CAA Announces 2020-21 Leadership & Sport Excellence Award Recipients
Rob Washburn
RICHMOND, Va. (June 22, 2021)
– The Colonial Athletic Association has announced the 19 recipients of the CAA Leadership and Sport Excellence Award for the 2020-21 academic year.
The award mimics the Chuck Boone Leadership Award in football and the Dean Ehlers Leadership Award in men’s and women’s basketball. One student-athlete, who represents the highest standards of teamwork, integrity, leadership and sportsmanship in his or her academic and athletic achievements, was selected in each of the other 19 sports sponsored by the Conference.
After evaluating the nominees, the CAA’s Faculty Athletic Representatives voted on the winners.
The 2020-21 CAA Leadership and Sport Excellence Award winners are as follows:
Baseball:
Kyle Baker, Delaware - Baker is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Finance after completing his undergraduate degree in Finance with a 3.46 GPA. A three-year captain on the Delaware baseball team, he earned second-team All-CAA honors in 2021 after ranking second in the conference with a .370 batting average and leading the Blue Hens with 31 runs scored. He previously made the All-CAA first team in 2018 and the All-CAA third team in 2016. Baker is a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society and received the University of Delaware PNC Student-Athlete Achiever Award in 2018.
Men’s Cross Country:
Cameron Dickson, Northeastern – Dickson achieved a 3.36 GPA while majoring in Mechanical Engineering. A three-time member of the Dean’s List, he received USTFCCCA Academic All-America accolades. Dickson earned All-CAA honors for the second time after placing third at the 2020 CAA Cross Country Championship with a time of 23:52, helping Northeastern claim its first-ever conference title. He set a new school record earlier at the 8K CAA Preview Meet. In addition to his cross country success, Dickson won the 10,000 meters at the CAA Track & Field Championship with a meet-record time of 29:55.50 and placed second in the 5,000 meters.
Women’s Cross Country:
Kayla Connelly, James Madison – Connelly compiled a 3.88 GPA while majoring in Health Science and made the President’s List at JMU during her final four semesters. She is a three-time honoree on the USTFCCCA Women’s Cross Country All-Academic Team and is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Connelly helped JMU achieve a third-place finish at the 2020 CAA Cross Country Championship with a personal-best 6K time of 21:13.
Field Hockey:
Frankie O’Brien, Hofstra – O’Brien majored in English & Secondary Education at Hofstra and recorded a 3.61 GPA. She is a four-time member of the NFHCA National Academic Squad and made the Dean’s List four times. A two-year team captain for the Pride field hockey team, O’Brien started all 12 games this season on defense and contributed three points on one goal and one assist. She served as president of the Hofstra Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Men’s Golf:
Derek Gold, Towson – Gold achieved a 3.981 GPA while majoring in Sport Management. He’s made the Dean’s List in every semester and was named the Outstanding Senior by the Department of Kinesiology. A three-year member of Towson’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), he has worked on several community service initiatives and also served as a Tiger Athletic Fund intern. On the course, Gold played in three events during the 2021 season, posting an 81.0 average and recording a Top-25 finish.
Women’s Golf:
Phu Khine, UNCW – Khine compiled a 3.522 GPA while majoring in Business Administration. A four-time member of the Dean’s List, she has twice been honored on the WGCA Academic All-Scholar team. Among her community service projects was collecting and distributing food in her hometown of Yangon, Myanmar during the pandemic. On the course, Khine received second-team All-CAA honors in 2021 after making the first team and being named CAA Rookie of the Year in 2019. She was chosen as the Most Outstanding Performer at the 2019 CAA Championship after earning medalist honors and helping lead UNCW to the team title.
Men’s Lacrosse:
Andrew Beacham, Towson – Beacham majored in Business Administration-Finance and recorded a 3.634 GPA. He made the Dean’s List five times and the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll in each semester. Beacham was a four-year member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and served as the group’s President in 2020-21. On field, he played in 31 career games as a midfielder for the Tigers and contributed three goals and six assists. Beacham was a member of Towson’s 2019 squad that captured the CAA championship and was ranked #1 nationally during the regular season.
Women’s Lacrosse:
Karson Harris, Drexel – Harris achieved a 3.96 GPA while majoring in Health Sciences. An 11-time member of the Dean’s List, she was honored as Drexel’s CAA Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2020-21. A three-year member of Drexel’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Harris was part of the SAAC Executive Committee in 2020-21 as Events Coordinator. She had a sensational 2021 season, earning CAA Player of the Year accolades and making the All-CAA first team for the second time after leading the league with 61 goals. Harris, who also topped the conference with 92 draw controls, was chosen to the IWLCA All-America second team. Her outstanding play helped Drexel claim the CAA regular-season title and earn an at-large berth to the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Championship for the first time.
Women’s Rowing:
Haley Dutton, Eastern Michigan – Dutton is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Prosthetics after graduating with a 3.89 GPA in Exercise Science. She was recognized as a CRCA National Scholar-Athlete in 2018 and 2019 and has helped EMU receive the CAA Team Academic Excellence Award in four seasons. Dutton is a three-time recipient of the EMU Rowing Pioneer Award, which is given to a team member that has set new standards of excellence. She helped lead EMU to a program-best third-place finish at the 2019 CAA Rowing Championship.
