- JSU football head coach, Tony Hughes presenting football defensive end, Javancy Jones, with his awards.
Jenna Siddiqui
MC Contributor
Jackson State University hosted its Annual Athletic Banquet on April 13th. This allows all athletic teams to gather in one location to dine while the university recognizes them for their hard work in the classroom as well as the court or field. Recognitions and awards include Most Valuable Player, Offensive and Defensive Awards, Academic Achievement Award and more.
All teams were represented, except for the baseball team who had a double header that day, where they swept Concordia-Selma.
Although some teams, such as tennis, baseball and softball are still in season, two JSU sports teams were recognized this year for winning SWAC: volleyball and bowling.
Senior art major, Keirsten Howard from Austin, Texas was so proud of herself and the rest of the volleyball team when they won SWAC. This is her second title.
“Winning SWAC again as a senior was so surreal but very deserving. After freshman year, the class I came in with, “The Fab 5”, and I promised we weren’t leaving without another ring and we did just that. The whole team had the same goal and mindset and all our hardworking showed,” said Howard.
Her hard work definitely showed and was also recognized at the banquet as she received the “Unsung Hero” Award.
“I am so thankful. I’m glad I could help contribute to a successful season and I’m glad my hard work and trust in God these past four years paid off. This being my senior year, this banquet was the best one yet because it was the last and final time to be in the same room with all my fellow athletes and friends. It was a good feeling,” Howard said.
Some came to support their friends and teammates, but many came to be recognized for all of their hard work and had trouble juggling all of his awards at once.
Javancy Jones, a junior football player from Macon, Miss., could barely hold all of the awards that he received. He was recognized and awarded: Player of the Year Award, Black College All American Award, First Team All SWAC Award, and National Leader in Tackles for Loss Award.
“I thought the banquet was great. A lot of people don’t understand the actual life of a student athlete. The people who actually understand are our fellow student athletes and it’s a blessing to be around so many people shooting for the same goal,” Jones said.
Some athletes attended and received awards even though they were not finished with their season. One of these players, included Julia Angermann, a senior psychology major from Germany, who is on the women’s tennis team. She received the MVP award and the Acadmic Achievement Award.
“It meant a lot to me. I always give my best on and off the court and to get those awards made me really happy. I felt like all my hard work payed off,” said Angermann.
That weekend, the women’s tennis team made it to the championship, but lost in the finals. The men’s tennis team won the SWAC title that weekend, for the first time in over a decade.
