By TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Fourteen student-athletes have been chosen as the outstanding representative of their teams at Tennessee Tech University and are the winners of the 30th annual President's Awards, presented by the TTU Athletics Department. Ten of the 14 are first-time winners while four are taking home the honor for the second time in their respective careers.
Repeating as President's Award winners for a second straight year were football's Seth Carlisle, soccer's Chloe Smith, and softball's Haeli Bryson. Anya Akili, who captured the honor for the track & field team for the second time, also earned recognition in 2020. For the second straight year, at least 10 different Golden Eagles took home the honor for the first time after last year saw 12 new winners.
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 30 years now," said Tech 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 programs they represent can be extremely proud of. These 14 student-athletes serve as the model of what we want each of our Golden Eagles to strive for and they certainly deserve this special recognition."
The 2023 recipients include one graduate student, six seniors, three juniors, three sophomores, and one freshman. The recipients also demonstrate the diversity of Tech's student-athletes, hailing from six different states and three other countries, including Tennessee (six), Alabama (one), Ohio (one), North Carolina (one), Virginia (one), Wisconsin (one), Germany (one), Norway (one), and Trinidad and Tobago (one).
The President's Award was established in 1994.
In alphabetical order, the 2023 President's Award winners are:
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Anya Akili | Track & Field | Senior | Mason Hall, Trinidad and Tobago Anya Akili was a key veteran presence for the head coach Peter Dalton's track and field squads, delivering key performances at the OVC Championships. She racked up 12 points at both the indoor and outdoor events, earning the silver medal in the long jump for both seasons. Already sporting a bachelor's degree in exercise science and physical wellness with a concentration in fitness and wellness behind a 3.97 GPA, she boasted a perfect 4.0 GPA this past year while working towards her master's in lifetime wellness. |
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Bryce Beeler | Men's Golf | Senior | Maryville, Tenn. |
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Mika Berghaus | Tennis | Junior | Cologne, Germany Mika Berghaus turned in a brilliant season for head coach Kenny Doyle's group, capturing All-Horizon League First Team recognition. Competing the entire spring in the No. 1 singles position for the Golden Eagles, he shined while boasting an 8-1 record in league action. He backed it up with a stellar 7-2 showing in doubles play and helped lead Tech to the Horizon League championship match. A business management major, he turned in a 3.52 GPA to end his junior campaign in the classroom. |
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Haeli Bryson | Softball | Graduate | Franklin, N.C. Haeli Bryson capped an impressive career competing for the Golden Eagle softball team with her second straight President's Award honor. Earning a share of Tech's Woman of the Year award, she led head coach Danielle Penner's team with a .326 batting average, 47 hits, 11 doubles, 25 RBI, and a .405 on-base percentage while striking out just four times. Having earned a bachelor's degree in biology health sciences last spring with a 3.65 GPA, she turned in a 4.0 GPA while earning a master's in healthcare administration. |
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Seth Carlisle | Football | Senior | Red Boiling Springs, Tenn. Seth Carlisle made it back-to-back President's Awards honors following another spectacular year on the gridiron for head coach Dwayne Alexander. The veteran linebacker led the team with 98 total tackles on his way to All-OVC Second Team honors and was named both Tech's Man of the Year and the OVC's Steve Hamilton Sportsmanship Award winner. Already armed with a bachelor's in biology health sciences thanks to a 3.66 GPA, he put forth a 3.70 GPA while earning his MBA this past December. |
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Peyton Carter | Women's Basketball | Junior | Abingdon, Va. Peyton Carter played a significant role for head coach Kim Rosamond's squad, averaging 6.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while playing more than 20 minutes per game. Competing in all 33 of the team's contests and making nine starts, she helped Tech capture its first OVC Tournament title since 2000 and the team's first NCAA Tournament victory since 1990. She ended her third year in Cookeville with a 3.59 GPA while pursuing her bachelor's degree in business management. |
