Bulldogs Give Out Yearly Honors
April 24, 2008 | Swimming
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Gardner-Webb men's and women's swim programs, coming off a solid season, honored some of their student-athletes at their end-of-year banquet that was held recently.
Before the teams completed their classes and become even busier as they will prepare for finals, the squad got together one last time as head coach Mike Simpson handed out individual awards.
Although there were numerous awards that were given, five of the top honors dolled out were Most Valuable Person, Most Improved Person, Most Inspirational Performance, Coaches' Award and the I Am Third award.
Heather Roka, a native of Ft. Myers, Fla., and Whitney Hooley of Apple Creek, Ohio, both of whom are seniors, shared the MVP award on the women's side. The men's MVP was awarded to freshmen Steven Caudill, who is from State Road, N.C.
Casey Brutus, a rising sophomore from Wauchula, Fla., earned the Most Improved Person for the men's team. Wilmington, N.C., native Jaime McSteen picked up the women's Most Improved Person award on the women's side. McSteen, like Brutus, is also getting ready to enter her second year with the Bulldogs.
The Most Inspirational Performance awards were handed out to Adam Suggs and Elizabeth Ketterer. Suggs, a rising sophomore from nearby Concord, N.C., won the award for his come-from-behind winning effort in the 1,650 free against the College of Charleston in front of the Bulldog Nation of fans on Oct. 27. Ketterer, who also completed her first year on the GWU team, is from Chattanooga, Tenn. Ketterer picked up the honor by her sub-five minute time in the 500 free at the CCSA Championships. Ketterer posted a time of 4:59.70 in the event.
The Coaches' Award was given to senior Leslie Hallquist (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) and rookie Michael Roka (Ft. Myers, Fla.). Both gave solid efforts day-in and day-out throughout the season to earn the award.
The I Am Third award was handed out to the student-athlete that
puts Christ first, others second and themselves last. The women's
team winner was senior Grace Whiteside of Knoxville, Tenn.
Whiteside has been a tremendous asset to the program throughout her
four years in Boiling Springs. She is also in the record book for
numerous categories. The men's team winner was Saxon Simpson.
Simpson has already made a solid impression on the squad and others
that he is around. Simpson, like Whiteside, has etched his name in
multiple categories in the GWU record book.
