Brunaugh, Pence Highlight Athletics Winners at Honors Night

CARLINVILLE, IL -- Blackburn College honored the campus community who excelled around campus on their annual Honors Night prior to the end of the semester and Athletics saw several take home awards. 

The night was highlighted with the B-Man and B-Woman Awards, awards that go to the senior male and female student-athletes that best exemplify the meaning of a Blackburn College Student-Athlete.  Items considered for candidacy include contribution to the athletic department at Blackburn, all-conference performance, academic performance, all around campus citizenship. This year, the awards went to C.J. Brunaugh and Cara Pence. 

Brunaugh was a member of the baseball team and had a breakout season during his senior campaign. He finished with career highs in batting average, hits, doubles, walks, runs batted in, and home runs. He has also served on search committees for various openings on campus as well as volunteered in multiple situations throughout the year. 

Pence was on the volleyball team and highlighted her senior year by earning a St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Third Team All-Conference selection. She led the team with 307 kills while averaging 3.05 kills per set. She also tallied a .161 hitting percentage. She added 282 digs, 15 blocks and with 35 aces. Pence also could be seen volunteering around the community. 

The Drew Thurston Award was presented to Men's Basketball's Darius Duff. Presented to the junior male student-athlete who has exemplified outstanding qualities of citizenship and scholarship, and who has earned an athletic letter award, Duff scored 11.2 points per game this past season while earning SLIAC All-Academic honors in addition to his work around campus. The junior also earned the Wray Business Administration Prizes Award, the Department Assistant/Crew Head Award for his work in the work program and also posted the highest grade point average on the men's basketball team. 

Three-sport athlete Zoe Mitchell was given the Marion Carlson Award, presented to the junior female student-athlete who has exemplified outstanding qualities of citizenship, scholarship, sportsmanship and athletic ability. Mitchell was a starter for the volleyball, women's basketball, and softball teams and helped the volleyball team reach their third-straight SLIAC Tournament and the softball team reach the SLIAC Tournament Semifinals. 

Director of Athletics Kim Camara Harvey was given a Work Program Faculty/Staff Award for her work in supporting the Work Program at Blackburn. Junior Caleb Schaab from men's basketball also was recognized for excellence in leadership in the work program after serving as the Athletics Manager all year. Keeleigh Pilcher from women's golf also received the award in Student Life. 

Sophomore Seth Macke was on the men's basketball team and won the C.H.C. Anderson Work Prizes. This is given in honor of Mr. C.H.C. Anderson, an 1899 graduate, and recognizes students with the best work records for the year. 

Five more were given Department Work Awards which are awarded to the outstanding worker in each department. Selections are made by the Department Managers in consultation with the Department Advisors. The athletes who earned Department Work Awards were:

Senior Jessie Cirrincione, women's golf -  Campus Services

Juinor Allison Woolard, women's golf - Student Life

Sophomore Luke Ellinger, baseball - Campus Maintenance

Freshman Mailee Schoen, women's soccer and softball - Campus Community and Security

Freshman Michael Olson, men's basketball - Community Service

Ridge Funkhouser is the voice for Blackburn Athletics and received the award for Athletics. 

In addition to Duff, junior Landon Tribble, men's soccer and men's track & field, also received the Department Assistant/Crewhead Award, awarded to the management personnel who have contributed significantly to the operation of their respective departments.

Senior RJ Arredondo was named the Volunteer Services Award, presented to the student worker who demonstrates integral and exemplary volunteer work throughout the Work Program.  This work is performed for the good of Blackburn College and aids the College in areas of need.

Athletics Achievement Awards were presented to the student athletes in each sport who are at least a Sophomore standing, with the highest G.P.A. This year's recipients were:

Marco Nova -  Men's Cross Country

Gracie Jent - Women's Cross Country

Sam Burrows - Men's Soccer and men's track 

Jessica Muckenstrum - Women's Volleyball

Rylee Lovelace - Women's Golf

Kara Mantia - Athletic Academic Achievement: Women's Soccer

Darius Duff -  Athletic Academic Achievement: Men's Basketball, 

Miley Kwiatkowski - Women's Basketball

CJ Brunaugh - Baseball

Olivia Leemon - Women's Track

Shelby Koenig - Softball

Bryce Wrightsman - Men's Golf

Several more student-athletes were recognized for work done in the classroom or around campus. 

Senior Julianna Tabian, softball -  Slavish Work Prize

Freshman Jessie Wright, volleyball and softball - The Wray Business Administration Prizes Award (Sophomore Award)

Freshman Grant Eugea, men's soccer - Beginning Scholar Award: Justice Administration

Sophomore Christian Miller, men's soccer and men's track - Beginning Scholar Award: Art

Freshman Michael Olson - BS Award: Education 

Sophomore Sam Burrows -  BS Award: Sport Management

Senior Olivia Leemon, women's track - Louise Allen: Poetry - Honorable Mention, Louise Allen: NonFiction - 1st Place, Drama Honorable Mention

Sophomore Rylee Lovelace, women's golf - Scott Hawley Award

Senior Keeleigh Pilcher, women's golf - Student Government Award