By TTU Sports Information and OVC Media Relations
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – The recipients of the 2023-24 OVC Community Service Awards have been announced.
The awards, first bestowed in 2022-23, are based on activities that took place during the 2023-24 academic year and recognize outstanding student-athletes for the contributions they make away from the playing surface, both on campus and in the community.
Tech had two selections on the list, including Daniel Egbuniwe (Men's Basketball) and Reagan Smiley (Women's Soccer). Egbuniwe volunteered at local elementary schools in various roles, including youth basketball practices, fun runs and other activities, as well as focusing his volunteer efforts on local youth engagement. Smiley logged more than 80 hours of community service in the 2023-24 academic year, spending significant time volunteering with youth soccer and the labor on houses for Habitat for Humanity. She also assisted with Special Olympics, local elementary schools and local community engagement.
OVC member institutions who competed in the League during the 2023-24 academic year were able to select a maximum of one male and one female student-athlete from their institution to be honored. In total 20 individuals were honored with the awards this year.
"The OVC has always been about a sense of community," said OVC Commissioner Beth DeBauche. "We are delighted to continue to bestow these awards to these outstanding student-athletes who are giving back to their communities."
The 2023-24 recipients are:
• Joel Allen (track and field), Little Rock
• Brooklyn Bender (cross country), Southeast Missouri
• Justin Biggs (track and field), Tennessee State
• Addy Blackwell (basketball), Southern Indiana
• Daniel Egbuniwe (basketball), Tennessee Tech
• Elizabeth Galvin (soccer), Eastern Illinois
• M.E. Hargan (volleyball), Morehead State
• Nadia Kessling (track and field), Western Illinois
• River Lakey (football), Lindenwood
• Sofie Lowis (basketball), SIUE
• Natalie Marques (equestrian), UT Martin
• Alondrah Santana-Rodriguez (volleyball), Tennessee State
• Reagan Smiley (soccer), Tennessee Tech
• Abbie Smith (soccer), Little Rock
• Chad Smith (soccer), Eastern Illinois
• Lily Sutter (soccer), Lindenwood
• Dony'e Taylor (football), Southeast Missouri
• Nathan Tillman (golf), Western Illinois
• Ricardo Van Grieken (baseball), Southern Indiana
• Bryce Ward (rifle), Morehead State
