Temple University Athletics
Temple Honors Student-Athlete Success at the 2018 Stellas: A Celebration of Champions
4.30.18 | General, Owl Club
PHILADELPHIA – Temple University held its 16th annual student-athlete Celebration of Champions on Monday night, honoring the excellent team and individual performances of the 2017-18 academic year. The 2018 Stellas honored over 300 student-athletes at the event, held at the Aramark STAR Complex.
"The Celebration of Champions is one of the best nights of the year for Temple University athletics," said Director of Athletics Dr. Patrick Kraft. "This event provides us a chance to showcase the dedication our student-athletes have to success in competition, the classroom, in the community. I am so very proud of all their hard work this year."
One male and one female were selected for each of the top two awards given out, the Athletic Performer of the Year and the Scholar Athlete of the Year. Earning Athletic Performer of the Year Awards were Cross Country's Marc Steinsberger and Fencing's Kennedy Lovelace. The Scholar Athlete of the Year Awards went to Men's Soccer's Brendon Creed and Cross Country and Track and Field's Ashton Dunkley, while the Newcomer of the Year honors were given to Tori Edwards (Gymnastics) and Anton Harrsen (Men's Cross Country).
Male Athletic Performer of the Year, Steinsberger, finished out his senior year with an IC4A Championship and also earned All-Region and All-Conference honors. He helped lead his team to a third place finish at the American Athletic Conference Championships -- the team's best-ever placement, and also guided the team to a program-best seventh place finish at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional. At the IC4A Championships, he won the individual title and led the Owls to their first ever IC4A team title.
Female Athletic Performer of the Year, Lovelace, capped her outstanding sophomore campaign with an All-America honor, finishing seventh overall at the 2018 NCAA Championships. She was a finalst at the NCAA Regional, and two other top-10 performances during the season. Lovelace became Temple's first Foil All-American since 2011 and is one of only ten different Foil All-Americans in Temple history.
Creed, the Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, is a senior member of the men's soccer team. He is a senior civil engineering major with a 3.43 GPA. Dunkley, the Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, is a junior on the cross country and track and field teams. She is an anthropology major who carries a 3.90 GPA.
Edwards, the Female Newcomer of the Year, had a spectacular rookie season on the gymnastics team, competing on vault, bars, and floor for every meet for the Owls. She earned season-highs of 9.8 or higher on all four events, and had a top all-around score of 39.175. Edwards earned ECAC First Team honors in vault and floor and was a second team honoree on bars.
Anton Harrsen, the Male Newcomer of the Year, shined in his freshman campaign with the men's cross country team. An All-Conference and All-East performer, he was consistently one of Temple's top scorers this season. Harrsen placed in the Owls' top three in every championship race, and was Temple's top finisher at the American Athletic Conference Championships. He was also the second freshman runner across the line at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Championships.
It was also announced at the Celebration of Champions that 272 student-athletes were named to the Director's Honor Roll (3.0-3.49 GPA), an increase of 32 from last year, with an additional 122 student-athletes named to the President's Honor Roll (3.50 or above). Temple also honored its Trustee Ten, its top student-athletes in terms of grade point average – Maryn Lowell (Women's Lacrosse), Allie Nussbaum (3.96), Quinn Duwelius (Fencing), Dara Peric (Volleyball), Herman Doerner (Men's Soccer), Ashton Dunkley (Women's Cross Country/Track & Field), Elana Falcone (Women's Soccer), Joonas Jokinen (Men's Soccer), Nick Patel (Men's Soccer), Ciara O'Sullivan (Women's Rowing).
The women's cross country team won the Owl Trophy for the top Team GPA Award with an aggregate GPA of 3.54. Temple men's cross country took home the annual Owl Cup title. The Owl Cup is given to the team that has best exemplified the initiatives set forth by the NCAA CHAMPS/Life Skills program: student-athletes supporting other student-athletes, excelling in and out of the classroom, attending CHAMPS/Life Skill workshops, volunteerism, and the promotion of a healthy and competitive campus environment.
Seniors Katie Pinson (cross country/track and field) and Mark Farley (golf) were honored as the male and female recipients of the Community Service Award, given to student-athletes who have demonstrated leadership qualities in the area of community service, inspiring others to engage in similar selfless civic endeavors for the purpose of improving the quality of life for those in the local community.
