GREENSBORO (April 24, 2018) – North Carolina A&T held its annual All-Sports Athletics Banquet called the Aggie ESPY's Monday night at the Alumni-Foundation Event Center on the campus of North Carolina A&T State University.
The co-host of WFMY News 2's The Good Morning Show Tracey McCain served as the show's special guest.
Monday's banquet featured a celebration of the immense success N.C. A&T Athletics has enjoyed in 2017-18. The indoor and outdoor track teams were celebrated for the men and the women winning the 2017 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship last May which was followed by both teams winning the 2018 MEAC indoor titles.
N.C. A&T bowling won their first MEAC title in 14 years, claimed their fourth straight MEAC Southern Division title and reached their second NCAA tournament in three years.
Football was praised for becoming the first Division I-HBCU in history to finish the season without a loss or a tie. In 2017, the Aggies won the MEAC title with an 8-0 mark and finished the season 12-0 with a 21-14 win over Grambling in the Celebration Bowl as they were crowned HBCU national champions for the second time in three years.
Women's basketball also had some fun in 2017-18. After a 4-7 start, the Aggies went 19-1 in winning their second MEAC regular-season title in three years and in winning their second MEAC tournament title in three years. They earned an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament where they lost to No. 2 seed and defending champion South Carolina.
Individually, the big winner came from women's basketball in senior Kala Green. Green earned the senior female athlete of the year and Aggie Athletic Foundation awards and she picked up the team's impact player of the year trophy.
The night's top two awards went to women's track and field's Kayla White and football's Lamar Raynard. White was named Female Athlete of the Year after earning second-team All-American honors went to her at the 2017 NCAA outdoor championships in the 100-meter hurdles and the 4x1. She also earned All-America accolades at the 2018 NCAA indoor championships.
Raynard, the offensive player of the year in the MEAC in 2017, broke several longstanding school records in leading the Aggies offense. Raynard broke single-season records in passing yards (2,932), touchdown passes (27), touchdowns responsible for (31), total offense (3,117), completions (209) and pass attempts (328).
Bowling's Ana Olaya and football's Frank McCain were the rookie winners. Olaya took female rookie of the year after earning MEAC Rookie of the Year honors in leading the bowling team to the MEAC title and the NCAA tournament. McCain returned six interceptions for 274 yards in 2017 including three for touchdowns. He was the defensive MVP in the Celebration Bowl.
The other senior winner was football's Brandon Parker. The NFL Draft hopeful earned All-American honors from six different organizations including the Associated Press.
Parker's former teammate, Denzel Keyes, won the N.C. A&T Sports Hall of Fame Award. Keyes was recognized for his accomplishments as a football and men's basketball player at N.C. A&T. Keyes is the school's record holder in receiving touchdowns with 25, and he was a two-time All-MEAC performer in football. In men's basketball this past season, he earned third-team All-MEAC accolades.
Football's Dominic Frescura received the first-ever Catherine T. Bonner Award for perseverance as Frescura left the football team but returned to graduate. The annual Joyce Spruill Leadership Scholarship went to women's track and field's Kennedy Thorne. Thorne, a journalism and mass communications major, will receive a $1000 scholarship for the 2018 fall semester for her academic accomplishments.
The top academic team for the second straight year was women's golf with a 3.67 team grade point average.
Among the non-student athlete honorees, Monday night was longtime N.C. A&T football radio announcer and Aggie Club President Spencer Gwynn and recently retired N.C. A&T football coach Rod Broadway.
Awards List:
Senior Female Award: Kala Green
Lifetime Achievement Award: Rod Broadway
Joyce Spruill Scholarship: Kennedy Thorne
Rookie Male Award: Frank McCain
Athletics Director's Academic Team of the Year: Women's Golf
Academic Athletes of the Year (6): Jonah Owenby, Jason King, Trey Scott, Ronald Cubbage, Jessica Brown & Alexus Lessears
Senior Male Award: Brandon Parker
Catherine T. Bonner Award: Dominic Frescura
Rookie Female: Ana Olaya
Michael and Catherine Simmons Leadership Award: Spencer Gwynn
Hall of Fame Award: Denzel Keyes
AAF Award: Kala Green
Team MVP's
Volleyball
Most Valuable Player: Edie Brewer
Elevating Toward Excellence: Christa Wilson
Aggie Pride Award: Jasmine Lindor
Softball
Most Improved: Talisha Jenkins
Aggie Pride Award: Taylor Martin
Academic Award: Hailee Cutts
Golden Bat Award: Samantha Ramirez
Defensive Player of the Year: Mohagony Headen
Bowling
Jimmy Mack Award: Brianna Boze
Rising Star: Ana Olaya
Game Changer: Cameron Strombeck
Men's Track
Men's XC Most Valuable Player: Marquise McGee
Men's Track and Field Performer of the Year: Jaylan Mitchell
Women's Track
Women's Track and Field Performer of the Year: Kayla White
Women's XC Most Valuable Player: Camille Martin
Cheerleading
Gold Squad Rookie of the Year: Kayla Womble
Blue Squad Rookie of the Year: Chandler Colcough
Cheer Program Most Valuable Player: Jessica Brown
Cheer Coaches' Award: LeTya McAllister
Football
Football MVP: Lamar Raynard
Football Defensive Player of the Year: Jeremy Taylor
Football Most Improved: Kiaundric Richardson
Football Most Outstanding Player: Elijah Bell
Football Aggie Award: Timadre Abram
Football Offensive Lineman of the Year: Brandon Parker
Football Defensive Lineman of the Year: Darryl Johnson
Football Leadership Award: Darriel Mack
Football Special Teams Player of the Year Award: Khris Gardin
Rod Broadway Award: Marquell Cartwright
Women's Basketball
Most Improved Player: Shantell Bostick
Impact Player of the Year: Kala Green
Commit to Grit Award: Quenswayla Story
Newcomer of the Year Award: C'Coriea Foy
Defensive Player of the Year Award: Alexus Lessears
Women's Tennis
Co-Coaches' Award: Angelica Martinez & Renata Ruiz
Most Valuable Player: Khalia Powell
Men's Tennis
Most Valuable Player: Nicolas Arduh
Rookie of the Year: Joe Goenaga
Coaches' Award: Brett Caban
Baseball
Offensive Player of the Year: A.J. Hunt
Newcomer of the Year: Tim Luth
Baseball Pitcher of the Year: Michael Johnson
Senior Leadership Award: Josh Stikeleather
Men's Basketball
Co-MVPs: Femi Olujobi, Denzel Keyes & Davaris McGowens
Aggie Pride Award: Amari Hamilton
Newcomer of the Year: Kameron Langley
