Tigers celebrate year with “Wesley” awards

Iowa Wesleyan University celebrated the 2019-2020 season with the second annual 'Wesley Awards” this week. IW gave out 11 awards in the second annual award show. The University held this year's Wesleys online.

Allie Massner, a senior on the women's basketball and golf teams won the Female Honor Athlete of the year award. Massner earned he award due to her work on the court, the course and in the classroom. She was on the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference All-Academic team for both the fall and winter seasons, and would have likely made the team in the spring season as well. In basketball, Massner recorded her 1,000 career point this year to join the Tiger record books.

Along with winning the Honor Athlete award, Massner won the Lori Williams Wright award, which is given to a student who proves they can be exceptional as a student and an athlete.

Jake Neubauer of the men's basketball team won Male Honor Athlete of the year. Neubauer, a senior earned multiple mentions in the IW record book. He has tied the IW record for assists in one game (16), is fifth in free throw percentage all time (79.55 percent) and eighth in total 3-pointers made (171). Neubauer was also on the SLIAC All-Academic team in the winter.

Lida Landre, the star hitter for the Tiger volleyball team, won Female Athlete of the Year. Landre, a senior, had 349 total kills this year, She finished second in the conference in hitting percentage (. 308) and third in kills-per-set (3.42), and earned herself a spot on the All-SLIAC first team.

Francisco Javier Saldana, a sophomore, was named Male Athlete of the Year. Saldana was a superstar for the Tiger men's soccer team, which ended the season atop the SLIAC. Saldana ended the year third in the conference in goals (10), assists (five) and total points (25). He was selectedto the All-SLIAC First Team.

Morgan McCrea, a junior basketball player, and Teresa Diez Dorta, a freshman golfer, were both selected as Female Newcomers of the Year.

McCrea, an offseason transfer, was a third-team All-Conference selection, scoring 14.2 points per game and knocking down 64 3-pointers, third best in the conference. McCrea's shining moment this year came in the road game against MacMurray College, when she hit a half-hour buzzer beater to stun the Highlanders on their home floor.

Diez Dorta, a freshman, had a fantastic fall. She won Newcomer of the Year in the conference and earned a SLIAC First-Team honor. Diez Dorta shot a 158 at the conference tournament to tie for fourth place in the SLIAC, and also won two meets; the Graceland Invitational and the IW Tiger Classic.

Carlos Lopez of the men's soccer team won Male Newcomer of the Year. Lopez, a transfer, was a key contributor for the Tigers this year, winning SLIAC Newcomer of the Year and a spot on the First Team All-Conference team. Lopez also scored two goals in IW's regular-season championship clinching 3-2 win over Spalding University at the end of the season.

Kayla Ford, a senior softball player, and Jenna Murphy, a junior volleyball player, each won a Tiger Service Award.

Ford was Vice President of the IW Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and also a member of the Southeast Iowa Spring Games Special Olympics committee. She also volunteered at Midwest Old Threshers and the Old Threshers Festival of ights Christmas display.

Murphy was President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. She was also a member of the Southeast Iowa Spring Games Special Olympics committee, treasurer of the IW student government and the Junior Business Student of the Year. She also volunteered at Old Threshers and is a coach for the Mt. Pleasant Rush, a local club volleyball organization.

The Academic teams of the year were the baseball and volleyball teams. Those two teams had the highest average grade-point average for their respective genders.

The softball team won Female Team of the Year. Although the season was disrupted due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the team went 5-5 during their trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The squad was believed to be one of the best teams in the SLIAC and was expected to make a second-straight trip to the conference tournament.

The men's soccer team won the Male Team of the Year award. The Tigers went 8-0-1 in conference play and had eight players named to the All-Conference squads. The team finished first place in the regular season, but was unable to compete in the SLIAC tournament due to going over the allotted number of red cards. Head coach Tony Odorisio was named SLIAC Coach of the Year.