Award Descriptions | Photo Gallery | Event Video |

WESTERVILLE – The Otterbein University Athletic Department hosted its annual Senior Awards Banquet on Monday evening at The Point, celebrating 80-plus seniors for the last four-plus years of accomplishments and dedication as Cardinals.

The event, sponsored in conjunction with the "O" Club, included dinner and remarks from Otterbein President Dr. John Comerford, Director of Athletics Dr. Greg Lott, Assistant Athletic Director Stacey Conley and "O" Club President Mark Granger.

Otterbein senior student-athletes were eligible to be nominated by their head coaches and staff members of respective programs before a committee chose final recipients of the 2025 Senior Awards. All four-year plaques were also distributed along with graduation cords to be worn during Sunday's commencement.

Otterbein's selections for the Ohio Athletic Conference Clyde Lamb Award were also identified and will be publicly announced at the league's annual banquet on May 12.

Award Recipients

Dorothy McVay Outstanding Athlete Award: Isa Lewis, softball

• A four-year starter and two-year captain on the softball team, Lewis is also a two-year member of SAAC and is in her first semester as a graduate student in her fourth year at Otterbein. As of April 29, she had started 124 of her 128 career games with the Cardinals, amassing a .269 batting average with 101 hits, 16 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 57 RBIs, 46 runs and 30 steals. She led the team in runs scored as a sophomore and put together back-to-back impressive performances in a doubleheader sweep of Heidelberg this season, hitting a walk-off home run to win game one and adding a grand slam in the game two victory. Otterbein softball head coach Bruce Anderson says she is an inspirational leader who is very driven and family-oriented, adding that she has been a joy to have as part of the Otterbein Softball family. Anderson says the best way to describe her is passionate about her family, friends and teammates.

Dr. Joanne Van Sant Leadership Award: Olivia Eckels, women's tennis

• Eckels didn't play in the Cardinals' regular lineup her freshman year but worked hard to improve and soon found herself an essential member of a two-time NCAA tournament qualifier and three-time Ohio Athletic Conference regular-season championship team. As of April 29, she boasted a career record of 83-72, including 39-34 in singles and 44-38 in doubles. That included a 30-6 mark in OAC competition, going 14-3 in singles and 16-3 in doubles. She was named All-OAC Honorable Mention as a sophomore and All-OAC Second Team as a junior and is a two-time ITA Scholar-Athlete honoree. Otterbein women's tennis head coach Tyler Stephen says she has always handled herself the right way, adding that her on-court success is a reflection of the work ethic that she shows every day in practice.

Dr. Marilyn Day Athletic Scholarship Award: Lindsey Whitmore, women's soccer; Owen Opp, men's lacrosse; Alyssa Mattis, women's cross country and track and field

• Whitmore is a three-time Academic All-OAC honoree boasting a 3.94 GPA in mathematics. In four years at Otterbein as a forward on the women's soccer team, she played in 48 games and compiled seven points on two goals and three assists. Otterbein women's soccer head coach Brandon Koons says she bought into the women's soccer program's core values right away. She fully immersed herself into the program, becoming a friend to everyone on the team, training with discipline, playing with a competitive edge and concluding her career with pride both on and off the field. The LinkedIn profile she created to work toward starting her career in teaching and coaching is her in her soccer uniform in front of a drone photo of Towers. Koons says she is a favorite among soccer campers, an accomplished breakdancer and aspiring rapper, adding that you will not find a player who committed more fully to Otterbein women's soccer.
• Opp is a defender on the men's lacrosse team with a 3.60 GPA in nursing. He earned Academic All-OAC recognition in 2023 and 2024. As of April 29, he had played in 44 career games, making 26 starts, including all 15 games this season. His career totals include 35 ground balls and 27 caused turnovers. Men's lacrosse head coach Colin Hartnett says he has an overly positive attitude with a terrific work ethic and great compassion for his teammates, adding that he is a great example to others of what Otterbein stands for and wants to be seen as.
• A four-year member of the women's cross country and track and field teams at Otterbein, Mattis boasts a 3.70 GPA in nursing. She owns a personal-best cross country 6K time of 22:37, which she posted in placing 14th at the 2024 OAC Championships. In track and field, she has competed in the middle-distance and distance events and as a relay team member. In 2023, she scored points for Otterbein as a member of the distance medley relay team at the OAC Indoor Championships and as a member of the 4x800 relay team at the OAC Outdoor Championships. A three-time Academic All-OAC selection, she also owns a pair of All-Ohio honors, one outdoors in the 1,500 meters and one indoors as a member of the distance medley relay team. Otterbein cross country head coach Matt Sutton says her personality is one of a kind, adding that she is funny, high energy, positive, supportive and encouraging. He said those personality traits have had a significant positive impact on the program during her time at Otterbein and that she has set a great example for how to balance academics and athletics.

