TAMPA, APRIL 23, 2024 – University of South Florida student-athletes rolled out the red carpet to celebrate the outstanding performers and performances from the 2023-24 athletic year at the Stampede of Champions held Monday night at the Yuengling Center on campus.
 

The Hollywood-style awards ceremony was hosted by student-athletes Sofia Chepenik (lacrosse), Riley Hunt (women's track and field) and Jayden Reid (men's basketball), and recognized the accomplishments of USF Athletics outstanding nominees and award winners throughout the year in 16 categories.
 
Following a record-breaking season that included 25 wins, a 15-game win streak, and an AAC regular season conference championship, men's basketball took home seven Stampede awards, including team honors for Team of the Year, Best Team Performance, Coaching Staff of the Year, and Most Improved. Men's basketball players also collected three individual awards.
 
Forward Kasean Pryor took home the Best Individual Performance Award for his outstanding 29-point, five-block and five-steal game in a victory over Rice. Freshman guard Jayden Reid was named the Male Newcomer of the Year after leading the team in assists and steals, making 13 starts and playing in 33 games in his freshman season. Forward Sam Hines earned the Male Scholar Award.
 

Women's golfer Melanie Green was awarded Female Athlete of the Year for her consistent dominance throughout the season that has led to two individual tournament titles and the women's golf team claiming three team titles on the year. Green was ranked No. 19 nationally heading into the AAC Championships, where she finished third, and has greatly contributed to the team being poised to earn an NCAA Regional bid.
 
Quarterback Byrum Brown was awarded Male Athlete of the Year as he became USF's first 3,000-yard passer in a season and set program season records with 3,292 passing yards, 26 passing touchdowns, 276 completions and a 64.6 completion percentage while joining 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels as the only players in FBS football to pass for 3,000 yards and run for 800 last season. Brown capped his great season by being named the 2023 Boca Raton Bowl Offensive MVP after leading the Bulls to a 45-0 rout of Syracuse.
 
Women's soccer standout Serita Thurton earned the prestigious Lee Roy Selmon Award. Softball player Bailee Leistel was presented the Alexis Buchman Unsung Hero Award, which was renamed in honor of Buchman this year after the former USF softball player passed away following a courageous two-year battle against brain cancer.
 
USF's newest sport, women's lacrosse, was presented with the Team Community Award for the Bulls' extraordinary efforts in giving back to the Bay area.

Stampede of Champions award winners were determined by votes from USF student-athletes, coaches, and administrators. The complete list of winners is below:
 
2024 STAMPEDE OF CHAMPIONS AWARD WINNERS
Lee Roy Selmon Award: Serita Thurton, Women's Soccer
Best Team Performance: Men's Basketball vs Memphis
Team of The Year: Men's Basketball
Coaching Staff of The Year: Men's Basketball
Best Individual Performance: Kasean Pryor, Men's Basketball
Female Athlete of The Year: Melanie Green, Women's Golf
Male Athlete of The Year: Byrum Brown Football
Female Newcomer of The Year: Romi Levy Women's Basketball
Male Newcomer of The Year: Jayden Reid, Men's Basketball
Alexis Buchman Unsung Hero: Bailee Leistl, Softball
Team Community Award: Women's Lacrosse
Individual Community Award: Riley Hunt, Women's Track & Field
Female Scholar Award: Sydney Granack, Women's Cross Country
Male Scholar Award: Sam Hines, Men's Basketball
Most Improved: Men's Basketball
USF Most Spirited: Mike Lofton, Football

About USF Athletics
USF Athletics currently sponsors 21 varsity men's and women's teams that compete in 13 different sports, 20 at the NCAA Division I level in the American Athletic Conference, including the recent additions of women's lacrosse and women's beach volleyball. The Bulls' athletic program began in 1965 and is in its 58th season in 2023-24. More than 450 student-athletes train and compete in the athletic district located on the east end of the campus in Tampa, Fla. USF garnered two national championships in 2022-23 as Romaine Beckford won NCAA indoor and outdoor high jump titles. The Bulls have claimed 31 American Athletic Conference team titles since joining the conference in 2013, including three in 2023-24, and own 145 conference titles in 16 sports in department history, led by 20 each for men's tennis and men's soccer. USF has claimed 79 men's conference championships and 66 women's titles, led by 14 in women's tennis and 12 in volleyball. The Bulls have posted a combined annual grade-point average for a program record of 18 straight as of fall 2023. USF has had over 600 student-athletes earn their degree since 2016-17.
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