FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – On Sunday, the Nova Southeastern University athletic department held their annual Athletics Banquet, commemorating the 2015-16 season and commending student-athletes for their academic and athletic prowess in a ceremony held at the Don Taft University Center and presented by Rob Lambdin's University Dodge Ram.
The night was emceed by master of ceremonies Jeff Winter, with introductory speeches by NSU President and CEO, Dr. George Hanbury, and Director of Athletics
Michael Mominey. Track and field athlete
Benjamin Manuel (Jr., Willemstad, Curacao) gave the invocation, and this year's Senior Speech was presented by volleyball player
Caitlin Donahue (Miami).
Each team was recognized at this point, including the standouts listed below. Afterwards, Mominey announced the departmental awards. First, receiving the NSU Sportsmanship Awards were cross country runner
Imke Oelerich (Sr., Braunschweig, Germany) and baseball player
Steven Fleming (Sr., Palm City, Fla.).
Next, earning the Male Athlete of the Year for the second straight season was junior swimmer
Thiago Sickert (Vila Velha, Brazil), now a three-time individual NCAA National Champion, as well as back-to-back SSC Male Swimmer of the Year. Tennis player
Klaudia Boczova (Jr., Bratislava, Slovakia), currently undefeated in singles play in her debut season for the Sharks and a favorite for SSC Player of the Year, was selected as Female Athlete of the Year.
Winning the Shark Cup Challenge again this year was the NSU volleyball team, presented by Fleming, the current NSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee President. Women's basketball, by virtue of the department's highest GPA (3.55), was presented with the 2015-16 JAWS Award by Associate Athletic Director and SWA
Kelley Kish.
Scholar-athletes of the year were presented next, also by Kish, given to
Karl Enarsson (Gothenburg, Sweden) of both the soccer and track and field squads, and soccer goalkeeper
Amanda Kopale (Cape Coral, Fla.). They had the highest GPA among seniors in this year's graduating class, with Enarsson earning a 3.92 in management, with a minor in leadership, and Kopale, garnering a 4.0 while double majoring in theater and exercise and sport science.
Below is a list of the individual team honors:
Women's Cross Country
Ultimate Shark – Anabel Knoll
Ultimate Pilot – Quannisha Allen
Men's Cross Country
Ultimate Shark – Christian Oppel
Ultimate Pilot – Ian McQuate
Volleyball
Ultimate Shark – Sydney Cook
GR1T Award – Caitlin Donahue
Women's Soccer
Ultimate Shark – Samantha Gestido
Team MVP – Sierra Lelii
Men's Soccer
Ultimate Shark – Stefano Fanfoni
Player of the Year – Caue Munareti Rodrigues
Women's Basketball
Ultimate Shark – Kayla Wright
Ultimate Shark – Monaye Merritt
Men's Basketball
Ultimate Shark – Harrison Goodrick
Avery Harriman Coach's Award – Jonathan Back
Cheerleading
Ultimate Shark – Anna Rubin
Most Improved – Arielle James
Dance
Ultimate Shark – Nathalie Irias
Most Dedicated – Melanie Nieves
Women's Swimming and Diving
Ultimate Shark – Emma Wahlstrom
Coach's Award – Madison Yelle
Men's Swimming and Diving
Ultimate Shark – Thiago Sickert
Academic Excellence – Jean-David Rousseau
Women's Golf
Ultimate Shark – Aldana Foigel
H.E.A.R.T. Award – Jamie Freedman
Men's Golf
Ultimate Shark – Richard Mansell
Coach's Award – Hunter O'Mahony
Rowing
Ultimate Shark – Adrianna Rosario
Driven Woman – Daesha Roberts
Tennis
Ultimate Shark – Klaudia Boczova
Sportsmanship Award – Sabrina Kierberg
Women's Track & Field
Ultimate Shark – Sherrelle Jordan
Ultimate Shark Field – Shakira Bartley
Men's Track & Field
Ultimate Shark – Rohan Mullings
Ultimate Shark Field – Darren Hendricks
Softball
Ultimate Shark – Megan Granitto
Unsung Hero – Dakota Villella
Baseball
Ultimate Shark – Kavan Thompson
Most Outstanding Player – Alex Mateo