Dr. Jo Ann Tyler Spring Sport Award: Maggie Nance, women's lacrosse

• A four-year starting goalkeeper for the women's lacrosse team, Nance is the program's all-time record holder for career saves with 600. She also holds the top two spots in the program record books for saves in a season with 159 in 2022 and 156 in 2023 and ranks second all-time for saves in a game with 18. A two-year team captain, she was the first in program history to be named OAC Goalkeeper of the Year in 2022, and she earned the honor again in 2023. She earned First Team All-OAC recognition in each of those seasons and was an All-OAC Second Team pick in 2024. She also earned recognition for her efforts in the classroom as a two-time Academic All-OAC recipient and IWLCA Academic Honor Roll honoree in 2024. She has played in 64 career games at Otterbein, 63 of which she started, and compiled a 12.78 GAA with 25 career goalie wins. Head coach Brooke Delara describes her as a standout student-athlete both on and off the field, adding that she is a terrific leader and person who cares about her friends, teammates and the Otterbein community more than anyone she knows. Nance is a member of the honors program, president of the Theta Nu sorority, part of ALDPES, a passionate member of SAAC and a recurring name on the Dean's List all while maintaining a 3.68 GPA in nursing and working a part-time job.

Dick Reynolds Leadership Award: Cassady Shough, women's tennis; Nathan Lewis, men's lacrosse

• A two-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference Honorable Mention selection, Shough has also been recognized for her work in the classroom as a two-time Academic All-OAC and ITA Scholar-Athlete honoree and earning a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District accolade as a junior. As of April 29, she boasted a career record of 55-49, most of which she compiled in singles play at 49-39 overall and 21-4 against OAC competition. Otterbein women's tennis head coach Tyler Stephen says she has always been about her team and puts the well-being of her teammates above her own. Not only has she been a great example for her teammates to follow, she also has been a tremendous member of the team with her singles success and has helped shaped the past few years for Otterbein women's tennis and the standard for future teams to follow.
• After transferring from Aurora University midway through his freshman year, Lewis made an immediate impact on the lacrosse field at Otterbein and has grown to become one of the Cardinals' top leaders and contributors at the midfield position. Head coach Colin Hartnett has described him as one of the most reliable and consistent players he has ever coached, and the team has elected him as a captain for each of the past two seasons. An All-OAC Second Team selection as a junior, he had career totals of 106 points on 64 goals and 42 assists in 58 games, including 47 starts, as of April 29.

Bud Yoest Commitment Award: Jared Kreager, men's basketball; Ravyn Goodson, women's track and field

