Student-Athlete run event hands out 16 awards recognizing the top performers and performances of 2022-23.
 
TAMPA, APRIL 28, 2023 – University of South Florida student-athletes rolled out the red carpet to celebrate the outstanding performers and performances of the last year at the 2023 Stampede of Champions held at the Yuengling Center on Wednesday night.
 
Th Hollywood-style awards ceremony was hosted by student-athletes Melanie Green (Women's Golf), Mike Lofton (Football) and Leonor Medeiros (Women's Golf) and recognized nominees and award winners from USF Athletics in 16 categories.
 
Stampede Awards – bronze statues of bulls –  were presented to winners that included the Team of the Year (Women's Basketball, which won an AAC regular-season title and made a ninth NCAA Tournament appearance), Female Athlete of the Year (Elena Tsineke, Women's Basketball), Male athlete of the Year (Romaine Beckford, Track and Field), Coaching Staff of the Year (Women's Basketball), Female Newcomer of the Year (Sammie Puisis, Women's Basketball) and Male Newcomer of the Year (Tyler Harris, Men's Basketball).
 
High jumper Romaine Beckford took home the Best Individual Performance Award for his NCAA indoor national championship while women's basketball received the Best Team Performance Award for their 70-65 upset win at No. 18 Texas.
 

Volleyball standout Makayla Washington earned the prestigious Lee Roy Selmon Award. Softball player Alexis Buchman was presented the Unsung Hero Award as she continues to inspire with her battle against cancer. The baseball team was presented with the Team Community Award for the Bulls' extraordinary efforts in giving back to the Bay area. Football senior lineman Donovan Jennings was named the USF Most Spirited Award winner.
 
Stampede of Champions award winners were determined by votes from USF student-athletes, coaches, and administrators. The complete list of winners is below:
 
2023 STAMPEDE OF CHAMPIONS AWARD WINNERS
Lee Roy Selmon Award: Makayla Washington, Volleyball
Best Team Performance: Women's Basketball vs. Texas
Team of The Year: Women's Basketball
Coaching Staff of The Year: Women's Basketball

Best Individual Performance: Romaine Beckford, Men's & Field
Female Athlete of The Year: Elena Tsineke, Women's Basketball
Male Athlete of The Year: Romaine Beckford, Men's Track & Field
Female Newcomer of The Year: Sammie Puisis, Women's Basketball
Male Newcomer of The Year: Tyler Harris, Men's Basketball
Unsung Hero: Alexis Buchman, Softball
Team Community Award: Baseball
Individual Community Award: Hannah Connell, Women's Track & Field
Female Scholar Award: Aerial Wilson, Women's Basketball
Male Scholar Award: Johann Jeremiah, Men's Track & Field
Most Improved: Arden La-Rose, Women's Track & Field
USF Most Spirited: Donovan Jennings, Football

About USF Athletics
USF Athletics currently 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, which will expand to 21 teams with the recently announced additions of women's lacrosse (2024-25) and women's beach volleyball. The Bulls' athletic program began in 1965 and is in its 57th season in 2022-23. Nearly 450 student-athletes train and compete in the athletic district located on the east end of the campus in Tampa, Fla. The Bulls have claimed 26 American Athletic Conference team titles since joining the conference in 2013, including seven trophies in the 2021 calendar year, and own 140 conference titles claimed in 15 sports in department history, led by 20 each for men's tennis and men's soccer. USF has claimed 74 men's conference championships and 64 women's titles, led by 14 in women's tennis and 12 in volleyball. The Bulls have posted a combined annual grade-point average over 3.0 for more than eight straight years and have posted a program record of 16 straight semesters with a combined GPA over 3.0 as of the fall of 2022. USF has had over 500 student-athletes earn their degree since 2016-17.

Follow USF Athletics on Twitter (@USFAthletics) and Facebook for all the latest information concerning the USF Athletic program.