HUNTSVILLE, Ala. | The Alabama A&M University Department of Athletics celebrated the academic and athletic achievements during the 2023-24 academic year on Wednesday night with the 10^th Annual B.E.S.T. Awards at the AAMU Event Center.
 
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. This year, the department added the Bulldog Award with the team honors, which recognizes a student-athlete who shows outstanding sportsmanship in their athletic sport and in the classroom. 
 
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
 
Briana Cox – Women's Track & Field
 
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
 
Mulamba Nestor Ezekiel Salama – Men's Track & Field
 
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.
 
Keyara Brooks – Volleyball
Mulamba Nestor Ezekiel Salama – Men's Track & Field
 
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
Men's Golf
Women's Cross Country
Women's Soccer
Women's Track & Field
 
Coach of the Year
Andrew Murphy – Women's Cross Country
 
Bulldog Cup
Women's Cross Country
 
TEAM AWARDS
Baseball
Coach's Award: Kamren Jacob (KJ) Stanfield
Most Improved Player: Dylan Lewis
Most Valuable Player: Tristan Curless
Bulldog Award: Zakarius (Zak) Rice
 
Men's Basketball
Coach's Award: Ademola Oladipo
Most Improved Player: Chad Moodie
Most Valuable Player: Omari Peek
Bulldog Award: Dailin Smith
 
Women's Basketball
Coach's Award: Kayla Turner
Most Improved Player: Darian Burgin
Most Valuable Player: Amiah Simmons
Bulldog Award: Alisha Wilson
 
Bowling
Coach's Award: Tamyra Long
Most Improved Bowler: Megan Whorton
Most Valuable Bowler: Rose Ugbinada
Bulldog Award: Alexis Orchard
 
Cheerleading
Coach's Award: Mya Hayes
Most Improved Cheerleader: Lyric Chatman
Most Valuable Cheerleader: Kylah Currie
Bulldog Award: Justice Murphy
 
Women's Cross Country
Coach's Award: Taylor Wingo
Most Improved Runner: Minka Isom
Most Valuable Runner: Aneisha Ingram
Bulldog Award: Khalea Avery
 
Football
Coach's Award: Xavier Lankford
Most Improved Offensive Player: Terrell Gardner
Most Improved Defensive Player: Emari Pait
Most Valuable Offensive Player: Donovan Eaglin
Most Valuable Defensive Player: Zareon Hayes
Bulldog Award: Carson Vinson
 
Men's Golf
Coach's Award: Samuel Boddie
Most Improved Golfer: Bryson Hannah
Most Valuable Golfer: Niall Bagnall
Bulldog Award: Kourey Patterson
 
Softball
Coach's Award: Sydney Hall
Most Improved Player: Dakota Daniel
Most Valuable Player: Serena Herbranson
Bulldog Award: Katie Puckett
 
Women's Soccer
Coach's Award: Jasmine-Perez-Acosta
Most Improved Player: Phoenix Caesar
Most Valuable Player: Victoria Mealing
Bulldog Award: Jameela Barrett
 
Men's Tennis
Coach's Award: Chetanna Amadike
Most Improved Player: Yin Chih Lan
Most Valuable Player: Kai Cowcher
Bulldog Award: Yentaeti Bessoun Vence Nicha
 
Women's Tennis
Coach's Award: Alicia Owegi
Most Improved Player: Ariadna Ondo Cerezo
Most Valuable Player: Sofia Sotelo Raya
Bulldog Award: Ntokozo Zungu
 
Men's Track & Field
Coach's Award: Cedric Burrell Jr.
Most Improved Runner: Bruce Davis
Most Valuable Runner: Ezekiel Salama
Bulldog Award: Eric Brannon
 
Women's Track & Field
Coach's Award: De'Aisha Stephens
Most Improved Runner: Briana Cox
Most Valuable Runner: Ana-Liese Torian
Bulldog Award: Victoya Smith
 
Volleyball
Coach's Award: Samaurya Mahone
Most Improved Player: Kemora Coachman
Most Valuable Player: Saldy Amparo-Smith
Bulldog Award: Bailey Duckett
 
Athletics Director Honor Roll
Baseball [2]
Trent Schumacher
Trey Scott
 
Cheerleading [2]
Cailyn Cook
Kelcie Harris
 
Football [4]
Terphil Bienaime
Bryson Clark
Xavier Lankford
Sebastian Silverstein
 
Men's Golf [2]
Niall Bagnall
Bryson Hannah
 
Softball [3]
Jalia Callaway
Serena Herbranson
Madison Murray
 
Women's Soccer [7]
Janiah Bolden
Chelsie Charles
Brooke Linney
Mia Lockhart
Zyiah Mikes
Jasmine Perez
Unique Ward
 
Men's Tennis [2]
Freddie Lawrence
Yentateti Bessounvence Ntcha
 
Women's Tennis [4]
Yana Dhamija
Hannah Nagpall
Sofia Sotelo Raya
Ntozoko Zungu
 
Men's Track & Field [3]
Eric Brannon
Donovan Horne
Mulamba Ezekiel Salama
 
Women's Track & Field [8]
Olivia Andrews
Khalea Avery
Tanya Burnett
Laila Gaynor
Sanyae Gibson
Aneisha Ingram
Victoya Smith
Tiyanna Watson
 
Volleyball [2]
Keyara Brooks
Myiah Porter
 
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