DENVER – The Roadrunners wrapped their 2023-24 athletic season as the Metropolitan State University of Denver athletics department recognized the best of the best of the past year with its annual Rowdy Awards.
The MSU Denver Team of the Year, based on a combination of academics, athletics, community service and student-athlete support, went to the volleyball team, which won a third straight RMAC regular-season championship, went to a third straight regional final and had the highest team grade point average in the department.
The team Community Service Award went to women's tennis, with an average of 20 hours per volunteer.
Among the awards were the department's senior athletes of the year. For the men, the award went to baseball player
Jake Williams, while the women's winner is softball player
Shelby Robb.
Other awards, which were based upon fan voting, included: top performance,
Shelby Robb, softball, on pace for the best career batting average in program history; best defensive play or performance,
Ember Canty, volleyball, school record for blocks in a match against Colorado Mesa; newcomer of the year
Miki Berg, softball; Rowdy Award (dedicated to everything it means to represent the Roadrunners on and off the field of competition), softball player
Kami Grammerstorf.
Awards from the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee were:
Clutch Gene: Volleyball player
Maddy Williams
Don't Count Me Out: Volleyball player
Rylee Hladky
Each year, MSU Denver recognizes its top academic male and female in the junior and senior classes. They are seniors
Cory Shea (men's track & field) and
Shelby Robb (softball), and juniors
Noah Hannula (men's soccer) and
Abbie McCrimmon (volleyball).
Teams recognized for the best fall GPAs were: men's soccer (3.23) and women's volleyball (3.68).
The CADRE Aware is presented to a Roadrunner student-athlete who has embodied the core values of MSU Denver – Community, Access, Diversity, Respect, Entrepreneurship (CADRE) – over the past year. The values can be shown in any number of ways, including community service, student engagement, and campus participation. This year's CADRE Award winners are
Maximo Lawlor (men's tennis) and
Isabel Botero (women's golf).
Other awards included:
The Friot Award – Every year, MSU Denver recognizes an outstanding faculty member who goes above and beyond to serve athletics on campus. This year's winner: Dr. Shawn Worthy.
The Arcese Award – In 1999, the athletic department established an award to annually recognize an MSU Denver staff member or administrator outstanding contributions to Roadrunners athletics. This year's winner: Cody Phelps.
The Middlemist Award – This new award goes is named for Dr. George Middlemist, who contributed in many ways to the success of the Roadrunners. The inaugural award goes to a person who has been involved with MSU Denver for more than 20 years and helped athletes return to the field from injury. The winner is: Dr. Doug Foulk.
