Muskingum announces Athletic Department Award honorees and Golden Hook Award winners
Muskingum has announced its annual Athletic Department Award honorees and Golden Hook Award Winners.
Muskingum has announced its annual Athletic Department Award honorees and Golden Hook Award Winners.
Senior women's tennis student-athlete Kaylee Anstaett, senior women's tennis student-athlete Jane Boyer, senior women's bowler Rebecca Walker, senior women's soccer forward Paige Stringfellow, senior football offensive lineman Wes Woodie, senior football offensive lineman Josiah Leasure, senior football offensive lineman Kevin Mclntire, senior football running back Justin Bell, senior football defensive lineman Sean Andor, senior football linebacker Tristan Howell, senior football defensive lineman Jamar Hicks, senior football linebacker Gavyn Freeland, senior baseball outfielder Ethan Guilliams, senior Esports student-athlete Cameron Strickland, senior Esports student-athlete Brenden Huck, senior softball infielder Lauren Barclay, and senior softball outfielder Mickayla Malone were all honored with the Greg Riggar Dedicated to Sport Award. The award is bestowed upon senior student-athletes at Muskingum who show excellence in associated areas of dedication to sport, leadership, and practice habits. The athlete must have participated for all four years of his/her collegiate career, be held in high esteem by his/her fellow teammates, and exhibit the qualities of loyalty and discipline.
Sophomore women's basketball forward Caitlyn DeMassimo and senior men's lacrosse midfielder Michael Honeycutt were honored with the Ann White and Roy "Red" Turner Strive for Excellence Awards.
DeMassimo ranked second in the Ohio Athletic Conference in free throw percentage at 89.4% and was fourth in the conference averaging 12.5 points per game. Her 6.8 rebounds per game were good for fifth in the OAC, earning her second-team All-OAC honors. This season, DeMassimo etched her name into the record books setting school records for points in a game (38), free throws made in a game (16), and free throws attempted in a game (17).
Honeycutt finished the season with nine goals and three assists and secured nine ground balls to help guide the Muskingum men's lacrosse team to a sixth-place finish in the OAC.
Graduate cross country/track athlete Macy McAdams and senior football quarterback Jordan Garrett were honored with the Donna J. Newberry Pursuit of Perfection award.
McAdams claimed the OAC Women's Cross Country individual championship with a 6K time of 22:29.6. at the OAC Championships hosted at Moorehead Farm. McAdams became Muskingum's first OAC Cross Country champion since Harriett Scheid in 1991. Her first-place finish also earned her OAC Women's Cross Country Outstanding Performer. Additionally, McAdams also made history by becoming the school's first women's national qualifier.
Garrett picked up All-OAC Offensive First Team honors after a season that saw him break Muskingum's program record for all-time passing yards with 5,753. Garrett, a two-time captain for the Muskies, started all 10 games under center and set the program record for most passing touchdowns in a season with 21, breaking his own mark of 20 set during the 2021 season.
Freshman softball outfielder Cara Taylor and freshman baseball infielder Sam Palmieri were presented with the William F. Lang Outstanding Freshmen Awards.
Taylor leads the Muskingum softball team in hits (46), total bases (63) and has a .390 batting average. Taylor has also notched eight doubles, 23 RBIs, and a home run en route to guiding the team to a 26-win season and an 11-5 slate in the OAC.
Palmieri has tallied 45 hits, 25 RBIs, a team-best 34 runs, two home runs, eight stolen bases, and four doubles on the year. Palmieri's efforts have guided the Muskingum baseball team to a 20-win season. The most wins in a single campaign for the program since 2010.
Senior softball shortstop Claire Guilliams was reorganized as the Barbara Steiner Outstanding Senior Female Athlete, while senior football wide receiver Zuri Edmondson was acknowledged as the William G. Moore Outstanding Senior Male Athlete.
Guilliams, a two-time All-OAC honoree, has notched 35 hits, a team-best 36 runs scored, four doubles, four home runs, 13 RBIs, six stolen bases, and has a .367 batting average on the season.
Edmondson was named All-OAC Offensive First Team after posting eight touchdown receptions this season. Edmondson, one of Muskingum's four captains, ranked second in the OAC in touchdown grabs and registered 822 receiving yards on a school record 57 receptions this season. Edmondson's 822 receiving yards ranks third all-time in program history for a single season, and he also ranks fifth in receiving yards for a career with 1,711.
Volleyball senior setter Emma Conrad and football senior quarterback Jordan Garrett were honored with the Ohio Athletic Conference Clyde Lamb Award. Criteria for the award include at least two years of participation in an OAC-sponsored sport, senior status, a minimum grade point average of 3.00, and sportsmanlike conduct in a manner that has brought credit to the student-athlete and his or her institution.
During the 2022 season, Conrad posted numerous career highs while also etching her name into Muskingum's record book. Conrad, a two-time captain for Muskingum, moved into seventh on the Muskies' all-time assist list with 1,763, and she also posted career-highs for a single season in assists (859), digs (309), kills (115), blocks (47), and service aces (32) this year. Conrad's stellar play was an integral part of Muskingum's success, which saw the program reach its fifth straight OAC Tournament semi-final appearance. Additionally, Conrad was named First Team Academic All-American for her outstanding efforts in the classroom.
