Sixteen Golden Eagle student-athletes named 2025 President's Award winners

By TTU Sports Information

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Sixteen student-athletes have been chosen as the outstanding representatives of their teams at Tennessee Tech University and are the winners of the 32nd annual President's Awards, presented by the TTU Athletics Department. Fifteen of the 16 student-athletes are first-time winners for their respective sports, with one capturing the honor for a second straight year.

After collecting the honor for the women's cross country team following her rookie campaign last year, Makaleigh Jessee was the recipient of this year's award yet again. 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 2025 recipients include two graduate students, three seniors, two juniors, four sophomores, and five freshmen. The recipients also demonstrate the diversity of Tech's student-athletes, hailing from five different states and one other country, including Tennessee (10), Georgia (two), Illinois (one), Iowa (one), Virginia (one), and Brazil (one).

The President's Award was established in 1994.

In alphabetical order, the 2025 President's Award winners are:

Drew Bolton | Men's Golf | Freshman | Knoxville, Tenn. Bolton made an instant impact on the Tech roster during his rookie campaign, completing 20 rounds and ranking fourth for the purple and gold with a 77.35 scoring average. The Knoxville native produced a season-best 54-hole score of 226 at The Carolina Cup, firing a 2-under 70 for his lowest round of the season. In the classroom, Bolton boasted a 3.9 GPA while beginning work on his degree in finance.

Murilo Burckhardt | Tennis | Sophomore | Telemaco Borba, Brazil Burckhardt was a leader both on and off the court for the Golden Eagles during his sophomore season, racking up a 4-6 overall record in singles action and a 6-5 mark while competing in doubles play. He achieved a 3-1 doubles showing in Horizon League play and finished 2-1 during singles action in league play. In the classroom, Burckhardt delivered a 3.88 GPA while working towards his degree in business management.

Maggie Conrad | Soccer | Junior | Cedar Rapids, Iowa  Conrad claimed her second career postseason accolade with a place on the All-OVC Second Team following her junior campaign, ranking among OVC leaders with a 0.59 goals against average and .857 save percentage during league play. She turned in three penalty-kick denials while accumulating 95 total saves on the year. In the classroom, Conrad maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA while pursuing her degree in exercise science and physical wellness with a concentration in pre-physician's assistant.

Tim Coutras | Football | Graduate | Nolensville, Tenn. Coutras picked up All-Big South-OVC First Team and Phil Steele All-Big South-OVC Second Team honors while ranking among league leaders with 46 unassisted tackles, three interceptions, eight pass break-ups, and two forced fumbles. The graduate student tallied 59 total stops with three tackles-for-loss while helping Tech to a share of the league title, the team's first since 2011. In the classroom, Coutras turned in a 3.14 GPA while working on his master's degree in professional studies with a concentration in strategic leadership.

Katie Hale | Dance | Sophomore | Dickson, Tenn. Hale earned the Dance team's second-ever President's Award while displaying great leadership and serving as a positive role model for the underclassmen members of the dance team. A supportive, patient, and motivated teammate, she led by example both as a student and as an athlete. In the classroom, Hale earned a 3.95 GPA while continuing work on her degree in political science.

Makaleigh Jessee | Women's Cross Country | Sophomore | Abingdon, Va. Jessee earned the President's Award for the second straight year after a strong sophomore season. The Abingdon, Va. native delivered a runner-up performance to pace Tech at the Golden Eagle Invitational and collected All-OVC Second Team distinction after placing 14th overall and third for the purple and gold at the league championships. In the classroom, Jessee maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA while working towards her degree in exercise science and physical wellness with a concentration in pre-physical therapy.

Nicho Jordan | Baseball | Senior | Decatur, Ga. Jordan made the most of his final season in the purple and gold, taking home All-OVC Second Team recognition with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in the outfield. The slugger slashed .267/.408/.455 while tallying 12 doubles, eight home runs, 40 RBI, 45 runs, and a team-high 41 walks, and a 19-for-20 showing on stolen base attempts. In the classroom, Jordan locked down a 3.7 GPA while working towards his master's degree in professional studies with a concentration in strategic leadership.

