Bluefield University honored its student-athletes at the annual Rammies, held on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at the historic Granada Theater in Bluefield, WV.
Athletes of the Year were softball’s Chloe Dillow and men’s volleyball’s Mason Lloyd. Play of the Year awards were presented to women’s volleyball’s Eledy Torres and men’s basketball’s Isaiah Sanders. Coach of the Year went to football head coach Dewey Lusk, and the Cathy Corte Payne Spirit Award was awarded to Dr. Jessica Sykes, chair of the Psychology & Human Services department.
A record 103 student-athletes were named Scholar Athletes—31 more than last year. The Academic Excellence Team Awards went to Men’s Golf with a collective GPA of 3.51 and Women’s Volleyball with a collective GPA of 3.59.
Ashlyn Newman of the women’s soccer team and Brayden Surface of the men’s golf team received the President’s Awards. Savannah Riley of the women’s golf team was honored with the Individual Record-Breaking Performance of the Year award.
Mamadou Dieng of the men’s volleyball team was recognized for being named Defender of the Week on March 17 by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Dieng is the first Ram since 2021 to be recognized as a national player of the week.
Ten student-athletes were recognized for being named a Player of the Week by the Appalachian Athletic Conference:
- Men’s Basketball
- Shaft Clark – Defensive Player of the Week (Week 8)
- Football
- Ethan Walker – Defensive Player of the Week (Week 1)
- Ethan Cash — Offensive Player of the Week (Week 9)
- Women’s Soccer
- Autumn Matthews – Defender of the Week (Week 4)
- Softball
- Kenidy Harris – Player of the Week (Week 10)
- Men’s Volleyball
- Mason Lloyd – Attacker of the Week (Week 6)
- Mamadou Dieng – Defender of the Week (Week 7)
- Women’s Volleyball
- Kylee Sturgill – Setter of the Week (Week 3)
- Lia Santana – Attacker of the Week (Week 4)
- Eledy Torres – Defender of the Week (Week 10)
Individual milestones and records were also recognized:
- Elijah White surpassed 1,500 career points for men’s basketball this season.
- Lia Santana reached 1,000 career digs in volleyball alongside Eledy Torres while also setting 2 new school records for digs in a game (38) and service aces (8).
- Bene Somes added to his career resume as the all-time assists leader in men’s volleyball history, becoming the first Ram to reach 2,000 career assists.
- A trio of track and field athletes—Emmy Spaulding, Ella Gawellek, and Autumn Matthews—combined to set 4 new records on the women’s side.
- Noah Burtner became the all-time program leader in appearances for baseball, pitching in a record 76 career games.
Additionally, the university recognized the following team achievements:
- Women’s soccer set a new school record, scoring 12 goals in their home opener.
- Women’s volleyball reached the AAC semifinals after a record-performance in the opening round against Spartanburg Methodist.
- Women’s golf picked up its first tournament win in program history, with Savannah Riley also becoming the first individual medalist in women’s golf history.
- The Esports program was added to the BU family.
The full list of Rammies winners follows:
Newcomers of the Year
- Baseball: Chris Johnson
- Men’s Basketball: DJ McDonald
- Women’s Basketball: Maddie Day
- Cheer: Emma Addison
- Football: Ethan Cash & Tarell Sablon
- Men’s Golf: Jack Healy
- Men’s Soccer: Anthony Alvarado
- Women’s Soccer: Ashlyn Newman
- Softball: Jada Jordan
- Men’s Track & Field: Weldon Moffett
- Women’s Track & Field: Ella Gawellek
- Men’s Volleyball: Mamadou Dieng
- Women’s Volleyball: Sienna Vitelli
Offensive Players of the Year
- Men’s Basketball: Elijah White
- Women’s Basketball: Maddie Day
- Football: Kyree Edwards
- Men’s Soccer: Juan Soto
- Women’s Soccer: Sara Cox
- Men’s Volleyball: Mason Lloyd
- Women’s Volleyball: Morgan Wigg
Defensive Players of the Year
- Men’s Basketball: Danny Alford
- Women’s Basketball: Elle Gunter
- Football: Ethan Walker
- Men’s Soccer: Canaan Newman
- Women’s Soccer: Ally Clark
- Men’s Volleyball: Richard Cisneros
- Women’s Volleyball: Eledy Torres
Sports Information Awards
- Dylan Nash
- Jehari Riley
- Bruce Chaney
- Eledy Torres
- Emmy Spaulding
- Alayshia Griffith
- Conrad Ellis
- Dayson McMillian
- Lisa Jiminez
Ram EFFORT Awards
- Baseball: Josh Holland
- Women’s Basketball: Ahanti Northcross
- Cheerleading & Women’s Golf: Stella Gunter
- E-Sports: Gage Thompson
- Football: Ethan Cash
- Men’s Golf: Jacob Mitchell
- Men’s Soccer: Sam Fernander
- Women’s Soccer & Track and Field: Emmy Spaulding
- Softball: Sara Lang
- Men’s Track & Field: Weldon Moffett
- Men’s Volleyball: Mason Lloyd
- Women’s Volleyball: Lia Santana
Champions of Character
- Football: Kennison Moore
- Cheer: Jessica Aristy
- Women’s Basketball: Ashanti Northcross
- Men’s Soccer: Payton Shell
- Women’s Soccer: Coreyn Lutz
- Men’s Volleyball: Zach Malavite
- Women’s Volleyball: Lia Santana
Second Team All-Conference
- Football
- Chase Harris
- Ethan Walker
- Kyree Edwards
- Clayton Boyte
- Women’s Volleyball
- Morgan Wigg
- Eledy Torres
- Men’s Soccer
- Adan Chavez
- Men’s Basketball
- DJ McDonald
- Men’s Volleyball
- Bene Somes
First Team All-Conference
- Football
- Michael Capranica
- Marlin Haywood
- Tarell Sablon
- Men’s Volleyball
- Mason Lloyd
Offensive Freshman of the Year
- Football
- Marlin Haywood
Most Valuable Rams
- Baseball: Chris Johnson
- Men’s Basketball: Ke’Shaun Tonsall
- Women’s Basketball: Elle Gunter
- Cheer: Stella Gunter
- E-Sports: Jacob Phillips
- Football: Marlin Haywood
- Men’s Golf: Eetu Kilpinen
- Women’s Golf: Savannah Riley
- Men’s Soccer: Adan Chavez
- Women’s Soccer: Jayme Crawford
- Softball: Chloe Dillow
- Men’s Track & Field: Dayson McMillian
- Women’s Track & Field: Alayshia Griffith
- Men’s Volleyball: Mason Lloyd
- Women’s Volleyball: Morgan Wigg
Additional Awards
- Baseball Hitter of the Year: Chris Johnson
- Baseball Pitcher of the Year: Noah Burtner
- Football Special Teams Player of the Year: Dylan Ausley
- Softball Hitter of the Year: Kenidy Harris
- Softball Pitcher of the Year: Isabella Smith
- Men’s Volleyball Setter of the Year: Bene Somes
- Women’s Volleyball Setter of the Year: Izabella Lechuga