Hassan, Brown named IWU’s top athletes at ‘Tommy Awards’

Posted on April 17, 2018
Jordan Hassan and Tyler Brown
Jordan Hassan and Tyler Brown were named Illinois Wesleyan’s Male and Female Atheltes of the Year at the annual Tommy Awards dinner on Monday. (Photo courtesy iwusports.com)

By IWU Sports Information

BLOOMINGTON — The seventh annual State Farm “Tommy Awards”, sponsored by the IWU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and State Farm Insurance, presented awards to Illinois Wesleyan athletes in an array of categories (a la the ESPN “Espy Awards”) on Monday, at Shirk Center.

The winners of the top male and female “Athlete of the Year” awards went to senior football linebacker Jordan Hassan and junior volleyball All-American Tyler Brown.

The Illinois Wesleyan women’s cross country team won the “Academic Team of the Year” honor for top overall grade-point average and, for the second straight year, the IWU women’s lacrosse team earned the “Do Good Now” award for their dedication to community service.

Male Athlete of the Year – Jordan Hassan (Football)
Others nominated: Will Garcia (Swimming); Mike Julius (Lacrosse); Conner O’Neil (Golf); Brady Rose (Basketball)

Female Athlete of the Year – Tyler Brown (Volleyball)
Others nominated: Ellie Crabtree (Soccer); Rebekah Ehresman (Basketball); Amelia Glueck (Track and Field); Molly McGraw (Basketball); Jillian Runyon (Softball/Track and Field)

“Do Good Now” Award, given for team with best community service; IWU student-athletes completed 5,700 hours of community service this year –
Winner: Women’s lacrosse – tutoring at Western Avenue Community Center, Random Acts of Kindness campaign and Big Brothers and Big Sisters, which was recipient of $500 check presented by school
Other nominees: Volleyball; Women’s swimming & diving

Best Championship Performance – Brea Walker (Softball)
Others nominated: Brandon Bauer (Football); Tyler Brown (Volleyball); Molly McGraw (Women’s Basketball); Conner O’Neil (Men’s Golf)

Best Record-Breaking Performance (Male) – Michael Julius (Lacrosse)
Others nominated: Daniel Cole (Golf); Jordan Hassan (Football); Zach Knobloch (Basketball)

Best Record-Breaking Performance (Female) – Rebekah Ehresman (Basketball)
Others nominated: Amelia Glueck (Track & Field); Jill Runyon (Softball)

Breakthrough Athlete of the Year – Jordan Hassan (Football)
Others nominated: Maddie Bollinger (W. Swimming); Patrick Hickey (Men’s Soccer); Stephanie Prentice (Softball); Kelsey Walsberg (Women’s Basketball)

Male Rookie of the Year – Daniel Cole (Golf)
Others nominated: Alex Doorenbos (Lacrosse); Nick Figus (Baseball); Nick Partipilo (Swimming)

Female Rookie of the Year – Sam Berghoff (Softball)
Others nominated: Kelly Byrne (Swimming); Cameron Hindel (Soccer); Raven Hughes (Basketball)

Best Clutch Performance (Male) – Zach Walsh & Brandon Bauer (Football vs. Wheaton)
Others nominated: Doug Ballard (Soccer); Colin Bonnett (Basketball)

Best Clutch Performance (Female) – Sydney Alery (Softball)
Others nominated: Lisa Cheng (Swimming); Ellie Crabtree (Soccer)

Best Game – Football vs. Wisconsin-Whitewater
Others nominated: Women’s Basketball CCIW Championship; Women’s Golf Fall Classic; Women’s Lacrosse CCIW Championship; Men’s Lacrosse vs. Ohio Wesleyan; Softball Super Regional; Volleyball NCAA 1st Round

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…