USF Athletics

Bulls Roll Out the Red Carpet for Stampede of Champions

April 26, 2018

PHOTO GALLERY

By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, APRIL 26, 2018 – USF Athletics celebrated outstanding contributions by the Bulls' student-athletes, coaches and staff members during the sixth annual Stampede of Champions on Wednesday night.

USF's teams were dressed to impress in formal attire as the department rolled out the red carpet for the Hollywood-style awards show ceremony at the Sun Dome. This year's highly anticipated event featured a fun game show theme and the emcees included women's basketball All-America honorable mention Maria Jespersen, track and field hurdler Rachael O'Neil and men's soccer goalkeeper Harrison Devenish-Meares.

Nineteen awards were handed out to winners of categories that included team of the year (women's soccer, The American tournament champs, 13-4-2 record), male athlete of the year (Quinton Flowers, football), female athlete of the year (Jespersen, women's basketball), coaching staff of the year (women's soccer) and most improved student-athlete (Priscilla Eheize, volleyball).

Women's basketball sharp-shooter Kitija Laksa received the best performance award for matching The American's single-game record with career-high 41 points in an 84-65 win over then-No. 13 Ohio State at the Sun Dome on Feb. 11.

Tampa native Ashley Wilson of the track and field team proudly took home the prestigious Lee Roy Selmon Award, which recognizes an enduring example of integrity, academic excellence, compassion and competitiveness.

Head coach Allison Jolly's women's sailing team was presented with the team community award for the Bulls' tireless efforts of giving back to the Bay Area. Women's soccer forward Malani Lee received the individual community award after gathering and distributing soccer equipment to children in Haiti through her "Cleats for Kids" foundation.

Award winners were determined by votes from USF student-athletes and coaches.
 
Here is a complete list of Stampede of Champions winners:

Best performance: Kitija Laksa (women's basketball) – 41 points, eight three-pointers in an 84-65 win over No. 13 Ohio State on Feb. 11.

Moment of the year: Quinton Flowers (football) – An individual or team demonstrating the best moment through a monumental storyline that led to success over a period of time.

Male athlete of the year: Quinton Flowers (football) – Became USF and American Athletic Conference career leader in total offense (11,802 yards) in 2017. Owns 42 USF career, season or game records.

Female athlete of the year: Maria Jespersen (women's basketball) – AP, WBCA All-America honorable mention averaged 18.1 points per game and a team best 9.7 rebounds per game with a league best 18 double-doubles in 2017-18.

Male newcomer of the year: Shane McClanahan (baseball)

Female newcomer of the year: Georgina Corrick (softball)

Unsung hero: Morgan Gross (softball)  

Team of the year: Women's soccer – Captured first AAC tournament championship in program history, made third NCAA tournament appearance in the past four years and went 13-4-2 overall.

Honorary sportsmanship award: Mike Radomski (athletic communications)

Lee Roy Selmon Award: Ashley Wilson (track and field) – An enduring example of integrity, academic excellence, compassion and competitiveness.

Bulls male scholar award: Auggie Sanchez (football)

Bulls female scholar award: Alex Mendoza (volleyball)

Best comeback: Cassidy Boyle (softball)

Team community award: Women's sailing

Individual community award: Malani Lee (women's soccer)  

Most improved: Priscilla Eheize (volleyball)

USF most spirited: Kennedy Shank (track and field)

Stafflete of the year: Angel Zu Ly (sports medicine)

Coaching staff of the year: Women's soccer (head coach Denise Schilte-Brown, associate head coach Chris Brown, former associate head coach Jason Dowiak, volunteer assistant Juan De Brigard).
 
About USF Athletics
USF Athletics sponsors 19 varsity men's and women's teams that compete in 11 different sports, 18 at the NCAA Division I level in the American Athletic Conference. The Bulls' athletic program celebrated its 50^th anniversary in 2015, having begun with a men's soccer contest in 1965. Nearly 500 student-athletes train and compete in the athletic district located on the east end of the campus in Tampa, Fla. The Bulls have claimed 13 American Athletic Conference team titles since joining the conference in 2013, including four in 2016-17, and own 110 conference championships overall. Ten USF programs reached national post-season competition in the 2016-17 season and nine were ranked in the Top 25 nationally. The Bulls posted a program-record 86 percent Graduation Success Rate in 2016, logged an annual department grade-point average over a 3.0 for the second straight year, and saw 106 student-athletes earn their degree during the 2016-17 academic period.