Wheeling, W. Va. - It was a night of celebration inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center for the third annual Wheeling University Athletics Cardinals High Flyer Night. Student-athletes from across each of Wheeling's 22 sports packed the performance gym in a celebaration of the 2025-2026 season. The event, which was co-sponsored by the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) celebrated the student-atheltes for their achievements on and off the field, while 14 athletes earned department honors on the night.
The festivities began with an opening prayer from Director of Campus Ministry Father David Griffin, before the department highlighted both the athletic and academic accomplishments of the Cardinal student-athletes throughout the season. In total, 68 student-athletes earned All-Conference honors, three earned All-Region, and 10 earned All-American honors for their work on the field so far. The success continued into the classroom, with 161 student-athletes earning Academic All-MEC and Commissioner's Honor Roll for the fall semester, while 156 earned the honors in the spring semester. Also highlighted was the community service done by student-athletes, with different servce projects such as the Sole Bros. Shoe Drive, Stuff the Truck, and Strikeout Cancer among Others.
Following the opening address, the department took the time to honor the 2026 Collegiate Rugby Championship (CRC) National 7's Champions Wheeling Men's Rugby team. Head Coach Maxwell Hamilton came down and introduced the team and highlighted the accomplishments throughout the weekend. The Cardinals became just the third team in the NCR to earn three straight CRC National 7's title, and the first to accomplish the feat since Lindenwood won their third consecutive National title n 2022. There was a team picture as well as a presentation of both the National Championship trophy as well as the MVP trophy to Alex Nyamunda. The team took a picture in front of the backdrop as they highlighted another strong 7's season for the team.
Following the presentation, it was time for the announcement of the Wheeling Athletic Department awards. The first four awards of the night were the department's senior awards, honoring athletes for their time in a Cardinal Uniform. The first award was the Male & Female Athlete of the Year award, given annually to the top performing male and female athlete, honoring their entire career in a Cardinal Uniform. The Fr. Charles Currie S.J. Scholar Athlete Award, and the Female Student-Athlete of the Year are given annually to the top performing Male or Female Student-Athlete in the classroom over their four years.
Male Athlete of the Year: Sebastian Khan (Baseball)
The 2025-2026 Male Athlete of the Year award went to Wheeling Baseball player Sebastian Khan. Khan has grown over his three years with the Cardinals, going from a bullpen arm to the ace of the Cardinal's staff. He has already won First Team All-MEC honors and, with a week left to go in the regular season, is already on track to win another First Team All-MEC honor. He currently holds the fourth lowest ERA in the conference, while sitting second in the conference with 67 strikeouts and third with 61.2 innings pitched. In the classroom, Khan is a two-time Academic All-MEC honoree, and is on track to win his third Academic All-MEC honor this season. He is in the running for both Conference and Regional Pitcher of the Year as he looks to lead the Cardinals to their first MEC Championship
Female Athlete of the Year: Kenzie Dalton (Women's Basketball)
The 2025-2026 Female Athlete of the Year award went to Wheeling Women's Basketball player Kenzie Dalton. Since stepping on campus four years ago, Kenzie Dalton has been a regular starter for the Cardinals throughout her four seasons. She is the first Cardinal in over a decade to finish with 500 career assists, 500 career rebounds, 300 career steals, and 1,000 career points. She reached all three marks just this past season, helping lead the Cardinals to the #4 seed in the MEC Women's Basketball Tournament. During her career, she is a two-time All-MEC honoree, two-time MEC Defensive Player of the Year, and earned her first All-Region honor of her career. She has also been a top student-athlete in the classroom, earning two Academic All-MEC honors and one MEC Commissioner's Honor Roll award.
Fr. Charles Currie S.J. Scholar Athlete of the Year: Andrew Schmidt & Luka Martinaj (Men's Soccer)
This year, the Fr. Charles Currie S.J. Scholar Athlete award was split by a pair of Cardinals, with Men's Soccer players Andrew Schmidt and Luka Martinaj sharing the award. Both student-athletes hit a cumulative GPA of 4.0 through their academic careers, while both being members of the Wheeling University Men's Soccer team. Schmidt has spent his entire four-year career with the Cardinals, earning four Academic All-MEC honors during his career. Martinaj is in his second season with the Wheeling Men's Soccer team, and has also taken home a pair of Academic All-MEC honors throughout his career. Both have excelled in the classroom, and helped the Wheeling Men's Soccer team continue to grow on the field.
