Xavier Athletics Celebrates Second Annual XSPYS

CINCINNATI – Xavier Athletics celebrated the year in Musketeer sports on Tuesday night, when the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee hosted the second annual XSPYS. The event was made possible by the financial contributions of the All For One Fund. The event was held in the James and Caroline Duff Banquet Center at Cintas Center.

Xavier student-athletes voted on a number of categories, on and off the playing field, ranging from Best Championship Performance to Best Upset.

Men's basketball coach Chris Mack and baseball coach Scott Googins were tabbed 'Co-Coaches of the Year' after leading their teams to the NCAA Tournament. Coach Mack led the Musketeers to the Elite Eight in 2017 for the third time in program history as Xavier finished the season with a 24-14 overall record. The men's basketball team also took home the award for 'Team of the Year'.

Coach Googins led the baseball squad to the 2016 BIG EAST Regular Season and Tournament Titles. The Musketeers upset No. 1 seed Vanderbilt in the first game of the Nashville Regional before being defeated by UC Santa Barbara in the championship game. Joe Gellenbeck from baseball also took home 'Best Play' with his diving catch into the first-base dugout in the 15-1 win over Vanderbilt, earning him a spot on ESPN's SportsCenter Top-10 plays from that day.

The 'Male Athlete of the Year' went to baseball's Andre Jernigan who was tabbed the 2016 BIG EAST Player of the Year. The Louisville Slugger All-America Third Team selection was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 14th round of the MLB First-Year Players Draft. Teammate Dan Rizzie was named the 'Comeback Athlete of the Year' after missing nearly all of the 2015 season with an injury. The 2016 All-BIG EAST First Team honoree was named the BIG EAST Championships Most Outstanding Player, while also being selected to the NCAA Tournament Nashville All-Regional Team. Rizzie was taken by the New York Mets in the 13th round of the MLB First-Year Players Draft.

Abbey Bessler was named 'Female Athlete of the Year' after finishing her career as one of the most decorated players in volleyball program history. The outside hitter was named an AVCA All-American in 2016 for the second time in her career, while also collecting All-BIG EAST First Team honors for the fourth straight season. Bessler finished her career as the all-time leader at Xavier in attack attempts (5,094) and points (2,010), while ranking second in kills (1,774) and fifth in digs (1,392).

The 'Best Championships Performance' went to swimming's Matt Dyer. The sophomore standout swept the championship heats of the breaststroke at the BIG EAST Championships. The Wooster, Ohio, native set a pair of school records in 100 breast and 200 breast on the way to the conference title, with his time of 54.91 in the 100 breast hitting the NCAA B-Cut standard. Dyer also helped the Musketeers win BIG EAST Championships in the 200 and 400 medley relays, swimming the breast stroke leg.

During the 2017 BIG EAST Swimming and Diving Championships, Knox Hitt repeated as conference champion in the 100 fly, upping his own school record and setting a NCAA B-Cut time by touching the wall in 47.65 - earning the XSPY for 'Best Record-Breaking Performance'. The time shaved over a second off his preliminary heat time and is half a second faster than his previous school record time of 48.13, set during the 2016 BIG EAST Championships

Emily Conners - the 'Female Rookie of the Year' - made a splash at her first BIG EAST Championship, setting a new standard for Xavier women in freestyle sprints. The freshman placed third in the 50 free on first full day of the competition, upping the school record she set during prelims during the finals. Conners also set a school record in the prelims of the 100 free, only to break it during the championship heat as she finished third. Conners also took legs of the 200 and 400 free relays as well as the 200 and 400 medley relays.

'Male Rookie of the Year' went to Derrick Otim from men's soccer. He appeared in all 19 matches, making 18 starts and ranking fifth on the team in scoring with eight points (3G, 2A). Trevon Bluiett from men's basketball took home 'Best Single Game Performance' after scoring a career-high 40 points against No. 19 Cincinnati in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout. He was 12-for-15 from the floor vs the Bearcats, while going 9-for-11 from behind the arc.

Tori Doss from women's soccer took home the Musketeer Magis Award given to a person who constantly seeks out doing more for the universal good of others. The award is for someone who is a consummate leader, is humble and unselfish.

Rodrigo Suriano from men's swimming and Cristina Di Lorenzo from women's tennis were both tabbed Musketeer Medal of Honor recipients. The award is given to a senior male and female student-athlete who has achieved excellence in scholarship, athletics, leadership and service.

2017 AWARD WINNERS

Best Play - Joe Gellenbeck (Baseball)
Best Comeback Athlete - Dan Rizzie (Baseball)
Best Upset - Men's Basketball
Best Celebration Shot - Men's Basketball
Best Action Shot - Jeremy Schneider (Men's Tennis)
Best Championship Performance - Matt Dyer (Swimming)
Best Record Breaking Performance - Knox Hitt (Swimming)
Female Rookie of the Year - Emily Conners (Swimming)
Male Rookie of the Year - Derrick Otim (Men's Soccer)
Best Single Game Performance - Trevon Bluiett (Men's Basketball)
Coach of the Year - Scott Googins (Baseball) and Chris Mack (Men's Basketball)
Female Athlete of the Year - Abbey Bessler (Volleyball)
Male Athlete of the Year - Andre Jernigan (Baseball)
Team of the Year - Men's Basketball
Musketeer Magis - Tori Doss (Women's Soccer)
Musketeer Medal of Honor - Rodrigo Suriano (Swimming), Cristina Di Lorenzo (Women's Tennis)

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