Army West Point Athletics
Army Athletic Association Holds 2009 Black Knight Awards
May 18, 2009 | General
WEST POINT, N.Y. The Army Athletic Association held the 2009 Black Knight Awards ceremony on Sunday night at Robinson Hall Auditorium. The department’s premiere year-end event honored teams and individuals for an outstanding 2008-09 season. Baseball, which captured a fifth Patriot League title on Saturday, and Army’s 2008 Patriot League Championship women’s soccer team each took home Team of the Year hardware. Volleyball senior Elizabeth Lazzari was named Ms. Black Knight, while hockey senior Zach McKelvie garnered the title of Mr. Black Knight.
In its second year of existence, the Black Knight Awards honor the best that Army’s 25 athletic teams had to offer in 2008-09 in an award-show format similar to the ESPY Awards. Rich DeMarco, assistant athletic director for marketing, multimedia and broadcasting, emceed the event and guided an audience of more than 500 people through the hour-long affair.
Director of Athletics, Kevin Anderson, opened the night by handing out commemorative athletic director’s coins to a group of league major award winners, scholar-athletes, academic all-Americans and conference champions. Assistant Athletic Director for Development and Revenue Generation Doug Fillis followed with the presentation of the “A” Club Lifetime Achievement Award which went to long-time supporters Lou Gross and Herb Lichtenberg.
A pair of seniors were then honored for their work both in and out of the realm of athletics, as senior football player Lowell Garthwaite was recognized with the Community Service Award after raising more than $80,000 dollars for the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life. Next on the docket was the Maggie Dixon Inspiration Award, which was given in member of the late Army women’s basketball coach. Senior women’s basketball player Courtney Wright garnered the award for her standout work ethic, character and leadership.
Each nominee was highlighted through a video presentation leading into each award and each performance award included 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, Performance of the Year and Play of the Year. All of the winners were presented with a commemorative Black Knight Award for their accomplishments.
2009 Black Knight Award Winners
“A” Club Lifetime Achievement Award
Mr. Louis Gross
Mr. Herb Lichtenberg
Community Service Award
Lowell Garthwaite (Football)
Maggie Dixon Inspiration Award
Courtney Wright (Women’s Basketball)
Play of the Year
Pia White (Women’s Soccer)
Men’s Performance of the Year
Jay Clark (Hockey)
Women’s Performance of the Year
Nalini Hawkins (Basketball)
Men’s Rookie of the Year
Michael Hutchins (Track & Field)
Women’s Rookie of the Year
Dymon Washington (Soccer)
Men’s Yearling of the Year
Clint Moore (Baseball)
Women’s Yearling of the Year
Erin Anthony (Basketball)
Men’s Cow of the Year
Matt Kyler (Wrestling)
Women’s Cow of the Year
Kristin Beehler (Tennis)
Mr. Black Knight
Zach McKelvie (Hockey)
Ms. Black Knight
Elizabeth Lazzari (Volleyball)
Men’s Team of the Year
Baseball
Women’s Team of the Year
Soccer
In its second year of existence, the Black Knight Awards honor the best that Army’s 25 athletic teams had to offer in 2008-09 in an award-show format similar to the ESPY Awards. Rich DeMarco, assistant athletic director for marketing, multimedia and broadcasting, emceed the event and guided an audience of more than 500 people through the hour-long affair.
Director of Athletics, Kevin Anderson, opened the night by handing out commemorative athletic director’s coins to a group of league major award winners, scholar-athletes, academic all-Americans and conference champions. Assistant Athletic Director for Development and Revenue Generation Doug Fillis followed with the presentation of the “A” Club Lifetime Achievement Award which went to long-time supporters Lou Gross and Herb Lichtenberg.
A pair of seniors were then honored for their work both in and out of the realm of athletics, as senior football player Lowell Garthwaite was recognized with the Community Service Award after raising more than $80,000 dollars for the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life. Next on the docket was the Maggie Dixon Inspiration Award, which was given in member of the late Army women’s basketball coach. Senior women’s basketball player Courtney Wright garnered the award for her standout work ethic, character and leadership.
Each nominee was highlighted through a video presentation leading into each award and each performance award included 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, Performance of the Year and Play of the Year. All of the winners were presented with a commemorative Black Knight Award for their accomplishments.
2009 Black Knight Award Winners
“A” Club Lifetime Achievement Award
Mr. Louis Gross
Mr. Herb Lichtenberg
Community Service Award
Lowell Garthwaite (Football)
Maggie Dixon Inspiration Award
Courtney Wright (Women’s Basketball)
Play of the Year
Pia White (Women’s Soccer)
Men’s Performance of the Year
Jay Clark (Hockey)
Women’s Performance of the Year
Nalini Hawkins (Basketball)
Men’s Rookie of the Year
Michael Hutchins (Track & Field)
Women’s Rookie of the Year
Dymon Washington (Soccer)
Men’s Yearling of the Year
Clint Moore (Baseball)
Women’s Yearling of the Year
Erin Anthony (Basketball)
Men’s Cow of the Year
Matt Kyler (Wrestling)
Women’s Cow of the Year
Kristin Beehler (Tennis)
Mr. Black Knight
Zach McKelvie (Hockey)
Ms. Black Knight
Elizabeth Lazzari (Volleyball)
Men’s Team of the Year
Baseball
Women’s Team of the Year
Soccer
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