BALTIMORE, Md. -- Morgan State University softball student-athlete Amy Begg and basketball standout Phillip Carr were recognized as the female and male student-athletes of the year at the 31st Annual Athletics Awards Banquet at the Calvin & Tina Tyler Ballroom in the MSU Student Center. Head softball coach Larry Hineline was selected as the Coach of the Year.
Amy Begg is having her best season as a Lady Bear and is a major reason why the Lady Bears softball team has won 23 games, the second most in school history, two shy of tying the record of 25 wins set in 1998. The team also finished third in the northern division with a 12-6 mark. A five-time MEAC Pitcher of the Week selection, Begg leads the team and the MEAC with a 20-12 pitching record with one save. Her 20 wins are second most in school history, two shy from setting the record. Begg set the single-season records for strikeouts (170) and shutout victories with seven and is now just one shy of tying the school's career mark of eight shutouts. The Christchurch, New Zealand native leads the MEAC in ERA (2.25), complete games (22), innings pitched (196.1) and strikeouts (170). She also ranks amongst the nation in shutouts (22nd), strikeouts (48th) and victories (40th).
MSU men's basketball standout Phillip Carr had an outstanding junior campaign as he helped lead the Bears to a 14-16 record and a third-place finish in the MEAC at 11-5. Carr ranked sixth in scoring (16.6 ppg) and led the league in rebounding (9.6 rpg) and minutes per game (36.4). He tallied 11 double-doubles (points and rebounds) and recorded 22 blocks and 15 steals in 25 starts. The Brooklyn native was a four-time MEAC Defensive Player of the Week selection and was named MEAC Defensive Player of the Year. His accolades also include being named to the All-MEAC first team, ECAC All-Star second team, NABC All-District first team and First-Team BOXTOROW Division I All-America Team.
Head softball coach Larry Hineline has guided the Lady Bears to 23 wins, which are second most in school history and a third-place finish in the MEAC Northern Division standings at 12-6. The Lady Bears are just two wins shy of matching the school record for victories at 25, which was set during the 1998 season. The team has already tied the school's single-season team pitching record of eight shutouts and set the single-season mark with 201 strikeouts. Morgan leads the MEAC in stolen bases and ranks second in triples per game and ERA, while ranking nationally in stolen bases per game (9th) and triples per game (17th). Pitcher Amy Begg has a team-best 20 wins, which is one shy of tying the school record for a pitcher. She also leads the MEAC in victories, strikeouts (170), innings pitched (196.1) and ERA (2.25). Damali Young set the school's stolen bases mark with 40, which leads both the MEAC and the nation. Young, who is nine stolen bases away from setting the school's career mark for steals, also ranks sixth in the nation in runs per game, which also leads the MEAC.
Male Athlete of the Year: Phillip Carr, Men's Basketball
Female Athlete of the Year: Amy Begg, Softball
Coach of the Year: Larry Hineline, Softball
2017 MSU Awards Banquet
Team Award Winners
| Men's Basketball |
|
| MVP |
Martez Cameron |
| Women's Basketball |
|
| Team MVP |
Braennan Farrar |
| Most Improved |
Chelsea Mitchell |
| Bowling |
|
| MVP |
Diamond Hunter |
| Newcomer |
Devin Hill-Bartlett |
| Cheerleading |
|
| Cheerleader of the Year |
Kayla Lane-Illescas |
| Most Improved |
Jada Guyton |
| Women's Cross Country |
|
| Team MVP |
Karen Escobedo |
| Most Improved |
Ashley Souffrant |
| Men's Cross Country |
|
| Team MVP |
Halim Joseph |
| Football |
|
| Offense |
Cooper Clarkin |
| Defense |
Greg Gibson |
| Special Teams |
Willie Gillus Jr. |
| Rookie |
William King |
| Women's Indoor Track |
|
| Team MVP |
Jailah Mason |
| Rookie |
Annastacia Barham |
| Men's Indoor Track |
|
| Team MVP |
Lloyd Hylton |
| Most Improved |
Kurt Goodlitt |
| Women's Outdoor Track |
|
| Team MVP |
Shenel Crooke |
| Most Improved |
Annastacia Barham |
| Men's Outdoor Track |
|
| Team MVP |
Joel Roberson |
| Most Improved |
Vikarie Elliott |
| Softball |
|
| Team MVP |
Amy Begg |
| Rookie |
Mikaela Browdy |
| Men's Tennis |
|
| Team MVP |
Arjun Ramakrishnan |
| Most Improved |
Sagar Sathyanarayanan |
| Women's Tennis |
|
| Team MVP |
Katia Jordan |
| Most Improved |
Chloe Kabamba |
| Volleyball |
|
| Team MVP |
Keana Browne |
Most Improved
|
Monette Daniels
|
