Tulsa Student-Athletes Celebrate End of Academic Year with Golden ‘Cane Awards

PHOTO GALLERY

TULSA, Okla. –– The athletic and academic accomplishments of The University of Tulsa student-athletes for the 2023-24 season were recognized Tuesday night at the Annual Golden 'Cane Awards for the Grammy Awards-type Ceremony at the Lorton Performance Center on the TU campus.

The night was highlighted by the announcement of this year's "Ultimate Team", an award recognizing one student-athlete from each sport who exemplifies leadership qualities throughout their team consistent with the mission and values of TU Athletics. Selection is based upon five pillars: Leadership, Character, Academic Achievement, Athletics Participation, and Campus/ Community involvement.

The Ultimate Team members for the 2023-24 academic year include: Katelyn Levings (Women's Basketball), Grace Walker (Spirit), Juliette Haro (Women's Soccer), Robyn Kowalski (Women's Cross Country), Malte Propp (Men's Cross Country), Avery Kalsu (Volleyball), Kendarin Ray (Football), Ana Naranjo Martinez (Women's Tennis), Dani Burns (Softball), Darya Vyrupayeva (Rowing), Elizabeth Roca (Women's Track), Malik Henry-Scott (Men's Soccer), Isaiah Barnes (Men's Basketball), Pierce Rollins (Men's Tennis), Christian Baker (Men's Track), Grace Kilcrease (Women's Golf).

The Dan Bitson Courage award is presented annually to the TU student-athlete who exemplifies courage, perseverance and tenacity for overcoming adversity. The award's namesake, Tulsa All-America receiver Dan Bitson, had his life altered drastically when his automobile was struck head-on just a mile from campus on a December morning in 1989. His unlikely return to the football field in 1991 was inspirational to many and remains an inspiration to Tulsa student-athletes today

Liz Campbell from women's soccer is this year's Bitson Courage Award winner. Campbell suffered multiple ACL injuries in her career and missed her first two fall seasons while rehabbing. She put in tireless work to return to the playing field last fall. Liz made it through the entire season only to re-injure her knee after the year, thus being forced to medically retire.

Oleksandra Nahurska from women's tennis and football's Anthony Watkins are this year's winners of the Dr. Christopher Anderson Classroom Grit Award, which is presented to one male and one female graduating student-athlete for perseverance in the classroom

On the court, Nahurska posted a 17-10 record this year, while she'll graduate this summer in management with a sport management emphasis. Watkins, a transfer in 2020, rushed for a team-high 889 yards with four touchdowns in the fall. He will graduate this May with a degree in organizational studies.

A new award this year is the Community Service Award presented to the male and female with the most community service hours. Track athlete Anastasia Small and soccer's Nils Orywol are the inaugural winners.

Small has put in 73 hours of community service this year. She participates in Spanish reading at Kendall-Whittier, Big Brothers & Big Sisters and has been involved in the Bounce Student Disaster Recovery program. Orywol has participated in 15.3 hours of community service this year. He serves as a mentor at Kendall-Whittier, works with the YSP program and the North Tulsa Soccer League.

The Female Athlete of the Year Award went to basketball standout Delanie Crawford. The junior was named a WBCA All-America honorable mention selection and earned the American Athletic Conference Most Improved Player award. She averaged 19.0 points with a .437 field goal percentage, .393 mark from three-point range and an .837 percentage from the free throw line.

Cross Country and track student-athlete Malte Propp was selected as the Male Athlete of the Year. He claimed first-place in the 3,000m and 5,000m at The American Championship.

The Newcomer of the Year awards were swept by the sport of basketball. The women's award went to freshman basketball student-athlete Madi Cartwright, who averaged 6.8 points and 2.8 rebounds while shooting36-percent from three-point range. Junior Jared Garcia was named the male newcomer of the year after averaging 9.4 points and a team-leading 6.0 rebounds in 31 games.

The athlete and newcomer of the year awards were nominated by the head coaches and selected by a vote of TU student-athletes.

Softball student-athlete Haley Morgan and cross country/track & field athlete Sean Korsmo were recognized as the Warren Garrison Academic Excellence Award Winners, presented to a graduating student-athlete who has completed his or her eligibility with the highest undergraduate cumulative grade point average.

A five-year letterwinner and four-year starter, Morgan has started 189 of 195 career games with a .329 batting average, 183 hits and 98 RBI. Haley will graduate this May with a degree in exercise & sports science and a minor in early childhood intervention. Korsmo has earned indoor track all-conference honors in each of the last two seasons and was an outdoor all-league selection a year ago. Sean will graduate this May with a degree in media studies.

