See who were the big MTSU winners from the 2024 Raiders' Choice Awards
Middle Tennessee State's Courtney Whitson and Briggs Rutter took home the top awards at the annual Raiders' Choice Awards, held Thursday at Tucker Theater.
The event highlighted the academic and athletic accomplishments of athletes for the 2023-24 academic year.
Whitson, a graduate women's basketball player and Rutter, a senior baseball player, were named the female and male recipient of the True Blue President's Award, which recognizes outstanding academic and athletic accomplishments, university/community service and leadership.
It was the third consecutive year Whitson has won the award. On top of graduating with a 3.5 GPA, Whitson was a five-year starter and helped the Lady Raiders reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament this season.
Rutter, a senior catcher from Columbia, is second on the Blue Raiders in hitting (.340) with 11 doubles, three triples, nine homers, 35 RBIs and 44 runs.
The Athlete of the Year awards went to basketball player Savannah Wheeler and cross country standout Purity Sanga (female), along with tennis player Leo Raquin (male).
Sanga, a graduate student from Kenya, won the Conference USA championships and placed 13th at the South Regionals with a personal best of 19:01.30. She was named CUSA Cross Country Women's Athlete of the Year.
Wheeler, who is from Cattletsburg, Kentucky, led MTSU to a 30-5 record and second round of the NCAA Tournament and was named CUSA Player of the Year. She averaged 17.5 points and 3.3 assists this season and finished her career third among CUSA all-time scorers with 2,361 points.
Raquin, a senior from France, is currently 18-8 in singles (17-5 doubles) this spring, helping lead the 37th-ranked Blue Raiders to the CUSA title and their fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. He is ranked 39th nationally by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association in singles and 28th in doubles with partner Ondrej Horak.
Here are all the winners from the award ceremony:
MTSU Raiders' Choice Awards 2023-24 winners
True Blue President's Award: Courtney Whitson, basketball (female); Briggs Rutter, baseball (male).
Female Athletes of the Year: Purity Sanga, cross country; Savannah Wheeler, basketball.
Male Athlete of the Year: Leo Raquin, tennis.
Female Newcomer of the Year: Laure Jansen, volleyball.
Male Newcomer of the Year: Jakub Kroslak, tennis.
Female Breakout Performer of the Year: Ta'Mia Scott, basketball.
Male Breakout Performer of the Year: Carmelo Cannizzaro, track/cross country.
All-American: Alaba Akintola (2023 outdoor track and field). Second team 100 and 200 meters.
Team GPA Award: Women's golf, 3.75 (spring); Women's soccer, 3.69 (fall).
Community Service Award: Women's soccer (had over 500 hours of service).
Game/event of the Year: Women's basketball NCAA Tournament win over Louisville.
FOOTBALL: We checked on MTSU football spring practice with new coach Derek Mason. Here's what we learned.
Performance of the Year: Softball pitcher Gretchen Mead, allowing just one run over 19 innings pitched in wins over Central Arkansas and Alabama during the NCAA Tournament Tuscaloosa Regional.
Play of the Year: Lauren Gilchrist recorded a hole-in-one on the 146-yard No. 3 hole at Council Fire Golf Club in the second round of the Chattanooga Classic. It helped her record a 1-under-par 70, her lowest round of the season.
Make a Difference Award: Claire Woods (softball).
Blue Raider Impact Award: Liz McPhee (wife of MTSU president Sidney McPhee).
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: MTSU Raiders' Choice awards led by Courtney Whitson, Briggs Rutter