• Kreager joined the men's basketball team as a walk-on his freshman year and was not guaranteed a spot on the team, as he was recovering from a car accident from his senior year of high school that almost left him unable to ever play athletics again. He then played in 21 games as a sophomore and 23 games as a junior before taking on a role as a starter in his senior year. He started 21 of his 25 games this past season and shot 53% from the floor and 93% from the free-throw line while leading the OAC by converting 45.2% of his 3-point shots. He also displayed incredible perseverance through unimaginable tragedy. His father was diagnosed with ALS last summer, and his health declined rapidly as he battled through hospital and ER visits. Kreager missed a few practices and a game to be with his dad during the uncertain times, and Otterbein coaches and teammates would visit them at the hospital. Prior to Senior Day, he joined his fellow seniors on the team for a traditional Senior Day photo with family members in case his father would be unable to make it to the official Senior Day. His father passed away shortly thereafter. While it would have been understandable for him to step away from the team at that time, Kreager did not want to miss any more games because of how much the team meant to him during this difficult time. He finished the year averaging 8.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. He and his fellow seniors posted a combined 62-41 record over the past four years and helped lead the Cardinals to their first top-three finish in the OAC in 19 years in 2023-24. Head coach Andy Winters describes him as one of the toughest and most selfless people that he has been around, adding that he is an outstanding young man and an inspiration to all. He has brought his community of Sunbury together and has helped teach valuable lessons to his teammates and coaches.
• Goodson is a four-year member of the women's track and field team as a competitor in the throwing events. A two-time Academic All-OAC honoree, she scored points for the Cardinals in the discus at the 2023 and 2024 OAC Outdoor Championships, placing eighth and fifth, respectively, as well as in the weight throw at the 2024 OAC Indoor Championships with a fifth-place showing. She also owns an All-Ohio distinction after placing third in the discus at the 2024 All-Ohio Outdoor Championships. Otterbein track and field director Dara Ford says Goodson has always displayed a passion for the sport and the people around her and has made a profound impact not only on the track and field team but the entire athletic department. Goodson has served as the president of SAAC for the last two years and was the vice president of the Black Student Athlete Union. She also served on the Track Leadership Council and has been a throws squad captain in addition to serving as co-host of the Birds Eye View podcast.

Nancy Myers Norris Scholastic Award: Lillia Walter, women's tennis; Jake Brown, baseball

• Walter boasts a 4.0 GPA in PreK-5 Education while competing as a standout member of the women's tennis team at Otterbein for four years. As of April 29, she boasted an impressive 141-73 overall record in her career, including 65-37 in singles and 76-36 in doubles. That included a staggering 47-3 mark against Ohio Athletic Conference competition, going 24-1 in singles and 23-2 in doubles. A three-time All-OAC First Team and ITA Scholar-Athlete honoree, she is also a two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District and Academic All-OAC selection. She has helped lead the Cardinals to three OAC regular-season championships and two OAC Tournament titles and NCAA Tournament berths. Otterbein women's tennis head coach Tyler Stephen says she has been a tremendous competitor on the court. Not only has she been one of the best statistical players to ever play in the OAC, but she has also been a tremendous leader for her teammates to follow and has grown over her years in this area. Otterbein will miss her for not only her on-court performance, but also for her ability to put her teammates first.
• Brown is a two-time Academic All-OAC honoree boasting a 4.00 GPA in sport management. An infielder and designated hitter for the baseball team, he had played in 57 career games, making 27 starts, as of April 29. His career totals to that point included 23 hits, six doubles, one home run, 18 RBIs and 12 runs. He has been a member of SAAC and led a baseball team Bible study during his time at Otterbein, and he plans to be a sales consultant at Valley Ford of Ohio upon graduation. Otterbein baseball head coach George Powell says Brown always worked hard and handled his roles well. He was a well-liked teammate and helped raise a significant amount of money for pediatric cancer as part of the baseball team's charitable efforts for the Baseball versus Cancer organization.

Augsburger-Ballenger Outstanding Athlete Award: Amanda Troyer, volleyball; Justin Bartlett, football

