FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason athletic department honored the 2016 senior class and announced departmental awards during the annual Senior Salute ceremony on Tuesday night at EagleBank Arena.
Among the highlights, Reana Mohamed (women's basketball) received the Aimee Willard Commemorative Award and Morghan Martin (women's volleyball) received the inaugural Sue Collins Leadership Award for Women in Sport. Taylor Washington (men's soccer) and Taylor Brown (women's basketball) were named the Male and Female Student Athletes of the Year.
President Dr. Angel Cabrera took the stage to salute the seniors and offer a few opening remarks. Director of Athletics Brad Edwards then recognized the 41 student-athletes who earned the Provost Scholar Athlete Award (a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or higher).
Edwards followed presented Mohamed with the Aimee Willard Commemorative Award. The award was established in 1997 to remember former Mason soccer and lacrosse athlete Aimee Willard.
The award is presented to the Mason student-athlete who best exemplifies the standards of quality set by Willard: intensity, consistency of purpose, achievement and teamwork. Nominees are selected by head coaches and the recipient is selected by Aimee's mother, Gail, and the Willard family.
Mohamed, a two-year captain from Laurelton, N.Y., played in 94 games and made 36 starts over the last four years. This past season, she led the team in 3-point shooting percentage (.423). She received the team's Patriot Pride Award for her positive attitude and contagious work ethic. Fellow nominees for the award included: Kelli Beard (lacrosse), Greg Flournoy (wrestling), Taylor Iobst (swimming/diving), Sarah Kleinfelter (softball), Morghan Martin (women's volleyball), Brittany Pilkington (women's tennis) and Taylor Washington (men's soccer).
Edwards then presented all 84 senior student-athletes from 22 sports and the cheerleading and dance teams the George Mason Award. The award was commissioned in 1997 in an effort to recognize the culmination of a student-athlete's participation in intercollegiate athletics. The hand-sculpted artwork of George Mason was designed as a permanent remembrance of both the institution and the student-athlete's legacy.
Faculty athletics representative Linda Miller then presented the inaugural Susan Collins Leadership Award for Women in Sport.
The award recognizes the student-athlete who best exemplifies the leadership qualities set by former George Mason Senior Associate Athletic Director Sue Collins, who dedicated more than 40 years in NCAA Division I athletics and 34 years with the Patriots. Her leadership, integrity, innovation, mentoring, and service to the NCAA, George Mason and the local community has created a legacy that will keep mason athletics a leader in college sports for years to come.
Miller then announced the recipient of the first Susan Collins Leadership Award for Women in Sport – Morghan Martin of women's volleyball. Martin, a native of Rockledge, Fla., was a team captain and represented the Patriots as a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) member for the Atlantic 10. She was selected by the conference to attend the 2015 NCAA Leadership Forum. She was a three-year member of the Apple Team, which consists of staff and student-athletes who are committed to promoting the social and personal development of student-athletes. She has given her time to community efforts on campus and has served as a Student-Athlete Mentor (SAM) and is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
To cap off the night, the winners of the Dr. Frank Pettrone Student-Athlete of the Year Awards were announced.
Taylor Washington (men's soccer) was named the Male Student-Athlete of the Year. In January, the Somers, N.Y. native became the first George Mason men's soccer player to be drafted in the MLS SuperDraft since 2002 when he was picked 23rd overall by the Philadelphia Union.
In his collegiate career, Taylor appeared in 53 matches and earned Atlantic 10 All-Conference First Team, VaSID All-State Second Team, ECAC Second Team All-Star and most recently, NSCAA All-Midwest Third Team this season. In February, Taylor signed a contract to play for Philadelphia Union. Steven Flynn (cross country/track and field) and Vince Rodriguez (wrestling) were also nominated for the award.
For the second straight year, Taylor Brown (women's basketball) was named the Female Student-Athlete of the Year. She led the Patriots in scoring, assists and steals as she was named VaSID All-State for the second straight year and was tabbed to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference Team for the third consecutive season.
She scored 1,693 points in just three seasons at Mason, ranking second all-time in program history. She tied the school record for best career free-throw percentage and finished in the top 10 in career assists and 3-pointers made. She also became the first player in program history with at least 1,500 points, 400 rebounds and 300 assists.
She was one of just five Division I women's basketball players to be named to the Allstate WBCA Good Works Team for her volunteer efforts on campus and in the community. She is currently working on finishing her master's degree in film and video studies. Erin Anderson (lacrosse) and Morghan Martin (women's volleyball) were also nominated for the award.
Aimee Willard Commemorative Award
Reana Mohamed – Women's Basketball
Male Student-Athlete of the Year
Taylor Washington – Men's Soccer
Female Student-Athlete of the Year
Taylor Brown – Women's Basketball
Sue Collins Leadership Award For Women In Sport
Morghan Martin – Women's Volleyball
Provost Scholar-Athletes
Suzanne Abribat – Track & Field
Kelli Beard – Lacrosse *
Giuliano Buzoianu – Men's Tennis
Aaron Capitel – Men's Tennis*
Eric Chestnut - Men's Swimming & Diving
Breanna Connell – Women's Soccer
Roger Dean – Coed Cheer
Sharon Dorsey – Track & Field
Abigail Downey – Women's Soccer
Lynne Eisenberg – Track & Field
Lauren Evans – Rowing
Megan Gooding – Rowing
Jessie Greenslade – Women's Volleyball
Kira Greer – Lacrosse
Daniel Gutierrez – Men's Tennis
Katrina Hutzell – Women's Basketball
Taylor Iobst – Women's Swimming & Diving
Elizabeth Kearns – Rowing*
Youssef Khalafallah – Men's Tennis
Bailey Kolonich – Track & Field
Michael Kovach – Golf
Adam LaFemina – Track & Field
Stuart Lampen-Crowell – Track & Field*
Melissa Lobaccaro – Lacrosse
Brooke Lorber – Lacrosse
Matthew Lynch – Men's Swimming & Diving
Ashley Mennes – Women's Volleyball
John Moran – Men's Tennis*
Jennifer Nakamura – Track & Field*
Evan Porcella – Baseball
Erin Schulte – Women's Swimming & Diving
Marcella Sims - Rowing
Sarah Solano – Softball*
Jacquelyn Spalding – Lacrosse
Mariah Sutton – Dance*
Lindsey Tangeman – Lacrosse
Nicole Van Oort – Rowing
Scarlett Walston – Women's Tennis
Kendall Wilkerson – Cheer
Kelsey Young – Women's Soccer
Tyler Zombro – Baseball
*indicates three-time Provost Scholar Athlete (cumulative GPA of 3.75 or higher)
George Mason Athlete (GMA) Awards
Most Spirited Award
Male – Brice Colcombe (Men's Soccer)
Female – Holly Tevis (Lacrosse)
Dynamic Duo Award
Male – Paul Helfgott and Trevor Long (Swimming & Diving)
Female – Ashley Hinton and Shelby Garnand (Track & Field)
Most Outgoing Award
Male – Roger Dean (Cheerleading)
Female – Kristi Mokube (Women's Basketball)
Most Likely to Win the Hunger Games Award
Male – Marko Gujanicic (Men's Basketball)
Female – Michelle Wallerstedt (Track & Field)
Most Entertaining Award
Male – Ryan Williams (Track & Field)
Female – Kristi Mokube (Women's Basketball)
