DAYTON – The University of Dayton Athletics Department held the 12th annual R.U.D.Y.S. awards banquet Monday at UD Arena.  The event included the 17th 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 2024 award winners were as follows:

Social Impact Award
Winner – Sean Banks (football), Elizabeth Shafer (softball)
Nominees – Kaylee Ballard (rowing), Sean Banks (football), Destiny Bohanon (basketball), Abby Carter (cross country/track & field), Zoe Chappelle (cross country/track & field), Saija Cleveland (basketball), Mitchell Colter (football), Sai Dore (men's tennis), Molly Grace (softball), Maya Murray (rowing), Jayla Pruitt (track & field), Elizabeth Shafer (softball), Nolan Watson (baseball), Christierra Cici Williams (track & field), Erica Wojcikiewicz (tennis), Alayna Yates (volleyball )

Most Spirited
Winner – Malachi Smith (basketball), Christierra Cici Williams (track & field)
Nominees – Abby Carter (women's cross country), Ben Cors (golf), Olivia Dobiesz (rowing), Sai Dore (tennis), Raegan Ernst (track & field), Logan Foody (football), Elizabeth Hamilton (tennis), Adam Jones (cross country), Eli Majick (baseball), Cecilia Martyna (rowing), Eleanor Monyek (basketball), Nicolette Papavasiliou (softball), Emma Schutter (softball), Malachi Smith (basketball), Eric Spina (President), Bailey Vogel (rowing), Christierra Cici Williams (track & field), Alayna Yates (volleyball )


Rookie of the Year
Female – Kendall Johnson (track & field)
Nominees – Gaby Arroyo (volleyball), Kirnan Bailey (softball), Marra Bruce (tennis), Sarah Duncan (rowing), Eve Fiala (basketball), Kylee Heidemann (golf), Kendall Johnson (track & field), Cara Mooney (cross country), Alyssa Tyre (rowing)

Male – Miles Bonham (soccer), Kyle McNally (tennis
Nominees – Miles Bonham (soccer), Gavin Lochow (football), Luke Hansen (football), David Mendez (baseball), James Mroczka (cross country), Kyle McNally (tennis), Petras Padegimas (basketball), Breckin Taylor (golf), Drew VanVleet (football), Mikkel Zinder (tennis)
 
Rising Star
Female –  Batoul Reda (soccer)
Nominees – Katherine Blandford (rowing), Jadyn Haywood (track & field), Maddie Kapsimalis (softball), Natalie Osiecki (tennis), Daniela Peralta (track & field), Marissa Pritchett (cross country), Batoul Reda (soccer), Taylor Russell (volleyball), Liana Sarkissian (volleyball), Ivy Wolf (basketball), Megan Yoder (golf)

Male – Owen Pukys (cross country)
Nominees – Koby Brea ( basketball), Noah Clemens (cross country), Ca'ron Coleman (football), Mason Dobie (baseball), Sai Dore (tennis), David Pedanou (baseball), Davis Phillips (tennis), Owen Pukys (cross country), Joseph Melto Quiah (soccer), Kevin Roberts (football), Nate Santos (basketball)

Long-time women's basketball administrative assistant Linda Waltz, better known as "Miss Linda" to the student-athletes and coaches she has worked with, was recognized with the Staff Unsung Hero Award.
 
Student-Athlete Unsung Hero
Female – Katie Reeg (softball)
Nominees – Evelyn Albers (track & field), Jailee Clemmons (track & field), Keira Cotter (rowing), Kennedy Gray (soccer), Natalie Osiecki (tennis), Katie Reeg (softball), Paige Sherlock (rowing), Justine Smith (cross country), Lindsey Winner (volleyball)

Male – Will Cohen (football)
Nominees – Javon Bennett (basketball, Isaac Burkart (cross country), Will Cohen (football), Erik Eliasson (tennis), Adam Jones (cross country), Joe Lansing (football), Noah Locke (cross country), Treston Nemeth (baseball), Hjalti Sigurdsson (soccer

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 – Abby Carter (cross country/ track & field) 

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 – Henry May (golf) 

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 – Lexie Almodovar (volleyball)

