Ole Miss’ brightest and most talented student athletes filled the Pavilion Monday night for the seventh annual Rebels’ Choice Awards. Since 2011, the award show-style event has commemorated student athletes’ achievements, both in sport and in academia, throughout the previous academic year.
“All the hard work we put in is actually being recognized for the year,” softball player Elantra Cox said.
Fabian Fallert, Zvonimir Barbic, and Robert Monunger on the red carpet to the Rebels’ Choice Awards on Monday night. (Photo By: Taylar Teel)
A total of 11 awards were given out this year; from track to tennis, the athletics department worked hard to ensure the student athletes’ efforts did not go unnoticed.
“It’s cool to dress up and get some pictures, all that good stuff,” golfer Braden Thornberry said. “You very rarely have all (the athletes) together at one time.”
Thornberry and Raven Saunders each took home a Most Valuable Rebel award, given to a pair of student athletes whose individual performances stood alone as especially crucial for their respective team’s success.
Thornberry, a sophomore golfer from Olive Branch, was recently named SEC Golfer of the Week after winning the Ryman Hospitality Intercollegiate, his fourth tournament win this season.
“It’s nice to just sit back, relax and enjoy it,” Thornberry said.
Saunders, a three-time SEC and NCAA shot put champion, earned a ticket to Rio last summer for the 2016 Olympic Games. She also took home Play of the Year for her collegiate shot put record breaking throw at the NCAA Championships earlier this season.
Later on, Connie Price-Smith, head coach of women’s track and field, and Chris Malloy, head coach of men’s golf, took home Coach of the Year awards.
A four-time Olympian herself, Price-Smith has been instrumental in the No. 18 women’s track and field team’s 2016-2017 success, including an impressive finish at Auburn’s War Eagle Invitational track and field meet on Saturday. Malloy’s golf team, ranked 21st nationally, fell just short of Vanderbilt on Sunday in the quarterfinals of match play at the SEC Men’s Golf Championships Sunday.
Members of the women’s basketball team (Photo by: Taylar Teel)
“I’ve been lobbying for this award for about two and half years now so it’s about time I got it,” Malloy said. “It’s easy when you’ve got a guy like Braden Thornberry leading the way.”
Rounding out the night, the Ole Miss softball and men’s cross country teams took home Team of the Year honors. The selection committee analyzed each team’s performance compared to their preseason goals in order to select winners.
Sitting at 31-16 on the season, the No. 18 softball team recently swept No. 11 LSU two weekends ago. The No. 17 men’s track and field team also won Game of the Year earlier in the evening for their fourth place finish at the NCAA Championships.
Sophomore Jerry Johnson took home the Bennie Abram award, given to a non-scholarship athlete with a 3.0 GPA that displays “great character on and off the field.” Johnson, who transferred to Ole Miss from Mississippi Delta Community College, walked onto the Rebel football team as a corner last season. The award honors the former football player who died.
First year athletes Katy McAuley and Nick DeRay got in on the silverware as well, each earning a Rookie of the Year award for their contributions. The freshmen pair are standout athletes among the women’s and men’s track and field teams.
Complete List of Winners:
Bennie Abram Award– Jerry Johnson
Community Engagement– Women’s basketball, Football
Scholar-Athlete of the Year– Aubrey Edie, Craig Engels
Chancellor’s Cup– Men’s golf, Women’s soccer
Rookie of the Year– Katy McAuley, Nick DeRay
Play of the Year– Raven Saunders’ collegiate shot put record-breaking throw at NCAA Championships
Game of the Year– Men’s track and field’s 4th place finish at NCAA Championships
We Are Ole Miss Award– Corbit Franks
Most Valuable Rebel– Braden Thornberry, Raven Saunders
Coach of the Year– Connie Price-Smith, Chris Malloy
Team of the Year– Softball, Men’s track and field
