April 30, 2019

Greer, Williams lay claim to top honors at Sixth Annual Frosty Awards

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Carson-Newman cross country runner Luke Greer and women's soccer defender Averi Williams (Powell, Tenn.) brought home top honors as the Frosty Award winners for Male and Female Athlete of the Year, respectively, Tuesday evening at the Sixth Annual Frosty Awards ceremony in Gentry Auditorium.

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Carson-Newman cross country runner Luke Greer and women's soccer defender Averi Williams (Powell, Tenn.) brought home top honors as the Frosty Award winners for Male and Female Athlete of the Year, respectively, Tuesday evening at the Sixth Annual Frosty Awards ceremony in Gentry Auditorium.

The winners, finalists and award history is all below.

Male Athlete of the Year, Luke Greer - Cross Country

VIDEO: Male Athlete of the Year Finalists

Luke Greer finished in the top 10 of every race he competed in during Cross Country season. That includes second place finishes at both the SAC Championships and the Southeast Regional. Greer earned All-America honors with an eighth place finish at the Division II National Championships. His encore came during indoor track season with SAC titles in the 3000 and 5000 meters. He added a second team All-America honor in the 5000.

Other finalists: Ethan Goforth (baseball), Tom Forster (golf), Antonio Wimbush (football)

Past winners:

2014: Ross Frame (Men's Soccer)

2015: Andy Hibbett (Football)

2016: Damian Baker (Football)

2017: Charles Clark (Basketball)

2018: Tanner Stepp (Track and Field)

2019: Luke Greer (Cross Country)

Female Athlete of the Year, Averi Williams - Women's Soccer

VIDEO: Female Athlete of the Year Finalists

Averi Williams earned United Soccer Coaches All-America honors. She became just the third Eagle to crack the first-team all-time. The native of Powell, Tenn. was also named first-team All-league and was the SAC's Defensive Player of the Year. The senior center back was an integral part of C-N's fourth-straight South Atlantic Conference regular-season championship. She started in all 20 games for the Eagles. Williams recorded two goals and an assist. She turned in more than 7100 minutes played in her time at Mossy Creek, the most in the history of the program.

Other Finalists: Abby Fiessinger (Softball), Magda Mosengo (Soccer), Haris Price (Basketball)

Past Winners:

2014: Kelli Hensley (Softball)

2015: Rachel Harper (Volleyball)

2016: Margaret Stansberry (Swimming)

2017: Lauren Wade (Women's Soccer)

2018: Lauren Wade (Women's Soccer)

2019: Averi Williams (Women's Soccer)

Team of the Year - Women's Soccer

VIDEO: Team of the Year Finalists

Carson-Newman women's soccer laid claim to a fourth straight South Atlantic Conference regular season title. The Eagles also made their fourth straight Southeast Regional, acting as a tournament host for a third time. A record total of three Eagles earned All-America honors while six were tabbed with all-region accolades.

Other Finalists: Men's Golf, Softball, Women's Basketball

Past winners:

2014: Men's Soccer

2015: Volleyball

2016: Volleyball

2017: Women's Soccer and Softball

2018: Women's Soccer

2019: Women's Soccer

Comeback of the Year - Women's Basketball at Newberry

VIDEO: Comeback of the Year Finalists Video

In the regular-season finale, Carson-Newman faced its largest halftime deficit of the season of 14 points at Newberry. Behind 36-22, the Lady Eagles came out of the locker room firing surging into the lead in the waning seconds of the third quarter on free throws by Kayla Marosites. It was part of a 21-0 run spanning the third and fourth frames. Newberry tied the score at 58 only to see the Lady Eagles respond in the final two minutes for a 63-61 victory. Marosites finished with 24 points and 12 boards for her 19th double-double of the season.

