WSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Hosts Cougar Sports Awards
PULLMAN, Wash. (April 29, 2022) -- After a three-year hiatus, the WSU Athletics Cougar Sports Awards returned to an in-person format at the CUB Senior Ballroom Wednesday night. The event, hosted by the WSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), celebrates and honors student-athletes and staff for their athletic, academic, and personal accomplishments through the 2021-22 academic year.
"It was great to be back in person to celebrate the accomplishments of our student-athletes and athletic department," said WSU SAAC President Michaela Jones. "Congratulations to everyone honored and a huge thank you to SAAC for all their efforts in organizing the event. It takes a village to make these things possible and we are so grateful for another successful CSAs."
Colton Johnsen (Men's Track & Field) and Chloe Larson (Swimming) were honored as Athletes of the Year for their outstanding accomplishments in their sports. Johnsen earned NCAA Indoor Second Team All-American honors in the 3,000m and the mile at the 2022 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. He became the first WSU track and field student-athlete to earn four indoor All-American honors in their Cougar career since Bernard Lagat (1998 & 1999).
Larson finished her WSU swimming career with four school records (50 free, 100 free, 200 free relay, 400 free relay) with 20 career individual wins. She became the first Cougar to earn back-to-back trips to the NCAA Swimming Championships since Michaela Ahlin in 2009-10, and her 2021 Pac-12 Conference Championship win in the 50 free was the first individual title in program history.
Team of the Year honors were awarded to Women's Basketball, which reached the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. This marked the first time the Cougars participated in March Madness in back-to-back seasons in program history. The team had its highest finish ever in the Pac-12, and most wins in a season in the NCAA era (post-1982).
Women's Basketball was also honored as the Glenn Krac Academic Team of the Year, while Travion Brown (Football) and Magda Jehlarova (Volleyball) earned Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors.
"It was a joy to honor and celebrate our WSU student-athletes and staff for their accomplishments," Jones continued. "We are so grateful to be back in person this year to recognize the many athletic and academic achievements in our department."
2021-22 WSU COUGAR SPORTS AWARDS
Athlete of the Year: Colton Johnsen (Men's Track & Field) and Chloe Larson (Swimming)
Team of the Year: Women's Basketball
Coug of the Year: Keiana Fountaine (Swimming) and Brennan Jackson (Football)
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Travion Brown (Football) and Magda Jehlarova (Volleyball)
Glenn Krac Academic Team of the Year: Women's Basketball
Freshman Athlete of the Year: Nadia Cooper (Soccer) and Mouhamed Gueye (Men's Basketball)
Transfer Athlete of the Year: Michael Flowers (Men's Basketball) and Grace Trujillo (Rowing)
Breakout Performer of the Year: Bella Murekatete (Women's Basketball) and Max Sekulic (Men's Golf)
Moment of the Year: Men's Basketball - Will Burghardt's 3 pointer vs. Oregon
Staff Appreciation Award: Creative Team (Graphic Design, Social, Video) & Jenny Kraska (Postdoctoral Psychology Fellow)
Team Civic Engagement Award: Baseball
Student-Athlete Civic Engagement Award: Meg Montgomery (Rowing) and Anna Rodgers (Women's Track & Field)
Cougar Pursuit Award: Football
Power of IX Award: Krystal Leger-Walker
Power Award: Kelis Barton (Soccer), Dallas Hobbs (Football), and Janelle Nguyen (Student-Athlete Development Coordinator)
SAAC Appreciation Award: Kate Maistrenko (Rowing)
WSU TEAM MVP AWARDS
- Baseball: Kyle Manzardo
- Men's Basketball: Michael Flowers
- Women's Basketball: Charlisse Leger-Walker
- Cheer: Chris Cisneros & Selaina Sayan
- Dance: Kortney Turner
- Football: Abraham Lucas
- Men's Golf: Max Sekulic
- Women's Golf: Darcy Habgood
- Rowing: Emma Barrett
- Soccer: Grayson Lynch
- Swimming: Chloe Larson
- Tennis: Michaela Bayerlova
- Men's Track & Field/Cross Country: Sam Brixey
- Women's Track & Field/Cross Country: Micaela De Mello
- Volleyball: Pia Timmer