2018 CATSPY Awards Set for April 23 in Memorial Coliseum

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The 16th annual CATSPY Awards, celebrating the 2017-18 athletics year at the University of Kentucky, will be held on April 23 in Memorial Coliseum.
 
The awards ceremony begins at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. The public is invited. Tickets for the CATSPY Awards cost $5 each and may be purchased online or at the UK Athletics Ticket Office (Joe Craft Center). All seating is general admission for the event and all persons must have a ticket to enter, regardless of age.
 
The general public will enter through the Lexington Avenue entrance of Memorial Coliseum. Public parking will be available in the E lot on the west side (Lexington Avenue) of the Joe Craft Center. Additional parking will be available in parking structure No. 5, located near the former Kennedy’s Book Store.
 
A spin-off of the popular ESPY Awards held each year by ESPN, the CATSPY Awards feature individual and team honors, chosen from UK’s 22 varsity sports. The event celebrates the nearly 500 student-athletes that represent Kentucky. Videos of the nominees in each category are shown, and UK student-athletes and head coaches serve as presenters.
 
This year, nominees for select awards are being announced in advance. They are as follows:
 
Female Athlete of the Year

• Leah Edmond (volleyball)
• Katie Reed (softball)
• Mami Adachi (women’s tennis)
• Maci Morris (women’s basketball)
• Olivia Gruver (track and field)
• Mollie Korth (gymnastics)
• Asia Seidt (swimming and diving)

 
Male Athlete of the Year

• Benny Snell Jr. (football)
• Kevin Knox (men’s basketball)
• Evan White (baseball)
• Tim Duckworth (track and field)
• Sean Hjelle (baseball)
• Ryo Matsumura (men’s tennis)
• Henrik Larsen (rifle)

 
Female Rookie of the Year

• Miranda Jimenez (women’s soccer)
• Madison Lilley (volleyball)
• Bailey Vick (softball)
• Bailey Bonnett (swimming and diving)
• Sydney McLaughlin (track and field)
• Diana Tkachenko (women’s tennis)
• Dorie Harrison (women’s basketball)

 
Male Rookie of the Year

• Aimé Mabike (men’s soccer)
• Lynn Bowden (football)
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (men’s basketball)
• Chase Lane (swimming and diving)
• Dwight St. Hillaire (track and field)
• Zack Thompson (baseball)
• Henrik Larsen (rifle)

 
Supporting Role

• Caroline Newland (women’s soccer)
• Darian Mack (volleyball)
• Noah Hutchins (men’s soccer)
• Isabelle Johansson (women’s golf)
• Shannon Smith (softball)
• Morgan Belli (swimming and diving)
• Lesedi Jacobs (women’s tennis)
• Marie-Josée Ebwea-Bile (track and field)
• Brett Marshall (baseball)
• KeKe McKinney (women’s basketball)

 
Scratch Award (given to a non-scholarship student-athlete whose effort is representative of playing for the “love of the game”)

• Harper Hempel (volleyball)
• Enrique Facusse (men’s soccer)
• Charles Moushey (football)
• Daniel Southard (cross country)
• Bailey Vick (softball)
• LaShae Halsel (women’s basketball)
• Lauren Denham (swimming and diving)
• Danaea Davis (gymnastics)
• Troy Squires (baseball)

 
The following awards will also be given out:
 

• Mr. Wildcat
• Miss Wildcat
• Team of the Year
• Coach of the Year
• Performance of the Year
• Blue Heart Award
• Scholar-Athlete of the Year
• Academic Team of the Year
• Heart of a Wildcat
• Community Service
• Bill Keightley Assist

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