Female Student-Athlete of the Year: Olivia Moyer (Women's Swimming)
With the Fr. Charles Currie S.J. Award going to a pair of male athletes, the other scholar award went to the Female Student-Athlete of the Year. Wheeling Women's Swimmer Olivia Moyer was the honoree, putting together a cumulative 3.99 GPA through her time with the Cardinals. She would serve as the Women's Swimming Academic Captain, where she helped coordinate study tables and study hall hours, put together study sessions, and helped guide the Women's Swimming team in their Academic Success. She has also been a staple for the Cardinals in the pool, taking on the butterfly event, as she continued her growth in the pool.
The final group of awards were eligible for the rest of the student-athlete body, with the Male & Female Rookie of the Year, Cardinal Sportsman & Sportswoman of the Year, Male & Female Difference Maker of the Year, Male & Female Inspirational Athlete of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Team of the Year awards being handed out. Each of these awards honored student-athletes for success on the field as well as leadership and community service. These awards combine to cover the entire mission of Wheeling University, Faith, Learning, and Service with and Among Others. Of the final 10 awards, 10 different programs were represented as the success went throughout the Wheeling Athletics Department.
Male Rookie of the Year: Segmen Duygun (Men's Swimming)
The 2025-2026 Male Rookie of the Year award went to Wheeling Men's Swimmer Segmen Duygun, who made an immediate impact on the Wheeling Men's Swimming team. Duygun was the leader in the distance events, swimming the 500, 1000, and 1650 Yard Freestyle Events. He would finish second in MEC Freshman of the Year voting, and had one of his best showings of the season at the 2026 MEC/GMAC Championships. Duygun would earn three First Team All-MEC honors at the event, taking the top spot in the conference in each of his three main events. He was the highest point scorer for the Cardinals at the championship event, and he looks to continue his growth throughout his Cardinal career.
Female Rookie of the Year: Camryn Matus (Volleyball)
The 2025-2026 Female Rookie of the Year award went to Wheeling Volleyball player Camryn Matus. Matus was the offensive leader for the Cardinals throughout the season, leading the team in kills (297) and Points (359.5) on the season. She would pick up the team's first triple-double in over a decade against Frostburg State on October 7th, and finished with double digit kills in 18 games this season. For her efforts, she was named the MEC Freshman of the Year, while also earning First Team All-MEC honors. She rounded out the postseason honors with an All-Region and All-American honor from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) to round out a strong freshman season.
Cardinal Sportsman of the Year: Curtis Harrison IV (Men's Basketball)
The 2025-2026 Cardinal Sportsman of the Year award went to Wheeling Men's Basketball player Curtis Harrison IV for the second year in a row. He continued his charity work from last season, establishing the second annual Sole Bros. Shoe Drive. It is a charity that he and his friends started and, over the years they have given out over 2,000 pairs of shoes to those in need. This year, the senior helped the Cardinals collect over 100 pairs of shoes, which were donated to Catholic Charities of Wheeling. For his efforts in community service, he was awarded the Aquinas Medal courtesy of the Wheeling/Charleston Diocese for his work in community service representing Wheeling University.
Cardinal Sportswoman of the Year: Ava Kresak (Softball)
The 2025-2026 Cardinal Sportswoman of the Year went to Wheeling Softball player Ava Kresak. Like Harrison, Kresak would lead the way in community service, helping spearhead the Wheeling Softball team's Strikeout Cancer game. She helped plan the hole day out, and the Cardinals helped raise over $3,000 for local cancer patients in need. Off the field, Kresak is a great human being, and always brings a positive attitude with her wherever she goes. She is a leader for the Cardinal Softball program, as well as a leader in the community, taking the Service with and Among Others part of the mission to heart everyday.
Male Difference Maker of the Year: Alex Smith (Men's Basketball)
The 2025-2026 Male Difference Maker of the Year award went to Wheeling Men's Basketball player Alex Smith. Smith has been a leader for the Cardinals over the last four seasons, being a vocal leader on and off the court. He would regularly bring the ball up the court to set up the offense, while being an integral part of the defensive game. He finished as the Cardinal's second leading rebounder, picking up 6.0 rebounds/game on the season while leading the team with 52 steals during the season. Off the court, he is a leader in the film room and is always willing to help players in the gym and in the weight room as they prepare for the season.
