2016-17 HIGHLIGHTS
Athletics
- Morgan Jones, Women’s Basketball, Senior - Graduated in December as class valedictorian with 3.96 GPA as a criminal justice major.
- Kelsey Murphy, Women’s Volleyball, Senior - Presented with Chancellor's Award for Academic Excellence, NCCU's top academic award, during Spring Honors Convocation.
- NCCU was the only Division I-FCS program to win an outright conference championship in football, the men’s basketball conference regular-season championship and the men’s basketball conference tournament title in 2016-17.
- Football senior Malcolm Bell and women's basketball senior Morgan Jones were honored as the NCCU Male and Female Student-Athletes of the Year.
Football
- Received first national ranking as a Division I-FCS program – ranked as high as No. 18;
- Captured outright MEAC championship with undefeated conference record;
- Represented MEAC in the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl.
- Carl Jones, Football, Senior - First Eagle named to AFCA All-America Team in 20 years and just the fifth NCCU student-athlete to ever earn the distinction; One of 24 college football players named to the 2016 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, one of the most coveted off-the-field honors in college football. Represented NCCU at the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
Volleyball
- Kelsey Murphy, Volleyball, Senior - Finished four-year career with 916 kills, which is an NCCU NCAA Division I program record.
Men’s Basketball
- Earned MEAC regular-season title - third regular-season crown in last four years;
- Won MEAC Tournament championship for second time as Division I program;
- Played in NCAA “First Four” in Dayton.
- Patrick Cole, Basketball, Senior - Named MEAC Player of the Year, BOXTOROW National Player of the Year, NABC All-District 15 First Team, NCCSIA All-State First Team, and Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention.
Men’s Tennis
- Advanced to MEAC Tournament quarterfinals.
- Gabriel Cucalon, Tennis, Sophomore - Knocked off four consecutive seeded players to capture A-Flight singles title at HBCU National Championships.
Softball
- Qualified for MEAC Tournament for first time as a Division I program;
- Won first MEAC Tournament game in program history.
Baseball
- Beat UNC Wilmington (30-win team) for first time in program history.
- Carter Williams, Baseball, Freshman - Broke NCCU modern era single-season record with 72 hits, which topped MEAC in regular season.
Men's Golf
- Jordan Bohannon, Golf, Junior - Broke NCCU’s modern era single-season scoring record with an average round of 74.52.
Track & Field
- Men's 4x100-meter relay placed second at prestigious Penn Relays - best event finish and time (40.26) at Penn Relays since 2008;
- Men's 4x100-meter squad became first NCCU’s relay to qualify for NCAA regionals as a Division I program.
- Bethany White, Track & Field, Sophomore - Broke Duke University Invitational meet record in 100-meter dash with time of 11.61 seconds.
2016-17 CONFERENCE / REGIONAL / NATIONAL HONORS
Football (MEAC Champions)
Carl Jones - All-MEAC First Team, AFCA All-America Second Team, Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, SBN Black College All-American, BOXTOROW All-American, and Black College Sports Page "Baad Team" All-American (First Team)
Malcolm Bell - All-MEAC First Team, Finalist for Black College Football Player of the Year Award by the Black College Football Hall of Fame
LaVontis Smith - All-MEAC First Team
Tarrance Wells - All-MEAC First Team, Black College Sports Page "Baad Team" All-American (Second Team)
Frederick Henry-Ajudua - All-MEAC First Team, Black College Sports Page First Team All-American
Mike Jones - All-MEAC First Team (DB & RS), Sheridan Broadcasting Network (SBN) Black College All-American, Black College Sports Page "Baad Team" All-American
Ramone Simpson - All-MEAC Second Team
Jamaal Symmonett - All-MEAC Second Team
Antonio Brown - All-MEAC Second Team
Reggie Hunter - All-MEAC Second Team
LeGrande Harley - All-MEAC Second Team
Alden McClellon - All-MEAC Second Team
Brandon McLaren - All-MEAC Second Team
Maleek Henderson - All-MEAC Third Team
Nick Leverett - All-MEAC Third Team
Ja'Quan Smith - All-MEAC Third Team
Jerry Mack - MEAC Coach of the Year
Men's Basketball (MEAC Tournament & Regular Season Champions)
Patrick Cole - MEAC Player of the Year, BOXTOROW National Player of the Year, NABC All-District 15 First Team, NCCSIA All-State First Team, Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention.
