2006 Athletic Awards Ceremony
2006 Awards Ceremony Photo Gallery

WINGATE UNIVERSITY HOLDS ATHLETIC AWARDS CEREMONY

Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University athletic department held its athletic awards ceremony Monday night (May 1) in the LaVerne Banquet Hall on the Wingate campus.

Women’s basketball guard Tanetra Barrett (Marshville, N.C.) is the 2006 winner of the Joyce Gragg Pipes Award for Female Athlete of the Year. This award honors the memory of long-time Wingate faculty member Joyce G. Pipes.

Barrett was a member of the 2006 Daktronics, Inc., NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball All-America first team (selected by members of CoSIDA). The 2006 South Atlantic Region Player of the Year, Barrett helped the Bulldogs advance to the regional finals this season.

She earned SAC Player of the Year honors and first team all-SAC in 2006, leading Wingate to the 2006 SAC regular season title.

Barrett was also named a Kodak/WBCA All-America Team Honorable Mention in March. Furthermore, Barrett was named to the 2006 Women’s Division II Bulletin All-American fourth team. She led the conference in scoring at 19.8 points per game. In addition, she had the top field goal percentage in the league at 53.2 percent.

Men’s basketball forward Sean Barnette (Rock Hill, S.C.) is the 2006 winner of the J. Howard Williams Award for Male Athlete of the Year. The award honors the memory of J. Howard Williams, a Wingate graduate and local businessman. Mr. Williams was an ardent supporter of Wingate athletics.

Sean Barnette was named to the 2005-06 Daktronics NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball South Atlantic All-Region second team. Barnette was also named to the South Atlantic Conference first team for his performance during the 2005-06 season.

In addition, Barnette was honored as the 2006 Food Lion SAC tournament Most Valuable Player, leading the Bulldogs to their first conference tournament championship since 2000. Barnette led the Bulldogs and finished second in the SAC with 18.8 points per game. He also finished third in the conference in rebounds per game and three pointers made per game.

The Enquirer-Journal Freshman Male Athlete of the Year Award was presented to men’s cross country runner Jayce Watson (Millersport, Ohio). Watson was named All-Southeast Region in his first year with the Bulldogs. He ran a 34:18 in the cross country regionals, placing ninth on his home course.

Watson was the top rookie finisher in the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference men's championship, earning SAC Freshman Runner of the Year honors. In addition, he was an All-SAC selection in his first year in the Wingate blue-and-gold.

The Enquirer-Journal Freshman Female Athlete of the Year Award was presented to two student-athletes: women’s basketball guard Anna Atkinson (Marion, N.C.) and softball third baseman Hallie Pettigrew (Uniontown, Ohio). Atkinson and Pettigrew are first cousins.

Anna Atkinson was named to the 2006 Women’s Division II Bulletin All-Freshman Team. Atkinson was the 2006 SAC Freshman of the Year. In addition, she earned a spot on the All-SAC, second team.

Atkinson was named to the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional All-Tournament team. She led the league with 2.1 steals per game and an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.1. Atkinson contributed 9.9 points per game and 3.5 rebounds per game during her first season.

Hallie Pettigrew led the South Atlantic Conference and Wingate by posting a .422 batting average in her 53 starts as a freshman this season. Pettigrew was named the 2006 SAC Freshman of the Year. In addition, she earned a spot on the All-Tournament team as Wingate won the SAC tourney.

During her freshman campaign, Pettigrew recorded 70 hits and 23 RBI. Pettigrew also led the team with a .481 on-base percentage, 11 stolen bases, 14 sacrifice bunts and 18 walks. As the third baseman, Pettigrew committed only seven errors in 150 chances.

The Wingate University athletic department presented 12 special awards during the course of the evening. Wingate senior softball shortstop Grace Cunningham (Camden, S.C.) received the Arthur Joseph “Pepper” Geddings, Jr. Athletic Leadership Award. This award is in memory of former Wingate baseball player Pepper Geddings. The award stands for everything that is right about college athletics: athletic ability, scholarship, leadership, citizenship and service.

In 2006, Grace Cunningham was a member of the first team All-SAC and the Food Lion SAC All-Tournament team. In her senior season, Grace batted .414, setting a Wingate University single season record with 64 RBI. Also, Cunningham and teammate Sarah Carleton both broke the single season home run record with 14 round trippers each.

Cunningham has been All-SAC for four seasons. Also, she was voted to the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional All-Tournament team in 2003. Cunningham and her teammates won the 2006 Food Lion SAC tournament and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional tournament. Wingate is 45-9 overall.

Wingate junior football defensive back David Jones (Greenville, S.C.) won the Pickette Williams Memorial Athletic Award. This scholarship is awarded to a male student-athlete selected by the athletic staff to have demonstrated exemplary sportsmanship. He must be a rising junior or senior and made a positive contribution to his team.

In 2005, David Jones earned first team All-SAC defensive honors. He had 37 tackles, five interceptions, and 10 passes defended for the 2005 season. One of the top kick returners in the SAC, Jones had 16 returns for 373 yards this year. A team leader, he also topped the team charts with five interceptions for 111 yards and one touchdown.

