Baseball | 5/3/2013 2:10:00 PM

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - The Methodist University Department of Athletics held its annual awards ceremony Tuesday night in Reeves Auditorium recognizing roughly 400 student-athletes for another successful year.
 
Each team was announced with all-conference players, Most Valuable Players and season highlights shared with the audience as an opportunity to congratulate each other on a commendable season.
 
Senior Associate Director of Athletics DeeDee Jarman recognized 10 students as senior scholar- athletes for achieving a 3.4 or better cumulative grade-point average.
 
The athletic department also has a tradition of awarding Honorary Monarchs to those supporters who have given back to teams or the athletic department as a whole. Steve Driggers, Dr. Warren McDonald, Anne and Melvin Ashe, and Rhyan Breen were all recognized for their loyal support of Methodist athletics over the years.
 
The Male and Female Outstanding Senior Athletes of the Year, awarded during spring convocation, were recognized once again in front of their peers. Golfers Mike Wesko and Jenny Sullivan took home the awards for the men and women, respectively.
 
Director of Athletics Bob McEvoy also awarded 15-year service awards for three staff members. Head Men's Basketball Coach David Smith, Head Softball Coach, Ron Simpson and Head Athletic Trainer Brandon Reynolds were all recognized for their service.
 
The department also presented the Dr. M. Elton and Jerry Hendricks award for alumni support to former men's basketball player and the current Executive Director of Fayetteville Urban Ministries, Johnny Wilson '99.
 
The Bobby Bell Good Works Award is given to the student or staff member who represents the work ethic and character of former staff member Bobby Bell. Bell always went above and beyond to help make the department run as smoothly as possible. This year, the award was bestowed upon Ancito “Cheeto” Abalos for his work in maintaining the football fieldhouse.
 
The final individual award given out was the Rita Wiggs award, given to the Monarch who demonstrates courageous actions in the face of adversity. The award was given to men's golfer Chris Biggins, who participates as a member of the golf team while dealing with the effects of cerebral palsy.
 
SAAC also awarded a Community Outreach Award for the team that best exemplified the community service of a Methodist University student-athlete. The women's basketball team was honored for its civic works for the third consecutive year.
 
Senior Scholar-Athletes
Heather Anderson – Athletic Training
Billy Beddow – Men's Basketball
Ben Boyle – Men's Golf
Daniel Cestero – Football
Brooke Corley – Women's Soccer
Marissa Hippenmeyer – Cheerleading
Kat Meindl – Women's Tennis
Rachel Purser – Women's Tennis
Katherine Scheller – Softball
Hayley Williams – Volleyball
Tyler Younger - Baseball