The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Athletics Celebrates Outstanding Year with Rebels' Choice Awards
3/23/2015 | Student-Athlete Development
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OXFORD, Miss. -- The Ole Miss athletic department celebrated one of the most successful years in school history with the fifth annual Rebels' Choice Awards Monday night. Five different sports took home multiple awards, a testament to the recent renaissance in Ole Miss athletics, led by the football team, which took home five awards on the evening.
The semi-formal event took place in the Gertrude C. Ford Center for Performing Arts and honored athletics achievements from the past year. The event, hosted by ESPN's Holly Rowe, began with a red carpet for student-athletes and athletic department staff before the awards program began.
"A night like tonight shows the great personality of this university and being honored for being yourself, showing great character and working hard for your team," football's Laquon Treadwell said. "It's a blessing to be at this university and be a part of a night like this."
In all, 19 different honors were handed out on the evening to Ole Miss student-athletes. Of the awards, the Ole Miss Student-Athlete Advisory Committee selected 16, while three were selected via fan voting.
Baseball head coach Mike Bianco was named mens' coach of the year and his Diamond Rebels were named men's team of the year after their run to a third-place finish at the College World Series in Omaha.
Volleyball head coach Steven McRoberts was named women's coach of the year and his team was named women's team of the year after finishing with a 22-10 record, the most wins in program history since 2007.
Two-time NCAA Champion Sam Kendricks repeated as men's most valuable Rebel, while women's basketball's Tia Faleru was named women's most valuable Rebel. Faleru averaged a double-double in leading the Rebels back to the postseason for the first time since 2009-10
Football's John Ratliff took home the second annual Bennie Abram awards, given to walk-on student-athlete in memory of former Ole Miss football walk-on Bennie Abram, who passed away.
In the fan voting, Jaylen Walton's highlight-reel 91-yard touchdown run in the Egg Bowl was voted Play of the Year, while football's historic win over No. 1 Alabama was voted Game of the Year. In the other fan vote, Laquon Treadwell and Gracie Frizzell were named Fan Favorites.
"It's a very humbling honor," Frizzell said. "I couldn't have done it without my teammates and coaches. I want to be a role model for young girls."
The complete list of awards is listed below.
2015 REBELS' CHOICE AWARDS
Men's Rookie of the Year: Jalen Miller, track and field
Women's Rookie of the Year: Lexi Thompson, volleyball
Men's Community Service Outreach: Football
Women's Community Service Outreach: Women's Basketball
Men's Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Forrest Gamble, golf and Jonathan Redding, track and field
Women's Scholar Athlete of the Year: Stani Schiavone, golf
Men's Hotty Toddy (Spirit) Award: Scott Weathersby, baseball
Women's Hotty Toddy (Spirit) Award: Lauren Lindsey, softball
Men's Coach of the Year: Mike Bianco, baseball
Women's Coach of the Year: Steven McRoberts, volleyball
Men's Most Valuable Rebel: Sam Kendricks, track and field
Women's Most Valuable Rebel: Tia Faleru, basketball
Men's Team of the Year: Baseball
Women's Team of the Year: Volleyball
Bennie Abram Award: John Ratliff, football
FAN VOTE
Play of the Year: Jaylen Walton's 91-yard touchdown run in the win over No. 4 Mississippi State
Game of the Year: Football's historic win over No. 1 Alabama
Fan Favorites: Gracie Frizzell, Laquon Treadwell
