Charlotte, NC – The Johnson C. Smith University Department of Athletics held its annual Athletics Awards Ceremony on Monday evening inside the Grimes Lounge on the campus of JCSU. Sophomore
Trevin Parks and seniors
Leford Green and
Shermaine Williams were the top honorees; taking home the Pettis Norman Student-Athlete of the Year Award.
The Pettis Norman Award is the highest honor awarded from Johnson C. Smith University Athletics to recognize the outstanding performance in the field of competition of a male and female student-athlete throughout the academic year.
Pettis Norman is a graduate of Johnson C. Smith University and former all-conference tight end, The University elected to name the annual award for the most outstanding student-athlete after him because of his outstanding character and athletic achievement.
Parks (Men's Basketball) and Green (Men's Track & Field) were named Co-Male Athlete of the Year, while Williams (Women's Track & Field) earned the honor unanimously.
In his first season at Johnson C. Smith, Parks scored a conference-high 572 total points this year. He finished the regular season ranked 1st in the CIAA and 10th in the NCAA DII ranking for scoring, averaging 21.2 points per game. Parks averaged 4.3 assists per game and had three 30+ scoring nights, including a career-high 36 points.
Parks became the first Golden Bull in history to be named CIAA Player of the Year this season. Along with this honor, Parks has awarded NABC DII All-American honors, NABC DII All-District First Team honors, Daktronics DII All-Atlantic Region Second Team honors, CIAA Player of the Year, All-CIAA honors, CIAA All-Tournament team, and HSRN DII Player of the Year.
Green has had another stellar year, earning his third consecutive Pettis Norman Award. At the NCAA DII Indoor Championships, Green won the National title in the 400m dash and 4x400m relay. He earned All-American honors for his performance. Green was also named USTFCCCA Regional and National Indoor Athlete of the Year. He won the CIAA Indoor and Outdoor title in the 400m. Green also won CIAA Outdoor MVP honors and recently earned the College 400m Hurdles Championship at the Penn Relays.
Williams, like Green earned her third student-athlete of the year honor (winner as a freshman & sophomore). At the CIAA Indoor Championships, Williams won the title in the 60m Hurdles, 60m Dash, and 200m Dash. She earned CIAA Indoor MVP. Williams placed 5th in the 200m and 3rd in the 60m H at the 2011 NCAA DII Indoor Championships (All-American honors).
At the CIAA Outdoor Championships, Williams earned Outdoor MVP after capturing the 100m H and 4x100m relay crowns. Her performance helped JCSU win their first ever conference outdoor track and field championship.
Leford Green and
Shermaine Williams were also named the Coca-Cola Academic Award at the male and female senior student-athletes with the highest grade point averages. Green is majoring in Information Systems Engineering, while Williams has a Biology major; both are maintaining a GPA above a 3.5.
Director of Athletics,
Stephen Joyner, Sr. brought the evening to a conclusion with some inspirational closing remarks. Joyner spoke on the value of leadership and the necessity to take ownership in order to accomplish specific projects.
