THE HILL | The Alabama A&M University Department of Athletics celebrated the academic and athletic achievements during the 2025-26 academic year on Monday night with the 12^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.
 
The evening included remarks from Alabama A&M Vice President & Director of Athletics Dr.  Paul A. Bryant, along with guest speaker and NFL Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson.
 
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
 
Kalia Walker – Women's Basketball
 
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
 
Travuanta Abner - Football
 
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.
 
Female: Laila Gaynor – Women's Track & Field
Male: Myles Parker - Football
 
Waylon Sims Team Academic Achievement Award Honoring the athletic program with the highest GPA
 
Women's Cross Country
 
Team Highest APR (Academic Progress Rate) Award
Women's Tennis
 
Female Newcomer of the Year
Laura Avila – Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
 
Male Newcomer of the Year
Koron Davis – Men's Basketball
 
Coach of the Year
Willis Mbandi – Men's Tennis
 
Bulldog Cup
Women's Bowling
 
Special Award - Council Consulting Group
Jaida Belton – Women's Basketball
 
Special Award - Corporate Sponsor of the Year
NIKE
 



TEAM AWARDS
Baseball
Most Improved Player: Bryan Walker
Most Valuable Player: Anthony Mateo
Bulldog Award: Miles Jackson
 
Men's Basketball
Most Improved Player: Bilal Abdur-Rahman
Most Valuable Player: PJ Eason
Bulldog Award: Kintavious Dozier
 
Women's Basketball
Most Improved Player: Aniya Palmer
Most Valuable Player: Kalia Walker
Bulldog Award: Vanessa Wimberly
 
Bowling
Most Improved Bowler: Anya Nelson
Most Valuable Bowler: Rose Ugbinada
Bulldog Award: Nila Dulcio
 
Cheerleading
Most Improved Cheerleader: Nia Bridgeforth
Most Valuable Cheerleader: Mya Hayes
Bulldog Award: Gabrielle Betts
 
Women's Cross Country
Most Improved Runner: Brianna Samuels
Most Valuable Runner: Laura Avila
Bulldog Award: Minka Isom
 
Men's Cross Country
Most Improved Runner: Zachary Cooper
Most Valuable Runner: Juan Osorio
Bulldog Award: Juan Osorio
 
Football
Most Improved Offensive Player: Bruce Crenshaw
Most Improved Defensive Player: Jordan Milton
Most Valuable Offensive Player: Cornelious Brown IV
Most Valuable Defensive Player: Nicholas Glenn
Bulldog Award: Travaunta Abner
 
Men's Golf
Most Improved Golfer: Kourey Patterson
Most Valuable Golfer: Vicente Rodriguez
Bulldog Award: Lukas Lange
 
Softball
Most Improved Player: Mary Grace Whatley
Most Valuable Player: Kali Austerman
Bulldog Award: Jaliyah Grigsby
 
Women's Soccer
Most Improved Player: Anita Frederick-Sigaran
Most Valuable Player: Czaske Deane
Bulldog Award: Zyiah Miles
 
Men's Tennis
Most Improved Player: Arnarv Pathange
Most Valuable Player: Juwan Bae
Bulldog Award: Tasso Moreira
 
Women's Tennis
Most Improved Player: Gabrielle Henderson
Most Valuable Player: Alicia Owegi
Bulldog Award: Tsitsi Mahere
 
Men's Track & Field
Most Improved Runner: Corey Harris
Most Valuable Runner: Joe Quez Keith
Bulldog Award: Talil Atkins
 
Women's Track & Field
Most Improved Runner: Kayla Fluker
Most Valuable Runner: Laura Avila
Bulldog Award: Laila Gaynor
 
Volleyball
Most Improved Player: Carys Sanabria
Most Valuable Player: Kelani Talakai
Bulldog Award: Rayishon Jackman
 
Athletics Director Honor Roll

• The Athletics Department currently has 297 student-athletes on the Athletics Director's Honor Roll, which includes 34 that have earned a 4.0 cumulative GPA.

 
Baseball [5]
Cameron Finn
Evan Hurlburt
Miles Jackson
 
Men's Basketball [1]
Jayden Jackson
 
Women's Bowling [2]
Simone Guyton
Samantha Mason
 
Cheerleading [3]
Smyria Bonner
Haley Crawley
Christina Marks
 
Women's Cross Country [1]
Laura Avila Marquez
 
 
Football [2]
Campbell Bender
Marquel Patterson
 
Men's Golf [2]
James Fujita
Vicente Rodriguez
 
Men's Outdoor Track [1]
Kayden Washington
 
Women's Outdoor Track [2]
Karley Malveo
Jaila Woodruff
 
Softball [5]
Grace Cruthis
Jaliyah Grigsby
Josefna Lacalle
Dylann Rambally
Mary Whatley
 
Women's Soccer [6]
Jhelysse Anthony
Brea Bailey
Jaylin Henderson-Nevarez
Lena Johannson
Gabriella Machuca
Riyah Pandher
 
Men's Tennis [1]
Goran Krivokapic
 
Women's Tennis [1]
Sofia Sotelo Raya
 
Volleyball [4]
Sana Dennis
Rayishon Jackman
Kaydee Smith
Bailey Wallace
 
For complete coverage of Alabama A&M Athletics, check out the official homepage at www.aamusports.com. Remember to follow us on social media: Instagram (@aamuathletics), Facebook (aamubulldogathletics), Twitter (@_aamuathletics) and TikTok (aamuathletics).