There were also 71 student-athletes honored with the 4.00 Flyers Award for recording perfect 4.00 GPAs for the spring or fall semesters. They are Kirnan Bailey (softball), Sarah Bailitz (softball), Cade Beam (football), Katherine Blandford (rowing) Casey Bogues (track & field), Connor Bruce (tennis), Isaac Burkart (cross country), Madeleine Casto (rowing), Madelyn Dewey (soccer), Hugo Dicksen (soccer), Olivia Dobiesz (rowing), Alicia Donley (soccer), Sai Dore (tennis), Elli Ertl (rowing), Lauren Fields (soccer), Jack Fitzgerald (baseball), Laura Greb (tennis), Elizabeth Hamilton (tennis), Natalie Hegg (soccer), Mason Henry (football), Grace Homan ((track & field), Bryn Hothem (cross country/track & field), Adam Jones (cross country), Jeremy Jonozzo (football), Maddie Kapismalis (softball), Kyra Karfonta (soccer), Tristan Karnes (cross country), Neena Katauskas (tennis), Izzy Kemp (softball), Anna Kessler (track & field), Cooper Knecht (soccer), Angelina Koch (rowing), Kate Lechowicz (cross country/track & field), Hannah Lindenman (track & field), Noah Locke (cross country), Elle Lovdal (soccer), Jamie Martin (rowing), Georgi Mavrodiev (tennis), Adreanna Mehendale (cross country/track & field), Mackenzie Meyers (rowing), Lilly Middleton (golf), Cara Mooney (women's cross country/track & field), Amelia Moore (volleyball), Sam Mueller (football), Lauren Myers (rowing), Yaiza Navarro Leon (soccer), Adrenna Oelich (rowing), Natlie Osieki (tennis), Ella Raimondi (soccer), Troy Reisner (football), Jacob Schachte (football), Emma Schutter (softball), Jessica Sheldon (soccer), Grant Smeltzer (golf), Justine Smith (cross country), Gabby Snyder (rowing), Emily Sreenan (cross country/track & field), Audrey Steiert (soccer), Kaelyn Stepic (rowing), Dylan Stevens (golf), Tyler Swanbeck (soccer), Marlee Taylor (soccer), Ellie Tighe (cross country/track & field), Emily Walker (rowing), Mairin Wessner (soccer), Derek Willits (football),  Madison Wilson (soccer), Erica Wojcikiewicz (tennis), Alayna Yates (volleyball), Jillian Yates (track & field) and Megan Yoder (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 cross country earned the honor with a 3.701 team GPA.

The Dayton All-Academic Team is made up of the student-athletes with the highest GPA in their programs. The 2024 team is made up of Zoe Chappelle (women's cross country), Mason Henry (football), Ronit Hiryur (men's tennis), Adam Jones (men's cross country), Eleanor Monyek (women's basketball),  Natalie Osiecki (women's tennis), Ella Raimondi (women's soccer), Nick Rispoli (baseball), Atticus Schuler (men's basketball), Emma Schutter (softball), Jessica Sheldon (women's soccer), Grant Smeltzer (men's golf), Basit Umar (men's soccer), Erica Wojcikiewicz (women's tennis), Alayna Yates (volleyball), Jillian Yates (track & field) 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 2024 Flyer Challenge winner is track & field.

The Flying Right Award went to Nicolette Papavasiliou.

Most Outstanding Leader
Female – Alicia Donley (soccer)
Nominees – Zoe Chappelle (cross country), Alicia Donley (soccer), Grace Homan (track & field), Angelina Koch (rowing), Amelia Moore (volleyball), Mariah Perez (basketball), Emma Schutter (softball), Erica Wojcikiewicz (tennis), 

Male – Nolan Watson (baseball)
Nominees – Carlos Castillo (baseball), Bryce Conley (cross country), Matt DeMarco (tennis), Dylan DeMaison (football), Sam Duncan (cross country), Henry May (golf), Logan Miller (football), Brady Uhl basketball), Nolan Watson (baseball)

Presidential Scholar-Athlete
Female – Amelia Moore (volleyball)
Nominees – Destiny Bohanon (basketball), Abby Carter (cross country/track & field), Alicia Donley (soccer), Elizabeth Hamilton (tennis), Grace Homan (track & field), Amelia Moore (volleyball), Annika Roush (rowing), Emma Schutter (softball), Hailey Tanis (golf) 

Male – Connor Bruce (tennis)
Nominees -- Connor Bruce (tennis), Dario Caetono (soccer), Bryce Conley (cross country), Mason Henry (football), Henry May (golf), CJ Napier (basketball), Nick Wissman (baseball)

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 – Alayna Yates (volleyball) 
Nominees – Destiny Bohanon(basketball), Casey Bogues (track & field), Abby Carter (women's cross country/track & field), Alicia Donley (women's soccer), Elizabeth Hamilton (tennis), Annika Roush (rowing), Lauren Santiago (track & field), Emma Schutter (softball), Alayna Yates (volleyball) 

Male – Nick Wissman (baseball)
Nominees – Connor Bruce (tennis),  Calan Gizelbach (cross country), DaRon Holmes II (basketball), Adam Jones (cross country), Joe Lansing (football), Nick Wissman (baseball)
 
In addition, the 2024-2025 executive board of SAAC was announced:
President: Alayna Yates (volleyball) 
Vice President: Logan Foody (football) 

Chairs
Admin: Laura Greb (women's tennis)
Social Media: Sean Banks (football) 
Social/RUDYS: Eleanor Monyek (basketball), Justin Pham (soccer) 
Flyer Challenge: Noah Clemens (cross country)
Wellness: Katherine Blandford (rowing)
Community Service: Emma Schutter (softball)
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Mitchell Colter (football), Jayla Pruitt (track & field) 

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