George Washington University Athletics
The GW Athletics Class of 2023
Athletics Hosts 2023 Senior Class Toast
5/19/2023 6:10:00 PM | General, Men's Soccer, Men's Swimming and Diving, Gymnastics, Women's Rowing
GW Athletics hosted a toast to the Class of 2023 on Friday afternoon at the Lerner Health and Wellness Center as the cap-and-gown adorned graduates gathered for one last time together.
Senior honors were doled out to top performing individuals, including the Lynn George Outstanding Senior Female Student-Athlete, J. Dallas Shirley Outstanding Male Student-Athlete, top female and male scholar athlete recognition and Student-Athlete Leadership Award.
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.
This year's winner was women's rowing's Elizabeth Rowland. Last year when rowing took second place in the Atlantic 10, Rowland was named to the All-Conference team for her performance in the Varsity 8 boat. This season she took on the challenge of rowing in the 2V8 boat, and helped lead GW to a first-ever Atlantic 10 Championship. She'll continue to lead the team next week in its first-ever NCAA Championship appearance in New Jersey.
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. 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.
A Psychology and Brain Sciences major, men's soccer's Justin Grady was the 2023 recipient. He played four seasons and major minutes in goal, totaling over 4,500 minutes played with a 1.37 career goals against average. Grady pitched 13 total shutouts and was credited with 19 wins over his career. An All-Conference performer who excels in the classroom as well, he earned Academic All-District this past season. Perhaps most impressively, he dominates in the lab. Grady presented a research paper titled "Conscientiousness protects visual search performance from the impact of fatigue" and received an Undergraduate Research Excellence Award from the Federation of Associations of Behavioral & Brain Sciences for it. He also took top honors in the category of Neuro and Psychological Development as part of Undergraduate Student Research Day at the GW Research Showcase last year and was awarded a prestigious Postgraduate Scholarship from the Atlantic 10.
The Student-Athlete Leadership Award was presented to Addie Feek from the volleyball team. She came to GW as a high school team captain and National Honor Society member, then honed her leadership skills serving on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and through the department's leadership program. But she truly shined this year. After the devastating loss of her assistant coach, a coaching change and trying season in so many ways in her junior year, she emerged at the top of her game as a senior. She won Team MVP, as much for her performance on the court as her leadership off it, in a season that nobody saw coming. With its most wins since the 2015 season, GW volleyball team advanced to A-10s for the first time since 2019.
Gymnastics' Noah Houseman earned the Female Scholar Athlete Award with her cumulative 3.94 GPA while majoring in chemistry with a minor in public health, while Brendan Conley claimed the 2023 Male Scholar Athlete Award by virtue of his cumulative GPA of 3.97 while majoring in International Business. Â
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Senior honors were doled out to top performing individuals, including the Lynn George Outstanding Senior Female Student-Athlete, J. Dallas Shirley Outstanding Male Student-Athlete, top female and male scholar athlete recognition and Student-Athlete Leadership Award.
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.
This year's winner was women's rowing's Elizabeth Rowland. Last year when rowing took second place in the Atlantic 10, Rowland was named to the All-Conference team for her performance in the Varsity 8 boat. This season she took on the challenge of rowing in the 2V8 boat, and helped lead GW to a first-ever Atlantic 10 Championship. She'll continue to lead the team next week in its first-ever NCAA Championship appearance in New Jersey.
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. 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.
A Psychology and Brain Sciences major, men's soccer's Justin Grady was the 2023 recipient. He played four seasons and major minutes in goal, totaling over 4,500 minutes played with a 1.37 career goals against average. Grady pitched 13 total shutouts and was credited with 19 wins over his career. An All-Conference performer who excels in the classroom as well, he earned Academic All-District this past season. Perhaps most impressively, he dominates in the lab. Grady presented a research paper titled "Conscientiousness protects visual search performance from the impact of fatigue" and received an Undergraduate Research Excellence Award from the Federation of Associations of Behavioral & Brain Sciences for it. He also took top honors in the category of Neuro and Psychological Development as part of Undergraduate Student Research Day at the GW Research Showcase last year and was awarded a prestigious Postgraduate Scholarship from the Atlantic 10.
The Student-Athlete Leadership Award was presented to Addie Feek from the volleyball team. She came to GW as a high school team captain and National Honor Society member, then honed her leadership skills serving on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and through the department's leadership program. But she truly shined this year. After the devastating loss of her assistant coach, a coaching change and trying season in so many ways in her junior year, she emerged at the top of her game as a senior. She won Team MVP, as much for her performance on the court as her leadership off it, in a season that nobody saw coming. With its most wins since the 2015 season, GW volleyball team advanced to A-10s for the first time since 2019.
Gymnastics' Noah Houseman earned the Female Scholar Athlete Award with her cumulative 3.94 GPA while majoring in chemistry with a minor in public health, while Brendan Conley claimed the 2023 Male Scholar Athlete Award by virtue of his cumulative GPA of 3.97 while majoring in International Business. Â
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Players Mentioned
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
GK
/ Men's Soccer
/ Women's Rowing
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