May 10, 2016 Photo Gallery
SAN JOSE, Calif. - San José State University student-athletes, coaches and friends of Spartan athletics gathered in The Event Center to recognize team and individual achievements at the Eighth Annual SAMMY Awards on May 9th.
The SAMMYS, hosted by the San José State University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), recognize the outstanding achievements in competition, the classroom and in the community during the school year.
The women's soccer team was awarded the Spartan Cup Championship trophy by San José State University Interim President Susan Martin. The trophy is awarded to the team that earned the most points throughout the year in the five Student-Athlete Development Life Skills Areas: athletic excellence, academic excellence, personal development, career development and community involvement.
Lauren Hanson of the women's soccer team was recognized with the Head Coach of the Year award. The women's soccer team won San José State's first Mountain West conference championship in any sport. The team also took home the Top Women's Team Performance of the Year award.
Other award winners from the women's soccer program included Zoe Makrigiannis and Darriell Franklin, garnering the Female Athlete of the Year and Newcomer of the Year awards, respectively.
Makrigiannis was the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and was named first-team All-Mountain West.
Franklin was the Mountain West Newcomer of Year and the second-team All-Mountain West.
The Top Men's Team Performance of the Year belonged to the football team that extended its active bowl winning streak to four, with a 27-16 win over Georgia State in the inaugural Cure Bowl. The Spartans were led by Male Athlete of the Year winner Tyler Ervin, who was second nationally in all-purpose running, en route to being named first-team All-Mountain West and Athlon's second team All-America.
Brandon Clarke from the men's basketball team took home the Male Newcomer of the Year award as the first freshman in Mountain West history to be named Sixth Man of the Year.
The Male and Female Performances of the Year were awarded to My Leander of women's golf and Tyler Ervin.
Leander set the record for the lowest single-round score (65), lowest 36-hole score (132), lowest 54-hole score (202) and the lowest score in relation to par (-14) at the Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown in October, 2015.
The overall top team Grade-Point Average (GPA) with a 3.486 belonged to tennis. The men's cross country team was recognized with the top men's GPA at 3.323. Cross country coach Brad Wick was named the Assistant Coach of the Year. Both the men's and women's programs earned a NCAA Public Recognition Award for outstanding academic performances.
Individually, Felix Petermann from the men's soccer team had the top male student-athlete GPA with a 4.000 and Emily Van from the women's basketball team was recognized with the top female student-athlete GPA at 3.987.
The Spartan Spirit Award, given to student-athletes who exemplify commitment to a positive Spartan culture and may have overcome adversity or hardship was awarded to Emily Rogers from the softball team and Michael Carrizosa from the football team.
The Community Service Award went to the swimming & diving team and individually, to volleyball's Summer Avery and men's soccer's Sean Boyle.
San José State's student-athletes dedicated countless hours of community service in a variety of activities including: Second Harvest Food Bank, Toys for Tots, American Cancer Society, Sillicon Valley YWCA & BAWSI, Reading Partners, The Austin Everette Foundation and weekly visits to Junior Spartans schools.
More SAMMY Awards:
Dick Tomey Class Act Award
Female: Emily Vann, (basketball)
Male: Billy Freeman, (football)
United States Marine Corps Spartan Leader of the Year
Female: Alli Davis, (swimming)
Male: Isaac Thornton, (basketball)
Iron Sparta Award
Female: Alyssa Martinez, (softball)
Male: Wes Schweitzer (football)
Outstanding Academic Performances
Female: Kelsey Johnson-Upshaw (track & field), Julie Sam (volleyball), Gaelle Ray (tennis), and Madison Herr (gymnastics), Emily Vann (softball)
Male: Ben Branagh (cross country), Jannik Ernst (cross country), Tim Crawley (football), Felix Petermann (soccer), Nate Velichko (Football)
Top Graduate Student GPA
Jennifer Beckingham (women's cross country, track & field)
Most Improved Team GPA: Men's Golf
Academic Head Coach of the Year: Jamie Craighead (women's basketball)
Academic Assistant Coach of the Year: Mike LePore (men's basketball)