Senior Sharif Finch (football) and senior Haile Houck (lacrosse) were selected the NovaCare Comeback Student-Athletes of the Year, giving to a male and female student-athlete who have suffered a recent serious injury or illness and have made a tremendous impact on his/her team upon return for the current academic year.
The Temple Owl Club presented its annual academic award winners at the event. The honorees include: De'Vondre Perry (Men's Basketball), Emani Mayo (Women's Basketball), Phil MacNeal (Men's Crew), Ciara O'Sullivan (Women's Rowing), Malia Hee (Fencing), Chloe Johnson (Field Hockey), Matthew Hennessy (Football), Mark Farley (Golf), Yasmin Eubanks (Gymnastics), Maryn Lowell (Lacrosse), Elana Falcone (Women's Soccer), Joonas Jokinen (Men's Soccer), Kevin Lapsansky (Men's Cross Country), Millie Howard (Women's Cross Country), Crystal Jones (Women's Track & Field), Cecilia Castelli (Women's Tennis), Eric Biscoveanu (Men's Tennis), Dara Peric (Volleyball), Kayla Myers (Cheer), Erica Hall (Diamond Gems)
New this year, was the announcement of the Parliament Spirit Awards for each team, given to student-athletes who have demonstrated a devotion to the essence of sport through their acts of sportsmanship. This year's award winners included: Obi Enechionyia (Men's Basketball), Emani Mayo (Women's Basketball), Austin Burke (Men's Crew), Kelly McGee (Women's Rowing), Blessing Olaode (Fencing), Chloe Johnson (Field Hockey), Frank Nutile (Football), Mark Farley (Golf), Sahara Gipson (Gymnastics), Maddie Gebert (Lacrosse), Victoria Dutille (Women's Soccer), Hermann Doerner (Men's Soccer), Johnathan Condly (Men's Cross Country), Katie Pinson (Women's Cross Country), Crystal Jones (Women's Track & Field), Cecilia Castelli (Women's Tennis), Alberto Caceres Casas (Men's Tennis), Averi Salvador (Volleyball), Erica Dougherty (Cheer), Brooke Frankenfield (Diamond Gems).
Serving as emcees for the event were Morgyn Seigfried, Assistant Athletic Director for Digial Media, and Kevin Copp, Assistant Athletic Director for Video Services.
"The Celebration of Champions is one of the best nights of the year for Temple University athletics," said Director of Athletics Dr. Patrick Kraft. "This event provides us a chance to showcase the dedication our student-athletes have to success in competition, the classroom, in the community. I am so very proud of all their hard work this year."
One male and one female were selected for each of the top two awards given out, the Athletic Performer of the Year and the Scholar Athlete of the Year. Earning Athletic Performer of the Year Awards were Cross Country's Marc Steinsberger and Fencing's Kennedy Lovelace. The Scholar Athlete of the Year Awards went to Men's Soccer's Brendon Creed and Cross Country and Track and Field's Ashton Dunkley, while the Newcomer of the Year honors were given to Tori Edwards (Gymnastics) and Anton Harrsen (Men's Cross Country).
Male Athletic Performer of the Year, Steinsberger, finished out his senior year with an IC4A Championship and also earned All-Region and All-Conference honors. He helped lead his team to a third place finish at the American Athletic Conference Championships -- the team's best-ever placement, and also guided the team to a program-best seventh place finish at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional. At the IC4A Championships, he won the individual title and led the Owls to their first ever IC4A team title.
Female Athletic Performer of the Year, Lovelace, capped her outstanding sophomore campaign with an All-America honor, finishing seventh overall at the 2018 NCAA Championships. She was a finalst at the NCAA Regional, and two other top-10 performances during the season. Lovelace became Temple's first Foil All-American since 2011 and is one of only ten different Foil All-Americans in Temple history.
Creed, the Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, is a senior member of the men's soccer team. He is a senior civil engineering major with a 3.43 GPA. Dunkley, the Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, is a junior on the cross country and track and field teams. She is an anthropology major who carries a 3.90 GPA.
Edwards, the Female Newcomer of the Year, had a spectacular rookie season on the gymnastics team, competing on vault, bars, and floor for every meet for the Owls. She earned season-highs of 9.8 or higher on all four events, and had a top all-around score of 39.175. Edwards earned ECAC First Team honors in vault and floor and was a second team honoree on bars.
