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NORFOLK, Va. – Senior volleyball player Charlotte Armstead (Williamsburg, Va.) and junior track athlete James Taylor (Suffolk, Va.) were named Norfolk State University Female and Male Athletes of the Year, respectively, at the school's athletic awards ceremony on Monday night.
Armstead earned All-MEAC second team honors and helped the NSU volleyball team win its first MEAC Tournament match in 13 years. The Spartans recorded their best-ever conference record (9-3) and conference regular-season finish (second place, MEAC North) since joining the MEAC in 1998. Armstead set the single-season school record for most kills (398) this past fall and ranked 10th in the MEAC in both kills (3.11 per set) and total points (3.43 per set). She departs NSU as the program's all-time leader in sets played, kills, total attacks, total blocks and block assists.
Taylor helped the Spartan men's track team win its MEAC-record eighth straight conference indoor title in February by taking titles in the 60 meters, 200 meters and the 4x400 relay. He capped his indoor season by advancing to the NCAA indoor nationals for the first time in his career, earning second-team All-America honors in the 200 meters. Taylor did not lose an individual race in the 60, 200 or 400m distances during indoor season, and has finished lower than first just once during outdoor season. He is currently ranked in the NCAA East Region top 20 rankings in both the 200 and 400 meters.
Also on Monday, senior bowler Jessica Overton (Mechanicsville, Va.) and senior football player Everett Goldberg (Mesa Ridge, Colo.) were named the department's Female and Male Scholar Athletes of the Year for having the highest grade-point averages among their respective genders. Overton, who has a 3.92 GPA and majors in elementary education, has now won the award for the past three years. Goldberg, the All-MEAC second team kicker, has a 3.84 GPA and is majoring in health fitness instruction.
Below is a listing of the other community and team award winners recognized Monday:
Community/Alumni Awards
Rosa Alexander Scholarship (athlete with min. GPA: 3.0): Chase Kyriacou, baseball
James Douglas Gill Scholarship (athlete with min. GPA: 2.5): Carrie Hickey, bowling
Optima Family Care Women's Basketball Defensive Player Award: Rachel Gordon, women's basketball
Samuel F. Coppage Award (football, top OL): Michael Kay
Walter M. Kindred Award (football, top DL): Cameron Jude
Vince Lombardi Award (football; leadership, character, academics, and ability): Terrence Pugh
Joseph G. Echols Award (baseball player, for academics and achievement): Chris Horne
Barbara B. Wright Award (outstanding women's track athlete): Brittney McCants
Jimmy Johnson (outstanding men's track athlete): Kenneth Smith
Marvin Prince Track Awards (outstanding track athletes): Damtew Adnew, Tiara Davis
Individual Sports Team Awards
Men's Cross Country
Rookie of the Year: Desmond Fogg
Most Improved: Damtew Adnew
MVP: Vincent Rono
Men's Track and Field
Co-Rookies of the Year: Jamarian Bates/Damian Smith
Most Improved: Nathnael Meseret
MVP: James Taylor
Women's Cross Country
Rookie of the Year: Rachel Webb
Most Improved: Kassandra Irizarry
Women's Track and Field
Rookie of the Years: Kiara Howell/Rachel Webb
Most Improved: Torie Cunningham
MVP: Champagne Bell
Football
Special Teams MVP: Everett Goldberg
Defensive MVP: Jamal Giddens
Offensive MVP: Joseph Hawkins
Women's Volleyball
Rookie of the Year: Darcy Moore
Most Improved: Jasmin Flowers
MVP: Charlotte Armstead
Men's Basketball
Rookie of the Year: Rashid Gaston
Most Improved: Brandon Goode
MVP: Pendarvis Williams
Women's Basketball
Coaches Award: Jazamine Gray
Most Improved: Rachel Gordon
MVP: Recca Trice
Women's Bowling
Coaches Award: Carrie Hickey
Most Improved: Kelsea Yarbrough
MVP: Thea Aspiras
Men's Tennis
Rookie of the Year: Robin Riethmueller
Most Improved: Daniel Grauel
MVP: Dzmitry Zyhmantovich
Women's Tennis
Rookie of the Year: Yvonne Kamegne
Most Improved: Mafalda Lhorca
MVP: Andrea Macchiavello
Baseball
To be announced at a later date
Softball
To be announced at a later date
