The Albion Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) hosted their third annual Best of the Britons awards ceremony at Kresge Gymnasium on Sunday evening celebrating team and individual accomplishments from the past year.

A reception was held in the atrium of the Albion Science Complex on the north end of campus prior to the main event.

SAAC advisor and head women's lacrosse coach Emily DiRado as well as SAAC executive board members organized the event and served as presenters for the various awards.

Additionally, faculty athletics representative Dr. Heather Betz inducted 140 new members into the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society. Established in 1996, the national college athlete honor society recognizes achievements of student-athletes who stand as a beacon of academic and athletic excellence. To become a member, one must have at least a 3.4 cumulative GPA and be a junior or senior.

Towards the end of the program, keynote speaker Blake Rockwell '89 — executive director of Special Spectators who creates VIP game day experiences at major sporting events for seriously ill children and their families — and senior speaker Ava Guilford on the women's basketball team spoke to the audience.

Please see a list of the award winners in the order they were presented below. Winners for awards with finalists are in bold.
 
Best Team GPA (presented to the team who had the top GPA during the 2024-25 academic year)

• Women's Basketball (3.80)

Team Community Service Award (presented to the team who logged the most hours of community service)

• Men's Lacrosse (416 hours)

 
Comeback Player of the Year (presented to a player who overcame a significant injury or setback)

• Female: Maddie Welsh (soccer)
• Male: Logan Bride (lacrosse)

 
Iron Brit Award (presented to a player who shows exemplary dedication in the weight room)

• Female: Carly Frank (volleyball)
• Male: Cal Stearns (lacrosse)

 
Newcomer of the Year (presented to the top freshman or first-year transfer)

• Female Finalists: Chloe Salo (soccer), Maggie Sorrelle (track & field), Wen Wadsworth-Curcuru (swim & dive)
• Male Finalists: Jayden Lewis (wrestling), Robin Ruigendijk (soccer), Connor Schultz (tennis)
• Co-Ed Finalists: Anna Harvey (hunt seat equestrian), Brady Pettit (e-sports), Maggie Sorrelle (hunt seat equestrian)

Breakthrough Athlete of the Year (presented to an individual who had an impactful season after taking on a more significant role for their team)

• Female Finalists: Molly Edmunds (volleyball), Kaitlyn Kreb (swim & dive), Allie Trantham (softball)
• Male Finalists: Jack LaPorte (baseball), Tom Veresh (soccer), Xavier Yuille (soccer)
• Co-Ed Finalists: Stellamia Aerts (western equestrian), Anna Divis (western equestrian), Ella Farwell (western equestrian)

Sophomore of the Year

• Female Finalists: Khaleeya Cook (basketball), Kelsi Green (soccer), Anna Huard (lacrosse)
• Male Finalists: Esteban Mercado (soccer), Luke Schuemann (lacrosse), Alex Trudell (football)
• Co-Ed Finalists: Francisco Izquierdo (e-sports), Raymundo Robles (e-sports), Rose Stanton (western equestrian)

Junior of the Year

• Female Finalists: Carly Frank (volleyball), Meghan Trewhella (basketball), Wen Wadsworth-Curcuru (swim & dive), Lilly Zaskowski (softball)
• Male Finalists: Lucas Anderson (soccer), Camden Paul (golf), Brendan Schultz (baseball)
• Co-Ed Finalists: Emmanuel Rostro-Gonzalez (e-sports), Enkhbaatar Saranbaatar (e-sports), Claire Stier (western equestrian)

Senior of the Year

• Female Finalists: Ava Guilford (basketball), Grace Halstead (soccer), Nicole Miller (lacrosse)
• Male Finalists: Peyton Brooks (wrestling), Cal Stearns (lacrosse), Michael Umeh (basketball)
• Co-Ed Finalists: Heath LaPointe (e-sports), Phoebe Martin (hunt seat equestrian), Madeline Urban (e-sports)

Best Individual Performance (presented to an individual who stood out from the rest in a single competition)

• Female Finalists: Allie Trantham (softball, two grand slams in a doubleheader against Grace Christian), Meghan Trewhella (basketball, breaking the program's single-season scoring record against Kalamazoo), Wen Wadsworth-Curcuru (swim & dive, winning the MIAA 3-meter diving title)
• Male Finalists: Peyton Brooks (wrestling, went 4-1 at NCAA Regionals and finished third to qualify for nationals), Daniel Bruzdewicz (baseball, pitched a complete game with 12 strikeouts against Bluffton), Cal Stearns (lacrosse, tied the program's single-game points record against Alma)
• Co-Ed Finalists: Heath LaPointe (e-sports, Super Smash Brothers Ultimate performance), Phoebe Martin (hunt seat equestrian, won the Cacchione Cup), Alyssa McPherson (western equestrian, IHSA semifinal performance)

Best Albion Win (presented to the victory that best brought campus together and exemplified true Briton grit and energy)

• Finalists: Men's Lacrosse winning the 2025 MIAA Tournament, Men's Soccer's comeback against Calvin, Women's Basketball upset of No. 9 ranked Hope

Big Brit Energy Award (presented to the team who brings the most energy at Albion athletic events and supports their fellow Britons with an electricity that cannot be replicated)

• Finalists: Football, Men's Basketball, Men's/Women's Track & Field

Team of the Year (presented to the team who works the hardest, shows passion and grit and brings competition to their sport)

• Female Finalists: Basketball, Soccer, Volleyball
• Male Finalists: Lacrosse, Soccer, Wrestling
• Co-Ed Finalists: E-Sports, Hunt Seat Equestrian, Western Equestrian

Coaching Staff of the Year (presented to a coaching staff for their commitment, unwavering support and athletic accomplishments)

• Men's Lacrosse (Jake DeCola, Kyle Borek, Parker Laketa, Spencer Gill)

Athletic Director's Award (presented to a student-athlete who has achieved the highest level of success in the classroom and in competition)

• Carly Frank (volleyball)

Brit Barrel Award (presented to the team from Division III Week)

• Volleyball

2024 Winners
2025 Winners