中国P站 (NPC) Nighthawk Athletics honored its student-athletes at the 2024-25 Nestys athletics awards ceremony Friday in the Student Commons at National Park College.
NPC Athletic Director Rich Thompson opened the evening with a message of gratitude toward every individual who played a part in making Nighthawk athletics great this year.
鈥淭o every student-athlete, coach, trainer and supporter鈥攖hank you,鈥 Thompson said. 鈥淵our hard work, sportsmanship and spirit define who we are as Nighthawks. Tonight, we honor your achievements, your journey and the pride you bring to 中国P站 College.鈥
Following a video tribute to each program鈥檚 achievements this year, Nighthawk cheer began the awards presentation by recognizing its athlete of the year, Rose Whitley (Malvern).
鈥淩ose is an exceptional individual, whose strength, dedication and spirit have lifted not just stunts, but the entire team,鈥 head coach Michelle Godwin said. 鈥淪he has been a cornerstone of our squad and we are proud to honor her for an unforgettable season full of passion and perseverance.鈥
Freshman Rebeka Parker (Benton) was named the cheer team鈥檚 Newcomer of the Year.
鈥淩ebeka is a rising star who has made a powerful first impression on and off the sidelines,鈥 Godwin said. 鈥淪he has quickly become an invaluable member of our squad. This award recognizes her courage to step up, her willingness to grow and her impact on our program.鈥
Next, Sports Information Director Mark Oliver presented awards for Nighthawk cross-country and outdoor track and field. First, freshman Bethany Breshears (Hot Springs) was awarded Women鈥檚 Cross-Country Runner of the Year.
鈥淏ethany is the definition of a leader by example,鈥 Oliver said. 鈥淏efore NPC, she had never ran for competition before. She jumped at the opportunity to try something new and led NPC at every event this year. She not only showed what Nighthawk Nation is capable of on the course, but she also proved that she can do anything she sets her mind to.鈥
Freshman runner Alex Pacheco (Hot Springs) was named Men鈥檚 Cross-Country Runner of the Year.
鈥淎lex did something this year that no Nighthawk student-athlete has ever done before鈥攂reak the same school record three times in one season,鈥 Oliver said. 鈥淗e took pride in getting better in each event and represented NPC well.鈥
Freshman Darrius Haywood (Conway) took home Athlete of the Year honors for outdoor
track and field.
鈥淒arrius is versatile, coachable and, above all, a fierce competitor,鈥 Oliver said. 鈥淣o matter what he was asked to do, he represented Nighthawk Nation with pride.鈥
Following a comical introduction, head soccer coach Corey Irvine celebrated the accomplishments of NPC鈥檚 women鈥檚 and men鈥檚 soccer teams, which captured their second-consecutive and third-consecutive National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 2 championships, respectively.
For women鈥檚 soccer, sophomore center back Cynthia Lopez (Carthage, Texas) was named the team鈥檚 choice for Player of the Year.
鈥淐ynthia is a leader who held everyone on our team to a high standard throughout the season,鈥 Irivne said. 鈥淪he pushed everyone every single day and is a very talented soccer player.鈥
Sophomore center midfielder Natalie Brice (Benton, Louisiana) was selected as NPC鈥檚 Teammate of the Year.
鈥淣atalie suffered an unfortunate injury midway through the season, but she continued to cheer for her teammates and is well respected by all of them,鈥 Irvine said. 鈥淪he worked hard to recover from her injury and is now signed to continue playing soccer at a four-year university.鈥
Lopez received the women鈥檚 soccer team鈥檚 final award of the night鈥擯layer of the Year.
鈥淐ynthia is very deserving of this award,鈥 Irvine said. 鈥淗er performances were outstanding, no matter what the circumstances were. She has also signed to continue her soccer career at a four-year university and I could not be more proud of her.鈥
Next, Irvine then honored the men鈥檚 soccer team, which named freshman center back Osagie Omoregie (London, England) the team鈥檚 choice for Player of the Year.
鈥淥sagie stepped into a leadership role for us and led us in every single game,鈥 Irvine said.
Sophomore center back Tyson Adams (Morgan, Utah) was named NPC鈥檚 Teammate of the Year.
鈥淭yson is always there for his team,鈥 Irvine said. 鈥淲henever a volunteer is needed on campus, he is always first in line to help out. He is a great young man who is respected by his teammates and campus community.鈥
To close out the soccer awards, Omoregie was named NPC鈥檚 Player of the Year.
鈥淥sagie played every minute of every game for us and he played those minutes at a very high level,鈥 Irvine said. 鈥淗e is very deserving of this award.鈥
Head softball coach Autumn Wyatt spoke next, applauding her team鈥檚 resilience and team chemistry in a season which included Wyatt鈥檚 100th win as head coach, multiple wins over nationally-ranked opponents and the program鈥檚 first perfect game.
