Army West Point Athletics
Black Knight Awards Celebrate 2018-19 Year
May 21, 2019 | Baseball, Football, General, Men's Basketball, Men's Cross Country, Men's Golf, Men's Gymnastics, Hockey, Men's Lacrosse, Rifle, Men's Rugby, Men's Soccer, Men's Swimming and Diving, Men's Tennis, Men's Track and Field, Softball, Sprint Football, Women's Basketball, Women's Cross Country, Women's Lacrosse, Women's Rifle, Women's Rugby, Women's Soccer, Women's Swimming and Diving, Women's Tennis, Women's Track and Field, Volleyball, Wrestling, Swimming, Cross Country, Athletics, Track, Strength, Rabble Rousers
WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Army West Point Athletic Association held the 2019 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 2018-19 season.
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After finishing the season with an 11-2 record, winning the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl and capturing the Commander in Chief's Trophy for the second straight year, the football program took home the Team of the Year award for the third straight year.
In its 12th year of existence, the Black Knight Awards honored the best that Army West Point's 30 athletic teams had to offer in 2018-19 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. Darryl A. Williams, Commandant of Cadets Brig. Gen. Steve Gilland, Dean of the Academic Board Brig. Gen. Cindy Jebb, Command Sgt. Maj. Jack Love and Army West Point Interim Director of Athletics Dan McCarthy just to name a few.
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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 Bryce Holland of the football team collected the Maggie Dixon Inspiration Award for fearless competitiveness and love of sport. Men's basketball senior Cayne Edwards 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 for the second straight year. Cross country and track and field junior Ben Petrella garnered the third annual Academic Excellence Award from Dr. Jon Healy, Assistant Athletic Director of Athletic Academic Support.
Two new awards were established at this year's event to highlight our top support groups. The Charge On Award was presented to the Rabble Rouser who focuses not only on personal victories but the victories of those alongside them and their teammates. The inaugural award was presented to Dawson Siemonsma. The Strength Team Award also made its debut. The honor is presented to a true team player who shows leadership through determination, motivation, patience, and selfless service to others. The first honoree was Dominick Giovannelli.Â
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The remaining awards were distributed on athletic performance alone during the 2018-19 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.
Votes were tabulated using a combination of the athletic department executive staff and Black Knight Awards committee voting.
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2019 Black Knight Award Winners
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Maggie Dixon Inspiration Award
Bryce Holland (Football)
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Gene Uchacz Memorial Award
Cayne Edwards (Men's Basketball)
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Community Service Award
Melanie Allen (Women's Tennis)
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Academic Excellence Award
Ben Petrella (Cross Country/Track & Field)
Charge On Award
Dawson Siemonsma (Rabble Rousers)
Strength Award
Dominick Giovannelli (Strength)
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Play of the Year
Matt Manown's Game-Winning Goal vs. Navy for the Star (Men's Lacrosse)
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Men's Performance of the Year
James Nachtigal's 11 tackles vs. Houston (Football)
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Women's Performance of the Year
Abby Halbrook's Three Individual Titles at Patriot League Championships Indoor Track & Field Meet
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Men's Rookie of the Year
Mathew Davis (Gymnastics)
Brendan Nichtern (Men's Lacrosse)
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Women's Rookie of the Year
Caroline Raymond (Women's Lacrosse)Â
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Men's Yearling of the Year
Anthony Giachin (Baseball)
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Women's Yearling of the Year
Ana Joyner (Women's Tennis)Â
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Men's Cow of the Year
Kelvin Hopkins Jr. (Football)
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Women's Cow of the Year
Calli McMullen (Track & Field)
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Men's Firstie of the Year
Cole Casanova (Gymnastics)
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Women's Firstie of the Year
Sydney Witham (Women's Soccer)
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Team of the Year
Football
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The department's premiere year-end event honored teams and individuals for their successes throughout the 2018-19 season.
Â
After finishing the season with an 11-2 record, winning the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl and capturing the Commander in Chief's Trophy for the second straight year, the football program took home the Team of the Year award for the third straight year.
In its 12th year of existence, the Black Knight Awards honored the best that Army West Point's 30 athletic teams had to offer in 2018-19 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. Darryl A. Williams, Commandant of Cadets Brig. Gen. Steve Gilland, Dean of the Academic Board Brig. Gen. Cindy Jebb, Command Sgt. Maj. Jack Love and Army West Point Interim Director of Athletics Dan McCarthy just to name a few.
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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 Bryce Holland of the football team collected the Maggie Dixon Inspiration Award for fearless competitiveness and love of sport. Men's basketball senior Cayne Edwards 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 for the second straight year. Cross country and track and field junior Ben Petrella garnered the third annual Academic Excellence Award from Dr. Jon Healy, Assistant Athletic Director of Athletic Academic Support.
Two new awards were established at this year's event to highlight our top support groups. The Charge On Award was presented to the Rabble Rouser who focuses not only on personal victories but the victories of those alongside them and their teammates. The inaugural award was presented to Dawson Siemonsma. The Strength Team Award also made its debut. The honor is presented to a true team player who shows leadership through determination, motivation, patience, and selfless service to others. The first honoree was Dominick Giovannelli.Â
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The remaining awards were distributed on athletic performance alone during the 2018-19 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.
Votes were tabulated using a combination of the athletic department executive staff and Black Knight Awards committee voting.
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2019 Black Knight Award Winners
Â
Maggie Dixon Inspiration Award
Bryce Holland (Football)
Â
Gene Uchacz Memorial Award
Cayne Edwards (Men's Basketball)
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Community Service Award
Melanie Allen (Women's Tennis)
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Academic Excellence Award
Ben Petrella (Cross Country/Track & Field)
Charge On Award
Dawson Siemonsma (Rabble Rousers)
Strength Award
Dominick Giovannelli (Strength)
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Play of the Year
Matt Manown's Game-Winning Goal vs. Navy for the Star (Men's Lacrosse)
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Men's Performance of the Year
James Nachtigal's 11 tackles vs. Houston (Football)
Â
Women's Performance of the Year
Abby Halbrook's Three Individual Titles at Patriot League Championships Indoor Track & Field Meet
Â
Men's Rookie of the Year
Mathew Davis (Gymnastics)
Brendan Nichtern (Men's Lacrosse)
Â
Women's Rookie of the Year
Caroline Raymond (Women's Lacrosse)Â
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Men's Yearling of the Year
Anthony Giachin (Baseball)
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Women's Yearling of the Year
Ana Joyner (Women's Tennis)Â
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Men's Cow of the Year
Kelvin Hopkins Jr. (Football)
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Women's Cow of the Year
Calli McMullen (Track & Field)
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Men's Firstie of the Year
Cole Casanova (Gymnastics)
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Women's Firstie of the Year
Sydney Witham (Women's Soccer)
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Team of the Year
Football
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Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
All-Around
/ Men's Gymnastics
All-Around
/ Men's Gymnastics
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
INF
/ Baseball
/ Strength
Distance
/ Women's Track and Field
OL
/ Football
QB
/ Football
/ Women's Tennis
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
Sprints
/ Women's Track and Field
LB
/ Football
A
/ Men's Lacrosse
Distance
/ Men's Track and Field
Midfield/Attack
/ Women's Lacrosse
D
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