long - CoSIDA Academic All-American; James Beckner - CoSIDA Academic All-American; Aislynn Hayes - Her Hoops Freshman Fab 15 All-American
DIRECTOR'S CUP: Men's Tennis
TEAM GPA AWARD/SPRING 2019: Women's Tennis (3.90)
TEAM GPA AWARD/FALL 2019: Men's Tennis (3.81)
GAME/EVENT OF THE YEAR: Men's Golf dramatic come-from-behind win in match play to capture 2019 C-USA Championship
PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR: Golfer Caroline Caudill goes birdie-birdie-hole in one-birdie on the final four holes of the Cardinal Cup to finish with a 5-under par 67
PLAY OF THE YEAR: Junior Greg Bennett's spectacular diving catch to end the third inning against undefeated Alabama
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