ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - Henderson State Athletics presented the ninth annual Redspys Awards Monday, Apr. 15, recognizing student-athletes, coaches and administration for their work this past season.
The Redspys are to highlight the previous year in HSU Athletics, awarding those student-athletes, coaches and teams which have represented themselves, their sport and their University with excellence on the playing surface and in the classroom throughout the school year.
14 awards were handed out to commemorate the 2023-24 season. Over the last year, Henderson State Athletics has captured two Top-7 national finishes, four conference championships, six NCAA postseason appearances, one Region Championship and four individual national championships.
Male Newcomer of the Year: Timieone Jackson, Football
In his first year with program, Timieone Jackson finished second on the team with 65 receptions and 517 receiving yards, while also being tied for second with three receiving touchdowns. Jackson had his best games of the season against Arkansas Tech, finishing with 66 yards on 10 catches and a touchdown, and then against Harding when he went for a season-high 96 yards and a score.
Female Newcomer of the Year: Tori Gittens, Women's Basketball
Tori Gittens, a graduate student transfer from Charleston Southern University, was named the GAC Newcomer of the Year and an All-Conference Honorable Mention selection after finishing second on the team with 10.7 points per game. Gittens closed the year shooting 50.8 percent from behind the three-point line, which led all of NCAA Division II. No other player in the country shot better than 47 percent.
Kathy Muse Award: Phil McDaniel, Henderson State Volleyball Head Coach
An award given to someone for their excellent service towards the Athletics department, Phil McDaniel, aside from leading his women's volleyball team to the GAC Championship Game, volunteered to serve as the fill-in softball assistant coach this spring and also helped drive the women's golf team to last year's NCAA National Championships. McDaniel is also a consistent worker at the scorer's table for men's and women's basketball games where he runs the scoreboard for HSU Athletics.
Scholar Athlete of the Year: Logan Wetterling, Men's Swimming and Diving
Logan Wetterling, a five-year member of the Red Wave program from Woodstock, Georgia, is the only Nursing major on campus with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. In addition to his excellent standing in the classroom, Wetterling is an active member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and is consistent in attending the other home sporting events, supporting all of HSU's programs.
Scholar Team of the Year: Women's Basketball
The Henderson State women's basketball program led the entire department in the fall of 2023 with a program-record 3.9 combined GPA. At the conclusion of the 2023-24 season, four of the GAC's eight women's basketball Elite Scholar Athletes recognized throughout the entire conference were from Henderson State, with JJ Eddens, Alee McClendon, Bobbi Bazzle and Tori Gittens earning the honors. Ashley Farrar and Makenna Winans were also named Distinguished Scholar Athletes.
Performance of the Year: Men's Swimming and Diving 4x200 Relay
Lamar Taylor, Jack Armstrong, Jase Pinckney and Patryk Dabrowski delivered Henderson State its first National Title for the 2023-24 season at the NCAA Division II National Championships. The quartet won the men's 200-yard freestyle relay by setting a Division II National Record with a time of 1:16.50. During the race, Armstrong swam the fastest 50-yard split in NCAA DII history with his 18.56 second leg. The relay National Championship was also HSU's first relay National Title in program history.
Women's Team of the Year: Women's Basketball
Henderson State women's basketball reached the 20-win plateau for the first time since the 2019-20 season, including wins over then-No. 9 Texas Woman's University and then-No. 7 Southern Nazarene. After claiming the No. 4 seed in the GAC Tournament, the Reddies delivered the program's first ever Great American Conference Championship with three Tournament wins by an average of 13.3 points per game.
Men's Team of the Year: Men's Swimming and Diving
The Henderson State men's swimming and diving team captured the program's first New South Intercollegiate Swim Conference Title since 2005, defeating Championship-host Delta State by 97 points. At the 2024 National Championships, the Red Wave men claimed their best finish ever with seventh place. Accompanying that seventh-place finish was three National Championships, including the first relay National Title in school history and an NCAA Division II National Record.
