Top Seniors Honored With Best-In-Class Awards
5/16/2022 12:34:00 PM | General, Men's Golf, Men's Swimming and Diving, Gymnastics, Women's Lacrosse, Women's Rowing, Academic Services
At the 2022 Senior Honors Toast, GW Athletics toasted its graduating student-athletes and doled out awards to its highest-achieving members.
The Lynn George Outstanding Senior Female Student-Athlete Award is presented annually to an outstanding women's senior athlete who exemplifies excellence in athletics, academics and citizenship. Lynn George was an outstanding GW student-athlete in the late 1940s, who later became the first director of women's athletics at GW, holding the position for 12 years through 1987. Gymnastics' Deja Chambliss took captured the honor in 2022. Chambliss capped her most decorated season in the Buff & Blue with a trip to NCAA Regionals as an individual qualifier in the all-around. She won EAGL Gymnast of the Year after finishing first in the league on vault, floor and in the all-around. As just the third gymnast in program history to earn the league's highest honor, she also tied the program record earning EAGL Gymnast of the Week four times throughout the regular season. Chambliss also finished the year ranked 25th in the country on vault, 43rd nationally on floor and 34th in the all-around. She scored a perfect 9.950 on vault in GW's Pink Meet on Feb. 6, tying her for first overall in program history on the event. A graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science in December, Chambliss is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Health and Biomedical Sciences.
The J. Dallas Shirley Outstanding Senior Male Student-Athlete Award is given to a graduating male senior who also embodies the characteristics of a well-rounded student-athlete. Shirley, a 1935 GW graduate, was a GW basketball star who later went on to a distinguished career as a D.C. educator and basketball official. The late Mr. Shirley was a well-known college and NBA referee as well as officiating in the 1960 Summer Olympics. He is one of just two GW graduates – the other being the legendary Red Auerbach – in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. The 2022 recipient was from men's swimming & diving, Marek Osina. Osina was one of the driving forces behind his team's dominant push to a second straight Atlantic 10 title and fifth conference crown in six years, earning A-10 Most Outstanding Performer honors after winning seven gold medals. The Czech Republic native broke his own A-10 record en route to victory in the 200 IM and also posted NCAA B-cut times in individual wins in the 400 IM and 200 back. He was part of four relay wins, as well, highlighted by a conference-record performance in the 200 medley relay. During his two years at GW, Osina also excelled in the classroom, twice landing A-10 All-Academic honors as a Business major with a concentration in Accounting. He earned a spot on the CSCAA Scholar All-American list for a second straight season in 2022 and in all, earned 13 medals, 12 of them gold, in his two trips to the A-10 meet, and he'll get a chance to add to his legacy next year as he returns to pursue his master's of Accountancy.
Two-time SAAC President Lauren Bennett was honored with the 2022 Student-Athlete Leadership Award. Bennett exuded leadership during her time in the Buff & Blue. As a member of the women's rowing program, Lauren rowed the Varsity 8 to a second place finish three times at the A-10 Championship, the program's best-ever finishes. Individually she twice earned First Team All-Conference honors.
Lacrosse's Sophia Watkinson earned the Female Scholar Athlete Award by virtue of her cumulative 3.91 GPA while majoring in biomedical engineering with a minor in psychological and brain sciences, while golf's Luis Preciado claimed the 2022 Male Scholar Athlete Award with his cumulative GPA of 3.87 while double-majoring in economics and computer science.
Bennett, Chambliss, Osina, Preciado and Watkinson were named Colonials of the Week on Monday, May 16th for their efforts throughout their careers and in 2021-22.Â
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The Lynn George Outstanding Senior Female Student-Athlete Award is presented annually to an outstanding women's senior athlete who exemplifies excellence in athletics, academics and citizenship. Lynn George was an outstanding GW student-athlete in the late 1940s, who later became the first director of women's athletics at GW, holding the position for 12 years through 1987. Gymnastics' Deja Chambliss took captured the honor in 2022. Chambliss capped her most decorated season in the Buff & Blue with a trip to NCAA Regionals as an individual qualifier in the all-around. She won EAGL Gymnast of the Year after finishing first in the league on vault, floor and in the all-around. As just the third gymnast in program history to earn the league's highest honor, she also tied the program record earning EAGL Gymnast of the Week four times throughout the regular season. Chambliss also finished the year ranked 25th in the country on vault, 43rd nationally on floor and 34th in the all-around. She scored a perfect 9.950 on vault in GW's Pink Meet on Feb. 6, tying her for first overall in program history on the event. A graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science in December, Chambliss is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Health and Biomedical Sciences.
The J. Dallas Shirley Outstanding Senior Male Student-Athlete Award is given to a graduating male senior who also embodies the characteristics of a well-rounded student-athlete. Shirley, a 1935 GW graduate, was a GW basketball star who later went on to a distinguished career as a D.C. educator and basketball official. The late Mr. Shirley was a well-known college and NBA referee as well as officiating in the 1960 Summer Olympics. He is one of just two GW graduates – the other being the legendary Red Auerbach – in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. The 2022 recipient was from men's swimming & diving, Marek Osina. Osina was one of the driving forces behind his team's dominant push to a second straight Atlantic 10 title and fifth conference crown in six years, earning A-10 Most Outstanding Performer honors after winning seven gold medals. The Czech Republic native broke his own A-10 record en route to victory in the 200 IM and also posted NCAA B-cut times in individual wins in the 400 IM and 200 back. He was part of four relay wins, as well, highlighted by a conference-record performance in the 200 medley relay. During his two years at GW, Osina also excelled in the classroom, twice landing A-10 All-Academic honors as a Business major with a concentration in Accounting. He earned a spot on the CSCAA Scholar All-American list for a second straight season in 2022 and in all, earned 13 medals, 12 of them gold, in his two trips to the A-10 meet, and he'll get a chance to add to his legacy next year as he returns to pursue his master's of Accountancy.
Two-time SAAC President Lauren Bennett was honored with the 2022 Student-Athlete Leadership Award. Bennett exuded leadership during her time in the Buff & Blue. As a member of the women's rowing program, Lauren rowed the Varsity 8 to a second place finish three times at the A-10 Championship, the program's best-ever finishes. Individually she twice earned First Team All-Conference honors.
Lacrosse's Sophia Watkinson earned the Female Scholar Athlete Award by virtue of her cumulative 3.91 GPA while majoring in biomedical engineering with a minor in psychological and brain sciences, while golf's Luis Preciado claimed the 2022 Male Scholar Athlete Award with his cumulative GPA of 3.87 while double-majoring in economics and computer science.
Bennett, Chambliss, Osina, Preciado and Watkinson were named Colonials of the Week on Monday, May 16th for their efforts throughout their careers and in 2021-22.Â
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Players Mentioned
/ Women's Rowing
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/ Gymnastics
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
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