Anton Harrsen, the Male Newcomer of the Year, shined in his freshman campaign with the men's cross country team. An All-Conference and All-East performer, he was consistently one of Temple's top scorers this season. Harrsen placed in the Owls' top three in every championship race, and was Temple's top finisher at the American Athletic Conference Championships. He was also the second freshman runner across the line at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Championships.
It was also announced at the Celebration of Champions that 272 student-athletes were named to the Director's Honor Roll (3.0-3.49 GPA), an increase of 32 from last year, with an additional 122 student-athletes named to the President's Honor Roll (3.50 or above). Temple also honored its Trustee Ten, its top student-athletes in terms of grade point average – Maryn Lowell (Women's Lacrosse), Allie Nussbaum (3.96), Quinn Duwelius (Fencing), Dara Peric (Volleyball), Herman Doerner (Men's Soccer), Ashton Dunkley (Women's Cross Country/Track & Field), Elana Falcone (Women's Soccer), Joonas Jokinen (Men's Soccer), Nick Patel (Men's Soccer), Ciara O'Sullivan (Women's Rowing).
The women's cross country team won the Owl Trophy for the top Team GPA Award with an aggregate GPA of 3.54. Temple men's cross country took home the annual Owl Cup title. The Owl Cup is given to the team that has best exemplified the initiatives set forth by the NCAA CHAMPS/Life Skills program: student-athletes supporting other student-athletes, excelling in and out of the classroom, attending CHAMPS/Life Skill workshops, volunteerism, and the promotion of a healthy and competitive campus environment.
Seniors Katie Pinson (cross country/track and field) and Mark Farley (golf) were honored as the male and female recipients of the Community Service Award, given to student-athletes who have demonstrated leadership qualities in the area of community service, inspiring others to engage in similar selfless civic endeavors for the purpose of improving the quality of life for those in the local community.
Senior Sharif Finch (football) and senior Haile Houck (lacrosse) were selected the NovaCare Comeback Student-Athletes of the Year, giving to a male and female student-athlete who have suffered a recent serious injury or illness and have made a tremendous impact on his/her team upon return for the current academic year.
The Temple Owl Club presented its annual academic award winners at the event. The honorees include: De'Vondre Perry (Men's Basketball), Emani Mayo (Women's Basketball), Phil MacNeal (Men's Crew), Ciara O'Sullivan (Women's Rowing), Malia Hee (Fencing), Chloe Johnson (Field Hockey), Matthew Hennessy (Football), Mark Farley (Golf), Yasmin Eubanks (Gymnastics), Maryn Lowell (Lacrosse), Elana Falcone (Women's Soccer), Joonas Jokinen (Men's Soccer), Kevin Lapsansky (Men's Cross Country), Millie Howard (Women's Cross Country), Crystal Jones (Women's Track & Field), Cecilia Castelli (Women's Tennis), Eric Biscoveanu (Men's Tennis), Dara Peric (Volleyball), Kayla Myers (Cheer), Erica Hall (Diamond Gems)
New this year, was the announcement of the Parliament Spirit Awards for each team, given to student-athletes who have demonstrated a devotion to the essence of sport through their acts of sportsmanship. This year's award winners included: Obi Enechionyia (Men's Basketball), Emani Mayo (Women's Basketball), Austin Burke (Men's Crew), Kelly McGee (Women's Rowing), Blessing Olaode (Fencing), Chloe Johnson (Field Hockey), Frank Nutile (Football), Mark Farley (Golf), Sahara Gipson (Gymnastics), Maddie Gebert (Lacrosse), Victoria Dutille (Women's Soccer), Hermann Doerner (Men's Soccer), Johnathan Condly (Men's Cross Country), Katie Pinson (Women's Cross Country), Crystal Jones (Women's Track & Field), Cecilia Castelli (Women's Tennis), Alberto Caceres Casas (Men's Tennis), Averi Salvador (Volleyball), Erica Dougherty (Cheer), Brooke Frankenfield (Diamond Gems).
Serving as emcees for the event were Morgyn Seigfried, Assistant Athletic Director for Digial Media, and Kevin Copp, Assistant Athletic Director for Video Services.
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