HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – With a strong 2021-22 season still producing impressive honors, Alabama A&M Athletics recognized the more than 300 student-athletes that have made it possible during the Eighth Annual B.E.S.T. Awards held at the Von Braun Center Ballroom on Wednesday, April 13.
 
The evening included remarks from Alabama A&M President Dr. Daniel K. Wims and Director of Athletics Bryan Hicks along with a moment of silence in remembrance of longtime photographer Sidney Jackson who passed away on January 15.
 
Highlighting the specialty awards were the Betty Austin Female Student-Athlete of the Year and Vann Pettaway Male Student-Athlete of the Year, each named for a legendary and longtime coach for the Bulldogs. Both are members of the program's Hall of Fame following coaching careers that spanned decades with women's volleyball and men's basketball, respectively.
 
This year's men's winner was graduate quarterback Aqeel Glass (St. Louis, Mo.) while senior women's basketball forward Dariauna Lewis (Omaha, Neb.) was the women's winner as the top student-athlete based upon athletic accomplishment.
 
Also among the top honors were the Male and Female Total Package awards representing the most well rounded student-athletes, encompassing academics, athletics community service and involvement in campus activities. This year that was Lewis on the women's side with junior men's basketball guard Garrett Hicks (Madison, Ala.) claiming the men's.
 
Athletic Training also presented both the Male and Female Comeback Student-Athlete of the Year as well as the Athletic Trainer of the Year.
 
Meant to recognize an individual coming back from injury or off surgery to perform at high level for their team, this year's Comeback winners were graduate forward Kierra Johnson-Graham (Ellenwood, Ga.) of women's basketball and junior wide receiver Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim (Miramar, Fla.). Athletic Trainer of the Year, meanwhile, would go to a pair of individuals in Alexis Glasby and Keonna King.
 
The women's soccer program would earn a pair of high profile academic award, including the Waylon Sims Team Academic Achievement Award as the program with the highest cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA). Paired with that was senior defender Arielle Fortune (Chattanooga, Tenn.) earning the Kenneth Gunn, Jr. Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award.
 
Additionally, A&M presented the Record Breaking Performance Award which goes to an individual who set national, conference or program records.
 
This year that was Glass, who became the first Bulldog to repeat as the Deacon Jones Award Winner as the top HBCU Player in the country after finishing his career with program records of 12,136 yards and 109 passing touchdowns. He also became the first player in program history to repeat as the SWAC Offensive Player of the Year.
 
The top team award on the night would be The Bulldog Cup, an award encompassing athletic and academic accomplishment. Presented to the top Alabama A&M team annually, in 2021-22 that was women's soccer.
 
As is tradition, the Bulldogs would also name a Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior and Newcomer of the Year. This year it would be Deja Brown (Spring Valley, Calif.) earning freshman honors with men's basketball guard Dailin Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo.) taking home sophomore recognition.
 
His teammate, Jalen Johnson (Indianapolis, Ind.), would earn the junior award and Glass would be named top senior. Glass' primary target, senior wide receiver Dee Anderson (Dallas, Texas) would earn Newcomer of the Year. Additionally, each program named their Most Valuable Player and recognized their Scholar-Athlete.
 
With more than 300 individuals enjoying the evening, the event was well attended at the Von Braun Center Ballroom and highlighted a very successful year on the fields, courts and tracks for Alabama A&M Athletics.
 
2022 Alabama A&M Athletics B.E.S.T. Award Recipients
Newcomer of the Year
Dee Anderson (Football)
 
Freshman of the Year
Deja Brown (Women's Tennis)
 
Sophomore of the Year
Dailin Smith (Men's Basketball)
 
Junior of the Year
Jalen Johnson (Men's Basketball)
 
Senior of the Year
Aqeel Glass (Football)
 
Athletic Trainer of the Year
Alexis Glasby
Keonna King
 
Record Breaking Performance Award
Aqeel Glass (Football)
 
Best Comeback Female Student-Athlete Award
Kierra Johnson-Graham (Women's Basketball)
 
Best Comeback Male Student-Athlete Award
Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim (Football)
 
Waylon Sims Team Academic Achievement Award
Women's Soccer
 
Kenneth Gunn Jr. Scholar Athlete of the Year Award
Arielle Fortune (Women's Soccer)
 
Female Total Package (All-Around Student-Athlete)
Dariauna Lewis (Women's Basketball)
 
Male Total Package (All-Around Student-Athlete)
Garrett Hicks (Men's Basketball)
 
Vann Pettaway Male Student-Athlete of the Year
Aqeel Glass (Football)
 
Betty Austin Female Student-Athlete of the Year
Dariauna Lewis (Women's Basketball)
 
The Bulldog Cup
Women's Soccer
 
TEAM AWARDS
Baseball
Tim Dixon, MVP
Trevor Berkemeyer, Scholar-Athlete
 
Men's Basketball
Jalen Johnson, MVP
Garrett Hicks, Scholar-Athlete
 
Women's Basketball
Dariauna Lewis, MVP
Dariauna Lewis, Scholar-Athlete
 
Bowling
Montaya Walton, MVP
Taese Davenport, Scholar-Athlete
 
Cheerleading
Kherstin Johnson, MVP
Trinity McIntosh, Scholar-Athlete
 
Football
Aqeel Glass, MVP
Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim, Scholar-Athlete
 
Men's Golf
Jason Johnson, MVP
Felipe Gomez, Scholar-Athlete
 
Softball
Lauryn Gross, MVP
Alyssa Lopez, Scholar-Athlete
 
Women's Soccer
Jodi Medina, MVP
Arielle Fortune, Scholar-Athlete
 
Men's Tennis
Natiphat Mulada, MVP
German Ruiz Crespo, Scholar-Athlete
 
Women's Tennis
Jasmine Boyd, MVP
India Woods, Scholar-Athlete
 
Men's Track & Field
Brandon McLaren, MVP
Demetrius Hurry II, Scholar-Athlete
 
Women's Track & Field
Aneisha Ingram, MVP
Aneisha Ingram, Scholar-Athlete
 
Women's Volleyball
Ashley Jordan, MVP
Maci Battle, Scholar-Athlete