鈥淭his is one of the best seasons I鈥檝e ever had as a coach,鈥 Wyatt said. 鈥淔rom how much fun they have together to the way they show up every day, they make everything worth it.鈥
Sophomore pitchers Bailee Cowell (Clarksville) and Gracie Fowler (Texarkana) were named Co-Pitcher of the Year.
鈥淏ailee began the fall recovering from surgery,鈥 Wyatt said. 鈥淲hen her number was finally called, she stepped up in a big way, breaking multiple records for us.鈥
鈥淕racie has improved leaps and bounds from her freshman season,鈥 Wyatt added. 鈥淚鈥檓 incredibly proud of what she has accomplished on the field and in the classroom.鈥
Wyatt then recognized freshman third baseman Breanna Phillips (Conway) as NPC鈥檚 Newcomer of the Year.
鈥淏reanna has made her mark, not only in the NPC record books, but across the region as well,鈥 Wyatt said. 鈥淪he is the only player in the nation to hit a home run against the second-ranked team in the nation, Murray State College.鈥
Next, Thompson highlighted a historic season for Nighthawk baseball, which included Thompson鈥檚 100th win as head coach, the team鈥檚 first no-hitter, the most single-season wins in program history and new career leaders in triples and wins.
鈥淚t has been an amazing year, but we are not done yet,鈥 Thompson said. 鈥淔ortunately, we get to be on our home field for the postseason. Our guys have done well on the field and in the classroom.鈥
Sophomore pitcher Bryan Raitz (Dallas, Texas) received Pitcher of the Year honors.
鈥淚 had a conversation with Bryan at the beginning of the year and I told him I needed him to be our ace this year,鈥 Thompson said. 鈥淗e has absolutely done just that. Every time he takes the field, you know he will go out and win you a baseball game.鈥
Sophomore infielder Quaterrion Walton (Atlanta, Georgia) was named Player of the Year.
鈥淭his young man is electric,鈥 Thompson said. 鈥淲hen you watch the Nighthawks play, he opens your eyes to how athletic he is and he will make something happen.鈥
Freshman outfielder Ian McCracken (Carrollton, Texas) was selected as the team鈥檚 Newcomer of the Year.
鈥淚an came to us as a transfer student-athlete and led us as a big piece in our batting order,鈥 Thompson said. 鈥淗e protects those around him and that鈥檚 a must-have for a team to win.鈥
For Nighthawk men鈥檚 basketball, head coach Dion Hargrove applauded the team for its grit.
鈥淲ith only two players returning from last year鈥檚 national championship team, we hit the ground running with recruiting on day one,鈥 Hargrove said. 鈥淭his group came in, worked hard, played hard and battled through adversity together.鈥
Sophomore center Tevin Tate (Springdale) was named NPC鈥檚 Teammate of the Year.
鈥淭evin came in and worked really hard to do whatever he was asked to do,鈥 Hargrove said.
Freshman guard Addison Shelton (Little Rock) received academic MVP honors.
鈥淎ddison worked really hard in the classroom and on the court,鈥 Hargrove said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 the kind of person who determines his outcome based on his work ethic.鈥
Sophomore guard Mondo Watkins (Hot Springs) was recognized with the Nighthawk Grit Award.
鈥淢ondo had incredible numbers for us this season,鈥 Hargrove said. 鈥淗e is a young man who is always willing to do whatever it takes to win. He has a bright future ahead of him.鈥
Reigning NJCAA Region 2 Coach of the Year Eddie Broughton Sr. took the podium next and bragged about NPC women鈥檚 basketball鈥檚 historic year on the court.
鈥淚t was an incredible year for us,鈥 Broughton said. 鈥淭o bounce back and break records was a pretty big deal. In 19 years of coaching, this team was completely different than any team I鈥檝e ever coached. Their comradery and chemistry were always there from day one.鈥
Broughton recognized freshman guard Kishaliya Doss (Magnolia) with the Fearless Nighthawk Award.
鈥淜ishaliya is scrappy,鈥 Broughton said. 鈥淪he did everything to help us win.鈥
Freshman guard Khayla Garrett (Brownsboro, Texas) was named NPC鈥檚 Most Impactful Player.
鈥淜hayla did a little bit of everything for us,鈥 Broughton said. 鈥淣ight in and night out, we knew we could count on her to get the job done.鈥
Chosen by the women鈥檚 basketball team, freshman guard Daisy Dollar (Mena) was named NPC鈥檚 Teammate of the Year.
鈥淒aisy鈥檚 energy, effort and encouragement makes her a special person,鈥 Broughton said.
Men鈥檚 soccer freshman Tim Grahmann (R眉desheim am Rhein, Germany) was named the Men鈥檚 Scholar Athlete of the Year.
鈥淭his young man moved to the United States from Germany last fall and has a 4.0 GPA at 中国P站,鈥 Thompson said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 pursuing a business degree and an accounting degree, which is not an easy feat as English is not his primary language.鈥
Softball sophomores Gracie Fowler (Texarkana) and Jessica Suire (New Iberia, Louisiana) were recognized as Women鈥檚 Scholar Athletes of the Year.
