Bison Athletics Announce End of Year Awards

A replay of the awards show can be viewed here.
 
SHAWNEE – On Tuesday, May 3, the Oklahoma Baptist University Athletic Department held its seventh annual BSAs – Bison Sports Awards – inside Raley Chapel.
 
Over the one-hour, 20-minute live program, numerous student-athletes and others received awards for their efforts on the playing field over the last eight months. Here were the award recipients:
 
Team Academic Award; Given to the team with the highest grade-point average.
Women's Golf – 3.64 GPA
 
Faculty Mentor Award:
Dr. Linda Wilbur
 
DavCup – Given to the team that takes part in the most athletic events and community service projects.
Bison Volleyball
 
Club Sports Athletes of the Year:
Male: Caleb Spoo
Female: Abi Cates
 
Intramural Sports Athletes of the Year:
Male: Daniel Campbell
Female: Anna Caughlin
 
Newcomer of the Year:
Male: Dan Pruitt – Baseball
·      The only player in the GAC to rank at the top of six offensive categories.
Female: Addison Brooks – Track and Field
·      Has been a part of 15 top-three finishes this spring including seven 1st-place marks.
 
Breakout Athlete of the Year:
Male: Keilahn Harris – Football
·      Went from three touchdown catches in 2019 to 16 last fall; All-American selection
Female: Tori Kitchel – Soccer
·      Scored a career-high 10 goals for 24 points during the fall season; Finished in the top five in D2 with 7 game-winners
 
Individual Performance of the Year:
Male: Josh Arnold – Football
·      Broke OBU and GAC single-game records with seven tackles-for-loss with 16 tackles and three sacks during a 31-27 road win against SWOSU on September 25.
Female: 4x400 Relay Team
·      Tizhane Brooks, Taylor James, Mary McKey and Addison Brooks became All-Americans after their seventh-place finish (3:44.61) in the 4x400 meter relay at the NCAA Indoor Championship on March 12.
 
Heart of a Bison Award:
Male: Jaxon Canard – Football
Female: Diana Tarillo – Volleyball
 
Scholar-Athlete Award:
Male: Will Kohman – Football
Female: Izzy Lette – Golf
 
Bison ICON
Band – Colton McCall & Celeste Mancl
Cheer/STUNT – McKenna Trautwein
Dance – Marysa Rake
Football – Josh Arnold
Baseball – Dan Pruitt
Softball – Sammie Greene
Women's Basketball – Madison Chambers
Men's Basketball – Trey Green
Volleyball – Destiny Temple
Women's Golf – Izzy Lette
Women's Soccer – Hannah White
Women's Track & Field – Taylor James
Women's Cross Country – Emma Downing
Men's Track & Field – MJ Smith
Men's Cross Country – Noah Eskew
 
Team Performance of the Year
Male: Bison Football
·      OBU attained its most wins in the D2 era, ran its win streak over Oklahoma schools to 16 straight games and won the Fun Town RV Heritage Bowl over UT-Permian Basin in December.
Female: Women's Cross Country
·      Became just the third GAC program to win five straight cross country championships after the Oct. 23 meet at Harding. Emma Downing was runner-up and by the end of the race, the Bison had placed three runners in the top ten of the standings.
 
Athlete of the Year
Male: Preston Haire – Football
·      Finished his incredible career with the most passing yards, touchdown passes and total offense among many other stats in OBU history. He won back-to-back GAC Offensive Player of the Year honors and was invited to join the New Orleans Saints rookie minicamp.
Female: Malia Leatherland – Volleyball
·      Became just the third player in GAC history to win multiple Player of the Year honors. During the season, in which OBU posted a 23-4 record, she became the GAC's all-time leader in points and kills.