BELOIT, WI – The Beloit College Athletic Department and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) gathered on Wednesday, April 29th, to celebrate the remarkable achievements of Buccaneer student-athletes during the 2025-26 academic year. The annual awards banquet honored excellence in the classroom, impact in the community, and historic performances on the field of play.

The evening began by recognizing the "brains behind the brawn"—the student-athletes who posted the highest individual GPAs on their respective teams. These individuals set the standard for the "student" portion of the student-athlete title.

In FALL SPORTS

• MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY - Max Muszynski  
• WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY – Simone de Montigny 
• FOOTBALL – Quentin Schane
• MEN'S SOCCER – Serhat Ayebe 
• WOMEN'S SOCCER – Kim Pilon 
• WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL – Kierra Rayne Hoover

In WINTER SPORTS

• MEN'S BASKETBALL – Tommy Glenn
• WOMEN'S BASKETBALL – Kaitlin Davis
• MEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING – Jeremy Mueller
• WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING – Lylah Murrah
• MEN'S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD – Jake Fein 
• WOMEN'S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD – Cole Miller
• MEN'S ICE HOCKEY - Andrew Yocum
• WOMEN'S ICE HOCKEY - Kennedy Gruhlke

In SPRING SPORTS

• BASEBALL – Blake Nelson
• MEN'S LACROSSE – Christian Moore
• WOMEN'S LACROSSE – Jane Price
• SOFTBALL – Lylah Murrah
• MEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD – Jake Fein 
• WOMEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD – Cole Miller

The college also inducted a new class into the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society, recognizing juniors and seniors with a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Juniors inducted included Patrick Covert, Kaitlin Davis, Jake Fein, Isaac Guttormson, Dominic Guzman, Kierra Rayne Hoover, Meghan Koning, Parker Krcmar, Sydney McClellan, Christian Moore, Kaelie Moreno, Jeremy Mueller, Naomi Murphy, Lylah Murrah, Blake Nelson, Ben Schweit, Elliott Simpson, Jacopo Tamburini, Erick Tiegs, Nolan Tomsyck and Collin Wright. Senior medallions were presented to Jack Alport, Chris Andaya, Andrew Arhebun, Josh Beserra, Jessalyn Coppe, Simone de Montigny, Samantha Friedrichsohn, Tommy Glenn, Caleb Lasher, Aina Mallorqui, Lucy Monnig, Jane Price, Amelia Pullen, Quentin Schane, Ethan Scutchfield, Sammy Slabaugh, Samuel Van Der Kolk, Kaylee Witte and Israel Zewdie. 

The Freshman of the Year awards went to Natasha Ludwig (Royalton) (Women's Hockey) and Leonidas Levi (Las Vegas, NV) (Football). Ludwig was recognized for her clinical finishing on the ice and 50 hours of community service, while Levi started every game at left tackle while mentoring youth at the local Boys and Girls Club.

Sophomore of the Year honors were bestowed upon Allie Gustafson (Beloit, Wis.) (Softball), a double major leading the Bucs in hitting, and Dylan Malmgren (Loves Park, Ill.), who shattered three school records in distance running this year.

The Women's Hockey Team  took home the Team Community Service Award. The squad's massive impact included hundreds of hours coaching youth hockey and volunteering at local events like the Woodman's Center Grand Opening and the Beloit Easter Egg Hunt.

Jake Fein (Florence, Mass) was presented with the Advocacy and Social Justice Award. Fein's leadership off the track included founding the Beloit Student Workers United—the first undergraduate labor union in Wisconsin—and securing a significant pay increase for 500 student workers.

The Performance of the Year went to the Buccaneer Baseball Team for their historic combined no-hitter on March 9th. Bryce Lermer (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) and Caleb Lasher (Albuquerque, N.M.) shut down Minnesota Morris in a 12-0 victory that will live long in the program's history books.

The Record-Breaking Performance of the Year was awarded to Josh Yearby (Hollywood, FL). The track and football star broke school records five times this season, including a blistering 6.77 in the 60m dash that set an all-time Midwest Conference record and sent him to the NCAA D-3 Championships.

Resilience was also a major theme, as Aileen Garcia (Los Angeles, Calif.) (Volleyball/Lacrosse) andIan Phillips (Machesney Park, Ill.)(Track & Field) were named Comeback Athletes of the Year after returning from significant injuries to reach elite competitive form.

As the night drew to a close, the department presented its most storied honors:

• Ben Galloway 1889 Council Award: Tommy Glenn (Waukesha, Wis.) (Men's Basketball). Glenn was recognized for his 100+ hours of service at the Stateline Literacy Council and his reputation as the "perfect teammate."

• Ed DeGeorge Service and Scholar-Athlete Award: Tommy Glenn (Waukesha, Wis.) and Kaylee Witte (Poplar Grove, IL) (Volleyball/Softball). This award honors those entering service professions; both Glenn and Witte are Education majors.

• Joe Kobylka Award (Spirit & Sportsmanship): Aina Mallorqui (Valls, Spain) (Women's Basketball) and Etienne Leblanc (Houston, TX) (Football), recognized for their infectious energy and selfless dedication to their programs.

• Donald "Red" Janssen Award (Outstanding Junior): Jeremy Mueller (Loves Park, Ill.) (Swimming) and Lylah Murrah (North Pole, AK) (Swimming/Softball). Mueller dominated the pool with 20 first-place finishes this season, while Murrah excelled as a dual-sport star and holds multiple relay records in the pool and a .355 batting average on the diamond. 

• Ruth C. Peterson Award (Senior Female Scholar-Athlete): Hailey Johnson (South Milwaukee, Wis.) (Women's Basketball). Johnson was honored for her leadership on the court, where she averaged 13.5 points per game and served as the focal point of the Buccaneer offense.

• Pat Dawson Award (Senior Male Scholar-Athlete): Jack Alport (Arlington Heights, Ill.) (Baseball) and Nate Otis (Shoreview, Minn.) (Track & Field). Alport was celebrated for his career 200+ hits and defensive excellence, while Otis was recognized as a First Team All-American and 16-time All-Conference performer.

The evening's most prestigious honor, the Blanket Award, is reserved for those who rank among the greatest in Beloit College history.

Nate Otis (Shoreview, Minn.) received his blanket following a legendary career on the track, capped by his current national ranking of 9th in the 400m hurdles. 

The final blanket was presented to Jack Alport (Arlington Heights, Ill.). Coach Dave DeGeorge delivered an emotional tribute to the outfielder, noting that Alport has been in the starting lineup for more victories than any athlete in the history of Beloit College sports. "If Jack Alport were a stock, you would buy him at any price," DeGeorge said. "In 36 years of coaching, I've never respected anyone more."

The night concluded with a final salute to the Class of 2026, who received their graduation cords and plaques, marking the end of a historic chapter in Buccaneer athletics.