A complete listing of the student-athlete award recipients is as follows:
BASKETBALL/MEN
1. MOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER:
Antwan Wilkerson
2. MOST IMPROVED PLAYER:
Earl Jackson
3. MOST OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER:
James Otey
4. MOST OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE PLAYER:
Ronald Thornhill
5. MOST VALUABLE PLAYER:
Trevin Parks
6. HIGHEST GPA:
Calvin Smith
BASKETBALL/WOMEN
1. MOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER:
LaQwesha Gamble &
Racquel Davis
2. MOST IMPROVED PLAYER:
Terran Quattlebaum
3. MOST OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER:
Terrica Jones
4. MOST OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE PLAYER:
LaQwesha Gamble
5. MOST VALUABLE PLAYER:
LaQwesha Gamble
6. HIGHEST GPA:
Shontanette Shaw
BOWLING
1. MOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER:
Sasha Thornhill
2. MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: A'niya Gibson
3. HIGHEST BOWLING AVERAGE:
Sasha Thornhill
4. HIGHEST GAME BOWLED/SEASON:
Sasha Thornhill
5. MOST VALUABLE PLAYER:
Sasha Thornhill
6. HIGHEST GPA:
Jasamine Hill
CHEERLEADERS
1. MOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER:
Rhonda Wright
2 MOST IMPROVED CHEERLEADER:
Alexa Brown
3. MOST DEDICATED CHEERLEADER:
Kianna Culver
5. MOST VALUABLE CHEERLEADER:
Saishea McNeill-Cook
6. HIGHEST GPA:
Alexa Brown
CROSS COUNTRY/MEN
1. MOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER:
Akino Ming
2. MOST IMPROVED RUNNER:
Jamille Callum
3. MOST OUSTANDING RUNNER:
Akino Ming
4. HIGHEST GPA:
Akino Ming
CROSS COUNTRY/WOMEN
1. MOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER:
Naffene Briscoe
2. MOST IMPROVED RUNNER:
Rosemarie Carty
3. MOST OUTSTANDING RUNNER:
Naffene Briscoe
4. HIGHEST GPA:
Monique Kelly
FOOTBALL
1. MOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER:
Darius Robinson
2. MOST IMPROVED RUNNER:
George Orr
3. MOST OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER:
Derrick Johnson
4. MOST OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE PLAYER:
Ryan Carter
5. MOST VALUABLE PLAYER:
Jeremy Franklin
6. HIGHEST GPA:
Chester Burnett
MEN'S GOLF
1. MOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER:
Jordan Fleming
2. MOST IMPROVED PLAYER:
Chris Coates
3. MOST CONSISTANT GOLFER:
Chris Coates
4. LOWEST SCORING AVERAGE:
Carleton Beamer
5. MOST VALUABLE PLAYER:
Carleton Beamer
6. HIGHEST GPA:
Carleton Beamer
SOFTBALL
1. MOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER:
Elizabeth McElveen
2. MOST IMPROVED PLAYER:
ShaDella Reese
3. MOST OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER:
Jasmine Jackson
4. MOST OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE PLAYER:
Britney Warren
5. MOST VALUABLE PLAYER:
Samantha Smith
6. HIGHEST GPA:
Alexandra Buckley
TENNIS/MEN
1. MOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER:
Dion Chever
2. MOST IMPROVED PLAYER:
Dion Chever
3. MOST OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER:
Jamil Jones
4. MOST OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE PLAYER:
McKenzie Bean
5. MOST VALUABLE PLAYER:
Robert Butts
6. HIGHEST GPA:
Dion Chever
WOMEN'S/TENNIS
1. MOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER:
Felicia Akande
2. MOST IMPROVED PLAYER:
Camille Allen
3. MOST OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER:
Margaret Jones
4. MOST OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE PLAYER:
Rolanda Sue
5. MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Keina Love
6. HIGHEST GPA: Keina Love
TRACK/MEN
1. MOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER:
Randale Watson
2. MOST IMPROVED PARTICIPANT:
Winston Brown
3. MOST OUTSTANDING RUNNER:
Leford Green
4. MOST OUTSTANDING FIELD PARTICIPANT:
Randale Watson
5. MOST VALUABLE PLAYER:
Leford Green
6. HIGHEST GPA:
Randale Watson &
Horane Holgate
TRACK/WOMEN
1. MOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER:
Danielle Williams
2. MOST IMPROVED RUNNER:
Lakaevia Tyler
3. MOST OUTSTANDING RUNNER:
Shermaine Williams
4. MOST OUTSTANDING FIELD PARTICIPANT:
Xahnn-Georgia Reid
5. MOST VALUABLE PLAYER:
Shermaine Williams
6. HIGHEST GPA:
Antoinette Taylor
VOLLEYBALL
1. MOST GIVING PLAYER:
Sharelle Hatley
2. MOST IMPROVED PARTICIPANT:
Montavia Hawkins
3. MOST VERSATILE PLAYER:
Sabrina Johnson
4. MOST OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE PLAYER:
Sharelle Hatley
5. MOST VALUABLE PLAYER:
Tahlia Jolicoeur
6. HIGHEST GPA:
Teyonna Gore
PETTIS NORMAN AWARD
1. MOST OUTSTANDING FEMALE:
Shermaine Williams
2. MOST OUTSTANDING MALE:
Leford Green &
Trevin Parks
COCA-COLA ACADEMIC AWARD
1. SENIOR FEMALE:
Shermaine Williams
2. SENIOR MALE:
Leford Green
