May 17, 2018
San Jose. Calif. - More than 200 San José State University student-athletes, coaches and friends of Spartan Athletics were recognized recently at the 10th annual SAMMY Awards presented by the Spartan Foundation and the United States Marine Corps.
"This annual event is always a highlight for our department," said Director of Athletics Marie Tuite. "I love when our 20 athletics programs come together with the intent of student-athletes honoring each other. It's a recaps the year's accomplishments. I'd like to thank the event sponsors and our Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for their leadership in presenting this event."
Academically, 62 Spartans were honored as San Jose State University Dean's List Scholars (students who earned a 3.65 or higher GPA in at least two of the three previous semesters) and four more were recognized as President's Scholars (students who earned a 4.0 or higher GPA in at least two of the three previous semesters) from the University's recent 56th annual Honors Convocation.
Water polo player Marc Weber and women's basketball player Anna Thomasdotter and swimmer Jacqueline Nisson received the Outstanding Academic Achievement Awards for male and female undergraduate student-athletes, respectively. Finalists for the male student-athlete Outstanding Academic Achievement Award were Ashley Castle (water polo), Jeff Dukes (soccer) and DeJon Packer and Michael Carrillo (football). Gillian Logan (swimming), Michelle Taikeff (water polo) and Stephanie Relova (gymnastics) were the female finalists.
Katelynn Thompson (women's water polo) was honored with the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award for a student-athlete who is in graduate school.
The baseball and tennis team, respectively, were named the men's and women's teams with top cumulative team grade-point average. The women's basketball team was cited as the team with the most improved team grade-point average.
The Newcomer of the Year for men and women were Andrew Mitchel (baseball) and Jamilecxth Becerra (women's soccer), respectively. The Outstanding Individual Performances were awarded to Shane Timmons (baseball) and Kaitlin Won (gymnastics). Athletes of the Year were Frank Ginda (football) and Madison Aurin (softball).
Rodrigo Zavalza (men's soccer) and Emma Entzminger (softball) earned the Iron Spartan Award. Stephanie Relova (gymnastics), Sierra Painter (women's water polo), Shane Timmons (baseball) and Jonathan Partida (men's soccer) received the Dick Tomey Class Act Award.
The United States Marine Corps Spartan Leader of the Year Award were given to Bryson Bridges (football) and Nicole Iloanya (track and field). Gabriela Herrera (women's soccer) won the Krazy George Spartan Spirit Award. Alyssa Avila (softball) and Brittany Heng (swimming) were the Lou Tully Perseverance Award honorees, and Lawrence Fan was given the John Ralston Award.
Baseball's Brad Sanfilippo and women's soccer's Lauren Hanson were named the men's team and women's team Head Coach of the Year. Letty Olivarez of softball and Tyler LaTorre of baseball were the female and male Assistant Coach of the Year winners.
Football head coach Brent Brennan was named the Academic Head Coach of the Year.
The women's soccer team's 2018 Mountain West regular-season championship won the award for the Best Women's Team Performance of the Year and the men's soccer team's defeat of #12-Air Force in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament semifinal was the Best Men's Team Performance of the Year.
The football team was named winner of the Team Community Service Award, and Baseball (first), gymnastics (second) and football (third) were the top three finishers in the 2017-18 Spartan Cup standings.
San Jose State University's Spartan Shops, the United States Marine Corps and the Spartan Foundation served as sponsors for the event organized by the San Jose State University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.