Other Finalists: Women's Basketball at Lenoir-Rhyne, Women's Basketball at Georgia College, Softball at Georgia College

Past winners:

2014: Women's Basketball and Whitney Kyle at Newberry

2015: Women's Golf at the SAC Championships

2016: Men's Basketball at Newberry

2017: Women's Tennis v. Newberry

2018: Volleyball v. Anderson

2019: Women's Basketball at Newberry

Female Performance of the Year, Haris Price - Women's Basketball

VIDEO: Female Performance of the Year Finalists Video

Haris Price became the first Carson-Newman player in 40 years to score 40 points in a game. Price piled up 31 of her 44 points after halftime in an 89-81 comeback win at Lenoir-Rhyne on Feb. 2. The last time the feat occurred was on Feb. 22, 1979 when Data Caldwell scored a school record 47 points. Price went 16-for-26 from the field adding five rebounds, four assists and three steals. The total was good for the sixth-most by a Division II player in 2018-19.

Other finalists: Maeve Cummins (Golf at the SAC Championships), Haris Price (Basketball at Catawba), Allison Rager (softball v. Newberry)

Past Winners:

2014: Tiana Mills (track and field)

2015: Kristen Pickett (Volleyball)

2016: Alli Webster (Softball)

2017: Elizabeth England (Golf)

2018: Maggie Melhorn (Swimming)

2019: Haris Price (Basketball)

Upset of the Year, Baseball v. #9 Newberry

VIDEO: Upset of the Year Finalists Video

Facing a team that has risen to as high as third in the country, the Eagles scored the first six runs of the game cruising to a 13-6 thrashing of then ninth-ranked Newberry. The victory was fifth win over a top 10 team over the last six years. Ethan Goforth led the way with a 3-for-3 day at the plate with three RBIs and three runs scored. Matt Bradley produced the team's first complete game of the year.

Other Finalists: Men's Soccer v. Queens in SAC Quarters, Men's Basketball v. LMU, Men's Swimming v. Wingate

Past Winners:

2014: Men's Basketball v. #7 LMU

2015: Men's Basketball v. #1 LMU

2016: Women's Basketball v. #6 Columbus State

2017: Baseball v. #15 Catawba

2018: Baseball v. #2 Belmont Abbey

2019: Baseball v. #9 Newberry

Male Newcomer of the Year, Mike Wroth - Baseball

VIDEO: Male Newcomer of the Year Finalists Video

The team's leader in RBIs for much of the season, Mike Wroth has hit a pair of grand slams in his first season at Mossy Creek. His patience at the plate is nearly unrivaled in the SAC. Wroth ranks in the top five of the conference in the category with an on-base percentage of over .420 on the year.

Other finalists: Hunter Long (Baseball), Kensho Yoshikoshi (Soccer), Malik Kyle (Baseball)

Past Winners:

2014: Ross Frame (men's soccer)

2015: Tanner Stepp (Track and Field)

2016: Kevin Snead (Track and Field)

2017: Shaun Jones (Basketball)

2018: Dillon Cate (Baseball)

2019: Mike Wroth (Baseball))

Male Performance of the Year, Tom Forster - Golf

VIDEO: Male Performance of the Year Finalists

Tom Forster won the third tournament of his career with a commanding 12-under performance at the Southern Tide Classic. The junior was one-shot out of the lead heading into the final round of the event. Over the final 18 holes, he went five-under to finish with a three-round 202. That total became not only is his best 54-hole total in his career but is tied for the second-lowest 54-hole tournament in conference history.

Other Finalists: Derrick Evans (Football v. Lenoir-Rhyne), Kris Potts-Howard (Track at the SAC Championship Meet), Dillon Cate (Baseball v. Northwood)

Past Winners:

2014: De'Andre Thomas (football)

2015: Charles Clark (Men's Basketball)

2016: Andrew Hall (Men's Golf)

2017: Charles Clark (Men's Basketball)

2018: Tom Forster (Men's Golf)

2019: Tom Forster (Men's Golf)

Play of the Year, Devon Moore - Track and Field

VIDEO: Play of the Year Finalists

Devon Moore turned in a 10.12 in the 100-meter dash at the Tennessee Relays. Moore won the event with the 12^th fastest time in the history of Division II. He has the fourth fastest time among runners in all divisions this year.

