TYLER, TEXAS – UT Tyler athletics hosted their year ending banquet on Monday night inside the renowned UT Tyler Cowan Center to celebrate student-athletes, coaches, and staff members for a terrific 2025-2026 athletic season.
36 total awards were handed out on Monday, including an MVP of each sport as well as awards such as Patriot of the Year and Scholar of the Year, and several other special departmental awards. The full list of award winners is below.
Patriot of the Year: Given to the top male and female athlete at UT Tyler regardless of sport who gave the top overall performance over their entire season for the 2025-26 year.
Julianne Frueh, Jr., Women's Track & Field (Munich, Germany)
She was named a First Team and Second Team All-American at the 2026 NCAA Indoor Championships and now holds the school record in both the pentathlon and heptathlon. She also holds an NCAA provisional mark in the outdoor high jump and heptathlon.
Cole Ketzner, Sr., Baseball (Magnolia, Texas)
He played a major role in helping lead the Patriots to their first ever LSC Championship. He is currently leading the team in batting average, doubles, home runs, and RBI. He ranks inside the top 10 in the LSC in average, slugging, on-base percentage, RBI and homers.
Patriot Scholar: Given to the top male and female student-athlete for academic standing and outstanding achievement in their respective sports.
Martha Laremark, Sr., Women's Golf (Molndol, Sweden)
Carel Wessel, Sr., Men's Tennis (Bucharest, Romania)
Champion of Character: Given to the top male and female athlete who best demonstrates high character and represents the department at the highest level.
Taryn Barney, Sr., Softball (Lewiston, Idaho)
Sid Cleofe, Sr., Men's Soccer (Tyler, Texas)
Rookie of the Year: Given to the top male and female athlete who made the highest impact in their freshman year of collegiate competition.
Hayley Cumming, Fr., Women's Basketball (Mont Albert, Australia)
Preston Ayers, Fr., Men's Track & Field (Houston, Texas)
Newcomer of the Year: Given to the top male and female athlete who made the highest impact in their first year as a student-athlete at UT Tyler.
Alli Kimball, Jr., Softball (Gig Harbor, Washington)
Samuel Antwi, Jr., Men's Tennis (Accra, Ghana)
Patriot Passion: Given to the student-athlete who best supports UT Tyler athletics across the department at various sports, games, and events.
Makhai Lewis, Sr., Volleyball (Carthage, Texas)
Iron Patriot: Given by our strength and conditioning staff to the student athlete who tirelessly works in the weight room.
Easton Stapleton, Fr., Baseball (Lumberton, Texas)
Patriot Grit: Given to the student-athlete by our athletic training staff who has overcome adversity and shown the heart of a Patriot while making a difference for their team.
Berlyn Grossman, Sr., Softball (Bullard, Texas)
Play of the Year: Given to the person or team that had the best play in any given game regardless of the circumstances or moment surrounding it.
Women's 4x400 Relay, NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field National Champions (Hannah Lakin, Kamaria Carr, Jasmine Haywood, and Aerin Thompson)
The quartet ran a time of 3:36.41, the fastest time in the event by 1.03 seconds to blister the field and earn the program's first NCAA Division II National Championship.
Individual Performance of the Year: Given to the top performance over a game or event by one individual.
Kendall Selitzky, So., Softball (Henderson, Nevada)
Shutout #1 West Texas A&M on the road with a complete game while adding seven strikeouts, marking the only time they have been shutout this season.
Special Awards:
Most Engaging Walk-Up Song: Connor Clark, Jr., Baseball (Sherman, Texas)
Worst Backflip: Magnus Kajevski, Fr., Men's Soccer (Little Rock, Arkansas)
Most Likely to Be Your Friend: Samuel Antwi, Jr., Men's Tennis (Accra, Ghana)
Worst Scooter Operator: Tylan Johnson, So., Men's Track & Field (Missouri City, Texas)
Fiercest Musical Chairs Competitor: Kiara Wiedenhaupt, Jr., Softball (Atascocita, Texas)
Team Most Valuable Players: Given to the top athlete on each team within the department by their coaching staff.
Women's Soccer: Gabrielle Wiebe, Sr. (Tyler, Texas)
Women's Cross Country: Finley Hunting, Jr. (San Antonio, Texas)
Volleyball: Autumn Perry, Jr. (Wylie, Texas)
Women's Basketball: Mariah Neal, Sr. (Nacogdoches, Texas)
Spirit: Amber Withers, Sr. (Lumberton, Texas)
Women's Tennis: Yona Bancarel, Jr. (Toulouse, France)
Women's Golf: Martha Laremark, Sr. (Molndol, Sweden)
Women's Track & Field: Julianne Frueh, Jr. (Munich, Germany)
Softball: Taryn Barney, Sr. (Lewiston, Idaho)
Men's Soccer: Luan Rangel, Sr. (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Men's Cross Country: Austin Ponder, Jr. (Lufkin, Texas)
Men's Basketball: Sean Emfinger, Sr. (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Men's Tennis: Carel Wessel, Sr. (Bucharest, Romania)
Men's Golf: Blake Harwell, Fr. (League City, Texas)
Men's Track & Field: Preston Ayers, Fr. (Houston, Texas)
Baseball: Cole Ketzner, Sr. (Magnolia, Texas)
