April 27, 2010
CONWAY, S.C. - The Coastal Carolina University Athletic Department honored its student-athletes, including handing out its top awards, at the annual Student-Athlete Excellence Awards, Tue., April 27 at the Crown Reef Resort. The department also honored its student-athletes that excelled in the classroom with at least a 3.0 grade point average as well as its 2010 seniors.
The women's golf team was award the Linda C.Vereen Academic Excellence Award for the team that represents the highest combined grade-point average. The squad, led by Head Coach Katie Quinney, posted a 3.506 overall and earned the honor for the third time, having garnered it in 2004 and 2005.
Mrs. Agatha A. O'Brien Gayes was honored as the Student-Athlete Faculty Member of the Year for 2009-10. The Student-Athlete Faculty Member of the Year award is awarded to a member of the Coastal Carolina University Faculty who has supported the student-athletes academically, athletically and personally, as voted by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Mrs. O'Brien Gayes is the Director of Academic Advising/First Year Experience at Coastal.
Senior men's tennis player Plamen Tzvetkov and senior volleyball player Jill Nyhof were named Coastal's Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, respectively. The awards are presented the student-athletes that have made a significant contribution academically and athletically on their respective teams.
Tzvetkov was previously selected as the 2010 Coastal Carolina University Management Student of the Year as well as serving as a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma and Beta Alpha Psi Honor Societies. He was honored by the Big South Conference as the Number 5 Flight Champion and garnished All Big South Academic Honors. A native of Herts, United Kingdom, Tzvetkov has a 3.862 GPA in management.
Selected as a 2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Second Team and Academic All–District III University Division First Team honoree, Nyhof was also named the Big South Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year for volleyball after posting a perfect 4.0 in political science. She led the Chanticleers to the 2009 Big South Conference Volleyball Championship and the program's first berth in the NCAA Championship since 1998.
The program also awarded the Male and Female Athlete of the Year, given to a male and female student-athlete for outstanding athletic performance and achievement. This year's honorees were senior Joseph Harris of the men's basketball squad and senior women's track and field athlete Ikeiylah Brown.
In 2009-10, Harris became the Big South Conference’s career record holder for rebounds, and is the only player in Big South history to score more than 1,300 points and grab more than 1,100 rebounds. The Lejeune, N.C. native holds school records in blocked shots, games played and field-goal percentage. He is also in the program’s top 10 in scoring, field goals made and attempted, free throws made and attempted, rebounding average and steals. He led the Chanticleers to the 2010 Big South Conference Regular Season title and a berth in the National Invitational Tournament, the first postseason play for the Chants since 1993. He graduated in the spring of 2009 with a biology degree and is currently preparing for nursing school.
Brown is a 10-time Big South Conference Champion in Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field, including being honored as the 2009 and 2010 Big South Conference Outdoor Championship Outstanding Track Performer. She holds the Big South Conference record in the 100-meter dash, and finished second at this year's meet in the 200-meter dash and the 4x400-meter relay. Originally from Hilton Head, S.C., Brown is majoring in business management and marketing.
Also awarded was the Presidential Student-Athlete of the Year, presented to the Coastal Carolina University student-athlete who displays extraordinary achievements in the area of academics, athletics, community service, and leadership. Senior Mikaela Terry of the women's track and field program was honored with this year's award. A member of the President’s list for seven semesters, Terry is a recipient of the Provost Scholarship, was named the winner of the Outstanding Student Award for Foreign Languages, and was honored to the Big South Conference All-Academic Team. In addition, she was just named by the Big South Conference as a Christenberry Award winner, given to the top male and female graduating student-athletes in the league, as she will graduate with a perfect 4.0 grade point average in Spanish. In the community, Terry has volunteered with Miracle League, Special Olymipics, the Campus Outreach Program, and various Church Youth Groups. She is a 2009 Big South Conference Indoor Champion and a vocal leader on her team
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