News Summary
Newberry College honored its student-athletes during the annual Wolfies awards ceremony, celebrating achievements in various sports. Key awards included Female Athlete of the Year for Tamsin Bangert and Male Athlete of the Year for John Parker, while the event also recognized exemplary coaching and outstanding academic achievements among athletes. Additionally, the college announced the introduction of a men’s varsity volleyball program, expanding opportunities for male students in athletics.
Newberry, South Carolina – Newberry College held its annual Wolfies awards ceremony on May 5, 2025, at Eleazer Arena, honoring outstanding achievements among its student-athletes. The event recognized the hard work and dedication of individuals and teams over the past academic year, which has been highlighted by a range of impressive performances across various sports.
Among the key award winners, Haidyn Campbell captured the Female Newcomer of the Year award in softball, while Liam Vollans earned Male Newcomer of the Year in men’s lacrosse. In individual performance categories, Irma Watson-Perez received Female Individual Performance of the Year for her achievements in women’s track and field, and Braden Tatum was honored with Male Individual Performance of the Year in men’s wrestling. The title of Female Athlete of the Year went to Tamsin Bangert for her contributions to the field hockey team, and John Parker was recognized as Male Athlete of the Year for his success in men’s wrestling.
The awards for team performance saw Field Hockey winning Female Team of the Year and Men’s Lacrosse receiving the Male Team of the Year distinction. Additionally, the coveted Billy Douglas Community Award was presented to two athletes: Rebecca Lipp from women’s soccer and Brett Dent from men’s basketball. Lipp was also awarded the W.L. Laval Award for Senior Athlete of the Year, with Benedikt Fischer earning the Jimmy Villeponteaux Senior Athlete of the Year in men’s golf.
The event further recognized coaching excellence with Hannah Dave named Female Sport Coach of the Year for field hockey and Nick Cotter receiving the Male Sport Coach of the Year accolade for men’s lacrosse. Other awards included Christine Butler being recognized as Female Comeback Player of the Year in softball and Dayton Fields as Male Comeback Player of the Year in men’s wrestling. Athletes striving for excellence were also acknowledged, with Adriana Hart and Cael Alderman awarded as Female and Male Iron Wolf, respectively, in women’s lacrosse and men’s wrestling.
Following the Wolfies event, Newberry College hosted a graduation ceremony on May 17, where nearly 120 student-athletes received diplomas at Setzler Field. Recognition during graduation included the prestigious George B. Cromer Award for academic excellence awarded to Rebecca Hartrick, the Mary Mildred Sullivan Award presented to Stembile Chikoree for exemplifying faith, hope, and charity, and the Dr. L Grady Cooper Award for loyalty awarded to Alexa Anderson.
Additionally, the Newberry Acrobatics & Tumbling team made notable academic achievements, with five student-athletes named to the NCATA Academic Honor Roll for maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher. These student-athletes include StellaGrace Allen, Mikayla Conwell, Emma Pittser, Jaden France, and Hannah Ghaly.
In a significant expansion move, Newberry College announced the introduction of a men’s varsity intercollegiate volleyball program for the following year. This initiative aims to provide more opportunities for male students and enhance the current women’s volleyball team. Kiko Santos, who has been at the helm of the women’s volleyball program, will transition to serve as the Director of Volleyball, overseeing both men’s and women’s volleyball programs. The Wolves are anticipated to play their inaugural varsity match in early January 2026.
The 2025 Wolfies event, graduation ceremony, and the introduction of a men’s volleyball program demonstrate Newberry College’s commitment to fostering a vibrant and diverse athletic culture while celebrating the achievements of its student-athletes.
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Additional Resources
- Newberry Observer: Graduation Celebration for Student-Athletes
- Newberry Observer: 2025 Wolfies Award Ceremony
- Newberry Observer: New Men’s Volleyball Program Announcement
- Google Search: Newberry College
- Wikipedia: Newberry College
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