Head track and field coach Lennox Graham (gray) and 100 Club member Grover Smith (gold) with 2014 Pettis Norman winners Rolando Berch and Danielle Williams
Charlotte, NC – The Johnson C. Smith University Department of Athletics celebrated the 2013-14 academic year, and all the success it brought, on Monday, April 28th at the annual awards banquet held in Grimes Lounge at the Mary Joyce Taylor Crisp Student Union. Team award winners and over 100 student-athletes were acknowledged for academics across all 15 varsity sports and support groups (cheerleading and dance team) as honorees at the athletics awards ceremony.
Senior sprinter
Rolando Berch (St. Andrew, Jamaica) was named the Pettis Norman Male Student-Athlete of the Year, while fellow senior sprinter
Danielle Williams (St. Andrew, Jamaica) was named Female Student-Athlete of the Year.
Berch had a stellar senior campaign during the indoor track and field season, which spilled into outdoor season as well. He finished third overall at the 2014 NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships in the men's 400m dash; earning him NCAA DII All-American honors. Berch was also selected to the 2014 USTFCCCA Indoor All-Atlantic Region Team. At the CIAA Indoor Championships, Berch finished second in the 400m dash and third as a member of the 4x400m relay team.
At the CIAA Outdoor Championships, Berch finished second overall in the 400m dash. He has earned All-CIAA honors for both indoor and outdoor seasons.
Williams has represented JCSU and the CIAA conference with a performance in track and field worthy of national recognition. She was named the Division II Indoor National Track Athlete of the Year.
During the 2014 NCAA Division II Indoor Championships, Williams became the first student-athlete in DII history to claim three individual track titles at the same indoor national championship meet with crowns in the 60 meters, 200 meters and the 60-meter hurdles.
In the span of one Saturday afternoon, she defended her national 60-meter hurdles title in 8.12, claimed the 60 meters crown in 7.32 and set a new JDL Fast Track facility record at 200 meters in 23.80. Earlier in the season she earned CIAA Championship titles in each of those three events, and won both the 60-meter hurdles and 200 meters at the Penn State National.
At the CIAA Outdoor Championships, Williams was named the 2014 Women's Outdoor Track MVP. She won the 100 meters, 200 meters, and 100 meters hurdles events. Those victories produced 30 points towards securing the repeating as conference champions.
Stan Lewter of ESPN TV and host of the Inside the Game show served as the master of ceremonies. The JCSU 100 Club presented director of athletics
Stephen Joyner, Sr. with a commemorative gold blazer during the opening of the program.
The JCSU women's outdoor track and field team was the only team this year to win a championship of any sort as the 2014 CIAA Outdoor Champions; an honor held for the second consecutive season.
Below is a list of the evening's award winners, broken down by sport:
BASKETBALL (MEN'S)MOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER
LaMarquis Letchaw MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
Alandre DavisMOST OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER
Antwan WilkersonMOST OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE PLAYER
Emilio ParksMOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Emilio ParksHIGHEST GPA
Jimmy Joyner BASKETBALL (WOMEN'S)MOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER
Amena Brent MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
LaTondra MorrowMOST OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER
Deanna DownerMOST OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE PLAYER
Karnina BunchMOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Deanna Downer HIGHEST GPA
LaTondra Morrow BOWLING MOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER
Ebony Jones MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
Sabrina JohnsonHIGHEST BOWLING AVERAGE
Brittany RoweHIGHEST GAME BOWLED/SEASON
Brittany RoweMOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Holly WalkerHIGHEST GPA
Teyonna Gore CHEERLEADERSMOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER
Laurice BryantMOST IMPROVED CHEERLEADER
Charlene MontasMOST ENERGETIC CHEERLEADER
La'Nysia HarrisonMOST CREATIVE CHEERLEADER
Christiana JohnsonMOST DEDICATED CHEERLEADER
Shaquel DialsMOST VALUABLE CHEERLEADER
Shaquel DialsHIGHEST GPA
Sa'Keitha Hammond CROSS COUNTRY (MEN'S) MOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER
Christian Broome MOST IMPROVED PATICIPANT
Waynee HymanMOST OUSTANDING RUNNER
Geovanie FooteMOST VALUABLE RUNNER
Geovanie FooteHIGHEST GPA
Geovanie Foote CROSS COUNTRY (WOMEN'S)MOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER
Domenique Julius-Williams MOST IMPROVED PATICIPANT
Trudy-Ann Richards MOST OUTSTANDING RUNNER
Trudy-Ann RichardsMOST VALUABLE RUNNER
Trudy-Ann RichardsHIGHEST GPA
Domenique Julius-Williams DANCE TEAMLEADERSHIP OF EXCELLENCE Tineshia Williams
MOST VALUABLE Merjournie Muskin
TRACK & FIELD (MEN'S)MOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER
Joshua Cunningham MOST OUTSTANDING RUNNER
Rolando BerchMOST OUTSTANDING FIELD PARTICIPANT
Randale WatsonMOST VALUABLE ATHLETE
Rolando BerchHIGHEST GPA
Horane Holgate TRACK & FIELD (WOMEN'S)MOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER
Domenique Julius-WilliamsMOST IMPROVED PARTICIPANT
Tovea JenkinsMOST OUTSTANDING RUNNER
Danielle Williams MOST OUTSTANDING FIELD PARTICIPANT
Imeshia JonesMOST VALUABLE ATHLETE
Danielle WilliamsHIGHEST GPA
Domenique Julius-Williams FOOTBALLMOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER Le'Ander Barney
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
Anthony AllenMOST OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER
Jovontay Williams MOST OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE PLAYER
George OrrMOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Keahn WallaceHIGHEST GPA
Andrew Alexander MEN'S GOLFMOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER
Stephen Graddick MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
Johanan EdmeadeMOST CONSISTENT GOLFER
Johanan EdmeadeLOWEST SCORING AVERAGE R.
Calvin MasonSPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
Brencis StanfordMOST VALUABLE GOLFER R.
Calvin MasonHIGHEST GPA
Lewis McKeliver SOFTBALLMOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER
Victoria Lopez MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
Miranda Ricafrente MOST OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER
Morgan Hasty MOST OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE PLAYER
Monique Jefferson MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Jocelyn Hernandez HIGHEST GPA
Breanna Archibald/
Morgan Hasty TENNIS (MEN'S)MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
Sharif Axam MOST OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER
Yusuf Barnes MOST OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE PLAYER
Darrell Sawyer MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Dion Chever HIGHEST GPA
Dion Chever TENNIS (WOMEN'S)MOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER
Victoria Ogundipe MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
Khadijha BattleMOST OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER
Nichelle Heard MOST OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE PLAYER
Rankin Anderson MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Rankin Anderson HIGHEST GPA
Nichelle Heard VOLLEYBALLMOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER
Symone Lawson MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
Teyonna Gore MOST VERSATILE PLAYER
Sabrina Johnson MOST OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE PLAYER
Kayla BazemoreMOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Jane Tukia HIGHEST GPA
Morgan Hasty PETTIS NORMAN (STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARDS)MOST OUTSTANDING FEMALE ATHLETE
Danielle Williams MOST OUTSTANDING MALE ATHLETE
Rolando Berch