Garrett, a first-team All-OAC Offensive First Team honoree, broke Muskingum's program record for all-time passing yards with 5,753. This season marked Garrett's third All-OAC accolade in his career and the first time he has been named to the First Team. Garrett, a two-time captain for the Muskies, started all 10 games under center and set the program record for most passing touchdowns in a season with 21, breaking his own mark of 20 set during the 2021 season. Garrett was named the OAC Offensive Player of the Week twice this season and has earned that honor five times in his career.
The Muskingum Student-Athlete Advisory Committee presented Golden Hook Awards to numerous student-athletes and teams.
Sophomore football linebacker Austin Willforth was presented the Golden Hook Breakthrough Male Athlete of the Year Award. This season, Austin earned Second-Team All-OAC after registering a team-best 103 tackles, which ranked him third in the OAC and 22nd in NCAA Division III.
Junior volleyball opposite hitter Lexi Huck was presented the Golden Hook Breakthrough Female Athlete of the Year Award. Lexi concluded her 2022 season with 217 kills, 29 blocks, and 137 digs while also playing in all 26 matches to help lead the Muskies.
Senior football wide receiver Ja'Lin Goodman was presented with the Golden Hook Spark Plug Award. Ja'Lin returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown against Heidelberg. The return marked the first kickoff return for a touchdown since the 2013 season. Goodman, a Second-Team All-OAC honoree, registered 435 receiving yards on 35 grabs and seven touchdowns.
The Muskingum baseball team won the Golden Hook Award for Best Team Comeback Win for its 17-16 win against Pitt.-Bradford in Florida. The Muskies trailed throughout the entire game and entered the bottom of the ninth down 15-13. Sophomore Tobie Teke delivered a walk-off two-run home run to deliver Muskingum the victory.
Sophomore baseball outfielder Tobie Teke was presented the Golden Hook for Biggest Hit. Tobie stepped to the plate and delivered a walk-off two-run moonshot over the right field wall to deliver Muskingum the 17-15 victory over Pitt.-Bradford. Teke's walk-off blast was the team's first walk-off home run since the 2004 season.
Junior softball outfielder Kalie Eshelman was awarded the Best Leg Golden Hook Award. Kalie has a team-best and ranks second in the OAC with 22 stolen bases. This season, she has had multiple highlight-reel catches in the outfield to shut down opposing team rallies.
The football duo of senior quarterback Jordan Garrett and wide receiver Zuri Edmondson was presented the Golden Hook for Best Duo. Garrett, a two-time team MVP, broke the school's all-time passing record with 5,753 yards and set the program record with 21 passing touchdowns this year. Garrett was a First Team All-OAC honoree. Edmondson earned All-OAC Offensive First Team honors after scoring eight receiving touchdowns which ranked second in the OAC in touchdown receptions. Edmondson tallied 852 receiving yards on a school record 57 receptions.
The Muskingum women's basketball team won the Golden Hook for Best Win. The Muskies defeated the OAC Champion and NCAA Sweet 16 participant 11th-ranked Ohio Northern in double overtime (89-83) while also breaking three school records during the game.
Football senior wide receiver Zuri Edmondson won the Golden Hook Award for Hands of Gold. Edmondson set the school record with 57 receptions for 852 yards receiving and eight touchdowns.
Sophomore forward Caitlyn DeMassimo was presented the Golden Hook Award for Best Female Single-Game Performance. DeMassimo set school records for points in a game (38), free throws made in a game (16), and free throws attempted in a game (17) to fuel Muskingum to a thrilling 89-83 double-overtime victory over 11th-ranked Ohio Northern.
Junior bowler Ethan McDonald was presented the Golden Hook Award for Best Male Single-Game Performance. McDonald notched a 300 game at the USBC sectionals in Smyrna, Tennessee. McDonald's fourth-place finish out of the 182-bowler field saw him among 24 qualifiers for the USBC Intercollegiate Nationals Singles Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Sophomore women's basketball forward Caitlyn DeMassimo was presented the Golden Hook Award for Comeback Athlete of the Year. DeMassimo started out the season with an ankle injury, which led her to miss five games. She missed several other contests due to injuries, too, before returning to the court. Once back, DeMassimo ranked second in the Ohio Athletic Conference in free throw percentage at 89.4% and was fourth in the conference averaging 12.5 points per game. Her 6.8 rebounds per game were good for fifth in the OAC, earning her Second-Team All-OAC honors. This season, DeMassimo etched her name into the record books setting school records for points in a game (38), free throws made in a game (16), and free throws attempted in a game (17).
The Muskingum men's bowling team was honored with the Outstanding Team of the Year Golden Hook Award. The Muskingum men's bowling team concluded its season by being crowned the 2023 Men's Club National Champions in Anderson, Indiana. The win marked the program's first Club National Championship and fifth tournament victory of the season.
The Muskingum women's cross country team was presented the Golden Hook Academic Award for having the highest team GPA (3.54) for the fall 2022 semester.
The Muskingum STUNT team was crowned Hoops/Headlocks for Hunger Champion after raising the most donations during the annual food drive.
2022-23 SAAC Golden Hook Awards
