DAYTON – The University of Dayton Athletics Department held the 11th annual R.U.D.Y.S. awards banquet Monday at UD Arena.  The event included the 16th annual presentation of the Presidential Scholar-Athlete Awards by the Office of Academic Services for Student-Athletes.
 
R.U.D.Y.S is hosted by the UD Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Dayton Athletics administration for the student-athletes to recognize individuals and teams for their accomplishments this past year.
 
R.U.D.Y.S. stands for Recognition and Celebration of University of Dayton Student-Athletes Year-End Showcase.
 
The 2023 award winners were as follows:

Social Justice Award
Winner – Marcos Pujols (baseball) and Elizabeth Shafer (softball)
Nominees – Kaylee Ballard (rowing), Elliot Chinnock (rowing), Saija Cleveland (women's basketball), Mitchell Colter (football), Amelia Moore (volleyball), Jayla Pruitt (track & field), Marcos Pujols (baseball), Elizabeth Shafer (softball), Melissa Weidner (women's cross country/track & field), Christierra Cici Williams (track & field), Alayna Yates (volleyball), Andrew Zapka (baseball)
 
Most Spirited
Winner – Abby Carter (women's cross country) and Ben Cors (men's golf)
Nominees – Abby Carter (women's cross country), Ousseynou Cisse (men's soccer), Jailee Clemmons (women's track & field), Ben Cors (men's golf), Nate Espelin (baseball), Elizabeth Hamilton (women's tennis), Eleanor Monyek (women's basketball), Nicolette Papavasiliou (softball), Drew Robertson (football), Matthew Sollenberger (men's cross country), Kaelyn Stepic (rowing), Brady Uhl (men's basketball), Lindsey Winner (volleyball)

Rookie of the Year
Female – Izzy Kemp (softball)
Nominees – Katherine Blandford (rowing), Olivia Dobiesz (rowing), Jadyn Haywood (track & field), Izzy Kemp (softball), Natalie Osiecki (women's tennis), Daniela Peralta (track & field), Christina Pfefferkorn (women's golf), Marissa Pritchett (women's cross country/track & field), Batoul Reda (women's soccer), Emily Young (volleyball)

Male – Basit Umar (men's soccer)
Nominees – Dante Casciola (football), Sai Dore (men's tennis), Jacob Garland (men's golf), J.J. Gatti (baseball), Owen Pukys (men's cross country), Mike Sharavjamts (men's basketball), Casper Svendby (men's soccer), Eddie Yamin IV (baseball)
 
Rising Star
Female – Neena Katauskas (women's tennis)
Nominees – Lexie Almodovar (volleyball), Diana Benigno (women's soccer), Noel Blain (women's soccer), Maddie Kapsimalis (softball), Neena Katauskas (women's tennis), Annika Roush (rowing), Lauren Santiago (track & field), Emma Schutter (softball), Justine Smith (women's cross country / track & field), Megan Yoder (women's golf)

Male – Luke Brenner (football)
Nominees – Michael Adedokun (men's soccer), Luke Brenner (football), Logan Brown (men's soccer), Bryce Conley (men's cross country), Mason Dobie (baseball), Henry May (men's golf), David Pedanou (baseball), Davis Phillips (men's tennis), Malachi Smith (men's basketball), Paxton Tomaini (baseball)
 
Unsung Hero
Female – Grace Dynda (volleyball)
Nominees – Emmi Amaral (rowing), Grace Dynda (volleyball), Laura Greb (women's tennis), Jenna Harter (women's golf), Chloe Keating (track & field), Angelina Koch (rowing), Elle Lovdal (women's soccer), Katie Reeg (softball), Ellie Tighe (women's cross country / track & field), Ali Weekley (softball)

Male – Adam Jones (men's cross country)
Nominees – Koby Brea (men's basketball), Carlos Castillo (baseball), Adam Jones (men's cross country), Matt Lenti (football), Georgi Mavrodiev (men's tennis), Colin O'Rourke (men's golf), Dylan Stevens (men's golf), Tyler Swanbeck (men's soccer), Ryan VanSchelven (football), Jacob Veczko (baseball)

The Rev. Charles L. Collins Outstanding Citizenship Award was donated by Joseph Zusman, '65, this award recognizes an individual student-athlete who has demonstrated outstanding citizenship.
Recipient – Lauren Myers (rowing

The Charles R. Kendall Award for Athletic and Academic Achievement was donated by Mrs. Charles R. Kendall and friends, this award recognizes an individual student-athlete who has demonstrated achievement in academic and athletic effort.
Recipient – Casey Bogues (track & field)

The Award of Excellence is an award that recognizes an individual student-athlete who has demonstrated achievement in academic and athletic effort in women's basketball and/or volleyball.
Recipient – Destiny Bohanon (women's basketball)

