Male Athlete of the Year

WALKER PARIS (BASEBALL)

· Junior

· Stats/Details:

*Most hits in a single season in AU history (81)

*Most RBI in single season in AU history (82)

*Highest batting average in single season in program history (.448)

· Walker Paris’ 2021 season was nothing short of incredible. Paris set a new AU program record with the most RBI in a season (82), held the highest single-season batting average in Asbury history (.448), and the most hits in a single-season (81).

· For a good portion of the year, Paris led the NAIA in RBI and RBI per game. Additionally, he was one of just two players in the NAIA to finish in the top 10 in RBI and batting average.

· Walker was also a four-time River States Conference Player of the Week.

Female Athlete of the Year

BETHANY HAMILTON (CROSS COUNTRY & TRACK)

· Senior

· Stats/Details: River States Conference Individual Champion

· River State Conference Runner-of-the-Year

· Three times RSC Runner-of-the-Week

· First place Eagle Opener - home course record

· First place IU East Run with the Wolves

· Nominated three times for NAIA National Runner-of-the-Week

· Qualified for NAIA National Championship Meet in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

AU School Record for 3000 meters (track)

· RSC First Team All-Conference in Track & Field (5000 meters)

Outstanding Senior Athlete Award 

COLTON BACK (BASEBALL)

· Major: Master’s in Business Administration

· Cumulative GPA: 3.3 undergrad / 3.9 grad

· Stats/Details:

Colton was a 5th year senior this past season, he took advantage of the extra season granted to those that lost their senior year to the pandemic. Colton has been a 3x captain on the baseball team at Asbury. He has also been able to be one of the leaders of our team Bible Study that usually meets weekly. On the field, he has been able to help his team reach the conference tournament twice and individually made an all-conference team 3x. In 2021 he received a gold glove award for left field in the conference.

Colton had a GPA of about 3.3 in undergrad and is holding a 3.9 GPA in the MBA program at Asbury currently. He was a sports management major in undergrad and is involved in the nonprofit MBA program now.

Outstanding Senior Athlete Award 

HANNAH SPRINGER (SWIMMING)

Major: Christian Ministries

Cumulative GPA: 3.71

Swimming Stats:

8-Time NAIA All-American

4-Time NAIA National Championship Qualifier

School Record Holder in 5 Events

7-Time AAC Conference Champion

Holds the AAC Meet Record in the 200 Breaststroke

2-Time Asbury Swimming Team Captain

NAIA Scholar-Athlete

Founded Asbury's Biblical Gender Equality Club to provide a space of having discussions of women & men in ministry. This club hosted several events, including panels with Student Development personnel & AU professors.

Male Newcomer of the Year 

GREGORIO INGLES GARRE (TENNIS)

· Sophomore

· Finished as RSC Newcomer of the Year and RSC All-Conference 1st Team.

· Overall singles record of 7-2, with one loss coming to nationally ranked opponent.

· Overall doubles record of 10-1 with lone loss occurring at nationals.

· Once named RSC Player of the Week.

Female Newcomer of the Year 

AMBER SCHULTE (SWIMMING: FRESHMAN)

· Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Co-Swimmer of the Year

· 4-Time AAC Champion

· Broke 1 AAC Meet Record

· Broke 2 Asbury School Records

· Finished the season ranked 1st in the 500 Freestyle in the NAIA

· Member of Women's AAC Championship Team

· Received NAIA All-American Honors

Comeback Player of the Year - Bethany Hamilton 

After the fall of her junior year she accepted the fact that her athletic career was over and prayed that God would show her a new direction. Last summer I reached out to her to see if she wanted to be a part of the team her senior year, possibly as a team chaplain who would travel with us and could jog warmups and such. She began to jog and was pain free, so she started running more and more. After being unable to train or compete since her freshman year, Bethany retuned as a senior to be our number one runner, River States Conference champion and RSC Runner-of-the-Year, qualified for the NAIA National Championship meet, and finished off the school year by being named First Team All-Conference in Track and Field.