Awards banquet showcases best of MCC sports

Aaron Webster

The star’s of Mesa Community College shined at the annual Athletic Awards Banquet.
Over 300 student-athletes attended the ceremony at the Fiesta Fountains in Mesa.
Athletic Director John Mulhern, lead the introduction of the teams and players.
The first award was given by Scott Russell, professor in the anthropology department, who is one of MCC’s top fans. Russell awarded both the top male and female athlete who had the highest grade point average throughout the whole school year.
This year’s Dr. Russell Top Male/Female GPA Scholars were Michael Wesolowski, third baseman on the baseball team and Erin Gale, outside hitter for the ladies volleyball team.
The ladies golf team was awarded with the team who carried the highest GPA with a GPA of 3.44.
The men’s and ladies soccer team was awarded the MCC Thunderbirds Pinnacle Community Service Team for their participation in campus events, special olympics, and volunteering at local elementary schools.
Ladies basketball coach, Kori Stephenson, was awarded the Mesa Thunderbirds Coach of the Year.  
In her six seasons at the helm, Coach Stephenson has led the ladies to the playoffs every year and to a fifth place finish in  this year’s national tournament.
The Top Overall Female Athlete of the Year was awarded to ladies basketball’s Alli Gloyd.
Gloyd was not only the top female athlete at MCC but was one the top female athletes in the nation.  
Gloyd led the lady T-Birds to a fifth place finish is this year’s national tournament. She was an All-Tournament selection at NJCAA’s, she was the Player of the Year in the ACCAC and was a 1st Team All-American.
The Top Overall Male Athlete of the Year was awarded to track and field star Pau Tonnesen.
Just a freshman, Tonnesen exceeded any kind of expectation when he arrived at MCCTonnesen won gold in the heptathlon at NJCAA Indoor Nationals. Tonnesen has turned heads not only throughout the region but in the country and will be something special next season.
Nikki Buck and Rachael Tozier were awarded team MOP for the ladies basketball team.
Asaad Woods and Travis were awarded team MOP for the men’s basketball team. Zach Nothwehr and Michael Wesolowski were chosen as baseball MOP’s.
Ricardo-Lopez Cruz was chosen as the team MOP for the men’s soccer team and Alexandra Budge was the ladies soccer team MOP.
Football awarded their MOP to 35 year-old linebacker Lincoln Proctor and defensive back Tyrell Pearson.
Jessica Schmitt was awarded MOP of the ladies track team, Tonnesen for the men’s.
Kyle Ogren was MOP of the men’s tennis team while Briana Prothero and Jordyn Parry won co-MOP for ladies tennis.
Lexi Peru and Jessica Iniguez were selected as co-MOP’s of the volleyball team.
Theresa Camille Lopez was awarded MOP of the softball team and Carlos Roa was awarded team MOP for the men’s cross country and Taylor Stewart was awarded team MOP for the ladies cross country.
Kyle Mahoney and Conrad Isley were named co-MOP for men’s golf.
 Ashlynn Hall and Jamie Jaruvangsanti as co-MOP for ladies golf.
Coach Tony Cirelli was honored for winning his 600th game as skipper of the baseball team.
 Doug Rose was honored for winning his 500th game as an assistant to coach Cirelli.
Special thanks goes out to Sports Information and Marketing Director Todd Bolsar for his tireless work that he put into this awards banquet and for all he does for putting MCC sports on the national radar.

  • Mesa Legend Staff

    These are archived stories from Mesa Legend editions before Fall 2018. See article for corresponding author.

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