LeVelle Moton - MEAC Coach of the Year
Baseball
Corey Joyce - MEAC Rookie of the Year
All-MEAC First Team: 9 total
1 baseball, 1 men’s basketball, 6 football, 1 men’s tennis
All-MEAC Second Team: 12 total
1 baseball, 1 men’s basketball, 7 football, 1 men’s tennis, 2 track & field
All-MEAC Third Team: 8 total
4 baseball, 3 football, 1 women’s track & field
2016-17 NCCU ATHLETICS AWARD RECIPIENTS
(
Full Story)
Baseball
Debra Saunders-White Leadership Award – Conrad Kovalcik
Chekeria Reid Sportsmanship Award – Evan Holland
Players' Choice Award – Landon Fraley
Newcomer of the Year Award – Carter Williams
Eagle Excellence Academic Award – Andrew King
Most Valuable Player Award – Corey Joyce and Devin Sweet
Men's Basketball
Debra Saunders-White Leadership Award – Kyle Benton
Chekeria Reid Sportsmanship Award – Marius McAllister
Players' Choice Award – C.J. Wiggins
Newcomer of the Year Award – John Guerra
Eagle Excellence Academic Award – Marius McAllister
Most Valuable Player Award – Dajuan Graf & Patrick Cole
Women's Basketball
Debra Saunders-White Leadership Award – Monique Whaley-Briggs
Chekeria Reid Sportsmanship Award – Dominique Adams
Players' Choice Award – Monique Whaley-Briggs
Newcomer of the Year Award – Jada Blow
Eagle Excellence Academic Award – Morgan Jones
Most Valuable Player Award – Morgan Jones
Cheerleading
Debra Saunders-White Leadership Award – Jocelyn Earle
Chekeria Reid Sportsmanship Award – Deshanae Meaders
Players' Choice Award – Delores El-Amin
Eagle Excellence Academic Award – Alexis Anderson
Most Valuable Player Award – Logan Thomas
Football
Debra Saunders-White Leadership Award – Antonio Brown
Chekeria Reid Sportsmanship Award – Carl Jones
Players' Choice Award – Carl Jones
Newcomer of the Year Award – Nick Leverett
Eagle Excellence Academic Award – Nathaniel Tilque
Most Valuable Player Award – Malcolm Bell
Golf
Debra Saunders-White Leadership Award – Jordan Bohannon
Chekeria Reid Sportsmanship Award – Samuel Bradley
Players' Choice Award – Sumner Tate
Newcomer of the Year Award – Samuel Bradley
Eagle Excellence Academic Award – Jordan Bohannon
Most Valuable Player Award – Jordan Bohannon
Softball
Debra Saunders-White Leadership Award – Miriam Duen
Chekeria Reid Sportsmanship Award – Lauren Sitterson
Players' Choice Award – Dominique Wilson
Newcomer of the Year Award – Lauren Sitterson
Eagle Excellence Academic Award – Janeen Reynolds
Most Valuable Player Award – Dominique Wilson
Men's Tennis
Debra Saunders-White Leadership Award – Dillon Strepay
Chekeria Reid Sportsmanship Award – Davide Callegari
Players' Choice Award – Gabriel Cucalon
Newcomer of the Year Award – Theofanis Kontopoulos
Eagle Excellence Academic Award – Davide Callegari
Most Valuable Player Award – Gabriel Cucalon
Women's Tennis
Debra Saunders-White Leadership Award – Lynsey Cover
Chekeria Reid Sportsmanship Award – Lauren Mullis
Players' Choice Award – Jamie Rogers
Newcomer of the Year Award – Emily Pena
Eagle Excellence Academic Award – Jamie Rogers
Most Valuable Player Award – Jamie Rogers
Track & Field/Cross Country (Men)
Debra Saunders-White Leadership Award – Deandre James
Chekeria Reid Sportsmanship Award – Timothy Edelen
Players' Choice Award – Jahmon Allen
Newcomer of the Year Award – Omega Smalls
Eagle Excellence Academic Award – Justin Trotman
Most Valuable Player Award – Gregory Coward (Cross Country); Omega Smalls (Indoor T&F); Christian Obame (Outdoor T&F)
Track & Field/Cross Country (Women)
Debra Saunders-White Leadership Award – Lovasia Thomas
Chekeria Reid Sportsmanship Award – Miaysha Bryant
Players' Choice Award – Kiana Seabrook
Newcomer of the Year Award – Deja Stevenson
Eagle Excellence Academic Award – Miaysha Bryant
Most Valuable Player Award – Nakai Matthews (Cross Country); Jaszmine Bowman (Indoor T&F); Bethany White (Outdoor T&F)
Volleyball
Debra Saunders-White Leadership Award – Kelsey Murphy
Chekeria Reid Sportsmanship Award – Bree Simmons
Players' Choice Award – Paige Phillips
Newcomer of the Year Award – Nahir Berrios-Laguerre
Eagle Excellence Academic Award – Kelsey Murphy
Most Valuable Player Award – Whitney White
Special Awards
Training Room Junkie (Male) – Jeff Hagan & Mitchell McCrary
Training Room Junkie (Female) – Jordan Shipman & Kierra Shipman
Student Athletic Trainer of the Year – Yanira Delao
Chancellor's Award (Male) – Dillon Strepay
Chancellor's Award (Female) – Kelsey Murphy
Faculty Athletic Council Academic Award (Women's Small) – Women's Tennis
Faculty Athletic Council Academic Award (Women's Large) – Softball
Faculty Athletic Council Academic Award (Men's Small) – Men's Tennis
Faculty Athletic Council Academic Award (Men's Large) – Baseball
Iron Eagle Award (Male) – Jonathan "Petey" Williams
Iron Eagle Award (Female) – Monique Whaley-Briggs
Student Athlete of the Year (Female) – Morgan Jones
Student Athlete of the Year (Male) – Malcolm Bell
Donor of the Year Award – Carlton Mack
Sponsor of the Year Award – G. Alan, Inc.
Fred "Pop" Bennett Comeback Player of the Year – Khalil Stinson
Harper-Armstrong Academic Award (GA) – Regina Nixon Halyard
Politano-McCree Service Award (GA) – Andre Clarke & Michael Robinson
Eagle Cup (Men) – Track & Field
Eagle Cup (Women) – Softball
