Army Celebrates 2015-16 at Black Knight Awards

May 15, 2016 | Athletics

WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Army Athletic Association held the 2016 Black Knight Awards ceremony on Sunday night at Robinson Auditorium in Thayer Hall. The department's premiere year-end event honored teams and individuals for their successes throughout the 2015-16 season. After finishing the season with a 29-3 record and a Patriot League title, the women's basketball team took home the MacArthur Award presented to the Team of the Year.

In its ninth year of existence, the Black Knight Awards honored the best that Army West Point's 28 athletic teams had to offer in 2015-16 in an award-show format similar to the ESPY Awards. Rich DeMarco, assistant athletic director for multimedia and broadcasting, emceed the event and guided an audience that included West Point Superintendent Lt. Gen. Robert Caslen, Commandant of Cadets Brig. Gen. Diana Holland, Dean of the Academic Board Brig. Gen. Timothy Trainor and Army West Point Director of Athletics Boo Corrigan.

Corrigan opened the night by distributing commemorative Athletic Director's coins to a large group of league major award winners, scholar-athletes, All-Americans and NCAA participants.

The first three awards of the evening featured winners with a passion for sport, selflessness and giving back. Sophomore Sydney Hawkins of the women's track and field team collected the Maggie Dixon Inspiration Award for fearless competitiveness and love of sport. Volleyball's Alexandra Bell garnered the Gene Uchacz Memorial Award for being the epitome of a "team player," while swimming and diving senior Kate Kinley earned the Community Service Award for participating in a number of outreach programs, including serving as the leader of the team West Point community service committee.

The remaining awards were distributed on athletic performance alone during the 2015-16 season. Three finalists for each category were highlighted through a video presentation leading into each award with the majority including a men's and women's category. The evening followed with awards for Rookie of the Year, Yearling of the Year, Cow of the Year, Firstie of the Year, Performance of the Year and Play of the Year. All of the winners were presented with a marble Black Knight Award for their accomplishments.

Votes were tabulated using a combination of social media, athletic department committee and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

2016 Black Knight Award Winners

Maggie Dixon Inspiration Award
Sydney Hawkins (Women's Track & Field)

Gene Uchacz Memorial Award
Alexandra Bell (Volleyball)

Community Service Award
Kate Kinley (Women's Swimming & Diving)

Co-Plays of the Year
Watch Video
Kevin Ferguson (Men's Basketball) - Game-winning tip-in at Navy

Watch Video
Kasey McCravey (Softball) - Jump over the catcher to score in the Patriot League Tournament at Lehigh

Men's Performance of the Year
Dean Sakata (Golf) - 11-under 202 at Patriot League Championships

Women's Performance of the Year
Caroline Smith (Softball) - no-hitter at Hartford

Men's Rookie of the Year
Nathan Brewer (Rifle)

Women's Rookie of the Year
Renee Poirier (Softball)

Men's Yearling of the Year
Jake Lachina (Rugby)

Women's Yearling of the Year
Sabrina Mortell (Swimming & Diving)

Men's Cow of the Year
Parker Gahagen (Hockey)

Women's Cow of the Year
Alee Rashenskas (Softball)

Men's Firstie of the Year
Jesse Glenn (Gymnastics)

Women's Firstie of the Year
Kelsey Minato (Basketball)

MacArthur Award presented to the Team of the Year
Women's Basketball