The Best of the Best Honored at 2024 Spiro Awards
GREENSBORO, N.C.- The UNCG athletics department celebrated a memorable 2023-24 season (with some more on the horizon) by recognizing several outstanding teams and standout individuals during the festive evening inside of Piedmont Hall on the Greensboro Coliseum campus on Thursday, April 25.
In addition to the individual accolades that were presented, each of UNCG's athletic teams honored their senior student-athletes.
A couple of additional highlights of the event included Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Danny Wheel being presented with the Cathy Roberts' Legacy Award by Cathy Roberts and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee President Parker Truesdale. Redshirt sophomore Luke Jenkins and women's soccer Mel Herrera received Minerva Wisdom Appreciation Awards.
The following teams won awards: softball (Highest Team GPA), men's cross country and track & field (Community Engagement Award), and women's basketball (Team of the Year).
Here is more on each individual that won awards:
Female Athlete of the Year & Female Spartan of the Year
Brooklynn Maxwell, softball
- SoCon Player of the Year & All-SoCon First Team
- SoCon Player of the Month in February & March
- Named SoCon Player of the Week on March 11
- Paces the Spartans with a .385 batting average, 52 runs, 70 hits, five triples, 15 homers, 38 RBI and crossing 138 total bases
- Second in the conference in four statistical categories
Male Spartan of the Year
Ethan Conley, men's soccer
- Named to the 2023 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District® Team for the second time
- Earned a spot on the All-SoCon Honor Roll for the second season
- Started in all 17 games in the 2023 season
- Posted a career high six points, which included a season best two goals this past season
Male Athlete of the Year
Keyshaun Langley, men's basketball
- Named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District 21 first team
- Earned a spot on the All-SoCon Second Team
- Finished second on the team with 15.4 points, 2.6 three-pointers, 1.5 steals and 3.3 assists per game
- He earned a career high of 30 points in the team's win over Furman on Feb. 4
- Langley reached the 1,500-career points milestone on February 8
- He also reached the 200-career steals milestone on February 14 in a victory over The Citadel
Female Rookie of the Year
Bailey Gourdine, women's soccer
- Contributed in all 19 games in the 2023 season
- Notched her first collegiate goal against VMI on Oct. 22
- Concluded her first season as a Spartan with two assists, four points, and eight shots
Male Rookie of the Year
Samuel Barnard, men's cross country and track
- Recorded a personal best time of 1:51.93 in the 800-meter run at Charlotte Invitational on April 27 during the outdoor season
- Earned All-SoCon Freshman team honors at SoCon Indoor and Outdoor Championships
- Ran a new personal best time of 1:54.03 in the 800-meter finals event after qualifying with a sixth-place mark at SoCon Indoor Championships
- Ran a time of 2:32.50 to win the 1000-meter race out of 17 competitors at the JDL Early Bird on December 3
Comeback Player of the Year
Rachel Poplin, women's soccer
- After being out for the majority of the 2022 season due to injury, Poplin came back in the 2023 season to start in all 19 games
- Recorded 13 shots and six shots on goal during the 2023 season
- Notched a season high two shots against East Carolina on Sept. 17
Male Newcomer of the Year
Aidan Brewer, baseball
- Tied the UNCG program record with three homers and nine RBI at High Point on March 5
- Named to 2024 Brooks Wallace Award Watch List
- Is second on the team with 46 runs, 43 RBI, and nine homers
- The shortstop stands out on the field with 196 catches, 62 putouts and 130 assists
Female Newcomer of the Year
Ayanna Khalfani, women's basketball
- Named SoCon Defensive Player of the Year, All-Conference second team, and All-Defensive Team
- Tabbed SoCon Player of the Week on Feb. 20 after earning back-to-back double-doubles during the week
- Recorded a career high of 13 rebounds in the team's win over SoCon Regular Season Champions, Chattanooga on Feb. 24
- Finished the season pacing the team with 117 dimes
- Tallied 364 points, 228 boards and 32 blocks on the 2023-24 season
Latest Women's Track & Field News
- Jackson Hired as Cross Country and Track Assistant CoachGREENSBORO, N.C. – UNC Greensboro (UNCG) Head Coach for Cross Country and Track Kaleigh Roach announced the hiring of Bruce Jackson as an assistant coach to the program on Wednesday.
- Men’s & Women’s Track Teams Earn USTFCCCA All-Academic HonorsNEW ORLEANS, La. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's and women's track teams were announced as 2024 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic Teams by the organization on Monday.
- 196 UNCG Student-Athletes Named to SoCon Academic Honor RollSPARTANBURG, S.C. – Following stellar performances in the classroom this year, 196 UNC Greensboro (UNCG) student-athletes have been named to the Southern Conference (SoCon) Academic Honor Roll for the 2023-24 academic year, the conference announced Thursday.
- UNCG to Induct Two Coaches and Five Athletes into Athletics Hall of FameGREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) athletics department announced the next class of inductees into the Athletics Hall of Fame in early October.
- Chelimo Announced as a Member of 2024 SoCon Hall of Fame ClassSPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference (SoCon) Hall of Fame week kicks off Monday, as the league will announce one member of the 2024 induction class each day from May 13-17. Paul Chelimo, who competed at UNC Greensboro (UNCG) on the cross country and track & field teams from 2011-13, is the first member of the new class.
- Three Spartans Earn All-SoCon Freshman Honors at SoCon Outdoor Track ChampionshipsBIRMINGHAM, ALA. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's and women's track teams completed day two of the 2024 Southern Conference (SoCon) Outdoor Track & Field Championships at the Shauna Yelton Field, hosted by Samford University on Tuesday.