Aliyah Kennedy | Track & Field | Freshman | Maryville, Tenn. Kennedy flashed plenty of potential in her first season in the purple and gold, representing Tech in the 200-meter dash and 400-meter dash throughout both the indoor and outdoor campaigns. The Maryville, Tenn. native helped lead the 4-x400-meter relay squad to a third-place showing at both the OVC Indoor Championships and OVC Outdoor Championships. In the classroom, Kennedy posted a perfect 4.0 GPA while embarking on her degree in nursing.

Kailey Lane | Women's Golf | Freshman | Harriman, Tenn. Lane instantly established herself as one of Tech's most steady contributors as a rookie, finishing third on the team with a 77.87 scoring average while representing one of just two Golden Eagles to complete all 31 rounds of action. The Harriman, Tenn. native turned in three top-15 finishes on the year, including tying for 11th at the OVC Championships, to help Tech to a third-place performance. In the classroom, Lane achieved a 3.85 GPA while beginning her work on a degree in biology health sciences.

Isaac Legault | Men's Cross Country | Junior | Knoxville, Tenn. Legault was a steady performer for the Golden Eagles in his junior campaign, finishing among Tech's top-five runners at three of the four events in which he competed. The president of Tennessee Tech's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee registered a career-best 5K time of 16:47.1 at the Belmont Opener to kick off the season. In the classroom, Legault turned in a 3.78 GPA while working towards his degree in mechanical engineering.

Alayna Pierce | Volleyball | Freshman | Genoa, Ill. Pierce led all OVC freshmen with 3.08 kills per set and 3.50 points per set while picking up a trio of OVC Freshman of the Week honors and a spot on the All-OVC Second Team. The outside hitter finished second on the Tech squad with 308 total kills and 350.0 points, complementing OVC Player of the Year and All-American Maddie Isringhausen as two of the top attackers in the league. In the classroom, Pierce produced a 3.87 GPA while kicking off progress towards her degree in exercise science and physical wellness with a concentration in physiology.

MK Roberts | Beach Volleyball | Sophomore | Dalton, Ga. Roberts was won of the most consistent performers for the Tech beach squad during the program's third season of play, joining playing partner Aleeya Jones as the leaders in wins for the team. Competing solely from the No. 3 position, the Dalton, Ga. native racked up a 10-14 record, including a spectacular 6-1 mark over the team's final seven duals of the year. In the classroom, Roberts displayed a 3.71 GPA while continuing work on her degree in exercise science and physical wellness with a concentration in pre-occupational therapy.

Matthew Sells | Men's Basketball | Senior | Rickman, Tenn. Sells made his lone season in the purple and gold count after transferring from Lincoln Memorial, competing in 31 of the team's 32 games while making 14 starts. The local Rickman native ranked third on the Golden Eagles with 49 makes from distance, firing at a team-best 43.0 percent clip from 3-point range while averaging 5.8 points per game. In the classroom, he was a model performer, achieving a 3.61 GPA while working towards his degree in civil engineering.

Abby Shoulders | Softball | Senior | Lafayette, Tenn. Shoulders was a model leader for the Golden Eagles during her final season in the purple and gold, leading Tech with 52 hits, 35 runs, a .400 on-base percentage, and 30 stolen bases, and finishing second on the squad with a .321 average. Fanning just four times all season, the Lafayette, Tenn. native ranked among the nation's top 10 toughest hitters to strikeout with a measly 2.47 whiff percentage. In the classroom, Shoulders achieved an impressive 3.92 GPA while working towards her degree in exercise science and physical wellness with a concentration in licensure.

Kimsey Turner | Cheer | Freshman | Cleveland, Tenn. Turner earned Cheer's second-ever President's Award while serving as a role model from her very first day on campus. Constantly bringing the energy to practice and events, she made sure to also always bring a smile and willingness to help her teammates. In the classroom, Turner earned a 3.87 GPA while beginning progress towards her degree in exercise science and physical wellness with a concentration in pre-occupational therapy.

Anna Walker | Women's Basketball | Graduate | Cleveland, Tenn. Walker made her decision to return for a fourth year in the purple and gold count, helping lead the Golden Eagles to both the OVC's regular-season and tournament titles, as well as a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Averaging 9.8 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds per game, the Cleveland, Tenn. native set the program's single-game record with 10 blocks at Southern Indiana during the regular season. In the classroom, she produced a 3.9 GPA while working towards her master's degree in curriculum and instruction.