There were also 53 student-athletes honored with the 4.00 Flyers Award for recording perfect 4.00 GPAs for the spring or fall semesters. They are Sarah Bailitz (softball), Katherine Blanford (rowing), Casey Bogues (women's track & field), Isaac Burkart (men's cross country), Bryce Conley (men's cross country), Ben Cors (men's golf), Olivia Dobiesz (rowing), Oliver Dunne (men's tennis), Ellie Ertl (rowing), Sarah Frazier (women's golf), Alexis Goins (women's soccer), Mason Henry (football), Nate Hess (football), Kaitlyn Jimison (rowing), Adam Jones (men's cross country), Kallie Jones (softball), Jeremy Jonozzo (football), Kyra Karfonta (women's soccer), Tristan Karnes (men's cross country), Neena Katauskas (women's tennis), Cooper Knecht (men's soccer), Kate Lechowicz (women's cross country), Noah Locke (men's cross country), Elle Lovdal (women's soccer), David Maurer (football), Georgi Mavrodiev (men's tennis), Anna Mehendale (women's cross country), Yaiza Navarro Leon (women's soccer), Adreanna Oelrich (rowing), Natalie Osiecki (women's tennis), Quinn Pallardy (softball), Ella Raimondi (women's soccer), Katie Reeg (softball), Troy Reisner (football), Jacob Schachte (football), Ben Schmiesing (football), Emma Schutter (softball), Jessica Sheldon (women's soccer), Elijah Smith (football), Gabby Snyder (rowing), Hayden Snyder (football), Emily Sreenan (women's cross country / track & field), Audrey Steiert (women's soccer), Brian Stevens (football), Dylan Stevens (men's golf), Marlee Taylor (women's soccer), Ellie Tighe (women's cross country), Emily Walker (rowing), Jacob Wilson (baseball), Alayna Yates (volleyball), Jillian Yates (women's track & field), and Megan Yoder (women's golf).

The OASSA Academic Cup was presented to the team with the highest cumulative grade point average combined over the spring and fall semesters. Women's soccer earned the honor with a 3.774 team GPA.

The Dayton All-Academic Team is made up of the student-athletes with the highest GPA in their programs. The 2023 team is made up of Destiny Bohanon (women's basketball), Mason Henry (football), Ronit Hiryur (men's tennis), Adam Jones (men's cross country), Chloe Keating (women's track & field), Nick Rispoli (baseball), Emma Schutter (softball), Jessica Sheldon (women's soccer), Grant Smeltzer (men's golf), Gabby Snyder (rowing), Emily Sreenan (women's cross country), Audrey Steiert (women's soccer), Tyler Swanbeck (men's soccer), Brady Uhl (men's basketball), Erica Wojcikiewicz (women's tennis), Alayna Yates (volleyball), and Megan Yoder (women's golf).

The Flyer Challenge award is presented to the team that is most involved as a group in community service, participation in personal and educational development initiatives, and in supporting their fellow teams.  The 2023 Flyer Challenge winner is the softball team.

Most Outstanding Leader
Female – Elli Ertl (rowing)
Nominees – Destiny Bohanon (women's basketball), Alicia Donley (women's soccer), Elli Ertl (rowing), Grace Homan (track & field), Amelia Moore (volleyball), Elizabeth Myers (rowing), Mariah Perez (women's basketball), Katie Reeg (softball), Marlee Taylor (women's soccer), Erica Wojcikiewicz (women's tennis) 

Male – Connor Bruce (men's tennis)
Nominees – Connor Bruce (men's tennis), Isaac Burkart (men's cross country), Toumani Camara (men's basketball), Jay Curtis (baseball), Matt Lenti (football), Zimi Nwokeji (men's basketball), Kyle Schmidt (men's golf), Brian Stevens (football), Tyler Swanbeck (men's soccer)
 
Presidential Scholar-Athlete
Female – Jessica Sheldon (women's soccer)
Nominees – Casey Bogues (track & field), Destiny Bohanon (women's basketball), Grace Dynda (volleyball), Lauren Myers (rowing), Jessica Sheldon (women's soccer), Ali Weekley (softball), Melissa Weidner (women's cross country), Erica Wojcikiewicz (women's tennis), Megan Yoder (women's golf) 

Male – Derek Willits (football)
Nominees – Manny Day (men's soccer), Matt DeMarco (men's tennis), Mark Manfredi (baseball), Andrew Schuster (men's cross country), Blake Solomon (men's golf), Brady Uhl (men's basketball), Derek Willits (football)

RUDY Award, the most prestigious award of the night which goes to the people who most epitomize what it means to be a Flyer.

Female – Emily Sreenan (women's cross country / track & field)
Nominees – Casey Bogues (track & field), Alyssa Cacini (softball), Grace Dynda (volleyball), Sarah Frazier (women's golf), Grace Homan (women's track & field), Kaitlyn Jimison (rowing), Quinn Pallardy (softball), Emily Sreenan (women's cross country / track & field), Natalie Stanton (women's tennis), Audrey Steiert (women's soccer), Melissa Weidner (women's cross country)

Male – DaRon Holmes II (men's basketball)
Nominees – Jake Chisholm (football), Manny Day (men's soccer), Matt DeMarco (men's tennis), Sam Duncan (men's cross country), DaRon Holmes II (men's basketball), Ben Jones (baseball), Blake Solomon (men's golf), Derek Willits (football), Xavier Zengue (men's soccer)
 
In addition, the 2023-2024 executive board of SAAC was announced:
President: Derek Willits (football)
Vice Presidents: Connor Bruce (men's tennis) and Erica Wojcikiewicz (women's tennis) 
Admin: Alayna Yates (volleyball)
Chairs
Social Media: Alicia Donley (women's soccer)
Social/RUDYS: Christierra Cici Williams (women's track & field)
Flyer Challenge: Sam Duncan (men's cross country)
Wellness: Paige King (rowing)
Community Service: Emma Schutter (softball)
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Elizabeth Shafer (softball)

A special thanks to all who made this year's event possible, including the Varsity D Club who provided this year's senior canvases.