Other Finalists: Matt Bradley's Immaculate Inning (Baseball), Kennedy Rankin's rocket (Women's Soccer), Tobias Karlsen's brace (Men's Soccer)

Past Winners:

2014: Rachel Harper (volleyball)

2015: Rurik Pereira (Men's Soccer)

2016: Zack Pangallo (Men's Basketball)

2017: Jake Headrick (Men's Golf)

2018: Tanner Stepp (Track and Field)

2019: Devon Moore (Tracak and Field)

Female Newcomer of the Year, Allison Rager - Softball

VIDEO: Female Newcomer of the Year Finalists

Allison Rager made the move to Mossy Creek from Morehead State and made an immediate impact in the circle and at the plate for Carson-Newman. Rager has tallied one of the three best ERA's in the South Atlantic Conference. She posted a 13-strikeout performance in a road win against Lenoir-Rhyne. That registers as the fifth-highest single-game total in school history. At the plate, Rager has stroked more than five home runs.

Other Finalists: Joy Rhodes (Volleyball), Kennedy Rankin (Softball)

Past Winners:

2014: Combined male and female newcomer of the year was presented to men's soccer's Ross Frame

2015: Elizabeth England (Women's Golf)

2016: Jules Herrity (women's soccer)

2017: Lauren Wade (women's soccer)

2018: Kayla Marosites (women's basketball)

2019: Allison Rager (Softball)

Coach of the Year, Simon Duffy - women's soccer

VIDEO: Coach of the Year Finalists

Simon Duffy led his group to a 15-4-1 season en route to its fourth-consecutive regular season SAC Championship. The Eagles also appeared in the SAC title game for a fourth straight year. Three of Duffy's student-athletes received All-America honors for the first time in program history, the most in a single season in program history. The team also tied a school record with five all-region honorees.

Other Finalists: Randy Wylie (Men's Golf), Davis Needs (Track), Eric Phillips (Cross Country)

Past Winnners:

2014: Richard Moodie (men's soccer)

2015: Vickee Kazee-Hollifield (Softball)

2016: Richard Moodie (women's soccer)

2017: Vickee Kazee-Hollifield (Softball)

2018: Simon Duffy (Women's Soccer) and Mike Mincey (Women's Basketball)

2019: Simon Duffy (Women's Soccer)

Male Freshman of the Year, Matt George - Swimming

VIDEO: Male Freshman of the Year Finalists

Matt George did not disappoint in his freshman season, resetting school records in three different events. George earned All-Bluegrass Mountain Conference honors in both an individual event and a relay. His time in the 200 free reset a school record in addition to earning him All-BMC honors. George put a bow on his first year at the creek with honorable mention All-America honors in the 800 relay and the 500 freestyle at Nationals.

Other Finalists: Logan Cogburn (Baseball), Toot Johnson (Football), Jake Mynatt (Golf)

Past Winners:

2014: No award given

2015: No award given

2016: Carson Wise (football)

2017: Tom Forster (Golf)

2018: Devon Moore (Track and Field)

2019: Matt George (Swimming)

Female Freshman of the Year, Maeve Cummins - Women's Golf

VIDEO: Female Freshman of the Year Finalists

Maeve Cummins became the team's first-ever South Atlantic Conference Freshman of the Year after a stellar season that included two tournament wins and a team-best 75.75 scoring average. She was the individual medalist at the SAC Championship after a three-round 219. That's the the third-best 54-hole score in the event's history. With the victory, she became just the third player in conference history to win the freshman of the year and tournament MVP accolades in the same season.

Other Finalists: Ana Carla Resende (Tennis), Rachel Strayer (Cross Country), Meredith Ginn (Swimming)

Past Winners:

2014: No award given

2015: No award given

2016: Varin Ness (women's soccer)

2017: Lacie Rinus (Softball)

2018: CJ Jensen (Swimming)

2019: Maeve Cummins (Golf)

Team Performance of the Year, Men's Golf at the Aflac Cougar Invite

VIDEO: Team Performance of the Year Finalists

Carson-Newman men's golf picked up its first win of the season against a field that featured six teams ranked in the top 10 in the country. The Eagles carded a three-round total of 843, going 10-under at the Cougar Invitational presented by Aflac back in late September. Carson-Newman closed the event three strokes ahead of No. 4 Florida Southern with the lowest 54-hole total for the program in five years.

Other Finalists: Volleyball v. Anderson, Women's Basketball at North Georgia, Fotball v. Wingate