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John Dyer | Baseball | Senior | Mt. Juliet, Tenn. John Dyer turned in a season for ages for head coach Matt Bragga's crew, earning All-OVC First Team accolades while smashing 23 home runs, the fourth-most in program history. He led the Golden Eagles with a .324 average, a .710 slugging percentage, 67 hits, 51 runs, and 11 hit-by-pitches while driving in 45 runs and raking 11 doubles. With a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering already on his resume behind a 3.14 GPA, he turned in a 3.36 GPA while pursuing his MBA. |
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Chase Faudi | Men's Cross Country | Sophomore | Soddy Daisy, Tenn. Chase Faudi continued to be a proven leader for head coach Peter Dalton's team, ranking in Tech's top-five finishers in all six races on the year, he turned in a runner-up performance at the Golden Eagle Invitational and was the team's third-place finisher at the Live in Lou Classic in Louisville He also helped Tech a first-place showing at the Chattanooga Invitational. In the classroom, he put together an impressive 3.72 GPA while working towards a bachelor's degree in agriculture engineering. |
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Jordan Karlen | Volleyball | Freshman | Janesville, Wis. Jordan Karlen enjoyed a banner year for head coach Jeannette Phillips' squad, helping lead the team to its most regular-season and OVC wins since 2008. On her way to becoming the league's first player to win both OVC Setter of the Year and OVC Freshman of the Year in the same season, she ranked second in the conference with 1,085 assists and 9.77 assists per set. Karlen also took home All-OVC First Team honors. An interdisciplinary studies major, she rounded out the year with a perfect 4.0 GPA. |
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Maddie Long | Women's Cross Country | Sophomore | Cookeville, Tenn. Maddie Long was a steady presence on the course for head coach Peter Dalton's team, placing fifth or better in Tech's lineup in all six races. The Cookeville native helped the Golden Eagles to a first-place showing at the Chattanooga Invitational, finishing third on the team and sixth for the race overall. She also helped the purple and gold place third at the OVC Championships, ranking in Tech's top-five finishers. In the classroom, she rounded out the year with a 3.94 cumulative GPA in interdisciplinary studies. |
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Chloe Smith | Soccer | Senior | Cincinnati, Ohio Chloe Smith turned in one of the best seasons in program history for head coach Steve Springthorpe's club, leading the team to its first OVC crown since 1998 while earning All-OVC First Team, USC All-South Region, and OVC All-Tournament honors. Tech's Female Athlete of the Year and co-winner of Woman of the Year, she led the OVC with nine goals, seven assists, and 25 points. Having already earned her bachelor's in engineering technology with a 3.91 GPA, she maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA while working on her MBA. |
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Elisabeth Toennessen | Women's Golf | Senior | Grimstad, Norway Elisabeth Toennessen earned her first President's Award one year after her twin sister, Katrine, took home the honor, representing one of two golfers to play all 27 rounds for head coach Amanda Smith's team. In her final year in the purple and gold, she tied for second on the team with a 78.78 scoring average, earning one top-10 finish and picking up a spot on the All-OVC Team. She earned her bachelor's degree in marketing in May, boasting a 3.89 GPA during her career. |
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Diante Wood | Men's Basketball | Junior | Anniston, Ala. Diante Wood was an incredible leader for head coach John Pelphrey's squad, helping lead the team to a second-place finish in the regular season and to the team's first OVC Tournament title game since 2011. Battling through injuries, he posted 6.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game and went on to earn OVC All-Tournament honors after posting a career-high 24 points and sending the title game to overtime with a buzzer-beater. An interdisciplinary studies major, he turned in a 3.0 cumulative GPA. |
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McKenna Young | Beach Volleyball | Sophomore | Murfreesboro, Tenn. McKenna Young became the first President's Award winner for beach volleyball following its inaugural campaign. Young earned the most wins on the year for head coach Zach Weinberg's crew, finishing the year 10-10 overall and 9-9 while representing Tech in No. 4 duals position. She helped lead Tech to an incredible first-year record of 8-12, including a pair of OVC Tournament wins. She continued to maintain a perfect 4.0 GPA while pursuing her bachelor's degree in psychology. |
