2024 Victor Awards Nominees Announced
4/29/2024 3:39:00 PM | Cross Country, Football, General, Men's Basketball, Men's Tennis, Softball, Track and Field, Women's Basketball, Women's Soccer, Women's Tennis, Women's Volleyball, Wrestling, Swimming and Diving, Office of Student-Athlete Success
BUFFALO, NY – The Division of Athletics will be hosting their annual Victors Awards Show on Monday, May 6, honoring the academic and athletic successes of our student-athletes across multiple playing fields.
The evening will begin with academic honors as 156 student-athletes will be recognized as MAC Honor Roll recipients, 77 for the MAC Commissioner's Award and 24 student-athletes who have exhausted their eligibility will be honored with the MAC Presidential Award.
The MAC Medal of Excellence Award will also be presented, which is given annually to one male and one female student-athlete from the graduating class of each of the 12 conference member institutions. Award winners must participate in a conference-sponsored sport and show evidence of athletics excellence, leadership, service, and academic success (minimum 3.50 cumulative GPA).
The FormidaBULL Scholar Award was created to honor those individuals who have internalized the love of learning and moreover the process of learning to emerge as leaders within the student-athlete body here at UB. This award is not intended to simply recognize those student-athletes with the most improved GPA, but rather those who have internalized a passion for learning and overall academic success.
Nominees:
Daishon Folsom, Football
Azra Deniz Comlek, Women's Tennis
Chellia Watson, Women's Basketball
Alexis Lucyshyn of the softball team will be recognized as the Clifford C. Furnas recipient, the highest academic honor bestowed on a UB student-athlete. Volleyball senior Julianna Lopez was also nominated.
The winners for all other awards will be announced on Monday evening and the nominees are below.
Chrisy Dickerson Unsung Hero Award - Selected by members of the Student-Athlete Committee to recognize an individual who makes a significant contribution on the court, field or in the pool and is recognized for his or her dedication, unselfishness and contribution to the team. The award is named after Chrisy Dickerson, a member of UB's Rowing team who lost her life in a car accident on December 11, 2002.
Nominees:
Amanda Neeb, Swimming & Diving
Rana Elhusseini, Women's Basketball
Abigail Malmstrom, Swimming & Diving
Hannah Sullivan, Women's Track & Field
Ashlyn O'Shea, Women's Soccer
Konrad Krzyszton, Football
Male & Female IAB Ideal Bull Award - Given by the Intercollegiate Athletics Board, this honor goes to a senior male and female athlete who have demonstrated leadership beyond their own teams to the division and/or the campus, and whose character, actions, excellence, and concern for other student-athletes make them strong ambassadors for the Division of Athletics and the University at Buffalo.
Male Nominees:
Ty Raines, Wrestling
Evan Hilbert, Men's Track & Field
Female Nominees:
Clarice Fisher, Swimming & Diving
Rana Elhusseini, Women's Basketball
JEDI Award - The Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Award recognizes a coach, student-athlete, or staff member who has made an outstanding contribution toward advancing the goals of UB Athletics' mission, which is to create greater diversity, inclusivity, and equitable opportunities at UB and within the communities we serve.
Nominees:
Taji Johnson, Football
Rana Elhusseini, Women's Basketball
Jhad Jones, Track & Field
Erik Silis, Compliance
One4Mon Courageous Student-Athlete Award - Named in honor of Monika Simkova, who displayed amazing courage in the face of significant adversity, The One4Mon Courageous Student-Athlete Award will be chosen annually from nominees who have shown courage in the face of significant adversity and persevered, inspiring those around them to strive for excellence regardless of their circumstances surrounding them.
Nominees:
Amanda Neeb, Swimming & Diving
Victoria Franz, Swimming & Diving
Kiara Johnson, Women's Basketball
Anna Recktenwalt, Women's Track & Field
Male Team Moment of The Year
- Men's Cross Country – finishes fourth at the MAC championships, participated in the Northeast Regionals
- Wrestling rallies to defeat Clarion 18-16 at home – rallied from a 16-12 deficit, winning their last two matches to earn the victory
- Football defeats Akron on a blocked field goal in overtime
Male Individual Moment Of The Year
- Jonathan Surdej wins shot put at Indoor MAC Championships, seventh of his career
- Ryan Buzby won the 5,000-meter run at the Indoor MAC Championships for the first gold medal of his career
- An unseeded Nick Stampoulos upset three seeded wrestlers to finish fourth at the MAC Championships and qualify for NCAA Championships
Female Team Moment Of The Year
- Volleyball wins MAC East Division title for first time in school history and makes second straight postseason appearance at National Invitational Volleyball Championships
- Women's Basketball defeats #1 seed Toledo to advance to MAC Championship game
- Swim and Dive finishes fourth at the MAC Championships, with six podium finishes.
