TULSA, Okla. –– The athletic and academic accomplishments of The University of Tulsa student-athletes for the 2022-23 season were recognized last Tuesday night at the Annual Golden ‘Cane Awards
A crowd of over 400 gathered for the Grammy Awards-type Ceremony at the Lorton Performance Center on the TU campus.
The night was highlighted by the announcement of this year’s “Ultimate Team”, an award recognizing one student-athlete from each sport who exemplifies leadership qualities throughout their team consistent with the mission and values of TU Athletics. Selection is based upon five pillars: Leadership, Character, Academic Achievement, Athletics Participation, and Campus/ Community involvement.
The Ultimate Team members for the 2022-23 academic year include: Maddie Bittle (Women’s Basketball), Meghan Brown (Spirit), Brooke Fallis (Women’s Soccer), Chloe Hershenow (Women’s Cross Country), Pete Johnson (Men’s Cross Country), Avery Kalsu (Volleyball), Stephen Kittleman (Football), Laia Conde Monfort (Women’s Tennis), Haley Morgan (Softball), Isabella Musollino (Rowing), Layla Roebke (Women’s Track), Austen Schweinert (Men’s Soccer), Ari Seals (Men’s Basketball), Daniel Siddall (Men’s Tennis), Josh Sutton (Men’s Track), Lilly Thomas (Women’s Golf).
The Dan Bitson Courage award is presented annually to the TU student-athlete who exemplifies courage, perseverance and tenacity for overcoming adversity. The award’s namesake, Tulsa All-America receiver Dan Bitson, had his life altered drastically when his automobile was struck head-on just a mile from campus on a December morning in 1989. His unlikely return to the football field in 1991 was inspirational to many and remains an inspiration to Tulsa student-athletes today
Soccer’s Alex Meinhard is this year’s Bitson Courage Award winner. Meinhard was expected to be a freshman in the fall of 2018, however an ACL injury in May forced him to miss the fall season. In a 2019 spring practice, Meinhard again tore his ACL forcing him to sit out a second season. In the spring of 2020, he underwent a third surgery to remove cartilage that had failed to heal properly. Finally, Meinhard played his first collegiate soccer game on February 6, 2021, and ended his career earning such honors as AAC Rookie of the Year, AAC Offensive Player of the Year twice, and United Soccer Coaches First Team All-Region.
Liliana Fernandez from women’s soccer and football’s Dorian Hopkins are this year’s winners of the Dr. Christopher Anderson Classroom Grit Award, which is presented to one male and one female graduating student-athlete for perseverance in the classroom
Fernandez started 56 of 60 career games and tallied 17 points on five goals and seven assists, while tallying six points while starting all 17 games this past fall. Hopkins, a four-year football student-athlete, is the newly elected SAAC president for the 2023-2024 academic year. Hopkins totaled 15 tackles in just seven games before suffering an ACL injury.
New awards this year include the Best Male & Female Athlete of the Year and the Top Male & Female Newcomer of the Year. The Best Female Athlete of the Year Award goes to basketball standout Temira Poindexter. The sophomore tallied double figures in 27 of 30 games and led the team with a 16.1 scoring average and 5.4 rebounds per game, while also totaling team-bests of 43 blocks and 31 steals.
Tennis student-athlete Kody Pearson was selected as the Best Male Athlete of the Year. Coming off his American Athletic Conference Player of the Year honor a year ago, Pearson has posted a regular-season singles record of 14-6 at the number 1 position and was ranked as high Number 28 nationally this season.
The Newcomer of the Year awards went to sophomore softball pitcher Maura Moore and true freshman soccer student-athlete Wes Bottenburg. A junior college transfer from Crowder College, Moore has made an immediate impact on the pitching mound for the Hurricane with 11 wins, a 3.33 ERA, and two no-hitters. From the Netherlands, Bottenburg was named to the American Athletic Conference’s all-rookie team.
The athlete and newcomer of the year awards were nominated by the head coaches and selected by SAAC.
Volleyball student-athlete Kayley Cassaday was recognized as the Warren Garrison Academic Excellence Award Winner, presented to the graduating student-athlete who has completed his or her eligibility with the highest undergraduate cumulative grade point average. A four-year letterwinner, Cassaday has earned first-team American Athletic Conference honors in each of the last two seasons and was named second-team Academic All-America this year. She has maintained a 4.0 grade point average in mechanical engineering.
The Barry Kinsey Award, named after former faculty athletics representative Dr. Barry Kinsey, recognizes the team that achieved the highest-grade point average for the academic year goes to the Women’s Track & Field Team with a semester grade point average of 3.674, while maintaining a cumulative 3.722 GPA.
The Hurricane Star award recognizes pathway to sports academy students, federal work study students, volunteers, etc., who are dependable, committed, and passionate towards TU Athletics. Senior football video operations student Eboni Bernard is the recipient of this year’s Hurricane Star Award.
Each year, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), recognizes a faculty or staff member who has demonstrated care and compassion to the development of our student-athletes in or out of the classroom. This year’s Reign Cane Award winner is custodial steward Major Butler.