Athletics Celebrates Accomplishments with The Louies
April 18, 2016 | General
Baseball’s Brendan McKay and swimming’s Kelsi Worrell earned the adidas High Performance awards.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Sport seasons haven't come to a conclusion just yet at the University of Louisville, but the athletics department is constantly applauding the efforts and achievements of its programs.
On Monday night, the Cardinals' student-athletes were honored at The Louies, the third year of the award show that is modeled after ESPN's The ESPYS.
The Louisville First award, the top honor of the evening, was bestowed to swimmer Kelsi Worrell. Only the second student-athlete to earn the award exclusively from Director of Athletics Tom Jurich, with Teddy Bridgewater being the first in 2014, the honor is given to a student-athlete who exemplifies the meaning of the athletic department's culture, humble and hungry. The individual sets the standard by achieving for being Louisville First by excelling in the classroom, in the community, and in athletic competition.
Worrell, who was named the Honda Sport award winner for swimming and diving, captured national titles in the 100 butterfly, setting the American, NCAA and U.S. Open record, and the 200 butterfly with an NCAA Championship standard. During the year, she was tabbed as the 2016 ACC Swimmer of the Year in addition to earning ACC Championship Most Valuable Swimmer status. She captured four first-place finishes and also earned All-America honors in the 50 freestyle and the 200- and 400-medley relays. At the Duel in the Pool in December with the American Team, she helped set a World Record in the 400-medley relay.
Worrell also earned the record-breaking performance after shattering six standards during the year that ranged from conference to world status.
Volleyball standout Katie George was selected as the first recipient of the Darrell Griffith Award, presented by Gatorade. The award recognizes a student-athlete from the City of Louisville that has achieved excellence and embodies the ideals of being humble and hungry as an ambassador to the Cardinals and the city. A three-year all-conference first team selection, she was named 2015 ACC Player of the Year and Setter of the Year in addition to being tabbed the ACC Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She also was tabbed the Ed Kallay Senior of the Year.
Men's basketball's Damion Lee and Trey Lewis justly earned the inspiration award. In their only season with a top-20 program, they exemplified what it means to be a Louisville Cardinal and inspired everyone to be leaders through adverse times.
The adidas High Performance Athlete of the Year, another high-ranking accolade, was presented to Brendan McKay (baseball) and Worrell (swimming and diving). The award is based solely on athletic performance.
McKay, also the freshman of the year, was named the 2015 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year, ACC Freshman of the Year, as well as freshman of the year by Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, D1Baseball, and Perfect Game. McKay, who accumulated a plethora of All-America accolades, boasted a 9-3 record on the mound with a 1.77 ERA, while totaling 117 strikeouts in 96.2 innings. At the plate, he logged a .308 average with four home runs and 34 RBIs.
Football's Lamar Jackson (individual) and men's cross country (team) were honored for best championship performances.
Jackson, a rising sophomore, was named the Music City Bowl MVP after scoring four touchdowns and becoming just the third player in NCAA bowl history to both rush and pass for more than 200 yards in a game (227 passing, 226 rushing). The men's cross country, which won the NCAA Southeast Regional for the first time in school history, placed seventh at the NCAA Championships – the program's highest finish. Co-senior of the year, Ernest Kibet led the squad with an 18th-place showing for All-America honors – one of his three top-10 finishes in cross country. During the track season, he won the 10,000m title at the ACC Championships.
Baseball's Corey Ray took claim to both the breakthrough athlete of the year and the moment of the year. The All-American hit .325 last season, with 11 home runs, 56 RBIs, and 34 stolen bases. One of his most recognizable performances came against Wake Forest, when he stole home to win the game, which landed at No. 1 on SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays.
Women's soccer captured the upset of the year award after defeating No. 1 North Carolina on Oct. 8. Caroline Kimble scored the game winner with eight seconds left in the first overtime, giving the Cardinals their first victory over a top-ranked team in program history.
The baseball team earned the Cardinal Dames CardsCARE award after logging 2,611 community service hours. The Cardinals were active in multiple community service projects, including putting on a clinic during the trip to the Dominican Republic, as well as participating in the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Race for the Cure and the Dreams with Wings Jack O' Lantern Stroll.
