By TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Thirteen student-athletes have been chosen as the outstanding representative of their teams at Tennessee Tech University and are the winners of the 25th annual President's Awards, presented by the TTU Athletics Department. Seven of the 13 are first-time winners, four have captured the honor twice, and two more have claimed the accolade three times.
Senior women's golfer Allyson Dunn earned her third straight President's Award, as did softball's Gabby LaSala. D'Airrien Jackson, who claimed the honor for track & field in 2016, earned it for the second time. Kajon Mack of men's basketball, Micayla Rennick of women's cross country and A.J. Wilkerson of men's golf each were honored for the second straight year.
One member from each of Tech's intercollegiate athletic programs was selected based on a combination of their career academic performance and athletic accomplishments. The indoor and outdoor women's track teams are combined for one award.
"The President's Award has been presented now for 25 years now," said TTU Director of Athletics Mark Wilson, "and the list of winners that has developed throughout the years is simply impressive. Each and every one of these young men and women represent the best student-athletes Tennessee Tech Athletics has to offer and are clearly someone the program's they represent can be extremely proud of. These are the very best in each of our 13 programs, and they certainly deserve this special recognition."
The 2018 recipients include one graduate student, seven seniors, four juniors and one freshman. The recipients also demonstrate the diversity of Tech's student-athletes, hailing from eight different states and one other nation, including Tennessee (three), California (three), Georgia (one), Kentucky (one), Ohio (one), Pennsylvania (one), Texas (one) and Spain (one).
The President's Award was established in 1994.
In alphabetical order, the 2018 President's Award winners are:
Alex Carling | Football | Junior | Scranton, Pa. >>>
Alex Carling, voted by his teammates to don a single-digit number for representing one of the toughest members of the team, proved just as tough and resilient in the classroom, earning his bachelor's degree with a 3.39 GPA and taking one step closer to his dream of becoming a Pennsylvania State Trooper. A rock at tight end, he played in all 11 games as a junior, catching nine passes for 89 yards and proving to be a strong blocker in the run game as well. A team leader both on and off the field, he racked up countless volunteer hours throughout the year.
<<< Allyson Dunn | Women's Golf | Senior | Kingsport, Tenn.
Allyson Dunn was named the President's Award winner for women's golf for the third-straight year after displaying great leadership qualities both in the classroom and on the links. Dunn, who finished her career with the lowest scoring average in program history (76.98), served as a team captain for the third time in 2017-18 and earned team MVP honors. She also recorded three top-10 finishes on the year. Graduating with a degree in biology with a concentration in cellular and molecular biology, not to mention a 3.91 GPA, she will continue on her career path by enrolling in dental school in the fall.
Yaktavia "Shug" Hickson | Women's Basketball | Senior | Atlanta, Ga. >>>
Yaktavia "Shug" Hickson was a staple for the women's basketball team for four seasons, constantly providing energy of another level while leading her team to the next step under head coach Kim Rosamond. The senior ended her career leading Tech in both scoring and rebounding while starting all 29 games. She became the 30th member of Tech's 1,000-point club on the year as well. Earning her bachelor's degree in EXPW with a concentration in sport administration, she graduated with a 3.0 GPA. She made her presence felt throughout the community as well, taking part in several projects around town.
<<< Mary Francis Hoots | Soccer | Senior | Nashville, Tenn.
Mary Francis Hoots was a key cog in the dominant run by the Golden Eagle defense over the past few seasons, leading by example while rarely getting the credit deserved for a position without a ton of statistical attention. Hoots helped keep opponents to just .47 goals per game, while leading Tech to an undefeated record at home in 2017, a mark of 6-0-1. In the classroom, she put together a 3.89 GPA while earning her bachelor's degree in marketing in the spring. A founding member of Tech's Love Your Melon Club, she was heavily involved around the community throughout her career.
D'Airrien Jackson | Track & Field | Junior | Santa Clara, Calif. >>>
D'Airrien Jackson was a force to be reckoned with on the track during her junior campaign, qualifying for the NCAA Outdoor East Preliminary round in the 400 meters. She won the OVC individual championship for 400-meter hurdles, ran a leg of the championship 4x100-meter relay team and ran a leg of the 4x400-meter relay team that swept the indoor and outdoor championships. A three-time OVC Female Track Athlete of the Week during the year, she was also the runner-up in the 400-meter at the OVC Championships in both the indoor and outdoor meets. In the classroom, Jackson maintained a 3.13 GPA while studying psychology.
