Golden Paws Banquet honors the best in Tigers Athletics

Ryan Drenner of the men's lacrosse team and Megan Kelly of the women's track and field team were honored as the Towson University Athletes of the Year at the Golden Paws banquet held on Monday night in SECU Arena.
 
The event, which highlighted the successes and triumphs of the 2016-17 athletic year, was hosted by women's basketball junior Daijha Thomas, women's lacrosse senior Michaela Duranti, women's soccer senior Taylor Sebolao and men's lacrosse senior Matt Wylly.  

This year, the annual awards ceremony had added significance because it was part of a new “Celebration of Excellence” launched last month to better showcase the university’s best and brightest students, alumni, faculty and staff.

Drenner and Kelly helped their respective teams win Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) championships last weekend.
 
In helping the Tigers to a third consecutive CAA title and a berth in the NCAA tournament, Drenner enhanced his legacy as one of the top players in program history. Drenner put the offense on his shoulders this year with a balanced 47 points on 25 goals and 22 assists. A quarterback on the attack, Drenner is currently on a 27-game point scoring streak, dating back to the middle of last season. His point scoring streak is one of the longest in the country and the longest among active CAA players.
 
One of the team's captains this season, Drenner was named was named an All-CAA First Team selection for a second-straight season. The 2016 CAA Co-Player of the Year has one of the best shooting percentages on the team, scoring on 30 percent of his shots and is second in the league in points per game (3.58). No one in the CAA produced more assists than Drenner, who averaged two helpers per outing in five conference games.
 
A senior, Kelly became the second Tiger in program history to win the 400-meter hurdles (1:00.66) at the CAA Championships. In helping Towson finish with 163.5 points, the most in program history at the conference meet, Kelly added a bronze medal in the 400m dash (54.94) and ran the anchor leg on the Tigers' 4x100m relay that timed 3:48.29 to place fifth. Kelly qualified for the 2017 ECAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the 400m hurdles, 400m dash and as part of the 4x100m relay.
 
Kelly is the school record holder in the 400-meter dash and a member of the school record 4x400m relay team. Kelly earned CAA Track Athlete of the Week honors twice and currently ranks 83rd in country, 51st in the NCAA East Region and first in the conference for the 400m dash. She ranks 53rd in the NCAA East and holds the fastest time in the CAA for the 400m hurdles. She set five indoor school records and won three events while posting 10 top-10 finishes. Kelly won bronze in the 500m run at the 2017 ECAC Indoor Championship and took silver with school record 4x400m relay team.
 
The senior career achievements awards went to Jack Adams of the men's lacrosse team and Holiday Cahill of the softball team. The award recognizes student-athletes for outstanding achievements throughout their four years at Towson.  
 
Over the course of his career, Adams has established himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in the country. Last season, Adams was a USILA Third-Team All-American while also being named First Team All-CAA. He anchored a defense that has finished in the top 10 in each of the last three seasons across Division I, including last year when the Tigers had the best scoring defense in the country. To date, Adams has produced 27 caused turnovers while grabbing 48 ground balls. He has one career goal as a defensive midfielder and added an assist earlier this season against Loyola. Adams is a captain this season as well.

A rock of excellence, Cahill rewrote the Towson softball record book. Her 34 home runs are tied for the most in Towson history with teammate Shelby Stracher. In addition, Cahill ended her career second all-time in program history in runs batted in (131), fifth in career batting average (.349), sixth in walks (70), tied for ninth in doubles (37) and hits (187), and 11th in runs scored (105). Cahill finished her career with 41 multi-hit games.
 
She's the only player in program history to be named USA Softball National Player of the Week, an honor she achieved after setting a single-game school record with three home runs and seven RBI's last season against Delaware. Cahill was named to the All-CAA Rookie Team. She's a two-time All-CAA first team selection, a two-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Mid-Atlantic region selection, and a first-team ECAC All-Star.
 
Shane Simpson from football and Olivia Conti from women's lacrosse were selected as the Tiger Rookies of the Year. The award is given to a freshman that had an outstanding first season and positively impacted their team.
 
Simpson shined during his rookie campaign in establishing himself as one of the top kickoff returners in the FCS. Simpson was honored as a HERO Sports FCS First Team Freshman All-American, CAA Offensive Freshman of the Year, First-Team All-CAA kickoff returner, ECAC Offensive Rookie of the Year and STATS Third-Team All-American kick returner.
 
On the season, Simpson averaged 26.9 yards on 34 kickoff returns.  He tied an FCS record when he returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown against New Hampshire.  He is the second Tiger to go 100 yards, and the first since former Walter Payton Award winner David Meggett went 100 yards against Northeastern in 1988. Simpson finished the year with 915 return yards, trailing only Derrick Joseph's 978 yards from 2011.  Simpson also joins Joseph as the only Tiger kick returners to earn All-America honors.
 
Conti was a starting defender, who ranked among the top 10 nationally in caused turnovers per game (2.64). She led the Tigers with 46 turnovers and needs one more to tie the school and CAA single-season record. She was a key reason why the Tigers qualified for the NCAA tournament and held 11 of 18 opponents to single-digits. Conti recorded 40 ground balls and eight draw controls.

Honored for their work in the classroom, as well as athletically, Tyler Konen of the men's lacrosse team and Zanae Freeland of the women's track and field team were named Scholar Athletes of the Year. The scholar athlete award was voted on by the Towson athletic advisors.

The strength and conditioning staff selected Jordan Mynatt from the football team and Candace Steadman from women's volleyball as their Strength and Conditioning award winners. The sports medicine department named Antonio Harris from football and Carly Tellekamp from women's lacrosse as the Comeback Players of the Year.
 
The Community Service award was given to Matt Wylly of men's lacrosse and Lauren Cahalan of gymnastics. The award is given to a student-athlete that demonstrates commitment to community service, involvement and general positivity in support of Towson Athletics.
 
Field goal kicker Aidan O'Neill's game-winning 55-yard field at Rhode Island in Towson's season finale and women's golfer's Alexis Hios' hole-in-one during the Morehead State Spring Citrus Classic were selected as the year's Best Moments. The Best Moment is given to a student-athlete or team for the best moment/play of the year.
 
Football and women's gymnastics were the recipients of the Bobbi Madison award for highest increase in GPA from fall 2015 to fall 2016. Men's golf and women's gymnastics were given the Wayne Edwards award for the highest GPA after the fall semester. 

This story is one of several related to President Kim Schatzel's priorities for Towson University: Strategic Plan Alignment.