The annual CU student-athletes' awards ceremonies (AKA the CUSPY's) were held this evening.
Congrats to all the honorees and hope EVERYONE there had a blast!
Article - https://cubuffs.com/news/2025/4/28/general-several-honored-monday-at-25th-annual-cuspy-s
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By: David Plati, SID-Emeritus/Athletic Historian
BOULDER — Several major awards were presented Monday night as the University of Colorado honored its best in athletics at the 25th annual CU Sports Performers of the Year (CUSPY) Awards.
Over 350 student-athletes, coaches, staff and C-Club board members attended the annual year-end celebration, which as always was organized by CU's Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for the 2024-25 athletic year.
This is the 50th anniversary of the first two awards the Male and Female Athlete of the Year were created to recognize the best of the best for the 1984-85 athletic year; the original recipients were both basketball players, Alex Stivrins and Lisa Van Goor. In the previous 50 selections, 13 times the men and multiple winners, the women 16 times. But not this year …
The Male Athlete of the Year Award was claimed for the second time by junior Travis Hunter (football) and the Female Athlete of the Year honor by junior Jordan Nytes (soccer).
Hunter became one of, if not, the most decorated players for a single season in college football history, winning CU's second Heisman Trophy along with the Chuck Bednarik Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy for defense, the Biletnikoff Award (top receiver), a second Paul Hornung Award (most versatile player) and won the Associated Press and Walter Camp Player of the Year honors. A unanimous first-team All-American (and all Big 12 Conference) selection, he was the conference's Defensive Player of the Year. Playing over 1,400 snaps between offense, defense and special teams, he caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and a record 15 touchdowns, with 36 tackles, four interceptions and 11 pass deflections on defense. He was also a two-time Academic All-American.
He shared the '23-24 honor with KJ Simpson, now playing with the NBA's Charlotte Hornets. Hunter now joins him in the professional ranks after the Jacksonville Jaguars selected him second overall in last Thursday's NFL Draft.
Nytes, the Big 12 Conference Goalkeeper of the Year, was a third-team All-American as selected by the United Soccer Coaches. She also earned the Sportswomen of Colorado's Collegiate Player of the Year honor, and was a five-time Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week. She started all 22 games and helped CU to a 12-5-5 record, racking up 101 saves in allowing just 22 goals; her save percentage of .821 ranked second in the conference, as did her 11 shutouts (which also were the sixth-most in the nation). She made seven saves in CU's 3-2 win over Georgia in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
The other men's finalists were senior golfers Justin Biwer and Dylan McDermott, junior Isaiah Givens (track), senior Julian Hammond III (basketball) and sophomore Filip Wahlqvist (alpine skiing). Women's finalists included Tilde Baangman (Nordic skiing), Ema Bubalo (tennis), freshman Sydney Givens (golf) and Jade Masogayo (basketball),
Biwer, however, was choice for the Male Career Athletic Achievement Award. Currently the holder of 21 school records and can set several more, his 69.50 stroke average for 34 rounds this season leads CU and the Big 12 and is third in the nation. Over the course of his career, has had 133 of 139 rounds count toward CU's team score, currently the best in school history, as is his current 70.85 stroke average. His 28 top 20 finishes rank first all-time, as do his rounds of par or better (99) and subpar rounds (80, 47 in the 60's). He is in the top five in 25 select circle categories, and in 47 career events, he has finished under par 28 times and even-par on two occasions.
The other finalists were Hammond, Nick Bianco (track), Louis Fausa (alpine skiing) and Will Koch (Nordic skiing).
Basketball graduate student Frida Formann captured the Female Career Athletic Achievement Award. Despite missing 16 games with injuries her senior year, she finished as CU's all-time leader in 3-point field goals made (300 of 779), with her percentage of .385 fourth-best in school history (but first for those with 600 or more attempts). Her 1,538 points rank 13th on the all-time Buff scoring list, averaging 11.3 points per game for 136 games, the latter the third-most-ever at Colorado. She twice made seven threes in a game, also a record, with her 82 makes as senior in '23-24 tying the single-season mark.
There were five other senior finalists for the honor: Hanna Abrahamsson (Nordic skiing), Shyra James (soccer), Madeline Pisani (lacrosse), Taylor Simpson (volleyball) and Mila Stanojevic (tennis).