鈥淭his was a tight race,鈥 Thompson said. 鈥淥ur softball team is amazing in the classroom. These two young ladies represent the way Nighthawks should be in the classroom.鈥
Three honorees were recognized as Nighthawk Spirit Award recipients鈥擜insley Louton (Hot Springs) of women鈥檚 soccer, Rose Whitley (Malvern) of Nighthawk cheer and Tyson Adams (Morgan, Utah) of men鈥檚 soccer. Thompson read their individual nominations.
鈥淎insley is a local student who embodies service to others and the community,鈥 Thompson read. 鈥淪he works hard to provide for her family and is valuable on the soccer field. She plans to continue her nursing education here at NPC. This past year, she has shown grit and resilience through life鈥檚 toughest struggles.鈥
鈥淩ose truly embodies the heart, pride and unshakeable spirit of Nighthawk Nation,鈥 Thompson read. 鈥淗er energy, dedication and unwavering positivity has inspired those around her every single day. Whether cheering from the sidelines, leading by example or simply uplifting others with a smile, Rose represents everything it means to be a Nighthawk.鈥
鈥淭yson is a coach鈥檚 dream,鈥 Thompson read. 鈥淗e is always the first to help with the gear at practice and cleans the bus after away trips. He helps his campus and teammates constantly. He is a selfless individual and a perfect student.鈥
Next, Nighthawk baseball freshman Price Bedwell (Rogers) was honored as the NPC faculty鈥檚 choice for Student of the Year.
鈥淭his young man is prepared, ambitious, very willing to take on challenges and takes his academics seriously,鈥 Thompson said. 鈥淗e is an exceptional student in the classroom and a pleasure to have as a Nighthawk.鈥
The Student鈥檚 Choice for Faculty of the Year was awarded to Janetta Ritter, a professor in NPC鈥檚 business division who is retiring after 36 years of service, for her unwavering support of Nighthawk student-athletes,
鈥淪he鈥檚 always here for our students,鈥 Thompson said. 鈥淪he is supportive and understanding of our student-athletes and their busy schedules. This one saddens me because she is retiring.鈥
The final award of the night, the Student鈥檚 Choice for Staff of the Year, was awarded to Nighthawk athletic trainer and assistant baseball coach Marcus Wyatt.
鈥淭his guy does not get enough recognition for the amount of hours, effort and understanding he gives everyone with his busy schedule,鈥 Thompson said. 鈥淚 could not do any of this without him.鈥
Following the awards ceremony, Thompson closed the banquet by distributing cords to each graduating student-athlete, followed by words of wisdom for each member of Nighthawk Nation.
Award Recipients:
Cheer Athlete of the Year: Rose Whitley
Cheer Newcomer of the Year: Rebeka Parker
Women鈥檚 Cross-Country Runner of the Year: Bethany Breshears
Men鈥檚 Cross-Country Runner of the Year: Alex Pacheco
Outdoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year: Darrius Haywood
Women鈥檚 Soccer Team Choice Player of the Year: Cynthia Lopez
Women鈥檚 Soccer Teammate of the Year: Natalie Brice
Women鈥檚 Soccer Player of the Year: Cynthia Lopez
Men鈥檚 Soccer Team Choice Player of the Year: Osagie Omoregie
Men鈥檚 Soccer Teammate of the Year: Tyson Adams
Men鈥檚 Soccer Player of the Year: Osagie Omoregie
Softball Co-Pitcher of the Year: Bailee Cowell
Softball Co-Pitcher of the Year: Gracie Fowler
Softball Newcomer of the Year: Breanna Phillips
Baseball Pitcher of the Year: Bryan Raitz
Baseball Player of the Year: Quaterrion Walton
Baseball Newcomer of the Year: Ian McCracken
Men鈥檚 Basketball Teammate of the Year: Tevin Tate
Men鈥檚 Basketball Academic Most Valuable Player: Addison Shelton
Men鈥檚 Basketball Nighthawk Grit Award: Mondo Watkins
Women鈥檚 Basketball Fearless Nighthawk Award: Kishaliya Doss
Women鈥檚 Basketball Most Impactful Player: Khayla Garrett
Women鈥檚 Basketball Teammate of the Year: Daisy Dollar
Scholar Athlete of the Year (Male): Tim Grahmann
Scholar Athlete of the Year (Female): Gracie Fowler
Scholar Athlete of the Year (Female): Jessica Suire
Nighthawk Spirit Award (Female): Ainsley Louton
Nighthawk Spirit Award (Female): Rose Whitley
Nighthawk Spirit Award (Male): Tyson Adams
Faculty鈥檚 Choice 鈥 Student of the Year: Price Bedwell
Student鈥檚 Choice 鈥 Faculty of the Year: Janetta Ritter
Student鈥檚 Choice 鈥 Staff of the Year: Marcus Wyatt
For more information on schedules, rosters and more, visit Nighthawk Athletics online. Fans can also follow the Nighthawks all season on social media.
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