W&L Announces 2016 Athletic Department Awards
The Washington and Lee Department of Athletics held its annual Athletics Awards Ceremony at Lee Chapel on May 17. The event, made possible by the generosity of the Brookby Family, honors student-athletes and administrators who have made the 2015-16 school year a tremendous success.
Headlining the awardees were seniors Ron Tassoni and Stephanie Foster, who were selected as the “Pres” Brown Outstanding Senior Male and Female Athletes of the Year as voted on by members of the department.
Senior tennis player Michael Holt and senior basketball and soccer player Shelbi Hendricks received the William D. McHenry Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards, while lacrosse player A.J. Witherell and field hockey and lacrosse player Haley Tucker were presented the Outstanding First-Year Male and Female Athlete Awards. Senior football player Dillon Stanfield was selected as the winner of the Wink Glasgow Spirit & Sportsmanship Award.
Tassoni was a four-year letterwinner and two-year captain for the wrestling team. He spent his first two seasons wrestling at 174 pounds and then bumped to 184 pounds for his final two campaigns. He finished as the program’s all-time wins leader with a 97-43 record and also set new school marks for team points (343.5) and takedowns (268). A two-time National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-American, he claimed the 174-pound title at the Centennial Conference Championship as a sophomore and finished as the conference runner-up at 184 pounds in his senior season. He also finished third at the NCAA East Regional, becoming W&L’s first NCAA National Championship qualifier since 2001. Tassoni twice earned All-Centennial Conference and VaSID All-State laurels.
Foster earned four letters as a member of the swimming team. She twice won the ODAC Championship in the 100 backstroke and was a part of six ODAC Champion relay teams, including the 200 freestyle relay (1:35.81) and the 200 medley relay (1:45.46) that set school, conference and championship meet records this season. She was an All-ODAC honoree all four seasons and garnered the ODAC/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete of the Year following each of her final three years. Additionally, she is a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-District selection and she has twice received Scholar All-America honors from the College Swimming Coaches Association of America.
Holt received the McHenry Male Scholar-Athlete Award after earning four letters with the men’s tennis program. The mathematics major is a three-time All-ODAC honoree and a two-time All-American in doubles. He has received the ODAC/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award three times and he is a two-time Third Team CoSIDA Academic All-American. A member of Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa, he finished his career ranked fifth all-time at W&L with 76 doubles wins (76-26). He also went 54-25 in singles in leading W&L to four ODAC titles.
Hendricks was the female recipient of the McHenry Scholar-Athlete Award as a four-year letterwinner in basketball. She also joined the soccer program as a junior to help add depth at goalkeeper. In basketball, the forward played in 99 career games, starting 72 contests. She averaged 8.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 0.9 steals across her four seasons. In soccer, she played in seven career games, saving all six shots she faced in going 3-0 with three shutouts. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa and a 2015 CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree.
Witherell was named the outstanding first-year male after lettering as an attackman for the lacrosse team. He played in all 20 of the team’s games and led the team and tied for seventh in the ODAC in scoring with 55 points on 33 goals and 22 assists. He also had 38 ground balls in helping lead the Generals to their first ODAC title since 2009. He was named Second Team All-ODAC and ODAC Rookie of the Year.
Tucker received the outstanding first-year female award after lettering in field hockey and lacrosse. As a forward in field hockey, she was a Third Team All-ODAC selection after finishing as the team’s second-leading scorer with 18 points on eight goals and two assists. On the lacrosse field, she helped the Generals to the ODAC Championship by finishing tied for third on the team in scoring with 31 points on 25 goals and six assists. The midfielder also led the team with 48 draw controls and collected 23 ground balls and 10 caused turnovers. Tucker earned First Team All-ODAC honors and was named the ODAC Rookie of the Year. She also became the first-ever W&L rookie named to the All-Region team, garnering second team laurels.
Stanfield was named the winner of the Wink Glasgow Spirit & Sportsmanship Award after a four-year career with the football team. He played in 20 games over his career, totaling 518 all-purpose yards as a running back.
Other awards that were presented on Tuesday included the J.L. Lefty Newell Award for the top student manager/worker and the R.E. Chub Yeakel Award, which is given to a member of the University community who has made outstanding contributions to the Department of Athletics. Senior Christina Kamis was the recipient of the Lefty Newell Award, while former coach and administrator Chuck O’Connell was presented the Chub Yeakel Award. Junior Diana Banks was voted to receive the Dick Miller Physical Education Scholarship.
Kamis was voted the Lefty Newell Award winner after serving as a volunteer assistant coach for the volleyball team after her playing career was cut short due to injury. O’Connell received the Chub Yeakel Award for remaining a volunteer assistant coach with the men’s and women’s lacrosse programs following his retirement. Banks received a scholarship for having completed the University’s physical education requirements as a model student.
For a complete listing of the major department awards and all the team awards that have been presented throughout the year, view it here.