Female Difference Maker of the Year: Gabby Jantz (Acrobatics & Tumbling)
The 2025-2026 Female Difference Maker of the Year award went to Wheeling Acrobatics & Tumbling athlete Gabby Jantz. Jantz has been a leader for the Cardinals over the first two years of the program, being a leader in both the top and tumbling group. She has helped the team's trio pass qualify for the MEC Event Finals in each of the past two seasons, helping them finish third in the conference in each of those two seasons. She also made history just this past year, becomign the first of two Cardinals to become Second Team All-MEC honorees, marking the fist All-MEC honorees in program history.
Male Inspirational Athlete of the Year: Shadreck Mandaza (Men's Rugby) & Courtney Rider (Wrestling/Cross Country)
The Male Inspirational Athlete of the Year award was split this season between Men's Rugby player Shadreck Mandaza and Cross Country Runner/Wrestler Courtney Rider. Mandaza suffered a broken jaw in October, that forced him to miss the entire fall 15's season playoff run. He worked his way back from injury and was ready to go by the spring National 7's run. He would finish as the team leader with 44 points, while scoring six tries and hitting seven conversions. His biggest try came in the final moments of the semifinals, when he took a pitch and ran the game-winning try into the corner of the try zone and give the Cardinals the win over Kutztown.
Earning the other Male Inspirational Athlete of the Year award was Courtney Rider, who has battled through injury to be a key contributor both on the Wrestling and Cross Country teams. His year started in the fall, when he ran Cross Country for the first time in his career. He would end up being a strong performer for the team, finishing third at the MEC Cross Country Championships. As he transferred into wrestling season, Rider would battle injuries throughout the year, but qualified for the MEC Championships at the 149-pound weight class. He would then go on to wrestle in the wrestling regional championships, where he would also wrestle at 149-pounds for the first time in his career.
Female Inspirational Athlete of the Year: Sophia Cirone (Women's Lacrosse)
The 2025-2026 Female Inspirational Athlete of the Year award went to Women's Lacrosse player Sophia Cirone. Cirone has been a positive influence on the newfound Wheeling Women's Lacrosse team, being a leader since its return from hiatus in 2025. She helped establish a pregame routine that has boosted team morale, while also being a leader on the field. She is in the midst of a breakout season for the Cardinals, setting career-highs in goals, assists, and points so far. She tied the single-game assist record with eight against Point Park and looks to lead the Cardinals to their first MEC Championship since the 2017 season.
Coach of the Year: Chris Richardson (Men's Basketball)
The 2025-2026 Wheeling University Coach of the Year award went to Wheeling Head Men's Basketball Coach Chris Richardson. Under Richardson's leadership, the Wheeling Men's Basketball program was taken to new heights, putting together their best season since the 2017-18 campaign. The team saw an eight-win improvement from the previous season, capturing the #3 seed in the 2026 MEC Men's Basketball tournament. For his efforts, Richardson was named the MEC Coach of the Year as well as the Joe Retton MEC Coach of the Year award, while coaching Two All-MEC honorees as well as the 2025-2026 MEC Freshman of the Year.
Team of the Year: Wheeling Men's Golf
The final award of the night was the 2025-2026 Team of the Year, given to the top performing or breakout team. This year's award went to the Wheeling Men's Golf program, after establishing a winning culture this season. It started in the fall when the team took fourth in the MEC Championship event. They earned their first-ever team regional ranking to start the spring, and continued to climb the regional ladder. It resulted in the team earning their first-ever team bid to the NCAA DII Atlantic/East Regional tournament, which they will participate in May 7th – 9th at Sunehanna Country Club in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The team had three All-MEC honorees this season, including First Team All-MEC honoree Zak Collins.
The night would round out with the presentation of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council awards, as voted on by the students. In total, SAAC presented 14 awards at the event, honoring students across the department. A complete list of their award winners is below:
Cardinal of the Year: Mackenzie Dalton
Cardinal of the Year: Sebastian Kahn
Comeback Player of the Year: Caryn Goins & James Walker
Dedication Award: Ayden Goll & Melia Gorrel
Clutch Player: Edward Mateo & Samantha Faulkner
Hype Man of the Year: Luke Kramer
Main Character Energy: Aleithia Wilson (Women's Volleyball)
Locker Room DJ: Taven Mayo (Men's Track and Field)
Most Likely to Go Viral: Mac Pettigrew (Football)
Mr. Sunshine Award: Vladimir Zhang (Golf)
Ms. Sunshine Award: Kendall Krupper (Women's Volleyball)
Rookie of the Year: Fenne Sienart (Women's Track and Field)**
We want to thank all of our student-Athletes for their hard work and dedication on and off the field, and for helping us have a great 2025-2026 season.
