Army Celebrates 11th Annual Black Knight Awards

WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Army Athletic Association held the 2018 Black Knight Awards ceremony on Wednesday morning at Robinson Auditorium in Thayer Hall. The department's premiere year-end event honored teams and individuals for their successes throughout the 2017-18 season.

After finishing the season with a 10-3 record, winning the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl and capturing the Commander in Chief's Trophy for the first time since 1996, the football program took home the Team of the Year award for the second straight year.

Our final award of the morning is the Team of the Year.

It goes to the 2017 CIC Trophy Champions! @ArmyWP_Football #GoArmy | #BKAwards pic.twitter.com/JSisHeMQ79
— ArmyWestPoint Sports (@GoArmyWestPoint) May 23, 2018

In its 11th year of existence, the Black Knight Awards honored the best that Army West Point's 30 athletic teams had to offer in 2017-18 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. Steve Gilland, Dean of the Academic Board Brig. Gen. Cindy Jebb and Army West Point Director of Athletics Boo Corrigan just to name a few.

The event opened with a large group of athletes being recognized for being league major award winners, scholar-athletes, All-Americans and NCAA participants.

The first three awards of the day featured winners with a passion for sport, selflessness and giving back. Senior Jake Lachina of the men's rugby team collected the Maggie Dixon Inspiration Award for fearless competitiveness and love of sport. Sprint Football's senior Curtis Jerzerick garnered the Gene Uchacz Memorial Award for being the epitome of a "team player," while women's tennis junior Melanie Allen earned the Community Service Award for participating in a number of outreach programs. Men's lacrosse senior Matt Isnardi garnered the second annual Academic Excellence Award from Dr. Jon Healy, Director of Athletic Academic Support.

The remaining awards were distributed on athletic performance alone during the 2017-18 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 show 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.

Our Play of the Year.

John Voit's game-saving tackle vs. Navy for @ArmyWP_Football #GoArmy | #BKAwards pic.twitter.com/8MLcxPklCL
— ArmyWestPoint Sports (@GoArmyWestPoint) May 23, 2018

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

2018 Black Knight Award Winners

Maggie Dixon Inspiration Award
Jake Lachina (Men's Rugby)

Gene Uchacz Memorial Award
Curtis Jerzerick (Sprint Football)

Community Service Award
Melanie Allen (Women's Tennis)

Academic Excellence Award
Matt Isnardi (Men's Lacrosse)

Play of the Year
John Voit's Touchdown-Saving Tackle vs. Navy (Football)

Men's Performance of the Year
Bobby Heald (Wrestling) – Match Clinching Bout vs. Navy

Women's Performance of the Year
Volleyball's Comeback Victory vs. Navy

Men's Rookie of the Year
John Zimmerman (Hockey)

Women's Rookie of the Year
Ana Joyner (Women's Tennis)

Men's Yearling of the Year
Ben Harvey (Wrestling)

Women's Yearling of the Year
Calli McMullen (Track & Field)

Men's Cow of the Year
Daniel Burggraaf (Baseball)

Women's Cow of the Year
Abby Halbrook (Cross Country, Track & Field)

Men's Firstie of the Year
Ahmad Bradshaw (Football)

Women's Firstie of the Year
Amy Johnston (Women's Lacrosse)

Team of the Year
Football

Army West Point Athletics

Army Celebrates 11th Annual Black Knight Awards

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