• A four-year starter and three-year libero for the volleyball team, Troyer put together a well decorated career for the Cardinals. After earning Academic All-OAC recognition in 2022, she went on to be named OAC Libero of the Year, First Team All-OAC, First Team All-Great Lakes Region and AVCA All-American Honorable Mention as a junior in 2023. She closed out her career by earning All-OAC Second Team honors and being named OAC Tournament MVP this past season. Head coach Monica Wright describes Troyer as a leader both on and off the court and a friend and example to all, adding that the team looked to her to set the tone at both practices and games. She helped lead the team to three OAC Tournament championships and four NCAA Tournament berths, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2021. The team compiled an overall record of 92-30 and an OAC record of 31-5 in her four years, and she ranks second all-time at Otterbein in career service aces with 181 and fourth all-time in career digs with 1,713 in 118 matches. Off the court, Troyer worked in the Clements Center and as a resident assistant.
• A four-year member of the Otterbein football team as a defensive lineman, Bartlett has achieved excellence both in academics and athletics. Named the OAC Scholar-Athlete of the Month for September 2024, he went on to post a team-high 9.5 tackles for loss and rank second on the team in tackles with 73 as a senior. Boasting a 3.74 GPA in exercise science and health promotion with a minor in nutrition, he is a two-time College Sports Communicators and Academic All-OAC honoree. He was selected as a John McConnell and Worthington Industries Foundation Scholar-Athlete by the Columbus Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in February and was recently named to the 2025 class of the NFF Hampshire Honor Society. His success on the football field earned him three All-OAC accolades, getting Second Team recognition in 2024 after being an Honorable Mention selection in 2022 and 2023. He finished his junior season with 19.5 tackles for loss, which ranks third all-time at Otterbein for a single season, and earned D3football.com All-Region status that season. In 38 career games at Otterbein, he has 247 tackles and 13.5 sacks, and he ranks third in program history with 43 tackles for loss.

Roger K. Powell Athletic/Scholarship Award: Lauren Alley, women's soccer; Drew Holman, men's soccer

• Boasting a 3.99 GPA in nursing, Alley is a three-time Academic All-OAC honoree and is coming off a well decorated senior season for the women's soccer team during which she was named OCSA All-Ohio and Academic All-Ohio, United Soccer Coaches All-Region VII Third Team, All-OAC Second Team and College Sports Communicators Academic All-District. She played in 66 career games at Otterbein, making 53 starts, and compiled 32 points on 10 goals and 12 assists from her midfielder position. She made an immediate impact on the Otterbein women's soccer program, scoring game-winning goals in two of her first four college games. She earned OAC Player of the Week honors that week and kept moving forward over her career, adding conference, Ohio and regional awards for her on-field accomplishments and earning recognition with academic honors at each level. Otterbein women's soccer head coach Brandon Koons says the impression she made off the field was just as impressive as the one she made on the field. Alley was the first to volunteer whenever needed, always did the work for the team, was a constant fixture in the team's Player Council and capped off her career as a team captain. She led with never-ending support for her teammates and by example with skills that drew cheers from the stands. 
• A five-year member of the men's soccer team as a midfielder, Holman has the distinction of having started every game since he arrived at Otterbein, which is an incredible accomplishment. In those 90 games, he has accumulated 13 goals and nine assists for 35 points. He is a five-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference honoree, including selections to the First Team in 2021 and 2023, and a four-time All-Ohio pick. He was also named to the All-OAC Tournament Team this past season after helping lead the Cardinals to the tournament championship. With Holman on the team, the Cardinals have won two OAC regular-season championships in addition to the 2024 OAC Tournament title and have made three NCAA Tournament appearances. He has also had great success in the classroom. A chemistry and mathematics major, he boasts a cumulative GPA of 3.89 and is a three-time Academic All-OAC and Academic All-Ohio and two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honoree. His head coach, Jason Griffiths, describes him as having been the heartbeat of the team for the past five years, adding that he is a great player and teammate, but more importantly, a great person.

Norris-Elliott Scholastic/Athletic Award: Garett Lucius, men's cross country and track and field

• Lucius has lettered in both cross country and track and field and boasts a 3.92 GPA in journalism and media communications. He earned Academic All-OAC distinction in track and field in 2023 and 2024 and in cross country in 2023. In cross country, he has a career-best 8K time of 28:05, which he posted as a junior at the All-Ohio Championships. As a distance runner in track and field, he has competed in the indoor 1,000 meters, 3,000 meters, 5,000 meters and mile and the outdoor 1,500 meters and 5,000 meters. Otterbein cross country head coach Matt Sutton cites Lucius as a great teammate who helps keep the team on track and accountable. While he has battled several injuries during his time at Otterbein, he has persevered. Outside of competition, he hosts a campus radio show and has often been the voice of Otterbein track meets, providing commentary during home meets.