Football offensive tackle Jordan Seaton won the Male Freshman of the Year honor. On the Football Writer's Association of America's Shaun Alexander Freshman Player of the Year watchlist to start the year, he eventually was a semifinalist for the prestigious honor. He earned Freshman All-America honors from On3, 247 Sports and Pro Football Focus, and the Big 12 coaches named him as the honorable mention pick for both the Offensive Lineman of the Year and the Freshman of the Year, College Football News also naming him as the latter.
Other finalists were Justin Bigatel (alpine skiing), Ethan Edgeworth (cross country and track), Parker Paxton (golf) and Sebastian Rancik (basketball).
The Female Freshman Athlete of the Year Award honor was shared by Givens and Louison Accambray (alpine skiing).
As a true freshman, Givens led the team in stroke average (73.59), as well as in stroke average in relation to par (+1.59), both school bests by a frosh. She tied for the team lead in rounds in the 60's (4) and rounds of par or better (11) and was second in rounds counting toward CU's team score (28 of 30, or 93.3 percent). Her 5-under 67 in DU's Ron Moore Invitational tied for the low round by a Buff for the season, and her 211 for 54 holes in that event was the team best (as were her five top 5 finishes).
Accambray was the RMISA most valuable skier for the giant slalom, earning second-team All-America honors at the NCAA Championships in both the giant slalom (ninth place) and the slalom (seventh). The first-ever CU skier to win her first three collegiate giant slalom races, she finished 12 of 14 events she competed in for the winter (all top 10 efforts), with eight top five finishes that included five podiums (three wins and two third places).
The other three finalists were Jace Holley (soccer), Elena Oh (lacrosse) and Myla Wilkes (track).
This is the second year of the newest CUSPY honor, the Newcomer of the Year awards – added due to the creation of the transfer portal and the influx of athletes who were not freshmen.
The Male Newcomer of the Year was senior receiver LaJohntay Wester, who started 12 of 13 games last fall. The Florida Atlantic transfer caught 74 passes for 931 yards and 10 touchdowns, none bigger than a 43-yard reception as time ran out that forced overtime in an eventual 38-31 win over Baylor. The receptions were the seventh-most in CU history, along with the 931 yards the 12th-most and 10 TD's the fourth-most. He teamed with Hunter to become the first CU duo to both have 10 or more TD receptions in the same season, and had three games with multiple scores.
The two other men's finalists were Dean Casey (cross country and track) and Andrej Jakimovski (basketball).
The Female Newcomer of the Year was junior Nordic skier Tilde Baangman. At the NCAA Championships, she earned first-team All-America honors in the freestyle (third place finish) and second-team AA honors in the classic (10th). A first-team All-Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association performer, sh finished second in five straight races midway through the season, and posted finishes in 10 of 12 races for the winter. In all, she had six podium appearances (top three), eight top five efforts and placed in the top 10 of the races she finished.
The other women's finalists were Lior Garzon (basketball), Laura Gouvin (soccer), Hannah Saethereng (alpine skiing) and Jessie Secor (cross country and track).
The Spencer Nelson Buffalo Spirit Award named for the CU skier who died in a tragic hiking accident in August 2010, was presented to Samantha Lipka (lacrosse). She is passionate about mental health and has been involved in several initiatives to raise awareness and funds for Morgan's Message, a non-profit organization advocating for student-athletes' mental health.
The other finalists for the Nelson recognition were Katie Fleckenstein (alpine skiing) and Maya Ratner (cheer).
SAAC members selected several award winners, including the staff member of the year which was awarded to Katherine Kubancik, the assistant director for leadership and career development. She was selected among three finalists, spirit squad assistant director Erik Lindgren and assistant director of sports performance Frances Stephenson.
The Student Athlete Support Award was presented to Sports Medicine, with the other finalists being PHP (Psychological Health and Performance, last year's winner), the Herbst Academic Center, Facilities and Operations, the Buff Club and the Performance Nutrition Department.
The Sports Performance Awards for strength and conditioning accomplishments (or "lifters of the year") were presented to Jada Green (track and field) and Morgan Pence (lacrosse) for the women, and to Sam Beckham (track and field) and Freddy Eisenbeis (golf) for the men.
The Championing Change awards are presented to both a staff member and a student-athlete; this year's winners were Lindsay Malone (assistant track and field coach) and track and field's Gustavo Alfonso.
