Big Red Student-Athletes Honored at the 2023 Fall Sports Awards
![First-year coach Rebecca Kikkert P`26 was presented with a signed game ball from the varsity team's first win this year]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1698342999/waylandorg/fa1ngnsyhrmpssnrqhuk/CoachKikkertP26_HeadVolleyballCoach_FirstTeamWinBall.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1698342999/waylandorg/fa1ngnsyhrmpssnrqhuk/CoachKikkertP26_HeadVolleyballCoach_FirstTeamWinBall.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1698342999/waylandorg/fa1ngnsyhrmpssnrqhuk/CoachKikkertP26_HeadVolleyballCoach_FirstTeamWinBall.jpg","width":800}])
The Wayland Academy community met in Kimberly Chapel, on Wednesday, October 25, for the Fall Sports Awards to honor Big Red student-athletes and coaches. Varsity letter winners, team awards, and four-year letter winners were recognized during the ceremony.
The major award winners and four-year varsity letter winners were as follows:
Tennis
- Most Improved: Jasleen Bhandal `25
- Champion of Character: Reagan Born `27
- Most Valuable: Lucia "Lu" McGuinness `24 and Dalia Alcalá Olalla `24
- Four-year Letter Award Winner: Lotus Buss `24
Soccer
- Most Improved: Matthew Nguyen `27
- Champion of Character: Deniz Ergun `24
- Most Valuable: Felix Meier `25
- Four-Year Letter Winner: Nathan Weirough `24
Volleyball
Varsity
- Most Improved: Ava Barudin `26
- Champion of Character: Maddie Clark `25
- Most Valuable: Dani Espinoza `24
- Four-Year Letter Winner: Dani Espinoza `24
- All-Conference Honorable Mention: Dani Espinoza `24 and Lila Nash `24
Junior Varsity
- Champion of Character: Kennedy Norris `26
Junior Varsity 2
- Champion of Character: Jaya James `25
Cross Country
Boys
- Most Improved: Mario Padilla `26 and Chan Jeong `27
- Champion of Character: Ethyn Tallman `24
- Most Valuable: Nelson Mitchell `25
- Four-Year Letter Winners: Wesley Ingraham `24 and Ethyn Tallman `24
Girls
- Most Improved: Lucia Gil Sevilla `26
- Champion of Character: Griyan Hughland `26
- Most Valuable: Maria Jose Acon `24
Rowing
Boys
- Most Improved: Fabian Calvo Guevara `26
- Champion of Character: Niki Zils `25
- Most Valuable: Luis Lechon Cabello `24
Girls
- Most Improved: Nini Chankseliani `24
- Champion of Character: Sude Avci `24
- Most Valuable: Ava Loppnow `24
Football
- Most Improved: Liam Cleary `26
- Champion of Character: Tyrique Jean Jacques `25
- Most Valuable—Special Teams: Victorious Ezah `24
- Most Valuable—Defense: Tavondre Bruns `26
- Most Valuable—Offense: Nicolas Arguello `25
Congratulations to all our fall sports athletes and coaches on an outstanding season. Go Big Red! #RTB 🔔
2023 Most Improved Player for Tennis, Jasleen Bhandal `25, with Coach Richards
2023 Champion of Character Award Winner for Tennis, Reagan Born `27, with Coach Richards
2023 Most Valuable Players for Tennis, Lucia McGuinness Rodriguez `24 and Dalia Alcala Olalla `a24, with Coach Richards
Four-Year Letter Winner for Tennis, Lotus Buss `24, with Coach Richards
2023 Most Improved Player for Soccer, Matthew Nguyen `27, with Coach Osvald
2023 Champion of Character Award Winner for Soccer, Deniz Ergun `24, with Coach Osvald
2023 Most Valuable Player for Soccer, Felix Meier `25, with Coach Osvald
Four-Year Letter Winner for Soccer, Nathan Weirough `24, with Coach Osvald
2023 Champion of Character Award Winner for Varsity Volleyball, Maddie Clark `25, with Coach Kikkert
2023 Most Valuable Player for Varsity Volleyball, Dani Espinoza `24, with Coach Kikkert
Four-Year Letter Winner for Volleyball, Dani Espinoza `24, with Coach Kikkert
2023 Trailways East All-Conference Honorable Mention Selections: Dani Espinoza `24 and Lila Nash `24
2023 Champion of Character Award Winner for JV Volleyball, Kennedy Norris `26, with Coach Kikkert
2023 Champion of Character Award Winner for JV2 Volleyball, Jaya James `25, with Coach Kikkert
2023 Most Improved Players for Boys Cross Country, Mario Padilla `26 and Chan Jeong `27, with Coach Cleary
2023 Champion of Character Award Winner for Boys Cross Country, Ethyn Tallman `24, with Coach Cleary
2023 Most Valuable Player for Boys Cross Country, Nelson Mitchell `25, with Coach Cleary
Four-Year Letter Winners for Boys Cross Country, Wesley Ingraham `24 and Ethyn Tallman `24, with Coach Cleary
2023 Most Improved Player for Girls Cross Country, Lucia Gil Sevilla `26, with Coach Cleary
2023 Champion of Character Award Winner for Girls Cross Country, Griyan Hughland `26, with Coach Cleary
2023 Most Valuable Player for Girls Cross Country, Maria Jose Acon `24, with Coach Cleary
2023 Most Improved Player for Boys Rowing, Fabian Calvo Guevara `26, with Coach Ahlborn
2023 Champion of Character Award Winner for Boys Rowing, Niki Zilz `25, with Coach Ahlborn
2023 Most Valuable Player for Boys Rowing, Luis Lechon Cabello `24, with Coach Ahlborn
2023 Most Improved Player for Girls Rowing, Nini Chankseliani `24, with Coach Ahlborn
2023 Champion of Character Award Winner for Girls Rowing, Sude Avci `24, with Coach Ahlborn
2023 Most Valuable Player for Girls Rowing, Ava Loppnow `24, with Coach Ahlborn
2023 Most Improved Player for Football, Liam Cleary `29, with Coach Schultz
2023 Champion of Character Award Winner for Football, Tyrique Jean Jacques `25, with Coach Schultz
2023 Special Teams Most Valuable Player for Football, Victorious Ezah `24, with Coach Schultz
2023 Defensive Most Valuable Player for Football, Tavondre Bruns `26, with Coach Schultz
2023 Offensive Most Valuable Player for Football, Nicolas Arguello `25, with Coach Schultz
First-year coach Rebecca Kikkert P`26 was presented with a signed game ball from the varsity team's first win this year.
The Wayland community, students, parents, faculty, and staff, were all in attendance to celebrate all of our Big Red student-athletes at the 2023 Fall Sports Awards.