PAINESVILLE, Ohio -- The Lake Erie College Athletic Department celebrated their 10th annual TIBBYS awards banquet last night. The TIBBYS is an annual ceremony to celebrate the athletic and academic accomplishments of student-athletes from the previous season of competition.

The award categories include:

- Women's Highest Team GPA
- Men's Highest Team GPA
- Male Scholar Athlete
- Female Scholar Athlete
- Stormbacker of the Year
- Faculty Member of the Year
- Athletic Staff Member of the Year
- Community Service Team of the Year
- Comeback Student-Athlete of the Year
- Most Improved Team of the Year
- Female Newcomer of the Year
- Male Newcomer of the Year
- Play of the Year
- Win of the Year
- Female Student-Athlete of the Year
- Male Student-Athlete of the Year
- Individual Performance of the Year
- Head Coach of the Year
- Team of the Year
- Storm Cup


This year's TIBBYS award winners are:


WOMEN'S HIGHEST TEAM GPA - Sponsored by President Schuller
Women's Basketball (3.56)

MEN'S HIGHEST TEAM GPA - Sponsored by Zappitelli Financial Services
Men's Cross Country (3.38)

MALE SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by Lake Erie College National Alumni Board
Joey Ellison - Men's Lacrosse

FEMALE SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by ABM Industries
Adrianna Sluga - Softball, Arianna Tammaro - Softball, Raena Willett - Cross Country/Track & Field

STORMBACKER OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by the Hoffman Family
Lake County Commissioners

FACULTY MEMBER OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by University Hospitals & Dr. Shauna Miskovsky
Greg Rothwell

ATHLETIC STAFF MEMBER OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by Crew Tracker Software
Kellie Korzunowski, Assistant Athletic Trainer

Kellie was vital in her first year on the sports medicine staff. Kellie rolled up her sleeves and got to work by covering two spring sports at the same time. She covered for another athletic trainer while they were out on maternity leave and was the point person for both the men's lacrosse team and the softball team. She also assisted with coverage of the football team and puts in those long, and early morning, hours with them. Kellie has been an integral part of the sports medicine department's success.

COMMUNITY SERVICE TEAM OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by Zappitelli Financial Services
Women's Soccer

The women's soccer team completes community service regularly and takes great pride in service to the LEC and surrounding communities. So far this academic year, the team has donated over 250 hours of their time. This year they have volunteered at the Fairport Harbor Senior Center, participated in the Winter Wonderland, assisted with the Painesville city clean up day, assisted with the campus Glow walk, participated in a community Trunk-or-Treat and assisted with gift wrapping for Painesville City Department of Recreation.


COMEBACK STUDENT ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by University Hospitals & Dr. Shauna Miskovsky
Corey Gamet - Wrestling

After sustaining injuries that kept Corey from wrestling last season he returned to the mat and made an immediate impact for the Storm. He went 15-5 on the year, including a 7-1 record in dual matches. Corey also placed second at the NCAA Super Region III Tournament on his way to qualifying for the NCAA Division II National Tournament, his second appearance on the big stage.

MOST IMPROVED TEAM OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by ABM Industries
Women's Track & Field

Over the last year, the women's track and field team has broken 11 school records across multiple events. They also had an individual ranked 18th in the country in the women's weight throw, which is the highest ranking in program history for that event.

FEMALE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by Lake Erie College National Alumni Board
Madelyn Goodrich - Women's Lacrosse

In her first year with the Storm, Maddie started all 14 games. She finished second on the team in three offensive categories including 19 goals, 10 assists, and 29 total points. She also is in our record book with the fourth highest goal total in a game with her 7-goal performance against Felician.

MALE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by President Schuller
Aaron Garrote - Men's Soccer

Aaron appeared in 21 games for the Storm this fall, including 20 games as a starter. He finished the year with 10 total points after scoring three goals and recording four assists. He was named First Team All-G-MAC and Third Team All-Region by the United Soccer Coaches Association (USC).

PLAY OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by Zappitelli Financial Services
Graham Lofstead - 50-yard Goal - Men's Lacrosse

WIN OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by the Hoffman Family
Christian Small - Wrestling - Win over the #1 ranked wrestler at National Duals

FEMALE STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by University Hospitals & Dr. Shauna Miskovsky
Richella Spielvogel - Track & Field

Richella continued to break her own records during the indoor and outdoor track & field seasons. She ranked 18th in the nation during the indoor season for the women's weight throw; the highest ranking in program history.

MALE STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by ABM Industries
Harry Ross-Hughes - Track & Field

In the past year, Harry was a 2x National Qualifier in the men's 800 meter. He took 5th place at the 2023 NCAA DII Outdoor Track & Field Championships and 3rd place at the 2023-24 NCAA DII Indoor Track & Field Championships, earning two All-American honors while also continuing to break school and G-MAC records in the process. 

INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by Lake Erie College National Alumni Board
Madelyn Goodrich - Women's Lacrosse - 7-goal performance against Felician including the OT winning goal.

HEAD COACH OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by University Hospitals & Dr. Shauna Miskovsky
Boomer Fechko - Wrestling

In Boomer has made a tremendous impact on our wrestling program in a very short tie. This year, in just his second year at LEC, he had multiple wrestlers ranked nationally, upset top opponents at the National Duals, had four National Qualifiers, one All-American, and was named G-MAC Co-Head Coach of the Year.

TEAM OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by Zappitelli Financial Services
Wrestling

In The Storm wrestling team had success on a regional and national level again this year. While being ranked as high as 5th as a team, many wrestlers were also ranked individually, including James Penfold and Christian Small who were each ranked as high as first in the nation. In conference, we saw three G-MAC champions in Ryan Wehner, Jack Haskin, and Christian Small, while taking a third-place finish as a team. A solid showing at regionals meant two individual champions (Jack Haskin and Christian Small), and two runner-ups (Ryan Wehner and Corey Gamet). These performances secured four national qualifiers for the Storm and at the NCAA DII National Championships, Jack Haskin led the way finishing the season as an All-American.

STORM CUP
Men's Track & Field