HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The Alabama A&M Athletic Department held its annual B.E.S.T. Awards program at the Event Center on Monday, April 24. Awards were presented for academic and athletic excellence for the 2022-23 academic year.
Athletic award winners were nominated by coaches and chosen by a selection committee made up of athletic staff members from various departments. Academic awards were nominated by academic advisors and winners were chosen by the entire athletic administration and staff.
The evening included remarks from Alabama A&M President Dr. Daniel K. Wims and Director of Athletics Dr. Paul A. Bryant.
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.
Below is a list of the award winners and an explanation of each award category.
Betty Austin Female Student-Athlete of the Year Award Presented to a standout female individual who demonstrated outstanding athletic performance and has been instrumental to the team's success
Bailey Duckett – Volleyball
Vann Pettaway Male Student-Athlete of the Year Award Presented to a standout male individual who demonstrated outstanding athletic performance and has been instrumental to the team's success
Garrett Hicks – Men's Basketball
Kenneth Gunn Scholar Athlete Award This award is presented to a male and female student-athlete that have displayed significant academic accomplishments throughout the year.
Mikayla Rushing – Women's Soccer
Jason Marono – Baseball
Waylon Sims Team Academic Achievement Award Honoring the athletic program with the highest GPA
Women's Tennis
Team APR (Academic Progress Rate) Award
Women's Tennis
Men's Tennis
Coach of the Year
Cassandra Brown – Softball
Bulldog Cup
Softball
TEAM AWARDS
Baseball
Tommy Easley, MVP
Corben Green, Coaches Award
Kenny Glover, Most Improved
Men's Basketball
Garrett Hicks, MVP
Dailin Smith, Coaches Award
Blaise Olasie Akonobi, Most Improved
Women's Basketball
Jayla Cody, MVP
Amani Free, Coaches Award
Amiah Simmons, Most Improved
Bowling
Rose Ugbinada, MVP
Tamyra Long, Coaches Award
Nariya Jackson, Most Improved
Cheerleading
Kyla Curry, MVP
Justice Murphy, Coaches Award
Maci Reed, Most Improved
Cross Country
Aneisha Ingram, MVP
Alliyah Jones, Coaches Award
Aneisha Ingram, Most Improved
Football
Zareon Hayes, MVP
Bryson Clark, Coaches Award
Liston Richardson, Most Improved
Men's Golf
Felipe Gomez Lopez, MVP
Jason Johnson, Coaches Award
Niall Bagnall, Most Improved
Softball
Venice Sanders, MVP
Serena Herbranson, Coaches Award
Faith Cross, Most Improved
Women's Soccer
Tateyana Pitter, MVP
Unique Ward, Coaches Award
Victoria Ajegwu, Most Improved
Men's Tennis
Chetanna Amadike, MVP
Lebogang Mashego, Coaches Award
Arnav Pathange, Most Improved
Women's Tennis
Yana Dhamija, MVP
Yana Dhamija, Coaches Award
Neha Ghare, Most Improved
Men's Track & Field
Talil Atkins, MVP
Isaiah McCaulley, Coaches Award
Keyshawn Johnson, Most Improved
Women's Track & Field
Laila Gaynor, MVP
Jairyn Russell, Coaches Award
Aneisha Ingram, Most Improved
Volleyball
Bailey Duckett, MVP
M'Kenna Albert, Coaches Award
Layla Phillips, Most Improved
Women's Track & Field
Laila Gaynor, MVP
Jairyn Russell, Coaches Award
Aneisha Ingram, Most Improved
Volleyball
Bailey Duckett, MVP
M'Kenna Albert, Coaches Award
Layla Phillips, Most Improved
Follow The Bulldogs
For complete coverage of Alabama A&M athletics, follow on social media at @aamuathletics (Instagram) and @AAMUBulldogs on Twitter, and visit the official home of Alabama A&M athletics at www.aamusports.com.