In addition, nominations are submitted by many for CU's Sports' "Moment of the Year." From a list of solid choices, they were narrowed down to four, with the winner selected during the event by votes from those in attendance. The four finalists were Hunter winning the Heisman Trophy (among numerous postseason awards); the football team's rally to defeat Baylor, 38-31, in overtime that included a "Hail Mary" to tie the game; the ski team finishing second in the NCAA championships; Givens setting the CU record for the indoor mile (3:54.84); and soccer's NCAA run which included a 3-2 win at No. 7 seed Georgia. And the winner was … Isaiah Givens, for his record mile time and fifth place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
The Ceal Barry Leadership Awards are given to those student-athletes who most effectively inspire their team, the CU campus and the community in general through their exemplary commitment, their composure in the way they represent themselves and in the integrity of their actions. The six recipients were Nytes, Riley Burkey (track and field), Jacob Dilling (alpine skiing), Maria Eidhagen Harrouch (golf), Ben Finneseth (football) and Arden Walker (football).
The Byron R. White Leadership and Initiative Award was presented to six recipients: Alfonso, Lipka, Camden Dempsey (football), Jada Green and Marco Martinez (track and field) and Sophie Spalding (Nordic skiing).
The SAAC Distinguished Service Award, presented to senior members who contributed significantly to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee during their CU careers, was awarded to 11 student-athletes: Dempsey and Cristiano Palazzo (football), Harrouch (golf), Lipka and Katie McLean (lacrosse), Dilling and Zander Maurer (skiing), Nytes (soccer); Aya El Sayed (tennis); Burkey (track and field); and Emilea Stepaniuk (volleyball). Also honored with the award were three members of the cheer squad, Ratner, Emily Kruse and Jackie Ocken; Elizabeth Sandler from the dance team; and to Ralphie Handlers Claire Applegate and Kaeden Law.
The selection committee annually leaves open the possibility that all of the above awards could be augmented once the spring sport seasons are complete in fairness to those sports (golf, lacrosse, outdoor track, tennis) that still have important portions of their seasons and/or NCAA events still ahead of them (Big 12 championships and NCAA's are still down the road for lacrosse and track and field, and the NCAA's for men's golf).
Originally created in 2001, the annual event remains one of the most popular among the athletes, as they have tailored the function to be the final social gathering solely amongst themselves for the last time before finals and summer vacation, if not for a longer period of time for those graduating. It is believed to be one of the only events in the country almost entirely organized by the student-athletes, and certainly was among, if not, the first.
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Congrats to all the honorees and hope EVERYONE there had a blast!
Article - https://cubuffs.com/news/2025/4/28/general-several-honored-monday-at-25th-annual-cuspy-s
"
Several Honored Monday At 25th Annual CUSPY's
25th Annual Event Honored CU's Athletes of the YearBy: David Plati, SID-Emeritus/Athletic Historian
BOULDER — Several major awards were presented Monday night as the University of Colorado honored its best in athletics at the 25th annual CU Sports Performers of the Year (CUSPY) Awards.
Over 350 student-athletes, coaches, staff and C-Club board members attended the annual year-end celebration, which as always was organized by CU's Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for the 2024-25 athletic year.
This is the 50th anniversary of the first two awards the Male and Female Athlete of the Year were created to recognize the best of the best for the 1984-85 athletic year; the original recipients were both basketball players, Alex Stivrins and Lisa Van Goor. In the previous 50 selections, 13 times the men and multiple winners, the women 16 times. But not this year …
The Male Athlete of the Year Award was claimed for the second time by junior Travis Hunter (football) and the Female Athlete of the Year honor by junior Jordan Nytes (soccer).
Hunter became one of, if not, the most decorated players for a single season in college football history, winning CU's second Heisman Trophy along with the Chuck Bednarik Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy for defense, the Biletnikoff Award (top receiver), a second Paul Hornung Award (most versatile player) and won the Associated Press and Walter Camp Player of the Year honors. A unanimous first-team All-American (and all Big 12 Conference) selection, he was the conference's Defensive Player of the Year. Playing over 1,400 snaps between offense, defense and special teams, he caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and a record 15 touchdowns, with 36 tackles, four interceptions and 11 pass deflections on defense. He was also a two-time Academic All-American.
He shared the '23-24 honor with KJ Simpson, now playing with the NBA's Charlotte Hornets. Hunter now joins him in the professional ranks after the Jacksonville Jaguars selected him second overall in last Thursday's NFL Draft.
