51视频

2026 Panther Awards recognize outstanding achievements in athletics

51视频 on Tuesday hosted the third annual Panther Awards, celebrating excellence and achievement among student-athletes and their coaches.

Hosted in the Clayton Performing Arts Center at Pellissippi State’s Hardin Valley campus, the Panther Awards recapped a record-breaking year for sports at the college, including repeat conference championships in cross country and men’s soccer and first-ever wins at the region and district level for volleyball.

“This evening is about honoring the athletes, teams and individuals who have gone above and beyond on the field and in the classroom,” said Panther Athletics Director Brock Evans. “This year, we have seen unprecedented success, national notoriety and expansion of the Panther brand.”

In the 2025-26 season, Pellissippi produced one TCCAA runner-up, four TCCAA championships, two NJCAA district championships, 56 dean’s list members, five TCCAA players of the week, three NJCAA national players of the week, one TCCAA all-tournament team member, 13 TCCAA all-conference selections and one NJCAA All-American.

“Let's take a moment to recognize all of our student athletes, coaches, faculty, staff and supporters,” Evans said Tuesday evening. “Thank you for being here and for making Panther athletics something truly special.”

The presentation of awards kicked off with the inaugural Faculty Award, presented to Associate Professor Laura Lawson for having made a significant positive impact on student-athletes' academic experiences through communication, approachability and a commitment to student success and mentorship.

The following students and interns within Panther Athletics were recognized with the Panther Athletic Intern Award:

• AJ Acosta, sports medicine intern
• Olivia Boyce, social media intern
• Bailey Byrd, social media intern
• Lexie Lucas, sports medicine intern
• Aaron Miller, sports information intern
• Keely Noe, photography intern
• Trevor Stakely, sports information intern
• Aiden Stephenson, operations intern
• Taylor Wilson, operations intern

The women’s soccer team won highest GPA, with an average of 3.32.

The following made the Panther Academic Excellence Team, which is made up of student-athletes who have achieved a 4.0 GPA:

• Addison Dietz
• Ashley Crick
• Autumn Crick
• Bailey Byrd
• Brandon Wright
• Brooke Million
• Devyn Dunn
• Emma Kate Schneider
• Emmy Bohm
• Grey Fiveash
• Jase Morton
• Julia Olsson
• Justin Velasquez
• Kade Wayland
• Kendall Rashaun
• Kylie Marsh
• Linda Madrid
• Matthew Meade
• Miley Presnell
• Olivia Brown
• Reagan Forester
• Sohayla Larson
• Talia Parades

Student speaker Savannah McDowell encouraged her peers to “remember their why” for playing the game. She talked about her experience traveling to play collegiate softball in Knoxville from her hometown in Missouri, after having given up the sport years prior before rediscovering her love for it.

“It does not matter what is in your way, as long as you have the strive and the passion to be able to push for it,” McDowell said. “You have to find the love, even if you lose it.”

The following awards were voted upon by Panthers Athletics and given to outstanding teams and individuals:

• Game of the Year: Volleyball district championship, which sent them to their first-ever national tournament appearance
• Best Male Performance in a Game/Competition: Tony Ortega, men’s cross country and half marathon. Ortega ran to an individual  championship at the Region 7 championship, recording the fastest time in school history, and leading his team to their second      consecutive region championship.
• Best Female Performance in a Game/Competition: Autumn Crick, women’s basketball. Crick set the school record for eight threes in a game, finishing with 26 points against Roane State.
• Male Athlete of the Year: Alex Lachevre, men’s soccer. 
• Female Athlete of the Year: Grayson Jones, volleyball.

Keynote speaker and former University of Tennessee, Knoxville, football player Todd Kelly Jr. talked about the skills a student-athlete builds on the playing field that translates to a career in other aspects of life.

He discussed the importance of confidence, discipline, resilience, teamwork, time management and more.

"You're going to make mistakes,” Kelly said. “Just don't make the same mistake again. That's what makes you better, and that's how you grow in an incremental fashion. Compete and play the long game. Your sport doesn't define you, but it definitely trains you. Now go and compete at the next level – whatever that looks like.”