The individual CardsCARE awards went to Tim Kubel (men's soccer) and Olivia Boesing (women's tennis). Kubel, a SAAC representative, taught life skills, sports, and tutored middle school students in Vitenam and ultimately earned 207 hours. Boesing, who accumulated 249 hours, volunteered at Southeast Christian Church summer camp and led student-athlete stations at the American Heart Association's Healthy Family Training Camp.
Jerry Ramirez (men's soccer) and Elisa Garcia (field hockey) won the men's and women's leadership awards, respectively. Ramirez, who is carrying a 4.0 grade-point average, is the president of the SAAC and has been a leader on the men's soccer team in community service. Garcia, also a SAAC member, has been instrumental in field hockey being one of the repeat winners of the Cardinal Cup for community service.
The spirit award was instituted this year to highlight the dedication and support from Louisville's spirit squads, which make hundreds of community appearances and serve as lead ambassadors for the Louisville Cardinals. Kristen Mitchell (pep band), Jenee' Neal (cheer), and Sarah Pierce (Ladybirds) each were recognized.
Football's Sheldon Rankins, the co-senior of the year with Kibet, was one of the top defensive linemen in the country. Currently listed as one of the top prospects at his position for the NFL Draft, he started all 13 games and earned third team all-ACC honors. He was third on the team with 6.0 sacks and totaled a career-best 58 tackles, including 13.0 for loss.
Robin Sciot-Siegrist (men's golf) and Kaylin Morissette (women's lacrosse) claimed junior of the year awards. Sciot-Siegrist was crowned individual co-champion at the ACC Championship after shooting an 11-under-par, and he tied for fourth at the NCAA Championship. Morissette started all 18 games for the Cardinals last year and was a first team all-region and All-America selection. She scored 44 goals and had 18 assists, while totaling a stellar 183 draw controls – second-best nationally.
Ben Williams (track and field) and Myisha Hines-Allen (women's basketball) were recognized as sophomores of the year. Williams won the triple jump title at last year's ACC Outdoor Championships and continued his season with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the discipline. Hines-Allen, the ACC Player of the Year and an all-conference first team selection, ranked third in the ACC in scoring (17.6) and rebounding (8.4) and knocked down the fifth-most field goals (246) in a single season in school history.
Molly Sauer (volleyball) and Mallory Comerford (swimming and diving) were named co-female freshmen of the year. Sauer was the first player in program history to earn league freshman of the year and defensive player of the year in the same season. Comerford finished runner-up in the 200 free at the NCAA Championships after capturing the crown in the event at the ACC Championships.
The full list of awards is below:
adidas High Performance Athlete of the Year
Male: Brendan McKay (baseball)
Female: Kelsi Worrell (swimming and diving)
Louisville First Award
Kelsi Worrell (swimming and diving)
Inspiration Award
Damion Lee and Trey Lewis (men's basketball)
Darrell Griffith Award presented by Gatorade
Katie George (volleyball)
Record-Breaking Performance
Kelsi Worrell (swimming and diving)
Breakthrough Athlete of the Year
Corey Ray (baseball)
Best Championship Performance
Individual: Lamar Jackson (football)
Team: Men's Cross Country
Moment of the Year
Corey Ray (baseball; steals home to win game)
Upset of the Year
Women's Soccer (defeats No. 1 North Carolina on Oct. 8)
CardsCARE Individual
Male: Tim Kubel (men's soccer)
Female: Olivia Boesing (women's tennis)
Cardinal Dames CardsCARE Team
Baseball
Cardinal Cup
Male: Men's Soccer
Female: Field Hockey
Cunningham Family Leadership Award
Male: Jerry Ramirez (soccer)
Central Cardinal Club Leadership Award
Female: Elisa Garcia (field hockey)
Spirit Award
Pep Band: Kristen Mitchell
Cheer: Jenee' Neal
Ladybirds: Sarah Pierce
Freshman of the Year
Male: Brendan McKay (baseball)
Female: Molly Sauer (volleyball), Mallory Comerford (swimming and diving)
Sophomore of the Year
Male: Ben Williams (track and field)
Female: Myisha Hines-Allen (basketball)
Junior of the Year
Male: Robin Sciot-Siegrist (golf)
Female: Kaylin Morissette (lacrosse)
Ed Kallay Senior of the Year
Male: Ernest Kibet (cross country), Sheldon Rankins (football)
Female: Katie George (volleyball)