- Women's Soccer defeats Ohio State 2-1. It was the first road Power 5 win in program history and the first Power 5 victory for UB since 2015 when the Bulls defeated Syracuse 1-0 at UB Stadium.
Female Individual Moment Of The Year
- Marialis Kwak wins MAC Diver of the Year after earning gold medals in the 1m and 3m dive
- Chellia Watson scored a school record 47 points at Toledo.
- Zahra Amos wins the MAC Championship in the high jump. The mark tied her school record.
- Alexis Lucyshyn thew a no-hitter on March 8 in a 1-0 win against Winthrop. She recorded nine strikeouts on the day. It was just the sixth no-hitter in program history.
Female Newcomer Of The Year
- Kirsten Lewis-Williams (WBB) - Named MAC Freshman of the Year and to the All-MAC Freshman Team after starting all 33 games for the Bulls this season… Averaged 11.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 46% from the floor…. Scored in double figures 23 times, including three 20+ point performances… Led the team in steals (50) while ranking second in scoring (11.8) and third in assists (83)… Ranked 12th in the MAC in scoring and 16th in rebounding, which is ranked first and third, respectively, among all rookies in the league in those categories… ranked second in the MAC in free throw attempts (163) and third in free throws made (119).
- Manoela Forlin (VB) - Appeared in 29 matches… Earned MAC All-Freshman Team and MAC All-Tournament Team honors… Ranked fifth on the team in kills (202) while also recording 115 digs, 16 blocks and finished with 227 points.
- Sophie Meuwissen (WSIM) - Freshman Diver of the Year, only freshman diver to place inside the top 10 for both 1m and 3m at MAC Championships)
Male Newcomer Of The Year
- Ryan Sabol (MBB) – Appeared in all 31 games, starting 27… Averaged 8.1 points, 1.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 38% from behind the arc. Made 62 total threes including a career-high seven triples at Bowling Green which ranks in the top 10 all-time in program history
- Manuel Sepulveda (Men's Track and Field) – Placed fifth in the triple jump at the Indoor MAC Championships which was a new personal record that ranks seventh in program history
- Joe Andreessen (FB) – Started all 12 games… Led the team in tackles (90) and tackles for loss (12)… Added a sack and forced fumble on the season… Season-high 11 tackles and a tackle for loss at Eastern Michigan
National Qualifier Recognitions
- Sam Mitchell
- Nick Stampoulos
- Marialis Kwak
- Women's Basketball (WNIT)
- Volleyball (NIVC)
Female Athlete Of The Year
- Marialis Kwak (Swim & Dive) - MAC Diver of the Year… First Team All-MAC… Won two gold medals (1m and 3m dive) at the 2024 MAC Championships… 1m dive at MAC Championships was a new personal best… Qualified for NCAA Championships.
- Chellia Watson (WBB) - WBCA Honorable Mention All-America… First Team All-MAC… Named to Dawn Staley Award Later Season Watch List… Five-time MAC Player of the Week… Averaged 23.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting 43% from the floor… Scored in double figures in 31 of 33 games, including 23 20+ point performances, three 30-point efforts and a school-record setting 47-point performance… Led the MAC and ranked fourth in the nation in scoring (23.0 ppg) while also ranking in the top 10 nationally in total points (759), field goals (297) and field goals made per game (9.0).
- Mandy Leigh – (VB) - First Team All MAC…School record eight-time MAC East Setter of the Week… Finished 35th in the nation in assists per set (10.395) and 22nd in total assists(1,237)… The 1,237 assists are third all-time in program history a single season… Her 10.395 assists per set rank seventh in a single-season…The 10.275 assists per set is currently first all-time in program history… Ranks sixth in school history in career assists (3,555)
Male Athlete Of The Year
- Sam Mitchell – Wresting – Went undefeated in MAC duals and finished second at the MAC Championships to qualify for the national tournament
- Jonathan Surdej – Wins shot put at 2023 Outdoor MAC Championships and again at 2024 Indoor MAC Championships
- Ryan Buzby – Men's Track & Field - Won the 5,000 meter run at the Indoor MAC Championships for the first gold medal of his career…placed second in the 3,000 meter run at the Indoor MAC Championships…broke the school record in the mile, the 3,000 meter run and 5,000 meter run)
Team of the Year
- Volleyball
- Women's Basketball
The evening will begin with academic honors as 156 student-athletes will be recognized as MAC Honor Roll recipients, 77 for the MAC Commissioner's Award and 24 student-athletes who have exhausted their eligibility will be honored with the MAC Presidential Award.