Royal F. Martin Outstanding Spring Sport Award: Logan Ullom, baseball

• Ullom is a four-year starter at catcher on the baseball team and has been a significant contributor since his freshman season. As of April 29, he had played in 134 career games, starting 116 of them, and had accumulated a .303 batting average with 126 hits, 28 doubles, one triple, four home runs, 54 RBIs, 95 runs and nine steals to go with a .989 fielding percentage. He was an All-OAC Honorable Mention selection as a junior in 2024. A mechanical engineering major, he is a two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District and Academic All-OAC selection. While at Otterbein, Ullom was a professor's assistant in the mechanical engineering department, and he plans to work at MPW Industrial upon graduation. Otterbein baseball head coach George Powell describes him as a leader and well-liked teammate, and he helped raise a significant amount of money for pediatric cancer as part of the baseball team's charitable efforts for the Baseball versus Cancer organization.

"Deke" Edler Memorial Athletic Award: Kathleen DeCarlo, women's basketball; Alex Hannah, men's basketball

• A transfer from Notre Dame College, DeCarlo has had a long, incredible journey at Otterbein. She used up her four years of playing eligibility over a six-year span that included a medical redshirt season and the Covid year and developed into a true leader of the women's basketball program. This past season, she was selected to the Ohio Athletic Conference All-Tournament Team and was named All-OAC Honorable Mention. She led the team in rebounding average in the 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2024-25 seasons and finished with nine career double-doubles. She started 67 of her 86 career games at Otterbein, averaging 9.6 points and 6.4 rebounds in 27.5 minutes per game. Her career totals include 822 points, 547 rebounds, 143 assists and 65 steals. While stats and awards are important, Otterbein women's basketball head coach Diana Noles says they do not capture the full essence of what DeCarlo has meant to the team and program. She has not only been a player of great skill who has made many contributions on the court, but also a leader who inspired everyone around her, showing that her contributions go far beyond the game itself. A true competitor, she was the type of leader who always led by example, and her fierce competitiveness was matched only by her unwavering commitment to the team. She didn't just talk about what it took to win - she showed it through her actions. 
• A forward on the men's basketball team, Hannah led the Cardinals in rebounding average with 5.7 per game as a sophomore and played in 92 career games, including 21 as a starter. He boasts career totals of 484 points, 282 rebounds, 50 assists, 30 steals and 94 3-pointers made. He battled through ankle injuries, ankle surgery and rehab. Despite dealing with injury, he never let it impact his commitment to the team. He was a constant vocal leader that helped guide his senior classmates to the most combined wins over a four-year stretch in the last 19 years at Otterbein. Hannah displayed toughness and resilience throughout his career as highlighted by an instance during his sophomore season when he scored a career-high 22 points against Capital while suffering a grade 2 spleen injury and grade 1 kidney contusion in the first half. Hannah, teammate Brennan Rains and head coach Andy Winters celebrated the win at the ER until the next morning waiting for him to be seen and eventually transferred to the trauma division. Winters says Hannah will always put the team first no matter what and will leave a lasting impact on the men's basketball program through his dedication, pride and selflessness. Winters added that he is honored that he had the chance to coach him and was able to be a fan of his for four years.

Harry W. Ewing Outstanding Football Award: Declan Jewitt, football

• A receiver on the football team, Jewitt played in 22 career games at Otterbein, recording 12 receptions for 158 yards and one touchdown. He has been described as a quality young man who is very respectful and works hard to lift up those around him. He was a leader by example and positive voice in the locker room and on the football field while putting in lots of work to make an impact despite battling injuries. He also made an impact as a member of the men's wrestling team at Otterbein. Otterbein wrestling head coach Brent Rastetter describes him as the type of young man that just makes a program better with his presence. Rastetter cites him as one of the most positive, supporting teammates he has seen during his time at Otterbein. Dealing with lingering injuries from football, he opted not to compete in wrestling as a senior but still came to every practice and worked as a student-coach to help his teammates get better.