Gainesville, FL

Last night, Santa Fe Athletics held their annual Players Choice Awards presented at Hotel Indigo in Gainesville. The celebrations and end of year awards highlighted the accomplishments of student athletes and staff over the course of the past year and honored the legacies of all those who have come before them. 

The evening began with an opening address from Kailyn Howard, the Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) president and continued with a warm welcome from Athletic Director Chanda Stebbins and Vice President of Student Affairs, Dr. Naima Brown. 

Then, SAAC committee members were honored and received plaques for their dedication serving as the voices of their fellow student athletes. To kick off the Sic' Em Saints Awards, national anthem singers Kinley Murray, Gracelyn Hill, and Ellie Hill were recognized, and the Sic' Em Saints Intern of the Year Award went to Lance Williams, who's been with the Saints while studying at the University of Florida since the fall of 2024. These four individuals all contribute to the voice of the Saints, and we're so grateful for their help.

Santa Fe Athletics would also like to extend a special thank you to our sponsors and community partners, over the past year we've been able to collaborate with Circles from Trinity United Methodist, elementary schools like Stephen Foster and Chiles Elementary, and Eastside High School's Junior Achievement Program. Zaxby's also helped sponsor an 80 student field trip for Boulware Springs Charter School. Other connections included Countryside Christian School, Westside Christian School, Littlewood Elementary, and Bradford Middle School softball. 

Moving on, Stebbins took a moment to recognize the incredible academic success of Saints student athletes, with 86 individuals earning over a 3.0 GPA, 65 earning a 3.3 GPA or higher (60% of all student athletes), and 45 athletes with a 3.6 GPA or over, 19 of them bringing in a perfect 4.0. Many of these student athletes have also earned UF Ortho Tuesday Teammate of the Week selections. 

In addition, athletic success included First Team All-Citrus Conference recognitions for Zion McRae (women's basketball) and Tre Dubois (men's basketball) and Second Team All-Citrus Conference distinctions for Aniyah Anderson and Lorianys Castañon Cruz (women's basketball) and Moses Horne (men's basketball). Matthew Pagan (baseball) also earned FSCAA D1 pitcher of the week back in February for his 5.0 inning no-hit performance.

Campus USA generously provided the graduation stoles for 45 sophomore graduates, who, altogether hold many accolades and college commitments worth celebrating. But the next round of awards: Saints Awards, highlighted a few individuals (athletes and staff) who've made significant impacts in their time at Santa Fe College. 

The Make A Difference Awards highlighted two staff members whose contributions go above and beyond within the department. The first Make A Difference Award went to Women's Basketball Head Coach David Lowery, who's constantly helping others and lending a helping hand, but still humble enough to ask for help when needed. He's been a fantastic contribution to the department, and an excellent colleague. The second award went to Tyler Hagin, the Fitness Center Manager, who gives back tirelessly, even when no one's looking. His work ethic and the difference he makes day in and day out does not go unnoticed.

In honoring the legacies of those who paved the way at Santa Fe, Stebbins took a moment to touch on the lasting impact of sponsors like Dr. Melvin Franklin Dolwick and his wife Brenda, whose contributions have led to the renaming of the women's basketball locker room as the Brenda Wernz Dolwick Locker Room. In addition, the presence of Clarence and Isabella Ayers and the Ayers family on Santa Fe sports have allowed for the endowment of both a men's and women's basketball scholarship. Lastly, Harry Tholen and his late wife Susan Tholen have served as pillars of the Santa Fe Athletics community, with Susan helping tutor Coach Tholen's athletes over the years. In her honor, Harry and his son Jeff have decided to recognize a baseball player who is committed to both athletic and academic pursuits, with the creation of the Susan Tholen Academic Achievement Award. This year's winner was James Leach, who will be attending the University of Florida next fall and serving as a manager for their baseball team.

To finish off the Saints Awards, SAAC Vice President Taylor Hackett, Secretary Gavin Jones, and Hospitality Chair Rylie Blankenship came to the podium to present three awards to their fellow student athletes. The first award of this category was the Shanice Clark Sunshine Award. Clark was a student athlete at Santa Fe from 2012-14, but tragically lost her life during her time at UC Penn shortly thereafter. On the 10th anniversary of her death, former teammates and coaches came together to create a scholarship and an award in her memory. This year's winner was Alex Pierre Louis, as his enthusiasm and friendliness brightens the day of every person he comes in contact with, just like Shanice did. Secondly, the Perseverance Award went to Joseph Calise, for his unwavering dedication and persistence to battle back from injuries. He is admired by coaches and teammates alike. And ultimately, the Most Valuable Person Award went to the student athlete best described as an unselfish, hardworking team player through both good times and bad, always putting the team first. Softball player Sydney English is truly the embodiment of an MVP, and she took the title home with her.

The next segment of the night included Dr. Portia Taylor Academic Awards, given to one recipient for each of the five Santa Fe athletic teams. Dr. Portia Taylor was the former Vice President of Student Affairs at Santa Fe College and made constant efforts to allow students opportunities to invest more in their academics through the allocation of resources. This year's awards were presented by Dr. Portia Taylor herself, to student-athletes who have succeeded not only on the court, but in the classroom as well. From softball, Belle Mancillas, volleyball, Kailyn Howard, women's basketball, Claudia Ordonez Cabello, baseball, Stephen Joyce, and men's basketball, Kendall Lawrence.

To conclude the evening, Betty Lou Drost and her two sons: Mr. William Drost and Dr. Daniel Drost came forward to present the Kenny Drost Leadership Awards, for the male and female student athlete leaders of the year in honor of Kenny's legacy. 

The Kenny Drost Female Leader of the Year Award went to Kailyn Howard for her leadership built on integrity and honesty. In addition to playing volleyball, she serves on the A&S Fees Committee, sits on the Florida College System committee, and serves as SAAC president. 

The Kenny Drost Male Leader of the Year Award went to Ryan Chase. His steady, strong leadership on the baseball team and beyond have helped him guide the team all season. He's committed to play baseball at the University of Kansas, and there are no doubts he'll continue to shine.

It's been a great season, but it wouldn't have been possible without our sponsors and everyone else who made this past year a success. A special thanks goes out to UF Health, Campus USA, Zaxbys, and IQ Fiber for their continued support.