Wingate junior volleyball standout Rebecca Brezovec (Durham, N.C.) won the Ann Hancock Scholarship Award. The Hancock Scholarship Award honors current UNC Wilmington head women’s basketball coach Ann Hancock, who earned many athletic and academic honors during a distinguished career at Wingate University. The Hancock Scholarship Award is given annually to a female student-athlete who has completed at least her sophomore year and has best demonstrated excellence in academics, athletics and campus leadership.

Brezovec was honored as a member of the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America volleyball first team (college division), selected by CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) in 2005. She holds a 4.00 GPA in her Sociology major.

In the fall of 2005, Brezovec was All-South Atlantic Conference (first team) and Daktronics All-South Region (second team) on the volleyball court. Also, she was honored as the SAC Scholar-Athlete for volleyball. In 103 games in 2005, Brezovec had 412 kills (4.00/game), 140 blocks (1.36/game) and a .330 hitting percentage.

Wingate junior softball catcher Mandi Chester (Charlotte, N.C.) and junior football defensive lineman Frank Marino (Matthews, N.C.) were presented the Herschel “Red” and Mary B. Edwards Scholarship Award. The Edwards Award is presented to a rising junior or senior student-athlete who has at least a 3.00 GPA. The student-athlete should be a solid contributor to her team, possess a go-the-extra-mile work ethic and exhibit qualities of a team player.

Mandi Chester was named the SAC Scholar-Athlete for softball in 2006. She has a 3.64 GPA, with a major in Mathematics and Science Education. A first team All-SAC choice this year, Chester finished third in the SAC with a .690 slugging percentage, 12 home runs and 48 RBI. She was a first team All-SAC choice. A volunteer tutor in Math, she also donates her time at the Charlotte homeless shelter.

A team captain for the Bulldogs in 2005, Marino had 25 tackles, two sacks, two tackles for losses in 2005. He is a former Marine who has started for the Bulldogs throughout his career. Marino holds a 3.96 GPA in Finance.

Bulldog senior women’s swimming standout Jessica Herman (Ashford, Conn.) earned the C.B. and Beadie Haskins Scholarship Award, presented to the senior male or female student-athlete with the highest grade point average. Herman possesses a perfect 4.00 GPA in her Biology major.

A two-year team captain, Jessica Herman was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America at-large second team (college division), selected by CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) in 2005. She was also recognized as Honorable Mention Academic All-American by the CSCAA.

Herman is the first student-athlete in Wingate University history to win both the 1000 Freestyle and the 1650 Freestyle at the Blue Grass Mountain Conference championships. She is a three-time All-BGMC performer. Herman has been accepted to attend veterinary school at Auburn University in the fall.

The Wingate University athletic department announced a new award at Monday’s ceremony. The Wingate University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Leadership Award was presented to senior women’s golf student-athlete Martina Moo Young (Mount Pleasant, N.C.). In 2006, Moo Young received the SAC Scholar-Athlete Award for women’s golf for the third year in a row. She possesses a 3.857 GPA in her marketing major.

A two-time All-SAC selection, Moo Young led the Bulldogs to a first-place finish at the 2006 St. Andrews Presbyterian College Invitational by winning the individual title. She placed sixth in the 2006 Lady Bulldog Invitational tournament, helping Wingate finish fourth overall.

Moo Young was the chairperson of Wingate’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). She helped organize Make-A-Wish fundraisers, Thanksgiving Food Drives and United Way Day of Caring events.

For the second year in a row, Wingate senior Martin Hackney (Quincy, Fla.) won the Ralph Hargett Men’s Golf Leadership Award. Hackney is a four-year letterwinner and starter for the Bulldogs.

Hackney averaged 80.10 strokes per round his senior season. He shot a career-best 153 on four different occasions to equal his best two-round tournament scores of his career. A member of Kappa Alpha Order fraternity, Hackney is very active in volunteer service.

2005-06 Wingate University Athletic Award Winners

SPECIAL AWARDS

 
►The Arthur Joseph “Pepper” Geddings, Jr. Athletic Leadership Award

Grace Cunningham, softball

 ►Pickette Williams Memorial Athletic Award

David Jones, football

►C.B. and Beadie Haskins Scholarship Award

Jessica Herman, swimming

►Ann Hancock Scholarship Award

Rebecca Brezovec, volleyball

►The Herschel “Red” and Mary B. Edwards Scholarship Award

Mandi Chester, softball

Frank Marino, football

►Wingate University SAAC Leadership Award

Martina Moo Young, golf

►The Ralph Hargett Men’s Golf Leadership Award

Martin Hackney

►The Ralph Hargett Athletic Department Service Award

Cam DeMart 

2005-06 Wingate University Athletic Award Winners

 ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARDS

►The Enquirer-Journal Freshman Female Athlete of the Year Award

Anna Atkinson, basketball

Hallie Pettigrew, softball

►The Enquirer-Journal Freshman Male Athlete of the Year Award

Jayce Watson, cross country

►The Joyce Gragg Pipes Award for Female Athlete of the Year

Tanetra Barrett, basketball

►The J. Howard Williams Award for Male Athlete of the Year

Sean Barnette, basketball

2005-06 Wingate University Athletic Award Winners

Most Valuable Player Awards

 2005-06 Wingate University Athletic Award Winners

 Coaches Awards