<<< Susie Jeziorowski | Volleyball | Junior | Green Lake, Wis.
Susie Jeziorowski moved into a new role as the Golden Eagle starting setter for 2017, starting all 26 matches she appeared in. She totaled 50 kills, 786 assists, 11 service aces, 211 digs and 29 blocks throughout the year while ranking third in the OVC with an average of 9.03 assists per game. She continued to maintain her perfect 4.0 GPA while pursuing a bachelor's degree in computer science with concentrations in both software and scientific applications and cybersecurity. Named a team captain this season, she has also been heavily involved in several campus activities, including serving as the secretary for SAAC.
Gabby LaSala | Softball | Junior | Mason, Ohio >>>
Gabby LaSala was named softball's President's Award winner for the third straight year, again displaying her incredible balance between the rigors of being both a student and an athlete. LaSala played in 43 games as a junior, batting .282 with 33 hits. She tied for the team lead with 10 doubles and bashed three home runs while driving in 20 and scoring 16. In the classroom, she continued her strong work by sporting a 3.89 GPA in biology. LaSala was involved with several campus organizations and groups while also getting out into the community and volunteering her time when possible.
<<< Kajon Mack | Men's Basketball | Graduate Student | Los Angeles, Calif.
Kajon Mack earned his second President's Award honor after starting all 32 games for the Golden Eagles despite battling through constant, nagging, smaller injuries. Leading Tech to the OVC Tournament quarterfinals, he finished as the team's second-leading scorer, averaging 12.8 points per game while racking up 5.1 rebounds per game. He completed his master's degree in professional studies with a 3.93 GPA and was presented with the OVC Academic Medal of Honor for sporting the highest GPA in a conference-sponsored sport for 2016-17. A team captain, he was always present and active in the team's community service efforts.
Eduardo Mena | Tennis | Senior | Bultrago del Lozoya, Spain >>>
Eduardo Mena established himself as arguably the best tennis player ever to come through the Ohio Valley Conference, earning a national ranking of as high as No. 28. Named to the All-OVC First Team, Mena helped lead Tech to its third straight OVC Tournament crown and berth to the NCAA Tournament. He also became the first OVC tennis player to earn a spot in the ITA Men's All-American Championships, making it to the quarterfinals while defeating the No. 2 ranked player in the nation, Mississippi State's Nuno Borges. He graduated with a 3.44 GPA in EXPW with a concentration in licensure.
<<< Ababu Mohamed | Men's Cross Country | Freshman | Houston, Texas
Ababu Mohamed was a difference-maker in leading by example as a freshman on the men's cross country team. In his first year, Mohamed boasted a 3.58 GPA while working towards his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. He participated in four meets for the Golden Eagles as a rookie, twice finishing fifth among the Tech runners. He recorded a personal-best 8K time of 26:13.0 at the Adidas Pre-Nationals in October, a time that ranks in the top-50 in school history.
Trevor Putzig | Baseball | Senior | Louisville, Ky. >>>
Trevor Putzig was a key cog in helping Tech put together arguably the greatest baseball season in OVC history, batting .313 with a career-high 17 home runs and 73 RBI in 58 games. Putzig provided one of the most clutch hits in the history of Tech baseball, a game-tying, two-run home run against Ole Miss in the NCAA Regional title game. He played impeccable defense at third base all year long and was just as impressive in the classroom. He graduated with a 3.75 GPA and a bachelor's degree in finance, going on to earn Google Cloud Academic All-America Second Team honors selected by CoSIDA.
<<< Micayla Rennick | Women's Cross Country | Senior | Sacramento, Calif.
Micayla Rennick turned in another strong season on the women's cross country team, despite battling a nagging injury for much of the fall. She finished first among the Golden Eagles at the Golden Eagle Invitational and was second among Tech runners at each of the other four events she competed in during the season. In the OVC Championships, she clocked a season-best time of 18:15.7. In the classroom, Rennick graduated with a 3.45 GPA while earning her bachelor's degree in EXPW with a concentration in physical therapy.
A.J. Wilkerson | Men's Golf | Senior | Sparta, Tenn. >>>
A.J. Wilkerson collected his second straight President's Award for the men's golf team after serving as team captain for the second time in as many years. He rounded out his career with a 75.48 scoring average and participated in 10 of the team's 12 events throughout the season. A native of Sparta, Wilkerson earned a top-25 finish at the Bash at the Beach after carding a 222 in the event. An EXPW major with a concentration in fitness and wellness, he graduated with a 3.49 GPA.
