May 4, 2015

Red Carpet Photo Gallery | #BearsShowcase

SPRINGFIELD - The Missouri State University softball team took home the night's top honor at the sixth annual Bears All-Sports Showcase, Monday night at JQH Arena. A number of individual student-athletes were also recognized as part of the year-end celebration.

 Coach Holly Hesse's softball squad was the top point collector in the Bear Cup team competition for community service, academic excellence, athletic excellence, Bears supporting Bears and public affairs. MSU field hockey, the two-time defending Bear Cup winners, finished second in this year's Bear Cup standings, just ahead of women's soccer, which won the first three Bear Cup honors from 2010-12.

 Members of MSU's Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) served as the presenters for the evening, which includes a red-carpet entry and awards similar to ESPN's Espy Awards. SAAC members also took the lead in the nomination and selection process for the event and the awards presented.

 The event included a highlight reel of the program's more than 2,600 hours of volunteer and community service efforts during the 2014-15 year. The total economic impact of MSU's volunteer efforts is over $60,000 to the Springfield community.

 Soccer standout Kelsey Fouch (Sr., St. Charles, Mo.) was awarded the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Female Student-Athlete of the Year Award for the second year in a row, while baseball standout Dylan Becker (Sr., Leawood, Kan.) was selected as the recipient of the Bill Rowe Male Student-Athlete of the Year. Both awards were voted on by student-athlete peers among Missouri State's 17 intercollegiate athletic programs.

 The Senior Student-Athletes of the Year were presented to men's swimmer Paul Le (Moore, Okla.) and soccer midfielder Molly Huber (St. Louis, Mo.). Le was previously named MSU's Junior Student-Athlete of the Year in 2013-14.

 Junior Student-Athlete of the Year awards went to swimmer Uvis Kalnins (Valmiera, Latvia) and soccer standout Molly Brewer (Springfield, Mo.). Like Le, Kalnins was an NCAA qualifier in 2015 and was the male Sophomore Student-Athlete of the Year in 2013-14.

 The 2014 Sophomore Student-Athlete of the Year awards went to football linebacker Dylan Cole (Rogersville, Mo.) and swimmer Lauren Pavel (Omaha, Neb.). The recipients of the Freshman Student-Athlete of the Year awards were baseball third baseman Jake Burger (Chesterfield, Mo.) and volleyball All-American Lily Johnson (Wildwood, Mo.).

 The individual team most valuable players were also named, as voted on by head coaches. The men's team MVPs were awarded to: Joey Hawkins (baseball, Sr., Whitby, Ontario); Parker Maher (soccer, Sr., Joplin, Mo.); Caleb Schaffitzel (football, Sr., Fair Grove, Mo.); Camyn Boone (basketball, Jr., Seattle, Wash.); Paul Le (swimming and diving, Sr., Moore, Okla.); and Joey Johnson (golf, Jr., Ozark, Mo.). It was Schaffitzel's third straight MVP honor for football, while Johnson earned golf's top honor for the second year in a row, and Le became a three-time MVP for swimming.

 Women's team MVPs were awarded to: Anelisse Torrico Moreno (tennis, Fr., Santa Cruz, Bolivia); Olivia Brand (volleyball, Sr., Springfield, Mo.); Chelsea Jones (softball, Sr., El Reno, Okla.); Jessica Allen (cross country, Fr., Liberty, Mo.); Kelsey Fouch (soccer, Sr., St. Charles, Mo.); Lauren Pavel (swimming and diving, So., Omaha, Neb.); Patrice Ahl (field hockey, Jr., St. Albert, Alberta); Kenzie Williams (basketball, Jr., Mt. Vernon, Mo.); Stine Pettersen (golf, Fr., Moss, Norway); and Althia Maximilien (track and field, Sr., Bridgetown, Barbados). It marked the second straight year for Fouch, Williams and Maximilien to earn team MVP honors at the Showcase.

 The 2014-15 MVC Leadership and Service Award recipients were also recognized at the event. They were Leah Reitmayer (field hockey, Jr., Vista, Calif.); Tyler McCullough (basketball, So., Fayetteville, Ark.); and Ali Trickey (softball, Sr., Belleville, Ill.).

 The Missouri State women's soccer team claimed the Academic Excellence Award with a 3.53 cumulative GPA, while women's cross country and track and field earned the Community Service Award. Additional team awards went to baseball (Athletic Excellence Award), women's basketball (Bears Supporting Bears Award), and field hockey (Public Affairs Award).

 The Best Sports Moment of the year was introduced via video as a tribute to softball player Allie Alvstad who garnered national support for her battle with acute myeloid leukemia throughout the 2014-15 year. Every Missouri State team helped raise awareness or helped raised funds for the Alvstad family, and the #AllieStrong movement served as a unifying force on the Springfield campus all year.

 Approximately 350 student-athletes, coaches, staff and athletics personnel attended the sixth annual event.

 

#MSUBears

 

 

Previous Bear Cup Winners

2009-10           Women's Soccer

2010-11           Women's Soccer

2011-12           Women's Soccer

2012-13           Field Hockey

2013-14           Field Hockey

2014-15           Softball