The Barry Kinsey Award, named after former faculty athletics representative Dr. Barry Kinsey, recognizes the team that achieved the highest-grade point average for the academic year goes to the Women's Tennis Team with a fall semester grade point average of 3.7.

The Hurricane Star award recognizes pathway to sports academy students, federal work study students, volunteers, etc., who are dependable, committed, and passionate towards TU Athletics. Senior softball equipment operations student Keri Sharp is the recipient of this year's Hurricane Star Award. Sharp has spent four years with the softball team as a part of the Pathways to Sports Program.

Each year, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), recognizes a faculty or staff member who has demonstrated care and compassion to the development of our student-athletes in or out of the classroom. This year's Reign Cane Award winner is senior associate athletic director for communications Don Tomkalski.

2023-24 GOLDEN 'CANE AWARD WINNERS
ULTIMATE TEAM AWARD
This award is designed to recognize one student-athlete from each sport who exemplifies leadership qualities throughout their team consistent with the mission and values of TU Athletics. Selection is based upon five pillars: Leadership, Character, Academic Achievement, Athletics Participation, and Campus/ Community involvement.
Katelyn Levings, Women's Basketball
Grace Walker, Spirit
Juliette Haro, Women's Soccer
Robyn Kowalski, Women's Cross Country
Malte Propp, Men's Cross Country
Avery Kalsu, Volleyball
Kendarin Ray, Football
Ana Naranjo Martinez, Women's Tennis
Dani Burns, Softball
Darya Vyrupayeva, Rowing
Elizabeth Roca, Women's Track
Malik Henry-Scott, Men's Soccer
Isaiah Barnes, Men's Basketball
Pierce Rollins, Men's Tennis
Christian Baker, Men's Track
Grace Kilcrease, Women's Golf

MALE & FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD
This award is presented to the Male and Female Student Athlete of the Year. These student-athletes exemplify what it means to be a Golden Hurricane through leadership, character, and performance.
Delanie Crawford, Women's Basketball
Malte Propp, Men's Cross Country/Track & Field

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR AWARD
This award recognizes two newcomer's male and female that is in their first year as a student-athlete at the University of Tulsa and has made an immediate athletic impact for their sport.
Madi Cartwright, Women's Basketball
Jared Garcia, Men's Basketball

DAN BITSON COURAGE AWARD
This award is named in honor of former TU football player Dan Bitson and is presented to the TU student-athlete who demonstrates courage and perseverance in overcoming adversity.
Liz Campbell, Women's Soccer

WARREN GARRISON ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARD
This award is named in honor of TU's first academic advisor for the athletic department, Warren Garrison, and is given to the graduating student-athlete who has completed his or her eligibility with the highest undergraduate cumulative grade point average.
Haley Morgan, Softball
Sean Korsmo, Cross Country & Track & Field

CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON CLASSROOM GRIT AWARD
This award is named in honor of retired Professor of Spanish and Comparative Literature and former Faculty Athletics Representative at TU, Dr. Christopher Anderson. This award is presented to one male and one female graduating student-athlete for perseverance in the classroom.
Oleksandra Nahurska, Women's Tennis
Anthony Watkins, Football

HURRICANE "STAR" AWARD (previously Ultimate Service Award)
This award recognizes pathway to sports academy students, federal work study students, volunteers, etc., who are dependable, committed, and passionate towards TU Athletics. This student must have proven the standard of being a STAR: Service That Achieves Results and provided service in the athletic department a minimum of 2+years.
Keri Sharp, Softball Equipment Operations/Pathway to Sports Academy

COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
The community service award recognizes the top female and male student-athlete who has exhibited their commitment to outreach by performing the most community service hours this year.
Anastasia Small, Women's Track & Field
Nils Orywol, Men's Soccer

DR. BARRY KINSEY FACULTY ATHLETICS REPRESENTATIVE AWARD
This award is named in honor of a former and highly respected Faculty Athletics Representative at TU, Dr. Barry Kinsey and recognizes the team that achieved the highest-grade point average for the academic year.
Women's Tennis Team

REIGN 'CANE AWARD (previously Faculty Member of the Year Award)
The faculty or staff member who receives this honor is nominated by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). This honoree has demonstrated care and compassion to the development of our student-athletes in or out of the classroom.
Don Tomkalski, Athletic Communications

Tulsa Student-Athletes Celebrate End of Academic Year with Golden ‘Cane Awards

Related News

Related Videos