BALTIMORE – Loyola University Maryland hosted its annual Iggys Awards ceremony in a virtual format for the first time on Monday night, with student-athletes and athletic department members coming together online to celebrate the athletic and academic accomplishments of the Greyhounds throughout the 2019-20 academic year.
Learn more about the award winners below:
Male Freshman of the Year
Max Verheyen was named the Patriot League Men's Rookie of the Meet at the Swimming and Diving Championships in February after posting three top-five individual performances and contributing to five school records. Verheyen reached the podium in both individual medley races, taking second in the 200 IM and third in the 400 IM with a pair of NCAA B cut times.
Female Freshman of the Year
During her debut season in goal, Paige Sim led the Patriot League and ranked in the top 15 nationally with a microscopic 0.54 goals-against average and a save percentage just under 88%. She allowed only eight goals in 14 contests, helping Loyola women's soccer earn its first conference tournament appearance since 2015.
Male Sophomore of the Year
Jimmy Hayburn became the swimming and diving program's second Patriot League champion on the men's side after winning gold in the 50 freestyle this February. A first team All-Patriot League honoree, he broke individual school records in the 50 and 100 free and helped Loyola reach the podium in three relay races.
Female Sophomore of the Year
Katie Forsythe repeated as Patriot League Libero of the Year and became the first Loyola volleyball player to earn AVCA All-Region recognition. Her 753 digs broke her own school and Patriot League records, and ranked second in all of Division I. She was the only Patriot League player invited to U.S. National Team tryouts back in February.
Male Junior of the Year
Evan Brown shattered the program record for scoring average this season, as he became the first Greyhound golfer to finish a season under par with an overall average of 70.95. That mark led the Patriot League and helped him repeat as an All-Region performer. He finished as the runner-up in each of Loyola's last two tournaments during its shortened spring season.
Female Junior of the Year
Senna Ohlsson defended her 800 meter title at the Patriot League Indoor Track and Field Championships, and she became the program's first ECAC Indoor Champion in the same event the following weekend. Ohlsson set school records in four individual indoor races, and she was also the team's top finisher in her cross-country debut at the 2019 Patriot League Championships.
Male co-Seniors of the Year
At 19.9 points per game, Andrew Kostecka led the Patriot League in scoring for a second-straight season, and he became just the second player in men's basketball program history to earn multiple NABC All-Region honors. A two-time first team All-Patriot League selection and three-time All-Defensive Team honoree, Kostecka leaves Loyola ranked third all-time with 1,751 points and second with 222 steals.
Barry Sharifi was chosen as Patriot League Midfielder of the Year for a third-straight season, becoming the first men's soccer player in conference history to receive three major awards. A four-time All-Patriot League, three-time All-Region and one-time All-American performer, he was selected in the third round of the MLS SuperDraft after helping Loyola to a third-straight regular season conference title.
Female Senior of the Year
Stephanie Karcz earned her second-career Patriot League Defensive Women's Basketball Player of the Year honor after leading Division I with 5.17 steals per game. A three-time All-Patriot League and four-time All-Defensive Team performer, Karcz collected 461 career steals which is good for ninth in NCAA history. She had four triple-doubles at Loyola, and is ranked first all-time in steals, second in rebounds, fourth in assists and ninth in scoring.
Men's Fr. McManamin Unsung Hero Award
Michael Culbert changed swim events through-out his four years, filling gaps as needed to help the team. As a senior, he began practicing diving for the first time, and ultimately scored on both the 1-meter and 3-meter boards at the Patriot League Championships. Those points helped Loyola earn its highest-ever finish of third place in the team standings.
Female Fr. McManamin Unsung Hero Award
Molly Jarvis committed to Loyola volleyball when the program was ranked outside the top 300 nationally. Embracing every step of the rebuilding journey with a relentless positive attitude, she battled through several serious injuries and was a key contributor in the middle of the court as Loyola earned its first two Patriot League tournament appearances in her final two seasons.