Men’s Soccer:
Sam Bacon, Elon – Bacon achieved a 3.968 GPA while majoring in Statistics and Computer Science. A six-time member of the President’s List, he was inducted into the Mu Sigma Rho Statistics Honor Society and the Phi Kappa Phi Mathematics Honor Society. A team captain for the Phoenix, Bacon started all seven games in the midfield during the spring season and received the Team Leadership Award. He has served as a representative on the Elon Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) since 2019.
Women’s Soccer:
Lucy Porter, Hofstra – Porter compiled a 3.81 GPA while majoring in Community Health. A two-time member of the Provost’s List, she received the Sylvia Giallombardo Award in 2021 as Hofstra’s Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year and also made the prestigious Senior CLASS All-America first team. Porter had a sensational season on the field, leading the CAA with 10 goals and earning first-team All-America accolades from the United Soccer Coaches. She was chosen as the CAA Midfielder of the Year for the second straight season, made the All-CAA first team for the third time and was a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy as the top player in the nation. Away from the field, she interned in the Radiology Department at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Softball:
Dominique Travers, UNCW – Travers is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Higher Education after graduating with a 3.92 GPA in Communication Studies. Chosen as an Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar in 2019, she was inducted into the Phi Eta Sigma, Lambda Pi Eta and Chi Sigma Alpha Honor Societies. A four-year team captain and a member of the UNCW Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Travers participated in the NCAA Inclusion Forum, founded the UNCW Black Student-Athlete Association and was a representative on the Black Student Action Group. On the field, the three-year starter for the Seahawks received second-team All-CAA honors in 2018 and was a NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete in 2017.
Men’s Swimming and Diving:
Joshua Rigsbee, UNCW – Rigsbee compiled a 3.652 GPA while majoring in Business Administration. A five-time member of the Dean’s List, he has worked with the UNCW Student-Athlete Leadership Society and is a representative on the UNCW Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). In the pool, Rigsbee earned all-conference honors after placing second in the 100 breaststroke at the 2021 CAA Championship and was also part of two second-place relay teams. He also earned All-CAA recognition in 2019 and 2020. Rigsbee owns the second-fastest time in UNCW history in the 200 breaststroke and third-fastest in the 100 breaststroke.
Women’s Swimming and Diving:
Sarah Stim, James Madison – Stim achieved a 3.905 GPA while majoring in Biology. A seven-time member of the President’s List, she earned entry into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society and received honorable mention CSCAA Scholar All-America accolades during three seasons. Stim is a certified Virginia Emergency Medical Technician and has worked as a Duty Officer with the Bridgewater Volunteer Rescue Squad since last January. In the pool, Stim is a two-time all-conference honoree after placing second in the 3-meter dive at the 2020 CAA Championship and finishing third at the 2021 Championship. She qualified for the NCAA Zone Diving Championships three times. A team captain, Stim served on JMU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and was an athletics tutor.
Men’s Tennis:
Akram El Sallaly, Elon – El Sallaly is working on a Master’s in Business Analytics at Elon and has compiled a 3.909 GPA. He received the ITA Scholar-Athlete Award and Community Service Award in 2018 and earned the Elon Team Leadership Award in 2021. On the court, El Sallaly was a first-team All-CAA selection in singles and a second-team All-CAA honoree in doubles in 2021. He played for the Egyptian National Team in 2019 and received a bronze medal in doubles and a silver medal as a team at the African Games.
Women’s Tennis:
Kylie Moulin, James Madison – Moulin achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA while majoring in Kinesiology with an exercise science concentration. She made the President’s List in each semester, was selected for the Phi Eta Sigma and Odyssey Honor Societies and received an ITA Scholar-Athlete Award in 2019-20. Moulin was an intern at the Morrison Bruce Center, which provides physical activity opportunities for women. On the court, Moulin earned second-team All-CAA honors in doubles and third-team All-CAA accolades in singles to help JMU capture its second straight conference championship in 2021. She was nationally ranked in doubles in March. Moulin was also part of JMU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
Men’s Track and Field:
Dylan Wood, UNCW – Wood double majored in History and Political Science while recording a 3.61 GPA. A Dean’s List student, he also earned the CAA Leadership and Excellence Award in 2019. A team captain for the Seahawks, Wood was the individual champion in the triple jump at the 2021 CAA Track & Field Championship and also placed second in the high jump to earn all-conference honors. He was the CAA champion in the high jump in 2018 and also was chosen for the team leadership award.
Women’s Track and Field:
Alexys Taylor, James Madison – Taylor is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy after compiling a 3.411 GPA while earning a degree in Health Science. She has been recognized four times on the USTFCCCA All-Academic team and has made the Dean’s List in three semesters. Taylor has been involved with numerous campus organizations, including the Campus History Committee, the Black Leadership Coalition, the Black Athletes Sister Circle and JMU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). On the track, Taylor was the CAA champion in the 100 meters in 2018 and was a member of the 4X100 and 4X400 relay teams that hold school records. She earned all-conference accolades five times in her career.
Volleyball:
Samantha Shupe, Northeastern – Shupe achieved a 3.743 GPA while majoring in Marine Biology and Biochemistry. She made the Dean’s List in five semesters and received NU’s Top Dog award four times. Shupe worked at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Hale Building for Transformative Medicine, processing patient samples and analyzing data. On the court, Shupe earned CAA Setter of the Year honors in 2020 after ranking among league leaders in assists and helped lead the Huskies to the finals of the CAA Championship. A team captain, she also serves as president of the Northeastern Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).