On April 25, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. Averett University’s Department of Athletics celebrated the 2021-2022 Night of Champions in Pritchett Auditorium. The night is an annual awards ceremony that highlights student athletes that have won accolades throughout their seasons. After being completely virtual in 2020 and socially distanced in 2021 students were finally able to experience the full night since 2019.

Multiple different awards recognizing student athletes for academic, athletic, and community service accomplishments were awarded. Awards were given for having the highest class GPA, overall athletic achievements, as well as the Dr. Frank Campbell Sportsmanship Award, Dr. Tommy Foster Male Student-Athlete of the Year, and the Barbara Kushubar Female Student-Athlete of the Year. 

Award finalists for the top class GPAs were:

• Sophomore Philipp Bohnenkamp
• Sophomore Samantha Casey
• Junior David Asbill
• Junior Kelsey Steckroth
• Senior Bradley Bizzell
• Senior Hannah Thompson

Award finalists for the class Athletes of the Year were:

• Freshman Hunter Campbell
• Freshman Celia de Diego, Faith Bowlin, and Maxence Lippens
• Sophomore Alex Turley and Johnny Alston
• Sophomore Erin Gray and Taylor Sullivan
• Junior Corey Baldwin
• Junior Morgan Barns
• Senior Brandon Woody and Sam Braswell
• Senior Anna Coleman and Elizabeth Peasley

The three major awards of the night, Dr. Frank Campbell Sportsmanship Award, Dr. Tommy Foster Male Student-Athlete of the Year, and the Barbara Kushubar Female Student-Athlete of the Year were awarded to KeShawn Lewis, Conner Showalter, and Elizabeth Peasley.

“Night of champions is so exciting because all of us athletes get a chance to dress up and have a great time all together in the same room,” Courtney Delone, senior women’s lacrosse player said. “It’s fun seeing other teams and their successes, and being able to show them ours.”

Sports are not yet over for women’s tennis and men and women’s lacrosse players. The USA South Athletic Conference Tournament play begins on April 26 for women’s lacrosse and April 28 for women’s tennis. The men’s lacrosse team has one conference game versus Pfeiffer University left on April 30, but will not be able to advance to the tournament.

Follow along with your Cougars through exam week by visiting www.averett cougars.com to watch the USA South Conference Tournament.