TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The 28th Golden Nole Awards were presented on Monday night by the FSU Student Athlete Advisory Council inside Doak Campbell Stadium.
The event highlights the contributions made in the community and recognizes student-athletes that have been exceptional leaders in and out of the athletics arena.
“It was a perfect night to celebrate our student-athletes,” FSU director student-athlete development and events Sarah Petronio said. “We haven’t been able to gather like this in years and to be back together in this setting is incredible. I’m so proud of the service our student-athletes put in this year.”
Beach Volleyball earned the Director’s Cup for Service, accounting for 301 community service hours, for an average of 14 per student-athlete this season.
“I am so proud of our team,” FSU beach volleyball head coach Brooke Niles said. “This team is amazing in the fact that they work really hard and want to make a positive impact on the community of Tallahassee. They are using sports to connect to the community and serve others.”
All told, 1,777 community service hours were logged by all student-athletes.
Jenna Nighswonger, Fletcher Wunderlich, Lauren Hew, Danielle Thompson, Joshua Burrell and Jenna Johnson were recognized as ACC Top Six for Service recipients, which is awarded to those that demonstrated leadership in community service initiatives, recruited teammates to participate and spearheaded new community partnerships.
The individual Golden Nole winners are presented to the student-athletes on each team who have portrayed the ideals of intercollegiate athletics. Head Coaches selected these Seminoles by evaluating athletic and academic success as well as their contribution to service to the university and community.
In addition to the 22 individual honors, four other awards were handed out and the top 10 plays of the year were highlighted, with women’s soccer outlasting BYU in penalty kicks to win the National Championship chosen as the top play.
National Champions Jaelin Howell from soccer and Trey Cunningham from track and field were voted the Most Valuable athletes. Howell, who won the MAC Herman Trophy as the nation’s top player for the second consecutive year, led the soccer team to the school’s third national title.
Cunningham won the NCAA Championship in the 60m hurdles with the second-fastest time in NCAA history. He was named the ACC Indoor Men’s Track Performer of the Year and USTFCCA South Region Athlete of the Year.
Softball’s Michaela Edenfield and men’s basketball’s Matthew Cleveland were voted Rookies of the Year. Edenfield has hit 15 home runs during her freshman season and is currently four shy of the FSU freshman record. Edenfield also leads the team with 45 RBI, which ranks ninth nationally, and is sixth in the country in home runs.
Cleveland was voted the 2022 ACC Sixth Man of the Year, after playing in 29 games where he averaged 11.5 points per game. Off the court, Cleveland was named to the Dean’s List in the fall and is also a member of SAAC.
Individual Golden Nole Award Winners
Football : Jashaun Corbin
Volleyball : Emma Clothier
Soccer : Jenna Nighswonger
Men’s Swimming : Izaak Bastian
Women’s Swimming : Nina Kucheran
Men’s Diving : Jesco Helling
Women’s Diving: Vivian Johnson
Baseball : Kyle McMullen
Women’s Golf : Amelia Williamson & Beatrice Wallin
Men’s Golf : Calvin Sierota
Men’s Tennis : Loris Pourroy
Women’s Tennis : Victoria Allen & Petra Hule
Softball : Sydney Sherrill
Beach Volleyball : Alex Hilton
Men’s Cross Country : Silas Griffith
Women’s Cross Country : Jen Lima
Men’s Track : Trey Cunningham
Women’s Track : Maudie Skyring
Men’s Field : Jacore Irving
Women’s Field : Caisa Marie-Lindfors
Women’s Basketball: Sammie Puisis
Men’s Basketball: RayQuan Evans
ACC Top Six for Service
Jenna Nighswonger - Soccer
Fletcher Wunderlich – Men’s Golf
Lauren Hew – Women’s Swimming
Danielle Thompson – Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field
Joshua Burrell - Football
Jenna Johnson - Beach Volleyball
Top Play: Soccer outlasts BYU in penalty kicks for national title
Men’s MVP: Trey Cunningham
Women’s MVP: Jaelin Howell
Men’s Rookie of the Year: Matthew Cleveland
Women’s Rookie of the Year: Michaela Edenfield
Director’s Cup for Service: Beach Volleyball
