Georgetown College Athletics Celebrates 2025-26 Tiger Awards

GEORGETOWN, Ky. – The Georgetown College athletics department celebrated the 2025-26 "Tiger Awards" on Wednesday night in the John L. Hill Chapel.

Prior to the start of the awards ceremony, 94 NAIA Scholar-Athletes were recognized along with the Academic Team of the Year. Women's Golf and Women's Lacrosse had a tied GPA and were both honored. 

John Carter Myers (Football), Drew Rader (Football), Daisy Gale (Women's Basketball) and Navarro Nanpuya (Men's Wrestling) all received recognition for being the latest bunch of NAIA All-Americans.

In total 17 awards were presented throughout the evening with women's basketball earning five awards. The night was capped with the presentation of the "Tiger of the Year" awards earned by both Madison Diaz (Women's Lacrosse) and Gehrig Slunaker (Football).

A complete list of nominees is below with the award winners in bold.

Coach of the Year
Joanie Lake, Cheer
Frank James, Men's Wrestling
Jeff Nickel, Women's Basketball

Freshman of the Year
Daysha Reid, Women's Basketball
Marcus James, Men's Wrestling
Jes'Onia Barefield, Women's Wrestling
Keeli Hanley, Cheer & Women's Track & Field
Ethan Poynter, Men's Track & Field
Luke Cox, Men's Wrestling

Breakthrough Player of the Year
Maggie Byrd, Women's Lacrosse
Guy Bailey, Football
Kayra Freeman, Women's Basketball
Maggie Browning, Women's Golf
Isaiah Mason, Men's Basketball
Layne Clark, Men's Cross Country & Track & Field

Play of the Year
Kayra Freeman, Women's Basketball
Men's Basketball versus Lindsey Wilson
Kendyl Rumple & Bekah Clark, Women's Soccer
Rebecca Kainer, Women's Cross Country & Track & Field
Isaiah Wills-Jackson, Football
Chandler Godby, Football

Individual Performance of the Year
Daisy Gale, Women's Basketball
Navarro Nanpuya, Men's Wrestling
Madison Diaz, Women's Lacrosse
Holly Holton, Women's Golf
Guy Bailey, Football
Laine Schulten, Men's Golf

Team Performance of the Year
Cheer
Football
Women's Basketball
Women's Indoor Track & Field
Men's Wrestling
Men's Tennis

Team of the Year
Women's Basketball
Men's Wrestling
Cheer
Women's Wrestling
Men's Basketball
Men's Volleyball

Athlete of the Year
Daisy Gale, Women's Basketball
Navarro Nanpuya, Men's Wrestling
Elizabeth Lavinder, Women's Cross Country & Track & Field
Jes'Onia Barefield, Women's Wrestling
Isaiah Mason, Men's Basketball
Drew Rader, Football

Tiger of the Year
Madison Diaz, Women's Lacrosse
Gehrig Slunaker, Football
Anna Long, Women's Basketball
Abby Moss, Women's Tennis
Addesa Miller, Women's Basketball
Drew Rader, Football
Isaac Harder, Cheer
Simone Heine, Men's Soccer