Female Athlete of the Year: Kiara Pozvai, Women's Swimming
Kiara Pozvai was named the Female Swimmer of the Meet at the 2024 NSISC Championships before becoming the first female National Champion in Henderson State Athletics history. Pozvai earned her National Title in the 100-yard freestyle, taking first with a National-Championship time of 48.88. At the 2024 National Championships, the Keszthely, Hungary, native was a three-time All-American with three Top-5 individual finishes. Pozvai closed the season being named the NSISC Female Performer of the Year.
Male Athlete of the Year: Lamar Taylor, Men's Swimming
Lamar Taylor became the most decorated athlete in Henderson State Athletics history after capturing another three National Titles at the 2024 NCAA Division II National Championships. For his HSU career, Taylor has four individual National Titles, two relay National Titles, led the Red Wave men to their first NSISC Championship in 19 years, and was a part of a Division II National Record in the men's 200-yard freestyle relay. Taylor was named the 2023-34 NSISC Male Performer of the Year and is set to represent the Bahamas at the 2024 Olympics in Paris this summer.
Women's Coach of the Year: Jill Thomas, Women's Basketball
Jill Thomas became the all-time winningest head coach in program history in the first round of the 2024 Women's Basketball GAC Tournament. Thomas had a couple more wins in her, coaching her team to an upset victory over No. 1 seed Southern Nazarene and then triumphing against No. 6 seed Southwestern Oklahoma State for the Reddies' first ever GAC Title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Men's Coach of the Year: Scotty Serio, Men's Swimming and Diving
Scotty Serio led the Henderson State men's swimming and diving team to their first New South Intercollegiate Swim Conference Championship since the 2004-05 season. Serio followed that by leading the men's swimming and diving team to a program-best seventh place finish at the 2024 NCAA Division II National Championships.
India Norman Award: Allie Bianchi, Women's Golf
The India Norman Award is in recognition of former two-sport HSU athlete India Norman, who tragically lost her life in an automobile accident in 1980. The award is given annually to a graduating female student-athlete in recognition of leadership, achievement, sportsmanship and work-ethic. This is the highest award that can be given to a female student-athlete at Henderson State.
Allie Bianchi is set to graduate with her Masters of Business Administration in May of 2024. To date, Bianchi is a three-time GAC Female Scholar Athlete of the Year, a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American and has been a finalist for the NCAA Elite 90 Award in consecutive seasons, which is offered to the student-athlete with the highest GPA who qualified for their sport's highest level of competition.
On the course, Bianchi has competed at the NCAA National Championships each of the last three years, including in 2021 when she qualified as an individual. The Allen, Texas, native was a 2023 All-America Honorable Mention, is a two-time All-Region recipient and a two-time First Team All-GAC honoree. For the 2023-24 season, Bianchi set a conference record with six GAC Female Golfer of the Week awards.
Duke Wells Award: Kaden Argenbright, Baseball
The Duke Wells Award is in recognition of legendary coach Duke Wells, who was a former Reddie athlete, football coach and athletics director. The award is given to a graduating male student-athlete who has shown tremendous ability, inspiration, attitude and sportsmanship. This is the highest award that can be given to a male student-athlete at Henderson State.
During the 2023-24 season, Kaden Argenbright has established himself as one of the greatest hitters in Great American Conference history, becoming the league's all-time leader in hits and doubles with his current total at 289 and 65, respectively. Argenbright is also third all-time in RBI (190) and sixth in runs scored (189).
Additionally, the fifth-year Reddie owns the program's record in all of the previously listed categories. The Sulphur Springs, Texas, native is in the midst of a 19-game hitting streak, which is the third longest in school history. For his career, Argenbright is a 2023 Second Team All-GAC recipient and was a 2021 GAC All-Tournament selection during HSU's GAC Title run.
