YORK, Pa. — Penn State York’s honored its student-athletes and coaches at the campus' annual Athletic Awards Banquet, held Thursday, April 11, on the stage of the campus' Pullo Family Performing Arts Center. Following a 6 p.m. dinner, members of each athletic team were introduced, coaches provided highlights of the season, and awards were presented.
Highlights of the evening included the introduction of the first women’s softball team at the campus, and a brand new award, the Chancellor’s Award for Academic Character.
View photos from the event on Flickr.
Joey O’Dwyer, a member of the men's basketball team from Lutherville, Maryland, received the 2017-18 Trimmer Award in basketball, and Justin Luton, of Owings Mills, Maryland, was honored with the 2016-17 award. The Trimmer Award is named in honor of Ron Trimmer, the late former Penn State York basketball coach, and is given to the most improved player.
Francyou Desse, a member of the soccer team from York, Pennsylvania, received the Broadbent Award, given in honor of Bruce Broadbent, former assistant professor of kinesiology at the campus and division head of health and human development at the Commonwealth College. Broadbent was the campus’ first athletic director and worked for more than 30 years to promote the campus’ athletic programs.
Adwait S.Patil, a member of the soccer team from Mumbai, India, received the 2017-18 Christopher C. Miller Sportsmanship Award for soccer, and Nityant S. Rai, of Mumbai, India, was honored with the 2016-17 award. This award is given to an athlete who displays a high level of sportsmanship, not only on the soccer field, but also in everyday life. The award was established in 2002 to honor the late Christopher C. Miller, the son of former Penn State York soccer coach George Miller. Christopher Miller passed away on July 9, 2001, at the age of 16. During his soccer career, Christopher Miller played between 350 and 400 soccer games and never received a yellow or red card for unsportsmanlike play. His love of the game of soccer and outstanding sportsmanship will always be remembered through this award.
Karra Thomason, a member of the women's basketball team from New Oxford, Pennsylvania, received the Heart and Hustle Award. This award is voted on by the players on the women’s basketball team, and is given to the player that exemplifies the meaning of heart and hustle, leaves it all out on the court, has a positive attitude every practice and game, never complains, never gives up, will do whatever is deemed necessary to help the team be successful, and embodies the core values of sportsmanship.
The final award of the evening, the Chancellor’s Award for Academic Character, was given to Emily Colon, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a member of the women’s basketball team. This award is given to the student-athlete with a 3.5 GPA or higher, who, in addition to an outstanding GPA, upholds the five core values of the Penn State York Athletic Department: accountability, courage, diligence, integrity and respect.
To learn more about athletics at Penn State York, visit pennstateyorksports.com. The York campus offers six collegiate sports: baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, soccer, women’s softball, and women’s volleyball.