Nytes, the Big 12 Conference Goalkeeper of the Year, was a third-team All-American as selected by the United Soccer Coaches. She also earned the Sportswomen of Colorado's Collegiate Player of the Year honor, and was a five-time Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week. She started all 22 games and helped CU to a 12-5-5 record, racking up 101 saves in allowing just 22 goals; her save percentage of .821 ranked second in the conference, as did her 11 shutouts (which also were the sixth-most in the nation). She made seven saves in CU's 3-2 win over Georgia in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
The other men's finalists were senior golfers Justin Biwer and Dylan McDermott, junior Isaiah Givens (track), senior Julian Hammond III (basketball) and sophomore Filip Wahlqvist (alpine skiing). Women's finalists included Tilde Baangman (Nordic skiing), Ema Bubalo (tennis), freshman Sydney Givens (golf) and Jade Masogayo (basketball),
Biwer, however, was choice for the Male Career Athletic Achievement Award. Currently the holder of 21 school records and can set several more, his 69.50 stroke average for 34 rounds this season leads CU and the Big 12 and is third in the nation. Over the course of his career, has had 133 of 139 rounds count toward CU's team score, currently the best in school history, as is his current 70.85 stroke average. His 28 top 20 finishes rank first all-time, as do his rounds of par or better (99) and subpar rounds (80, 47 in the 60's). He is in the top five in 25 select circle categories, and in 47 career events, he has finished under par 28 times and even-par on two occasions.
The other finalists were Hammond, Nick Bianco (track), Louis Fausa (alpine skiing) and Will Koch (Nordic skiing).
Basketball graduate student Frida Formann captured the Female Career Athletic Achievement Award. Despite missing 16 games with injuries her senior year, she finished as CU's all-time leader in 3-point field goals made (300 of 779), with her percentage of .385 fourth-best in school history (but first for those with 600 or more attempts). Her 1,538 points rank 13th on the all-time Buff scoring list, averaging 11.3 points per game for 136 games, the latter the third-most-ever at Colorado. She twice made seven threes in a game, also a record, with her 82 makes as senior in '23-24 tying the single-season mark.
There were five other senior finalists for the honor: Hanna Abrahamsson (Nordic skiing), Shyra James (soccer), Madeline Pisani (lacrosse), Taylor Simpson (volleyball) and Mila Stanojevic (tennis).
Football offensive tackle Jordan Seaton won the Male Freshman of the Year honor. On the Football Writer's Association of America's Shaun Alexander Freshman Player of the Year watchlist to start the year, he eventually was a semifinalist for the prestigious honor. He earned Freshman All-America honors from On3, 247 Sports and Pro Football Focus, and the Big 12 coaches named him as the honorable mention pick for both the Offensive Lineman of the Year and the Freshman of the Year, College Football News also naming him as the latter.
Other finalists were Justin Bigatel (alpine skiing), Ethan Edgeworth (cross country and track), Parker Paxton (golf) and Sebastian Rancik (basketball).
The Female Freshman Athlete of the Year Award honor was shared by Givens and Louison Accambray (alpine skiing).
As a true freshman, Givens led the team in stroke average (73.59), as well as in stroke average in relation to par (+1.59), both school bests by a frosh. She tied for the team lead in rounds in the 60's (4) and rounds of par or better (11) and was second in rounds counting toward CU's team score (28 of 30, or 93.3 percent). Her 5-under 67 in DU's Ron Moore Invitational tied for the low round by a Buff for the season, and her 211 for 54 holes in that event was the team best (as were her five top 5 finishes).
Accambray was the RMISA most valuable skier for the giant slalom, earning second-team All-America honors at the NCAA Championships in both the giant slalom (ninth place) and the slalom (seventh). The first-ever CU skier to win her first three collegiate giant slalom races, she finished 12 of 14 events she competed in for the winter (all top 10 efforts), with eight top five finishes that included five podiums (three wins and two third places).
The other three finalists were Jace Holley (soccer), Elena Oh (lacrosse) and Myla Wilkes (track).
This is the second year of the newest CUSPY honor, the Newcomer of the Year awards – added due to the creation of the transfer portal and the influx of athletes who were not freshmen.
The Male Newcomer of the Year was senior receiver LaJohntay Wester, who started 12 of 13 games last fall. The Florida Atlantic transfer caught 74 passes for 931 yards and 10 touchdowns, none bigger than a 43-yard reception as time ran out that forced overtime in an eventual 38-31 win over Baylor. The receptions were the seventh-most in CU history, along with the 931 yards the 12th-most and 10 TD's the fourth-most. He teamed with Hunter to become the first CU duo to both have 10 or more TD receptions in the same season, and had three games with multiple scores.
