2023-2024 Sports Clubs and Esports Award Winners

There were brightly colored balloons, inflatable disco balls, and enormous Rubix cubes everywhere. The decor was '80s-themed and the smiles were ear-to-ear as standout UC San Diego athletes, teams, and coaches were honored at the 2023-2024 Sports Clubs and Esports Banquet on June 7, 2024. Here is a recap of the winners, the awards they took home, and a few inspiring words from their coaches and teammates about why they were selected.

SPORTS CLUBS

Academic Excellence Award

Honoring the top athletes with the highest cumulative GPAs.

Winners: Naomika Nadkami (Dancesport), Sam Duzen (Esports), Taylor Humphreys (Women's Water Polo), Weng Si Leong (Tennis), Gabrielle Shapiro (Equestrian), Hunter Duzen (Esports), Jackson Goenawan (Swim), Julia Derunes (Women's Water Polo), Liam Fitzgerald (Ice Hockey).

Coach of the Year Award

This prestigious recognition is given to a coach who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and success in their respective sport. Overall, the Coach of the Year award celebrates excellence in coaching and acknowledges the profound influence coaches have on their teams and the sport as a whole. It serves as a mark of distinction and is highly valued within the Sports Clubs community.

Winner: Hector Sanchez,  Men’s Club Water Polo

Hector has been the coach of the UCSD Men’s Club Water Polo program since 2015. In that time, he has won 5 consecutive regional championships and has achieved five straight top-5 finishes in the National Championship tournament, including back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023. During this time, he has won four Conference Coach of the Year awards as well as two National Coach of the Year awards — a testament to his leadership and coaching abilities. Through his 10 seasons, Hector has cemented himself a place in UC San Diego history, as well as in Collegiate Water Polo Association history, as he became the first club coach in history to be eligible for the CWPA Hall of Fame."

Jeff Simon Memorial Award

Given to an athlete — or athletes — who is committed to their team, not only caring about its success in competition but also inspiring team unity.

Winners: Saffron Davila (Women’s Lacrosse) and Zach Weiner (Gymnastics)

Saff’s dedication and perseverance toward this team have not gone unnoticed!"

This was Zach’s first year doing gymnastics, and from the beginning, he has consistently come to practice excited to improve his skills. His commitment, diligence, and excitement toward gymnastics motivates us all."

Dustin Newell Award

Awarded to an athlete who personifies the ideals of a true athlete and the Sports Clubs community.

Winner: Marli Bannai (Women’s Soccer and Swim Team)

"When I think of what it means to be a TRUE athlete and an embodiment of Sports Clubs, this player stands out as an obvious example. She’s balanced being our president, a starter, and leader on the field, battled through unfortunate injuries, and tackled school assignments, all while dedicating herself to get to Swim Team Nationals."

Athlete of the Year

The Athlete of the Year award is a prestigious recognition given to an outstanding athlete who has demonstrated exceptional skill, achievement, and sportsmanship throughout the year. This award typically celebrates individuals who have excelled in their respective sports, showcasing not only athletic prowess, but also dedication, perseverance, and a positive influence on the Sports Clubs community. Recipients of this award often serve as role models for aspiring athletes, embodying the values of commitment, excellence, and fair play.

Winners: Erin Swift (Swim Team), Elisa Luo (Cycling), Braden Clark (Men’s Water Polo)

Erin (no photo) is one of the most humble competitors on Club Swim. Apart from successes at Club Swim Nationals for the 2024 season, Erin exemplified the spirit of a true teammate, from encouraging others around her to work harder to foster a positive attitude amongst the team. She led the team at Nationals scoring 101 points. She won first in the 100 backstroke event becoming UCSD’s Club Swim’s first National Champion."

Elisa (no photo) is brand new to the sport and overcame all of the beginner challenges. She qualified and went to nationals, placing fourth in the time trials — the first time in many years we have sent athletes to nationals. Her work ethic inspires the rest of the team to train and compete at a higher level, and this year's overall team performance was up tremendously."

It's not every year that you get a new player (Braden) that not only makes the A team, not only is a starter, but is a first-team all-nationals player, a first-team All-American (meaning he's a top-6 player in the nation), and takes your team to a national title! Braden's not just a standout on the field. He's also a great teammate and a genuine force of positivity. He's brought a fresh energy to our team, inspiring us all to step up our game and aim to be better. He’s the classic example of a player who leads by example."

Outstanding Leadership Award

 This award recognizes a Sports Clubs officer (president, treasurer, or vice president) who has not only been a phenomenal leader for their team but has also been a successful administrator and created a healthy and positive environment and structure for their organization.

Winner: Dylan Shafer (Swim Team)

"Under Dylan’s leadership, the team has accomplished an outstanding number of achievements. Some of these accomplishments include being awarded the Team of the Year by CCS, which recognizes up-and-coming teams. Club Swim started 10 years ago, and in that time, has risen as a strong and fast team, and has hosted many meets with their largest meet being this past October. This award shows just how much our team has contributed immensely to the sport of swimming! Under his leadership, we have been able to attract many teams from all over the Western Region, and this has helped us gain exposure among CCS. This past year we hosted five official meets and attended four travel meets, which are more than previous years combined, and we had almost 300 swimmers compete at our invitationals, further signifying the huge inroads Dylan has made in helping this team get to where it is today."

Sports Clubs Outstanding Leadership Scholarship Award

This award recognizes an athlete who demonstrates outstanding academic, campus, and community leadership during their undergraduate years. Thank you to John Sundt and other generous donors. 

