Ottumwa, IA – The Indian Hills Athletic Department celebrated its 7th annual awards banquet on Tuesday night, recognizing teams, individuals, staff members, and community partners for another remarkable year of Warrior Athletics.
Previously named the Athletics Choice Awards, the 2025 event was renamed The Wally's. Recap a memorable night at the Tom Arnold Net Center with the award winners, photos, and more.
2024 INDIAN HILLS ATHLETICS CHOICE AWARDS PHOTO GALLERY
Academic Achievement Award – 2023-24 Indian Hills Softball (3.81 GPA)
The Academic Achievement Award recognizes the athletic team that achieved the highest team GPA during the previous year.
Heart of Service Award – Mariana Rodrigues Da Silva - Cheer
The Heart of Service Award recognizes a team or individual that contributes to the college campus and surrounding communities in the Indian Hills Community College region.
President's Award – Sara Van Gisteren - Volleyball
The President's Award honors an individual that displays sportsmanship regardless of team challenges and individual hardships that the individual may have faced.
Athletic Appreciation Award (1) – April Hormann - Indian Hills Food Services, Centerville
Athletic Appreciation Award (2) – Jerry Phillips, Indian Hills Transportation Director
The Athletic Appreciation Award honors an employee of Indian Hills Community College or local entity that doesn't work within the Athletic Department on a day-to-day basis, but impacts the department by going above and beyond for IHCC and its student-athletes.
Athletic Partnership of the Year (1) – Josh Hall - Meridian Credit Union
Athletic Partnership of the Year (2) – Dan Roberts, Norris Asphalt Paving & Douds Stone
The Athletic Partnership of the Year award recognizes an individual, group of individuals, or business that contributes resources to Indian Hills Community College and the Athletic Department.
Athletic Staff Member of the Year – Alex Hale, Indian Hills Assistant Athletic Trainer
The Athletic Staff Member of the Year award honors an Athletic Department staff member that has gone above and beyond to contribute to the Athletic Department and its student-athletes.
Competitive Excellence Award
The Competitive Excellence award recognizes an individual from each athletic team that has contributed to the goals set forth by their team
- Baseball – Tijmen Nagel
- Men's Basketball – Amonte Allen-Johnson
- Cheer – Jason Shepard
- Women's Cross Country – Tiffani Koonce
- Men's Cross Country – Cayde de Waal
- Women's Track & Field – Dymonde Nave
- Men's Track & Field – Triston Miller
- Men's Golf – Emilio Arellano Lamas
- Women's Soccer – Mayo Kawashima
- Men's Soccer – Daniel Mulero
- Softball – Peyton Raley
- Sports Shooting – Zane Kirubakaran
- Volleyball – Daniela De Los Santos
- Women's Wrestling – Angelica Vicente Gonzalez
- Men's Wrestling – Jaquan East
Sport Highlight of the Year - Jaquan East, Semifinal Pin at the 2025 NJCAA National Championship
Jaquan East provided a spark for the eventual national champions as the sophomore scored a late pin to rally the Warriors at the 2025 NJCAA National Championships. East's third period pin over second-seeded Banks Love of defending national champion Western Wyoming sent the 184lber to the national championship bout.
Team of the Year - 2024-25 Men's Wrestling
The Indian Hills Men's Wrestling squad secured the program's first-ever national championship in dominant fashion, setting a new NJCAA record for team points scored at a national tournament. The Warriors saw two individuals, freshmen Gavyn Whitehead and Andrew Marquez earn the first-ever individual titles in school history. In total, the Warriors collected nine All-Americans. As a team, the Warriors also captured the NJCAA North Central District Championship while posting an undefeated dual record on the year.
Student-Athlete of the Year - Tate Joens, Indian Hills Men's Track & Field
Following a breakout freshman campaign for the Warriors in 2023-24, Joens upped his efforts during his final season at Indian Hills. The sophomore earned ICCAC and USTFCCCA Field Athlete of the Year honors while earning a runner-up finish in the men's weight throw at the 2025 indoor national championships while collecting his fifth-career All-American honor. Joens will continue his academic and athletic career at the University of Iowa next season.
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