- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,151,358
- Reaction score
- 59
East Central dual-sport athlete Tyler Akers was named the 2025-26 Male Student-Athlete of the Year at the annual Roary Awards Banquet last month.
Winnie Kipsang, a standout performer for the ECU women’s cross-country and track and field teams, was named Female Student-Athlete of the Year.
The banquet highlighted the success of ECU Athletics through the presentation of 78 awards recognizing student-athletes, teams, coaches and faculty and staff members for excellence in competition, achievements in the classroom and outstanding contributions to ECU Athletics during the 2025-26 season.
MALE ATHLETE
Akers, a junior from Springtown, Texas, hit .362 with three home runs, two triples, nine doubles and 27 RBIs. He also scored a team-high 60 runs and stole 22 bases.
The only player to start all 50 games for East Central, Akers helped lead the Tigers to a runner-up finish in the Great American Conference Baseball Championship tournament.
Akers was also a wide receiver for the ECU football team.
FEMALE ATHLETE
Kipsang, a junior from Eldoret, Kenya, finished 35th at the NCAA Division II Championships with a time of 22:06.77 on the 6K course.
She captured the individual title at the Great American Conference Championships, posting a time of 17:31.91 in the 5K race while helping the Tigers finish third as a team.
Kipsang became just the third runner in program history to win the individual conference championship and earn GAC Runner of the Year honors.
Note: East Central Coordinator of Athletic Operations and Outreach Sydney Dungen contributed to this report.
———o———
2025-26 Roary AwardsATHLETES OF THE YEAR: Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year – Seth Spady (Football); Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year – Makenzy Herman (Women’s Basketball); Male Student-Athlete of the Year – Tyler Akers (Football/Baseball); Female Student-Athlete of the Year – Winnie Kipsang (Women’s XC / T&F).
SOCCER: Most Valuable Player — Ximena Resendiz; Tiger Teammate Award — Makaiah Carlson; Newcomer of the Year — Giselle Heck; Comeback Player of the Year — Madison Martinez.
FOOTBALL: Offensive MVP – Sergio Kennedy; Defensive MVP – Caden Pickens.
VOLLEYBALL: Defensive Player of the Year — Valentina Tijerina; Offensive Player of the Year — Jayla Buford; Teammate of the Year — Macey Goodwin; Most Valuable Player — Faiana Halatoa; Tiger Legacy Award — Faiana Halatoa
WOMEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY: Most Valuable Runner/Newcomer of the Year – Winnie Kipsang
MEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY: Most Valuable Runner – Paul Korir; Newcomer of the Year – Donald Kipsang.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Newcomer of the Year – Natalie Milwood; Player of the Year – Katie Edelen.
MEN’S BASKETBALL: Tiger of the Year – Rustin Coffey; Most Improved Player – Johnathan Price.
BASEBALL: Leadership Award – Cole Tracy; Offensive Player of the Year – Tyler Akers; Defensive Player of the Year – Mason Shimkus; Pitcher of the Year – Ryan Dembroski
SOFTBALL: Offensive Player of the Year — Elyse LeClair; Defensive Player of the Year — Kenni Tudor; Roary Heart Award — Kennedy Schroeder.
WOMEN’S GOLF: Most Valuable Player – Addison Furtick; Newcomer of the Year – Gabby Hack
MEN’S GOLF: Most Valuable Player – Pablo Illescas; Co-Newcomers of the Year – Gabriel Jones and Jackson Jones.
WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD: XC Track Athlete of the Year – Mercy Kibiwott; Track Athlete of the Year – Jazmine White.
MEN’S TRACK & FIELD: XC Track Athlete of the Year – Donald Kipsang; Track Athlete of the Year – Josh Horne.
CHEER: Newcomer of the year — Hayden Randall: Co-Leadership Award — Alyssa McGilbray and Jaylan Miller; Cheerleader of the Year — Natalee Fugate.
POWERLIFTING: DOTS Score Male — Hunter Franks; DOTS Score Female — Amree Wingfield; Newcomer of the Year — Paityn Seiger.
ESPORTS: Winners Building Winners Award — Cody Hisaw; Caring Leadership Award — Zachary Clouse; Personal Growth Award — Andy Jordan; Rising Star Award — Hannah Whitehouse.
STRENGTH & CONDITIONING: Soccer — Makaiah Carlson; Volleyball— Paula Ramos; Men’s XC/T&F — Samuel Brown; Women’s XC/T&F — Destiny Jennings; Football — Lane Johnson, Sergio Kennedy, Seth Spady, Alixzandur Brown; Men’s Basketball — Rustin Coffey; Women’s Basketball — Tatum Havens; Softball — Elyse LeClair, Kennedy Schroeder; Baseball — Blake Seefeldt, DeAngelo Morales, Greyson Christian; Cheer — Jaylan Miller, Nehemiah Meashintubby.
SAAC AWARDS: Coach of the Year – Daniel Wheeler; Assistant Coach of the Year – Grant Duncan; Team of the Year – Men’s Cross Country; Comeback of the Year – Men’s Basketball; Highlight of the Year – Gabriel Ogura, game-winning 24-yard field goal; Tiger Tough – Makaiah Carlson.