Winners: Kayleigh Dennen (Women's Water Polo) and Ian Johnston (Sailing)

Kayleigh (no photo) says: "I gained confidence in my abilities and started taking initiative. I think this was reflected in my leadership in and out of the pool. I have put my heart and soul into this team to make sure we function efficiently and smoothly. Although there have been many bumps in the road, I would be honored to accept this scholarship for my perseverance, flexibility, and hard work throughout the year."

Ian (no photo) says: "As a pre-med student, I am planning on needing academic financial support for many more years, so this scholarship would alleviate some of that burden. As the former fleet manager and now president of the team, I also feel like this scholarship would be a good representation of all of the work I have done for the team."

Lifetime Achievement Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award is a prestigious recognition bestowed upon an individual to honor their significant contributions and accomplishments over the course of their career or lifetime within the Sports Clubs program. It acknowledges sustained excellence, outstanding leadership, and profound impact in their field or profession.

Winner: Tyler Callaway (Surf Team)

Tyler has been involved with the program since 1992 and has been coaching since 2003. Over the past two-plus decades, he has connected numerous Surf student-athletes with alumni, local businesses, professionals in desired fields, etc. to ensure that they are successful long after they leave the team and program. He has championed support from Admissions to get high-level surfers into the university and additional academic resources for student-athletes. While that has often seemed like an unachievable venture, it has never stopped him from fighting. In 2021, this passion led to the initiation of UCSD Surf Team Scholarships — the first collegiate scholarship for surfing. We have since awarded this scholarship four times to three student-athletes. While the Surf Team is still very student-led and supported, the team and countless student-athletes and alumni have been impacted by his leadership, mentorship, and support."

Alumni Engagement Award

This team fosters a culture of community not only amongst themselves but throughout years of tradition and alumni engagement. Their fundraising was the highest of all the Sports Club teams this year. Their alumni contributions reduced the financial impact on each student-athlete and allowed them to play the sport they love.

Winner: Ice Hockey

With amazing student leadership and genuine passion, the team continues to pave the way when it comes to alumni engagement. Due to the pandemic, this team had lost a lot of that connection to their roots, yet their leadership invested time and funds to create a welcoming alumni weekend featuring competition, dinner, and cheering on the Gulls! This resulted in increased giving and apparel support for the program. Congratulations on the community you are rebuilding."

Community Service Award

This team went above and beyond in giving back to the community. Their community service hours were the highest of all the Sports Clubs teams this year. Their dedication to aiding the community embodies the values of the Sports Clubs program.

Winner: Swim Team

With over 20 hours dedicated to serving and representing UC San Diego and our Sports Clubs community, they have a true passion and commitment to making a difference!"

One Team Award

This is an award given to a team that represents the essence of Sports Clubs. They aspire to unify this program, creating a stronger community and deeper friendships. This team goes out of its way to support other teams by cheering them on at games and making themselves available for friendship. They exemplify “31 Sports Clubs, ONE TEAM."

Winner: Men's Soccer

The Men’s Club Soccer team has become that extra player for many other teams within the Sports Clubs community. They make attending other sports a part of their team culture and you can often see that support at NCAA competitions, too. We can also count on them to attend all Sports Clubs community events and fully commit to the theme for the annual Dodgeball Extravaganza!"

ESPORTS

POG Champ Award

An individual whose outstanding leadership and commitment amplifies and promotes the growth of the Esports program.

Winner: Aaron "Yob" Tung

Aaron has been involved in UCSD Esports throughout his time as a UC San Diego student. He began as a student-athlete and supporting staff on the Overwatch team, eventually becoming the marketing director for UCSD Esports and an Esports assistant and photographer for Recreation. Aaron has left an indelible mark on UCSD Esports and Recreation as a whole."

Athlete of the Year

The Athlete of the Year award is a prestigious recognition given to an outstanding athlete who has demonstrated exceptional skill, achievement, and sportsmanship throughout the year. This award typically celebrates individuals who have excelled in their respective titles, showcasing not only exceptional skill but also dedication, perseverance, and a positive influence on the UCSD Esports community. Recipients of this award often serve as role models for aspiring members, embodying the values of commitment, excellence, and fair play.

Winners: Justin “Z0rocity” Zent (Apex Legends), Brandon “shaowaxis” Wu (StarCraft II)

Justin took on the role of In-Game Leader (IGL) after the fall quarter and led the Apex Legends team to a top-20 finish nationwide in their inaugural season. He is him."

Brandon (no photo) has been a standout of our StarCraft II team for the past two years and has been responsible for carrying multiple best-of-five series and was a heavy contributor to the team’s Collegiate Championship this past season."

Outstanding Leadership Award

This award recognizes a UCSD Esports Officer who has not only been a phenomenal leader for their team but has also been a successful administrator for the program.

Winner: Andrew “Pordlawsinned” Harris (Dota 2)

"Andrew has served as the Team Manager for the Dota 2 for three years and has competed on the team for four. It is not an understatement to say that without Andrew, Dota 2 would not still be a title in UCSD Esports. His unwavering dedication to the team and community has continued to sustain one of our founding titles and UCSD Esports is better for it."

Team of the Year

This is an award given to a team that represents the essence of UCSD Esports. They aspire to unify this program, creating a stronger community and deeper friendships. This team goes out of its way to support other teams and amplify the program to the greater campus community and beyond.

Winner: Apex Legends

"In their inaugural year with UCSD Esports, the Apex Legends team was incredibly successful both competitively and administratively. They were consistently vying for top accolades nationally, gave back to the campus community, and were excellent examples of how a UCSD Esports team and student-athlete should carry themselves."

Thank you to all for another amazing year in Sports Clubs and Esports!