2026 Mustang Awards Held Sunday
SMU Athletics held its annual Mustang Awards on Sunday night at McFarlin Auditorium, bringing student-athletes together for their end-of-the-year award ceremony. Select Mustangs earned recognition for their contributions to their teams through academics, leadership, service, and standout athletics throughout the 2025-2026 seasons.
 
The most prestigious honor, the Athletic Director's R.U.N. Award, was presented to Trevor Svajda from Men's Tennis and Hali Hartman from Women's Soccer for embodying the drive and determination of a Mustang. The awardees are Relentless in the pursuit of winning, on and off the field; unstoppable in overcoming personal, academic, and athletic challenges; and never satisfied with good, ever striving for something greater, something more.
 
The full list of nominees and award winners below:
 
Highest Team GPA: Presented to a male and female sport in recognition of the highest team GPA for the spring and fall semesters of 2025.
 
Winners
Men's Tennis
Cross Country
 
Student-Athlete Choice Award: Presented to the student-athlete whose peers believe they serve as an outstanding role model for the community.
 
Nominees
Agne Kubaityte – Rowing
Alex Salvo – Men's Soccer
Alexa Black – Equestrian
Aubrey Brown – Women's Soccer
Augusta Iwasaki – Equestrian
Brooke Banks – Equestrian
Caleb Bronold – Men's Soccer
Caroline McGinley – Women's Tennis
Christa Wilburn – Volleyball
Emily Odwin – Women's Golf
Enzo Panozzo – Men's Golf
Favor Anyanwu – Volleyball
Francis Brennan – Men's Swimming & Diving
George Gonzalez – Men's Swimming & Diving
Hedda Kronstrand Kvalvåg – Track & Field
Izie Murray – Track and Field
Jentry Lamirand – Volleyball
Jerry Barton – Men's Tennis
John Dymond – Men's Swimming & Diving
Kirin Chacchia – Track & Field
Landon Hickam – MSOC
Macey Hilton – Cross Country / Track & Field
Mia Silva – Volleyball
Nathan Kinser – Men's Soccer
Paige Horton – Rowing
Sara Beth Filliatrue – Equestrian
Sarah Frazee – Volleyball
Sophia Dooley – Rowing
Sydney Stuelpe – Rowing
Vikas Deo – Men's Tennis
 
Individual and Team Community: This award is presented to the student-athlete and team whose community involvement has made outstanding contributions in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion in the Dallas and SMU communities.
 
Winner: Equestrian
2nd Place: Football
3rd Place: Men's Swimming & Diving
4th Place: Women's Basketball
5th Place: Cross Country / Track & Field
 
Individual Nominees
Annie Veenstra – Equestrian
Anya Leland – Equestrian
Izzy Krantzcke – Women's Swimming & Diving
Katelyn VanDenburg – Equestrian
Rachel Brandt – Equestrian
 
Perseverance Award: Presented to the male and female student-athletes who have demonstrated an exceptional degree of determination in overcoming personal, medical and/or academic obstacles while maintaining good academic standing.
 
Female Nominees
Abi Smith – Rowing
Ava Peck – Equestrian
Emily Odwin – Women's Golf
Gina Feistel – Women's Tennis
Grace Hall – Women's Basketball
Jadyn Livings – Volleyball
Mayu Inokawa – Women's Soccer
Renee Finke – Track & Field
Summer Osborne – Women's Swimming & Diving
 
Male Nominees
Alex Finkelstein – Men's Tennis
B.J. Edwards – Men's Basketball
Gabe Post – Men's Golf
Jack Berube – Men's Swimming & Diving
Logan Parr – Football
Martin Dominguez – Men's Soccer

Sportsmanship Award: Presented to the male and female student-athletes who have demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship in the competitive arena.
 
