April 30, 2024

Asbury Highlights Day One of 2024 Eagle Awards Winners

WILMORE, Ky.---  Asbury University Athletics recently celebrated the 2023-24 academic year with the 2024 Asbury Eagle Awards, hosted on April 24 in the CLC Luce Auditorium. Asbury student-athletes, coaches, staff, and faculty joined to fellowship and commemorate the season while 23 awards were distributed to award-winners. 

The Asbury Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), led an amazing effort of producing the event as one of their key projects during the 2023-24 year. 16 TeamAU intercollegiate athletic programs and cheerleading were highlighted during the evening, recognizing the investment of student-athletes, coaches, and staff throughout their seasons to pursue the mission of Asbury Athletics to serve, train, and compete for His glory through college athletics. 

Awards will be released on asburyeagles.com and @asburyeagles social media platforms (Instagram, X, Facebook) throughout the week.

Congratulations to day one 2024 Eagle Awards Winners! Asbury Athletics is proud of your actions in the classroom and field of competition that has led to this honor. Day two of award winners will be announced Thursday, May 2 to complete the 2024 Eagle Awards.

View photos below from the 2024 Eagle Awards

2024 Eagle Awards Day One Winners

Male Athlete of the Year

Matthew Johnson / Baseball / Gr. / MBA

Stats/Details - The 2024 campaign is Johnson's fifth season playing on the Asbury baseball team and leads the team hitting with a . 408 AVG. He also leads the team in hits with 49 and has an OPS of .971. Johnson has 28 RBIs and is second on the team for stolen bases and RBIs. He is 11-11 for stolen bases and was named the Lexington Clinic Player of the Week. Johnson has also recorded eight doubles and 16 double-digit hit games on the year and has helped lead the team to a spot in the NCCAA Mideast Regional Tournament, finishing the regular season 20-15.

Female Athlete of the Year

Trinity Shearer / Women's Basketball / Sr. / Elementary Education

Stats/Details - Trinity helped lead Asbury women’s hoops to Nationals for the third straight year, recording 285 points and joining the 1,000-point club in her final year at Asbury. In the 23-24 season, she set the Asbury record for most steals in a season, finishing the season with 90, and overall steals at 274. Trinity was number one in the NCCAA, averaging 4.1 steals per game in 2023-24. She also collected 73 assists and 98 rebounds this season. Trinity is a two-time NCCAA All-American and an NCCAA First Team All-Mideast Region. She is an NCCAA and Asbury Scholar-Athlete and was recently a finalist for the NCCAA Kathy Freese-Peabody Award. She finishes her career with 74 wins, 74% of Coach Mayes’ first 100 wins at AU.” 

Female Newcomer of the Year

Bailey Gassmann / Women's Cross Country / Fr. / Social Work and Adventure Leadership

Stats/Details - Bailey finished as the NCCAA National Runner-up and an All-American for Cross Country. She recorded fifth place finishes in the mile and 3000 meters at the NCCAA indoor Championships, and set School records in the 4k, 1000 meters, the mile, and the 3000 meters.

Male Newcomer of the Year

Ben Moore / Men's Tennis / Fr. / Accounting

Stats/Details - Ben carried a 15-6 singles record and a 14-7 doubles record on the year, playing primarily in the top three positions. He has been a steady and consistent player for AU in their most important matches, aiding them to 11 wins. Ben brings a fire to the team that has helped the Asbury tennis program achieve great success this year.

Men's Scholar Team of the Year - Asbury women's team with the highest combined GPA

Women's Cross Country

Asbury men's cross country took the overall team men's GPA award for the fourth straight, combining for a 3.52 team GPA in the 2023 fall semester.

“Every runner I’ve recruited to Asbury was told their top priority needs to be academics”, said Asbury cross country head coach Randy Crist. “We emphasize athletic success and spiritual development as well, but if they don’t take care of things in the classroom they have really missed what they’re here for. I want them to pursue a career they feel called into and that requires taking their academics seriously.”

Women's Scholar Team of the Year - Asbury women's team with the highest combined GPA

Women's Cross Country

Asbury women's cross country put together a 3.71 overall team GPA, taking the highest TeamAU program GPA award for the third consecutive season.

“Every runner I’ve recruited to Asbury was told their top priority needs to be academics”, said Asbury cross country head coach Randy Crist. “We emphasize athletic success and spiritual development as well, but if they don’t take care of things in the classroom they have really missed what they’re here for. I want them to pursue a career they feel called into and that requires taking their academics seriously.”

Female Comeback Player of the Year

Celia Pelfrey / Women's Basketball / Sr. / Business Administration

Stats/Details - Coming off an ACL injury in her previous season, Celia came back this season as a key leader on the women's basketball team, helping the women make the national stage for the third year in a row. Celia played in 29 games, averaging 6.5 points per game and totaling 32 steals on the year.

Male Comeback Player of the Year

Jackson Cole  / Baseball / Sr. / Graduate Student in Learning and Behavior

Stats/Details - Jackson tore a ligament in his thumb early in the 2023 season, which kept him out the rest of the year. As a two-year captain of the baseball team and AU’s ace pitcher, Jackson leads the team with four wins, 39 strikeouts, 56.0 innings pitched, and holds the Asbury saves record.

Female Cecil C. Zweifel Award - Initiated in 1996, this award honors Cecil C. Zweifel who developed the major in health, physical education and recreation; was the catalyst for the initiation of the athletic program; holds the record for wins in collegiate soccer in the state of Kentucky; was primarily responsible for the raising of the funds for the Luce Center; and inspired all of us with his witness for Christ. This award is presented annually to student-athletes with a minimum GPA of 3.00 who have made significant contributions to their team.

Haleigh Releford / Women's Basketball / Jr. / Multi-Media Journalism Major

Stats/Details - Haleigh holds a 3.73 GPA and collected 326 points this year, averaging 13 points per game while tallying 134 rebounds in the 2023-2024 season. She is active in her local church, and volunteers with operations Christmas Child. Haleigh led Asbury women's basketball in scoring and rebounding and has become one of the most effective and versatile players on the court.

Men's Cecil C. Zweifel Award - Initiated in 1996, this award honors Cecil C. Zweifel who developed the major in health, physical education and recreation; was the catalyst for the initiation of the athletic program; holds the record for wins in collegiate soccer in the state of Kentucky; was primarily responsible for the raising of the funds for the Luce Center; and inspired all of us with his witness for Christ. This award is presented annually to student-athletes with a minimum GPA of 3.00 who have made significant contributions to their team.

Oliver Gunthorpe / Men's Soccer / Jr. / Accounting

Stats/Details - Ollie started in all 19 games for AU men’s soccer in the 2024 season. He was a key player for Asbury’s defense, helping in holding opponents to 1.16 goals allowed per game. Ollie holds a 3.96 GPA and serves as a worship leader in chapel and at his church, and is an outstanding leader for his team, on and off the field.

Women's Team of the Year

Asbury Women's Tennis

In a history season for Asbury women's tennis, the Eagles had a near-perfect year, finishing the season 14-1. The ladies went on one of the longest winnings streaks in AU history, with 14 straight matches won. AU collected five complete shutouts on the year and took down major opponents like Berry, Midway, Lagrange, and the previous Collegiate Conference of the South Champions, Covenant College during their 2024 season.

Men's Team of the Year

Asbury Men's Soccer

Asbury men's soccer finished this year 11-5-4, their highest winning percentage season since 1980. The men also made their first national appearance for the NCCAA since 2006. The Eagles averaged 2.05 goals per game and held their opponents to only 1.16 goals allowed per game while reaching a total of 39 goals on the year.