WATCH "AN EVENING WITH THE PIONEERS"
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Basketball standouts Trenton Gibson and Maddie Sutton were named the Tusculum University Athletes of the Year at "An Evening with the Pioneers" Wednesday night at Pioneer Arena.
The awards ceremony celebrated Tusculum's student-athletes, coaches and athletic staff for on the field and off the field successes and accomplishments.
Gibson, a senior guard from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, became the first men's basketball player in league history to sweep South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year and Scholar Athlete of the Year honors in the same season. He was the only player in the conference to be ranked in the top-three statistically in scoring (18.8 ppg), rebounding (8.2 rpg) and assists (5.0 apg). He was named to both the SAC All-Tournament Team and the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional All-Tournament squad. The 2021 NABC All-District first team selection. Gibson led Tusculum to a 14-6 record and earned a berth to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009 and third time in program history.
Sutton, a graduate student forward from Walland, Tennessee, was a consensus All-American as she led the Pioneers to a second straight SAC Tournament title. The All-SAC first team choice average 17.3 points and a league-best 14.6 rebounds per game (2nd in NCAA II). She led all Division II players in total rebounds (335) and with 20 double-doubles in her 23 games. She was named the SAC Tournament Most Valuable Player.
Women's basketball head coach Meagan Price is this year's recipient of the Art Argauer Coach of the Year Award as she led TU to a 19-4 record and a runner-up finish in the league. She also coached Tusculum to a SAC Tournament Championship and earned a NCAA II Tournament berth where TU advanced to the Southeast Region semifinal as the Pioneers ended the season with a WBCA No. 18 national ranking.
Three Tusculum upperclassmen boast perfect 4.00 cumulative grade point averages and are the recipients of the Student-Athlete Academic Achievement Award, which is given to the top male and female student-athletes for academic achievement.
On the men's side, redshirt freshman football student-athlete Dexler Benjamin earns this honor for a first time after being winning the TU Freshman of the Year Academic Award last season. Women's soccer junior defender Katlyn Jones and women's tennis junior standout Emilie Hansen both earn this award for a second straight year.
Academic achievement was also recognized with the Male and Female Freshman of the Year Academic Awards as four rookies were honored including: Dmitry Bezborodov (men's tennis), Emma Harriman (women's soccer), Averie Price (women's basketball) and Keylon Reynolds (softball).
The Paxton-Combs Fan of the Year Awards are named in honor of former Tusculum staff members and long-time Pioneer fans Mary Helen Paxton and Joyce Combs. The recipient of this year's award is Tusculum head athletic trainer Chris Lenker.
The Play of the Year Award was Trenton Gibson's buzzer-beating three-pointer in Tusculum's 74-72 road win at Catawba in January.
2021 Tusculum University Athletic Award Recipients
Female Athlete of the Year: Maddie Sutton (Women's Basketball)
Male Athlete of the Year: Trenton Gibson (Men's Basketball)
Art Argauer Coach of the Year: Meagan Price (Women's Basketball)
Freshman Athlete of the Year: Dmitry Bezborodov (Men's Tennis)
Team Most Valuable Players
Cheerleading (Most Spirited): Jaileen Castro
Football: Rogan Wells
Men's Soccer: Damien Baltide
Women's Soccer: Kaitlyn Watson
Women's Volleyball: Carly Sosnowski
Women's Basketball: Maddie Sutton
Men's Basketball: Trenton Gibson
Women's Bowling: Jordan Mundt
Men's Bowling: Tyler Moore
Men's Volleyball: Taylor Phillips
Softball: Emily Sappington
Baseball: Mitch McCain
Women's Golf: Jennifer Keim
Men's Golf: Dominic Barron Holden
Men's Tennis: Frank Bonacia
Women's Tennis: Annie McCullough
Men's Lacrosse: Ross Geiger
Women's Lacrosse: Eliza Ryan
Men's Track & Field: Althiery Leontes
Women's Track & Field: Faith Bostick
Women's Beach Volleyball: Emma Johnson
Freshman of the Year Academic Award (Male): Dmitry Bezborodov (Men's Tennis)
Freshman of the Year Academic Award (Female): Emma Harriman (Women's Soccer)
Freshman of the Year Academic Award (Female): Averie Price (Women's Basketball)
Freshman of the Year Academic Award (Female): Keylon Reynolds (Softball)
Student-Athlete Academic Achievement Award (Male): Dexler Benjamin (Football)
Student-Athlete Academic Achievement Award (Female): Katlyn Jones (Women's Soccer)
Student-Athlete Academic Achievement Award (Female): Emilie Hansen (Women's Tennis)
Paxton-Combs Fan of the Year Award: Chris Lenker
Play of the Year: Trenton Gibson buzzer-beating 3-pointer vs Catawba
