Purdue University Northwest Athletics revealed its 2022-23 academic year award winners at the 5th Annual Leo Awards Monday night, hosted at the Dworkin Student Services & Activities Complex on the PNW Westville Campus.
PNW is now in its sixth-year as a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) and competing at the NCAA Division II level. Highlighting the night of celebration were five major awards as the Pride produced another historic year in the classroom, in competition, and in the community by setting records across all sports.
The prestigious John Friend Leadership Award went to senior Ashley Bravo (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young) of the softball team. This award, which is named after Director of Athletics Emeritus, John.Friend, recognizes the most distinguished student-athlete within the athletic department who embodies academic success, leadership, community service, humility and strong moral values.
The Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards were presented to junior Jessica DeBoer (Dyer, Ind./Illiana Christian) (Softball) and for the second-straight year Harrison Hooper(Noosa, Queensland, Australia/Saint Andrew's Anglican College) (Men's Soccer).
Softball's Selena Michko (Dyer, Ind./Lake Central) was named the Female Athlete of the Year for the second-straight year, while senior men's golfer Alex Bishop (Litchfield, Ill./Litchfield) was selected Male Athlete of the Year.
2022-23 PURDUE NORTHWEST STUDENT-ATHLETE AWARDS
JOHN FRIEND LEADERSHIP AWARD
Ashley Bravo (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young), Senior, Softball
FEMALE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Jessica DeBoer (Dyer, Ind./Illiana Christian), Junior, Softball
MALE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Harrison Hooper (Noosa, Queensland, Australia/Saint Andrew's Anglican College), Senior, Men's Soccer
FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Selena Michko (Dyer, Ind./Lake Central), Senior, Softball
MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Alex Bishop (Litchfield, Ill./Litchfield), Senior, Men's Golf
FEMALE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Arra Cottrell, Freshman, Volleyball
MALE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Cooper Olson, Freshman, ACHA DI Hockey
FEMALE MOST-IMPROVED ATHLETE
Mercedes Simmons (Crystal Falls, Mich./Forest Park), Junior, Women's Basketball
MALE MOST-IMPROVED ATHLETE
Jacob Toland, Sophomore, ACHA DI Hockey
MOST IMPROVED TEAM
ACHA DI Hockey
MOST SPIRITED TEAM
ACHA DI Hockey
CHANCELLOR'S CUP TEAM GPA AWARD
Women's Tennis
FEMALE PRIDE-HUSTLE-DESIRE AWARD
Kennedy Jackson (Carson, Calif./Redondo Union), Senior, Women's Basketball
MALE PRIDE-HUSTLE-DESIRE AWARD
Lucas Bass (Maple Park, Ill./Kaneland), Freshman, Men's Track & Field
FEMALE SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Elexah Roepke (Versailles, Ind./South Ripley), Senior, Women's Basketball
MALE SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Joan Giner (Tenerife, Spain/IES Mayor Bernabé Rodríguez), Senior, Men's Basketball
FEMALE BEST BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Christina Shaginaw (Hobart, Ind./Hobart HS), Senior, Women's Cross Country and Track & Field
MALE BEST BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
JC Ramirez (Odessa, Texas/Odessa), Junior, Men's Track & Field