The MAC Medal of Excellence Award will also be presented, which is given annually to one male and one female student-athlete from the graduating class of each of the 12 conference member institutions. Award winners must participate in a conference-sponsored sport and show evidence of athletics excellence, leadership, service, and academic success (minimum 3.50 cumulative GPA).
The FormidaBULL Scholar Award was created to honor those individuals who have internalized the love of learning and moreover the process of learning to emerge as leaders within the student-athlete body here at UB. This award is not intended to simply recognize those student-athletes with the most improved GPA, but rather those who have internalized a passion for learning and overall academic success.
Nominees:
Daishon Folsom, Football
Azra Deniz Comlek, Women's Tennis
Chellia Watson, Women's Basketball
Alexis Lucyshyn of the softball team will be recognized as the Clifford C. Furnas recipient, the highest academic honor bestowed on a UB student-athlete. Volleyball senior Julianna Lopez was also nominated.
The winners for all other awards will be announced on Monday evening and the nominees are below.
Chrisy Dickerson Unsung Hero Award - Selected by members of the Student-Athlete Committee to recognize an individual who makes a significant contribution on the court, field or in the pool and is recognized for his or her dedication, unselfishness and contribution to the team. The award is named after Chrisy Dickerson, a member of UB's Rowing team who lost her life in a car accident on December 11, 2002.
Nominees:
Amanda Neeb, Swimming & Diving
Rana Elhusseini, Women's Basketball
Abigail Malmstrom, Swimming & Diving
Hannah Sullivan, Women's Track & Field
Ashlyn O'Shea, Women's Soccer
Konrad Krzyszton, Football
Male & Female IAB Ideal Bull Award - Given by the Intercollegiate Athletics Board, this honor goes to a senior male and female athlete who have demonstrated leadership beyond their own teams to the division and/or the campus, and whose character, actions, excellence, and concern for other student-athletes make them strong ambassadors for the Division of Athletics and the University at Buffalo.
Male Nominees:
Ty Raines, Wrestling
Evan Hilbert, Men's Track & Field
Female Nominees:
Clarice Fisher, Swimming & Diving
Rana Elhusseini, Women's Basketball
JEDI Award - The Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Award recognizes a coach, student-athlete, or staff member who has made an outstanding contribution toward advancing the goals of UB Athletics' mission, which is to create greater diversity, inclusivity, and equitable opportunities at UB and within the communities we serve.
Nominees:
Taji Johnson, Football
Rana Elhusseini, Women's Basketball
Jhad Jones, Track & Field
Erik Silis, Compliance
One4Mon Courageous Student-Athlete Award - Named in honor of Monika Simkova, who displayed amazing courage in the face of significant adversity, The One4Mon Courageous Student-Athlete Award will be chosen annually from nominees who have shown courage in the face of significant adversity and persevered, inspiring those around them to strive for excellence regardless of their circumstances surrounding them.
Nominees:
Amanda Neeb, Swimming & Diving
Victoria Franz, Swimming & Diving
Kiara Johnson, Women's Basketball
Anna Recktenwalt, Women's Track & Field
Male Team Moment of The Year
- Men's Cross Country – finishes fourth at the MAC championships, participated in the Northeast Regionals
- Wrestling rallies to defeat Clarion 18-16 at home – rallied from a 16-12 deficit, winning their last two matches to earn the victory
- Football defeats Akron on a blocked field goal in overtime
Male Individual Moment Of The Year
- Jonathan Surdej wins shot put at Indoor MAC Championships, seventh of his career
- Ryan Buzby won the 5,000-meter run at the Indoor MAC Championships for the first gold medal of his career
- An unseeded Nick Stampoulos upset three seeded wrestlers to finish fourth at the MAC Championships and qualify for NCAA Championships
Female Team Moment Of The Year
- Volleyball wins MAC East Division title for first time in school history and makes second straight postseason appearance at National Invitational Volleyball Championships
- Women's Basketball defeats #1 seed Toledo to advance to MAC Championship game
- Swim and Dive finishes fourth at the MAC Championships, with six podium finishes.
- Women's Soccer defeats Ohio State 2-1. It was the first road Power 5 win in program history and the first Power 5 victory for UB since 2015 when the Bulls defeated Syracuse 1-0 at UB Stadium.
Female Individual Moment Of The Year
- Marialis Kwak wins MAC Diver of the Year after earning gold medals in the 1m and 3m dive
- Chellia Watson scored a school record 47 points at Toledo.