Male Anne McCloskey Leadership Award
KaVaughn Scott worked hard on the court to become a starter in his junior year and one of the conference's most-improved players as a senior. He made those strides while continuing to take on more responsibilities off the court to benefit the Loyola community. Scott was a member of the school's Green & Grey Society and used his role as co-President of SAAC to affect positive change for the entire athletic department.
Female Anne McCloskey Leadership Award
A two-year captain and a four-year contributor to the tennis program, Alexandria Agee helped her team earn 39 victories while remaining heavily involved around campus. A member of SAAC, BSA and the Green & Grey Society, she earned Cura Personalis, Magis Scholar Leader and Diane Geppi-Aikens awards during her time at Loyola. She was also a three-year RA who participated in countless volunteer initiatives..
John Mohler Award
One of the most decorated players in men's basketball program history, Andrew Kostecka recorded over 1,250 points and 140 steals in his final two seasons at Loyola. He developed into one of the Patriot League's top performers on both sides of the court while maintaining a 3.17 grade-point average, including a GPA over 3.5 this past fall. Kostecka grew into a tremendous leader for both the team and the Loyola community.
Ernest Lagna Award
On the court, Ann Ernst led the Patriot League in kills in each of the last two seasons, serving as the top offensive threat for a team which rose over 100 spots in the national rankings during her time at Loyola. A two-time All-Patriot League performer, her 1,597 career kills are third all-time in program history. She achieved all of her on-court success while maintaining a 3.83 GPA as a mechanical and materials engineering major. One of 10 finalists this year for the NCAA's Senior CLASS award, Ernst was also a member of the Green & Grey Society and a peer tutor for physics, calculus and engineering courses.
Diane Geppi-Aikens Inspiration Award
Maddie Hart was a senior captain for the women's soccer program who overcame injuries throughout her career and went on to log her best season in her final campaign, playing and starting all 19 games last fall. She battled through injury in the last several weeks of the season, and was rested during training sessions so the team could get as much out of her for games. In the last five contests of the season, all of which went to overtime, Hart played 527 out of a possible 545 minutes as Loyola made its memorable run to the Patriot League semifinals, ultimately earning a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
Women's tennis posted the highest team cumulative grade-point average (3.70) for a second-straight year, while Zac Metzler (3.915) from men's swimming and diving and Anne Hayburn (4.00) from women's swimming and diving were recognized as the seniors with the highest GPA.
In addition to the department-wide awards, student-athletes from each team received Most Dedicated and Most Valuable awards:
| Team |
Most Valuable |
Most Dedicated |
| Men's Basketball |
Andrew Kostecka |
Isaiah Hart |
| Men's Cross Country |
Nathan Galloway |
Jake Fowler |
| Men's Golf |
Evan Brown |
Carlo Pizzano |
| Men's Lacrosse |
Bailey Savio |
Ryan McNulty |
| Men's Rowing |
Tibor Francia |
Tommy Moyer |
| Men's Soccer |
Barry Sharifi |
Davey Mason |
| Men's Swimming & Diving |
Jimmy Hayburn |
Max Verheyen |
| Men's Tennis |
Skyler Gates |
Kyle Gower |
| Women's Basketball |
Stephanie Karcz |
Hannah Niles |
| Women's Cross Country |
Kayleigh Caggiano |
Kelly Williamson |
| Women's Lacrosse |
Livy Rosenzweig |
Elli Kluegel |
| Women's Rowing |
Gabby Teoli |
Ellie Thompson |
| Women's Soccer |
Hannah Hoefs |
Maddie Hart |
| Women's Swimming & Diving |
Devin Cronin |
Anne Hayburn |
| Women's Tennis |
Kateri Martin |
Abby Decker |
| Women's Indoor Track & Field |
Senna Ohlsson |
Jordyn Pugh |
| Women's Outdoor Track & Field |
Heather Merrifield |
Heather Merrifield |
| Women's Volleyball |
Katie Forsythe |
Molly Jarvis |
| Cheerleading |
Gianna Latella |
Jenna Connors |
