Student-Athletes Honored at Annual Awards Ceremony

Pepperdine University Waves presented the annual student-athlete awards ceremony at Elkins Auditorium in Malibu on April 2, hosted by Reegan Dennis of the women’s volleyball team and Tom Hill of the men’s tennis team.

The following students won the five traditional awards:

Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year

• Izzy Connell (women’s track)

Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year

• Aaron Barnett (baseball)

Female Wave of the Year

• Hannah Seabert (women’s soccer)

Male Wave of the Year

• James Gehrels (men’s volleyball)

Maurice Hilliard Award

• Rachael Collins (women’s soccer)

Presented by Pepperdine’s Waves Leadership Council, the Wave of the Year award honors student-athletes for outstanding contributions in spirit and service to the athletics program and the University community. The Maurice Hilliard Award, named in honor and memory of Pepperdine’s late athletic chaplain, is presented to a student-athlete that exemplifies the attributes of Christian faith, character, and leadership.

All other awards are based on athletic performance over the last 12 months, and are determined by collective votes from student-athletes, coaches, and staff members.

Below is the list of this year’s winners:

Female Athlete in a Starring Role

• Luisa Stefani (women’s tennis)

Male Athlete in a Starring Role

• A.J. Puckett (baseball)

Female Athlete in a Supporting Role

• Christine Maddox (women’s tennis)

Male Athlete in a Supporting Role

• Jeremy Major (men’s basketball)

Female Breakout Athlete of the Year

• Madalyn Roh (women’s beach volleyball)

Male Breakout Athlete of the Year

• Zack Rhodes (men’s water polo)

Female Newcomer of the Year

• Ashley Lahey (women’s tennis)

Male Newcomer of the Year

• Sahith Theegala (men’s golf)

Best Moment of the Year

• Men’s water polo team winning the 2016 Gold Coast Conference Tournament

Best Upset of the Year

• Women’s basketball team beating Gonzaga University for the first time since 2009

For additional information about the event, visit the Pepperdine Department of Athletics website.