Continue reading...
Winnie Kipsang, a standout performer for the ECU women’s cross-country and track and field teams, was named Female Student-Athlete of the Year.
The banquet highlighted the success of ECU Athletics through the presentation of 78 awards recognizing student-athletes, teams, coaches and faculty and staff members for excellence in competition, achievements in the classroom and outstanding contributions to ECU Athletics during the 2025-26 season.
MALE ATHLETE
Akers, a junior from Springtown, Texas, hit .362 with three home runs, two triples, nine doubles and 27 RBIs. He also scored a team-high 60 runs and stole 22 bases.
The only player to start all 50 games for East Central, Akers helped lead the Tigers to a runner-up finish in the Great American Conference Baseball Championship tournament.
Akers was also a wide receiver for the ECU football team.
FEMALE ATHLETE
Kipsang, a junior from Eldoret, Kenya, finished 35th at the NCAA Division II Championships with a time of 22:06.77 on the 6K course.
She captured the individual title at the Great American Conference Championships, posting a time of 17:31.91 in the 5K race while helping the Tigers finish third as a team.
Kipsang became just the third runner in program history to win the individual conference championship and earn GAC Runner of the Year honors.
Note: East Central Coordinator of Athletic Operations and Outreach Sydney Dungen contributed to this report.
———o———
2025-26 Roary AwardsATHLETES OF THE YEAR: Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year – Seth Spady (Football); Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year – Makenzy Herman (Women’s Basketball); Male Student-Athlete of the Year – Tyler Akers (Football/Baseball); Female Student-Athlete of the Year – Winnie Kipsang (Women’s XC / T&F).
SOCCER: Most Valuable Player — Ximena Resendiz; Tiger Teammate Award — Makaiah Carlson; Newcomer of the Year — Giselle Heck; Comeback Player of the Year — Madison Martinez.
FOOTBALL: Offensive MVP – Sergio Kennedy; Defensive MVP – Caden Pickens.
VOLLEYBALL: Defensive Player of the Year — Valentina Tijerina; Offensive Player of the Year — Jayla Buford; Teammate of the Year — Macey Goodwin; Most Valuable Player — Faiana Halatoa; Tiger Legacy Award — Faiana Halatoa
WOMEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY: Most Valuable Runner/Newcomer of the Year – Winnie Kipsang
MEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY: Most Valuable Runner – Paul Korir; Newcomer of the Year – Donald Kipsang.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Newcomer of the Year – Natalie Milwood; Player of the Year – Katie Edelen.
MEN’S BASKETBALL: Tiger of the Year – Rustin Coffey; Most Improved Player – Johnathan Price.
BASEBALL: Leadership Award – Cole Tracy; Offensive Player of the Year – Tyler Akers; Defensive Player of the Year – Mason Shimkus; Pitcher of the Year – Ryan Dembroski
SOFTBALL: Offensive Player of the Year — Elyse LeClair; Defensive Player of the Year — Kenni Tudor; Roary Heart Award — Kennedy Schroeder.
WOMEN’S GOLF: Most Valuable Player – Addison Furtick; Newcomer of the Year – Gabby Hack
MEN’S GOLF: Most Valuable Player – Pablo Illescas; Co-Newcomers of the Year – Gabriel Jones and Jackson Jones.
WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD: XC Track Athlete of the Year – Mercy Kibiwott; Track Athlete of the Year – Jazmine White.
MEN’S TRACK & FIELD: XC Track Athlete of the Year – Donald Kipsang; Track Athlete of the Year – Josh Horne.
CHEER: Newcomer of the year — Hayden Randall: Co-Leadership Award — Alyssa McGilbray and Jaylan Miller; Cheerleader of the Year — Natalee Fugate.
POWERLIFTING: DOTS Score Male — Hunter Franks; DOTS Score Female — Amree Wingfield; Newcomer of the Year — Paityn Seiger.
ESPORTS: Winners Building Winners Award — Cody Hisaw; Caring Leadership Award — Zachary Clouse; Personal Growth Award — Andy Jordan; Rising Star Award — Hannah Whitehouse.
STRENGTH & CONDITIONING: Soccer — Makaiah Carlson; Volleyball— Paula Ramos; Men’s XC/T&F — Samuel Brown; Women’s XC/T&F — Destiny Jennings; Football — Lane Johnson, Sergio Kennedy, Seth Spady, Alixzandur Brown; Men’s Basketball — Rustin Coffey; Women’s Basketball — Tatum Havens; Softball — Elyse LeClair, Kennedy Schroeder; Baseball — Blake Seefeldt, DeAngelo Morales, Greyson Christian; Cheer — Jaylan Miller, Nehemiah Meashintubby.
SAAC AWARDS: Coach of the Year – Daniel Wheeler; Assistant Coach of the Year – Grant Duncan; Team of the Year – Men’s Cross Country; Comeback of the Year – Men’s Basketball; Highlight of the Year – Gabriel Ogura, game-winning 24-yard field goal; Tiger Tough – Makaiah Carlson.
Continue reading...