- Zahra Amos wins the MAC Championship in the high jump. The mark tied her school record.
- Alexis Lucyshyn thew a no-hitter on March 8 in a 1-0 win against Winthrop. She recorded nine strikeouts on the day. It was just the sixth no-hitter in program history.
Female Newcomer Of The Year
- Kirsten Lewis-Williams (WBB) - Named MAC Freshman of the Year and to the All-MAC Freshman Team after starting all 33 games for the Bulls this season… Averaged 11.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 46% from the floor…. Scored in double figures 23 times, including three 20+ point performances… Led the team in steals (50) while ranking second in scoring (11.8) and third in assists (83)… Ranked 12th in the MAC in scoring and 16th in rebounding, which is ranked first and third, respectively, among all rookies in the league in those categories… ranked second in the MAC in free throw attempts (163) and third in free throws made (119).
- Manoela Forlin (VB) - Appeared in 29 matches… Earned MAC All-Freshman Team and MAC All-Tournament Team honors… Ranked fifth on the team in kills (202) while also recording 115 digs, 16 blocks and finished with 227 points.
- Sophie Meuwissen (WSIM) - Freshman Diver of the Year, only freshman diver to place inside the top 10 for both 1m and 3m at MAC Championships)
Male Newcomer Of The Year
- Ryan Sabol (MBB) – Appeared in all 31 games, starting 27… Averaged 8.1 points, 1.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 38% from behind the arc. Made 62 total threes including a career-high seven triples at Bowling Green which ranks in the top 10 all-time in program history
- Manuel Sepulveda (Men's Track and Field) – Placed fifth in the triple jump at the Indoor MAC Championships which was a new personal record that ranks seventh in program history
- Joe Andreessen (FB) – Started all 12 games… Led the team in tackles (90) and tackles for loss (12)… Added a sack and forced fumble on the season… Season-high 11 tackles and a tackle for loss at Eastern Michigan
National Qualifier Recognitions
- Sam Mitchell
- Nick Stampoulos
- Marialis Kwak
- Women's Basketball (WNIT)
- Volleyball (NIVC)
Female Athlete Of The Year
- Marialis Kwak (Swim & Dive) - MAC Diver of the Year… First Team All-MAC… Won two gold medals (1m and 3m dive) at the 2024 MAC Championships… 1m dive at MAC Championships was a new personal best… Qualified for NCAA Championships.
- Chellia Watson (WBB) - WBCA Honorable Mention All-America… First Team All-MAC… Named to Dawn Staley Award Later Season Watch List… Five-time MAC Player of the Week… Averaged 23.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting 43% from the floor… Scored in double figures in 31 of 33 games, including 23 20+ point performances, three 30-point efforts and a school-record setting 47-point performance… Led the MAC and ranked fourth in the nation in scoring (23.0 ppg) while also ranking in the top 10 nationally in total points (759), field goals (297) and field goals made per game (9.0).
- Mandy Leigh – (VB) - First Team All MAC…School record eight-time MAC East Setter of the Week… Finished 35th in the nation in assists per set (10.395) and 22nd in total assists(1,237)… The 1,237 assists are third all-time in program history a single season… Her 10.395 assists per set rank seventh in a single-season…The 10.275 assists per set is currently first all-time in program history… Ranks sixth in school history in career assists (3,555)
Male Athlete Of The Year
- Sam Mitchell – Wresting – Went undefeated in MAC duals and finished second at the MAC Championships to qualify for the national tournament
- Jonathan Surdej – Wins shot put at 2023 Outdoor MAC Championships and again at 2024 Indoor MAC Championships
- Ryan Buzby – Men's Track & Field - Won the 5,000 meter run at the Indoor MAC Championships for the first gold medal of his career…placed second in the 3,000 meter run at the Indoor MAC Championships…broke the school record in the mile, the 3,000 meter run and 5,000 meter run)
Team of the Year
- Volleyball
- Women's Basketball
Players Mentioned
/ Track and Field
LB
/ Football
/ Track and Field
/ Women's Tennis
G
/ Women's Basketball
/ Swimming and Diving
DT
/ Football
OH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Swimming and Diving
/ Track and Field
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
WR
/ Football
/ Swimming and Diving
S
/ Women's Volleyball
G
/ Women's Basketball
DS
/ Women's Volleyball
P/1B
/ Softball
/ Swimming and Diving
/ Swimming and Diving
197
/ Wrestling
/ Swimming and Diving
D/M
/ Women's Soccer
157
/ Wrestling
/ Track and Field
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
/ Track and Field
149
/ Wrestling
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
Guard
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