The two other men's finalists were Dean Casey (cross country and track) and Andrej Jakimovski (basketball).
The Female Newcomer of the Year was junior Nordic skier Tilde Baangman. At the NCAA Championships, she earned first-team All-America honors in the freestyle (third place finish) and second-team AA honors in the classic (10th). A first-team All-Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association performer, sh finished second in five straight races midway through the season, and posted finishes in 10 of 12 races for the winter. In all, she had six podium appearances (top three), eight top five efforts and placed in the top 10 of the races she finished.
The other women's finalists were Lior Garzon (basketball), Laura Gouvin (soccer), Hannah Saethereng (alpine skiing) and Jessie Secor (cross country and track).
The Spencer Nelson Buffalo Spirit Award named for the CU skier who died in a tragic hiking accident in August 2010, was presented to Samantha Lipka (lacrosse). She is passionate about mental health and has been involved in several initiatives to raise awareness and funds for Morgan's Message, a non-profit organization advocating for student-athletes' mental health.
The other finalists for the Nelson recognition were Katie Fleckenstein (alpine skiing) and Maya Ratner (cheer).
SAAC members selected several award winners, including the staff member of the year which was awarded to Katherine Kubancik, the assistant director for leadership and career development. She was selected among three finalists, spirit squad assistant director Erik Lindgren and assistant director of sports performance Frances Stephenson.
The Student Athlete Support Award was presented to Sports Medicine, with the other finalists being PHP (Psychological Health and Performance, last year's winner), the Herbst Academic Center, Facilities and Operations, the Buff Club and the Performance Nutrition Department.
The Sports Performance Awards for strength and conditioning accomplishments (or "lifters of the year") were presented to Jada Green (track and field) and Morgan Pence (lacrosse) for the women, and to Sam Beckham (track and field) and Freddy Eisenbeis (golf) for the men.
The Championing Change awards are presented to both a staff member and a student-athlete; this year's winners were Lindsay Malone (assistant track and field coach) and track and field's Gustavo Alfonso.
In addition, nominations are submitted by many for CU's Sports' "Moment of the Year." From a list of solid choices, they were narrowed down to four, with the winner selected during the event by votes from those in attendance. The four finalists were Hunter winning the Heisman Trophy (among numerous postseason awards); the football team's rally to defeat Baylor, 38-31, in overtime that included a "Hail Mary" to tie the game; the ski team finishing second in the NCAA championships; Givens setting the CU record for the indoor mile (3:54.84); and soccer's NCAA run which included a 3-2 win at No. 7 seed Georgia. And the winner was … Isaiah Givens, for his record mile time and fifth place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
The Ceal Barry Leadership Awards are given to those student-athletes who most effectively inspire their team, the CU campus and the community in general through their exemplary commitment, their composure in the way they represent themselves and in the integrity of their actions. The six recipients were Nytes, Riley Burkey (track and field), Jacob Dilling (alpine skiing), Maria Eidhagen Harrouch (golf), Ben Finneseth (football) and Arden Walker (football).
The Byron R. White Leadership and Initiative Award was presented to six recipients: Alfonso, Lipka, Camden Dempsey (football), Jada Green and Marco Martinez (track and field) and Sophie Spalding (Nordic skiing).
The SAAC Distinguished Service Award, presented to senior members who contributed significantly to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee during their CU careers, was awarded to 11 student-athletes: Dempsey and Cristiano Palazzo (football), Harrouch (golf), Lipka and Katie McLean (lacrosse), Dilling and Zander Maurer (skiing), Nytes (soccer); Aya El Sayed (tennis); Burkey (track and field); and Emilea Stepaniuk (volleyball). Also honored with the award were three members of the cheer squad, Ratner, Emily Kruse and Jackie Ocken; Elizabeth Sandler from the dance team; and to Ralphie Handlers Claire Applegate and Kaeden Law.
The selection committee annually leaves open the possibility that all of the above awards could be augmented once the spring sport seasons are complete in fairness to those sports (golf, lacrosse, outdoor track, tennis) that still have important portions of their seasons and/or NCAA events still ahead of them (Big 12 championships and NCAA's are still down the road for lacrosse and track and field, and the NCAA's for men's golf).
Originally created in 2001, the annual event remains one of the most popular among the athletes, as they have tailored the function to be the final social gathering solely amongst themselves for the last time before finals and summer vacation, if not for a longer period of time for those graduating. It is believed to be one of the only events in the country almost entirely organized by the student-athletes, and certainly was among, if not, the first.
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