May 23, 2014

Winston-Salem, NC-The Salem College Athletic Department celebrated the best

year in the program's history at their end of the year banquet held at the Downtown Deli. The celebration honored student-athletes in a year that saw four teams win Great South Regular Season Titles, and two teams advance to the NCAA Tournament. Director of Athletics, Melissa Barrett, also honored several student-athletes with departmental awards at the festivities. 

The 2013-14 year saw basketball, soccer, tennis, and volleyball all win Great South Regular Season Titles. Basketball and soccer won the Great South Tournament and advanced to the first-round of the NCAA Tournament. 

The Salem Departmental Honors are selected by nominations and a vote by the entire athletic department. Stephanie Hubbard, a senior soccer player from Sanford, NC, was honored with her third Anne Woodward Student-Athlete of the Year Award for achieving team and individual greatness. Natali Olveda, a senior cross country and track runner from Salinas, CA, earned the Jess Byrd Award given to a senior with strong leadership, sportsmanship, and athletic ability. MacKenzie Schmidt, a senior soccer player from Columbus, OH earned the Nan Tilley Award for her devotion to the athletic department as the Student-Athlete Advisory Council President. Summer Rich, a sophomore, and Amber Lee, a sophomore soccer player, earned the Scholar Athlete of the Year for the highest grade point average as an athlete.

Salem earned several regional honors that were celebrated. Hubbard and Satavia Taylor, a senior basketball player, earned NCAA All-South Region Honors. Hubbard, Schmidt, and Sawyer Ferguson, a junior soccer player from Billings, MT, all earned NCAA Academic All-South. Taylor, Hubbard, and Schmidt earned North Carolina All-State for their sports.

The Spirits won several Great South honors including all-conference, all-academic, and players of the week. Michelle Morgan, a senior volleyball player from Chattanooga, TN, Hubbard, and Taylor all won Great South Player of the Year. Dana Wall (volleyball), Kevin Fleck (tennis), and Jay Callahan (soccer) all won GSAC Coach of the Year honors.

Each team also awarded two to three awards to their team. The following athletes won these awards:

Basketball:
Satavia Taylor-Most Valuable Player
Jasmine Shabazz-Best All-Around Player

Cross Country:
Natali Olveda-Co Most Valuable Runner
Stephanie Verdi-Co Most Valuable Runner
Audrey Wierda-Most Improved Runner

Soccer:
Paige Ketchum-Hustle Award
Bethany Kent-Coach's Award

Softball:
Lauryn Smith-Most Improved Player
Kristi Morton-GSAC Tournament Most Valuable 
Morgan Coleman-Most Valuable Player

Tennis:
Andrea Akers-Most Valuable Player
Angela Reavis-Coach's Award

Track & Field:
Heather Huffman-Most Valuable Sprinter
Stephanie Verdi-Most Valuable Distance

Volleyball:
Michelle Morgan-Gold Award
Chelsea Jones-Gold Award