ATHENS, Ga. — Kyle Garland of men’s track and field was named the Vince Dooley Athlete of the Year, while Kacie Evans of volleyball was named the Liz Murphey Athlete of the Year at the Dawgs Choice Awards Ceremony hosted by the University of Georgia Athletic Association on Monday night.
The Dawgs Choice Awards, supported by The Georgia Way, is put together annually by the UGA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (S.A.A.C.).
Other top award recipients include women’s track and field team member Aleesa DeCastro who was presented with the Marilyn Vincent Scholar-Athlete Award as the graduating female senior with the highest GPA; and men’s track and field team member Nicolas Fontova, who earned the Dick Bestwick Scholar-Athlete Award as the male senior with the highest GPA.
The 2023 Georgia recipients for the H. Boyd McWhorter Post-Graduate Scholarship were football player Jack Podlesny and women’s swimmer Callie Dickinson. Men’s track and field team member Matthew Boling and volleyball player Sage Naves Powell were presented with the Brad Davis SEC Community Service Post-Graduate Scholarships.
Women’s golfer Caterina Don and men’s track and field team member Nicolas Fontova were presented with the Joel Eaves award for being the male and female student-athletes with the highest grade point average upon entering the fall semester of his or her senior year, based on academic hour rather than eligibility.
The Dick Copas Leadership award was presented to Bradley Dunham of men’s swimming and diving, while the Clifford Lewis Leadership award was given to Meg Kowalski of women’s tennis.
Other award winners include:
- Faculty Athletics Representative Award: Men’s Cross Country (3.37 GPA) and Women’s Cross Country (3.64 GPA)
- Hornsby Howell Community Service Award: TJ Pittenger, men’s swimming and diving
- Sportsmanship Ethics: Johannes Erm (men’s track and field) and Guillermina Grant (women’s tennis)
- Inspiration: Devin Willock, football
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion- Titiana Marsh (women’s track and field) and Fernando Gonzalez (baseball)
- Bulldog Cup: Women’s Tennis
