Title image via Markus Taft Photography
Courtesy of Brian Howard, Asst. AD/Communications, Norfolk State Athletics
NORFOLK, Va. | Norfolk State University men’s basketball player Joe Bryant Jr. and women’s basketball student-athlete Kierra Wheeler were named the athletic Male and Female Athletes of the Year, respectively, at the Spartans’ end-of-year awards ceremony on Monday night at Joseph G. Echols Memorial Gymnasium.
Bryant is arguably one of the most decorated student-athletes in the program’s history as he etched himself into the NSU record books this season, earning Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Player of the Year and BOXTOROW HBCU National Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive campaign. The Norfolk, Va. native averaged 17.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game as a fifth-year senior, shooting 84 percent from the free-throw line and 37 percent from behind the arc. He received a variety of postseason honors including an NABC First-Team All-District Selection and East MVP at the Reese’s All-Star Game.
Wheeler was a key component in helping the Spartans win their first MEAC Championship title in 20-plus years, garnering MEAC All-Tournament honors and HBCU National Player of the Week by BOXTORROW. Throughout the MEAC Women’s Basketball Tournament, the Minneapolis, Minn. native averaged 16.3 points per game, 8.7 rebounds per game, and shot 57 percent from the field in three victories and was named the Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. In addition, she was a four-time MEAC Player of the Week and All-Conference honoree.
Also at the banquet, softball student-athlete Kenna Higa and baseball player Abi Kadangot were recognized as NSU Male and Female Scholar Athletes of the Year. Higa is a General Business and Management major with a 3.93 GPA, while Kadangot is a Business Intelligence & Data Analytics major with a 3.98 GPA. They have the highest GPAs in the athletic department.
Here were other award winners recognized at the ceremony:
Marvin Prince Track Awards
Women: Leslie Young
Men: Kai Cole
Spartan Award
Frances W. Steward
Chester L. Steward Jr.
Earl Lee
Athletic Directors of Excellence Award
Dr. Grady James
Men’s Cross Country
Outstanding Newcomer: Gidion Sigei
Most Improved: Brian Rotich
MVP: Gidion Sigei
Women’s Cross Country
Outstanding Newcomer: Mercyline Kimaiyo
Most Improved: Tynniesia Wilson
MVP: Mercyline Kimaiyo
Men’s Track & Field
Outstanding Newcomer: Brian Rotich
Most Improved: Joshua Sutton
MVP: Regan Kimtai & Gidion Sigei
Women’s Track & Field
Outstanding Newcomer: Mercyline Kimaiyo
Most Improved: Tynniesia Wilson
MVP: Mercyline Kimaiyo
Football
Leadership Award: Marquis Hall
Coaches Award: Baron Franks
Special Teams MVP: Toby Willis
Volleyball
Rookie of the Year: Sydney McCree
Most Improved: Adlene Jideofor
MVP: Shonte Seale
Men’s Basketball
Rookie of the Year: George Beale Jr.
Most Improved: Kris Bankston
MVP: Joe Bryant Jr.
Women’s Basketball
Books and Basketball Award: Deja Francis
Big Game Award: Kierra Wheeler
Team Player/Coaches Award: Niya Fields
Bowling
Rookie of the Year: LaShauna Burrus
Most Improved: Jalaya Allen
MVP: Megan Wheat
Men’s Tennis
Rookie of the Year: Adam Kaczmarek
Most Improved: Hugo Massoni Lena
MVP: Federico Rebecchini
Coaches Award: Roosevelt Brown III
Women’s Tennis
Rookie of the Year: Amal Gati
Most Improved: Laura Ruiz
MVP: Aleksandra Evdokimova
Coaches Award: Zada McMorris
Baseball
Coaches Award: Dionte Brown
(Other awards TBA at a later date)
Softball
Coaches Award: Lauren Sheehan
Defensive MVP: Alexis Robinson
Offensive MVP: Gabby Vaughan
Overall MVP: Kenna Higa
Resurgence Award: Cam Anderson
All-Academic Team (individual with highest GPA on each team)
Baseball: Abi Kadangot
Men’s Basketball: Yoro Sidibe
Women’s Basketball: Deja Francis
Bowling: LaShauna Burrus
Football: Anthony Blume
Softball: Kenna Higa
Men’s Tennis: Boris Lunin
Women’s Tennis: Aleksandra Evdokimova
Women’s Track: Corryn Connor
Women’s XC: Kara Grant
Men’s Track: Dazon Harrison
Men’s XC: Evans Cheruiyot
Volleyball: Myleah Carter
Male Scholar Team Award
Men’s Tennis (3.6 GPA)
Women’s Scholar Team Award
Women’s Tennis (3.77 GPA)
Female Scholar Athlete of the Year
Kenna Higa, Softball
Male Scholar Athlete of the Year
Abi Kadangot, Baseball
Female Athlete of the Year
Kierra Wheeler, Women’s Basketball
Men’s Athlete of the Year
Joe Bryant Jr., Men’s Basketball