Female Nominees
Alexa Black – Equestrian
Averi Carlson – Volleyball
Caroline McGinley – Women's Tennis
Cassidy Allison – Women's Swimming & Diving
Erika Kirk – Cross Country / Track & Field
Hali Hartman – Women's Soccer
Izie Murray – Rowing
Jadyn Livings – Volleyball
Jazzy Gipson – Women's Basketball
Macey Hilton – Cross Country / Track & Field
Mackenzie Lee – Women's Golf
Saylor Kercher – Rowing
Tara Phelan – Rowing

Male Nominees
Alex Salvo – Men's Soccer
Andy Baklanov – Men's Swimming & Diving
Ben Longeway – Men's Swimming & Diving
Caleb Bronold – Men's Soccer
Cameron Thompson – Men's Swimming & Diving
Corey Washington – Men's Basketball
Gabe Post – Men's Golf
Isaiah Nwokobia – Football
Jerry Barton – Men's Tennis
Trey Clervi – Men's Swimming & Diving
Will Sides – Men's Golf

Red & Blue Award: Presented to the male and female student-athletes who exhibit the greatest passion and spirit to SMU Athletics. These individuals bleed red and blue and represent SMU in all they do. (Intended for a student-athlete who has gone above and beyond in supporting other student-athletes and the department.)
 
Female Nominees
Aubrey Brown – Women's Soccer
Lindsay Nicholson – Women's Soccer
Jasmine Franklin – Track & Field
Megan Sands – Rowing
Melia Zands – Rowing
 
Male Nominees
Boopie Miller – Men's Basketball
Caleb Bronold – Men's Soccer
Nico Sobenes – Men's Swimming & Diving
Richard Garcia – Men's Soccer
Harold Lockhart – Men's Swimming & Diving
Will Sides – Men's Golf

Newcomer of the Year Award: Presented to the first-year transfer male and female student-athletes whose presence at SMU has made an immediate impact in their sport.
 
Female Nominees
Cleo Martin-Evans – Track & Field
Favor Anyanwu – Volleyball
Grace Jin – Women's Golf
Kate Kulig – Rowing
Shaelyn Boutelle – Equestrian
Sydney Japic – Women's Soccer
Zahra King – Women's Basketball
 
Male Nominees
Jaron Pierre Jr., - Men's Basketball
Yamir Knight – Football
Villads Landsperg – Men's Soccer

Freshman of the Year Award: Presented to the freshman male and female student-athletes whose presence at SMU has made an immediate impact in their sport.
 
Female Nominees
Amelie Van Impe – Women's Tennis
Annemarie Vlaic – Women's Swimming & Diving
Christa Wilburn – Volleyball
Kirra St-Laurent – Women's Golf
Lindsay Nicholson – Women's Soccer
Madison Rafacz – Equestrian
Rose Mburu – Cross Country / Track & Field
Talisa Knoke – Rowing

Male Nominees
Ben Steinmann – Men's Golf
Francis Brennan – Men's Swimming & Diving
Jaden Toombs – Men's Basketball
Jalen Cooper – Football
Landon Hickam – Men's Soccer
 
Student-Athlete of the Year Award: Presented to the male and female student-athletes who have achieved a high level of success in the competitive arena while maintaining good academic standing. This award recognizes a team leader whose performance impacts the collective ability of their teammates and brings a positive image to SMU.
 
Female Nominees
Annabelle New – Rowing
Annemarie Vlaic – Women's Swimming & Diving
Aubrey Brown – Women's Soccer
Augusta Iwasaki – Equestrian
Emily Odwin – Women's Golf
Jentry Lamirand – Volleyball
Kirin Chacchia – Track & Field
Sophie Llewellyn – Women's Tennis
Zahra King – Women's Basketball

Male Nominees
Boopie Miller – Men's Basketball
Kevin Jennings – Football
Will Sides – Men's Golf
Slade Starnes – Men's Soccer
Luke Sitz – Men's Swimming & Diving
Trevor Svajda – Men's Tennis
 
Athletic Director's R.U.N. Award: The Mustangs R.U.N. Award is the signature award presented by the SMU Athletic Director, honoring one male and one female student-athlete who embody the drive and determination of a Mustang. The awardees are 1) RELENTLESS in the pursuit of winning, on and off the field; 2) UNSTOPPABLE in overcoming personal, academic, and athletic challenges; and 3) NEVER SATISFIED with good, ever striving for something greater, something more.
 
Female Nominees
Anaya Brown – Women's Basketball
Celine Chen -Women's Golf
Hali Hartman – Women's Soccer
Hannah Hoch – Equestrian
Maddy Parker – Women's Swimming & Diving
Malaya Jones – Volleyball
Nea Sanders – Track & Field
Tabitha Hall – Rowing

Male Nominees
Boopie Miller – Men's Basketball
Enzo Panozzo – Men's Soccer
Stone Eby – Football
Sage Sungail – Men's Swimming & Diving
Trevor Svajda – Men's Tennis
Will Sides – Men's Golf