Harrogate, TN -- Lincoln Memorial athletics celebrated a historic decade of excellence Sunday evening as it hosted the 10th annual Lincoln Awards. The ceremony, held at Tex Turner Arena, honored the premier athletic and academic achievements of the 2025-2026 season by crowning winners across several prestigious categories. The evening was highlighted by the announcement of the Athletes of the Year, with Ronan O'Mahony of the men's soccer program and Kamil Collier of the women's basketball team taking home the top honors. O'Mahony was instrumental in a season that saw men's soccer named the men's Team of the Year, while Collier's dominant presence on the court led women's basketball to be named the women's Team of the Year. Both programs completed a sweep of the top awards as soccer coach Tom Gillette and basketball coach Devan Carter were recognized as the Coaches of the Year.
One of the most distinguished honors of the night, the Chris Carr Unsung Hero Award, was presented to Daven West for his invaluable contributions to the athletic department. The ceremony also celebrated the future of the Railsplitters by naming Gabe Gray of baseball and Cayla Wiggins of field hockey as the Freshmen of the Year. Brady Morse of baseball and Maleiya Hill of women's basketball earned the Newcomer of the Year honors for their immediate impact on their respective teams.
Growth and resilience were major themes of the evening as Inbar Shachar of men's volleyball and Theresa Brosthaus of women's cross country were named the Breakthrough Athletes of the Year. Sage Leax of women's lacrosse was honored as the Comeback Athlete of the Year following her remarkable return from injury. The Performances of the Year were awarded to Paige Branam of women's soccer for her opening day hat trick and Harry Dickins of men's golf for his standout play on the links.
In the Moment of the Year category, E.J. Smith of men's basketball was honored for his shot against Carson-Newman in the South Atlantic Conference tournament. On the women's side, Jaiden Jaynes of women's lacrosse took home the honor for her over the shoulder goal.
The department also unveiled the All-Splitter Team to recognize elite leadership and performance across the university. This year's members include Sadie Alvis for cheer, Conner Chandler for men's cross country, Nicole Couvertiere for softball, Eli Edds for baseball, Porter Finstad for men's wrestling, Calista Gibson for women's wrestling, Alex Giurea for men's tennis, Megan Maier for women's volleyball, Joslin Nave for women's golf, Lucie Palud for women's tennis, Vincent Quilici for men's track and field, and Gavin Reid for men's lacrosse. The 10th annual ceremony served as a testament to the dedication of the student athletes, coaches, and staff as the Railsplitters look forward to continuing their tradition of excellence in competition and the classroom.
