National Park College (NPC) Nighthawk Athletics honored its student-athletes at the 2024-25 Nestys athletics awards ceremony Friday in the Student Commons at National Park College.
NPC Athletic Director Rich Thompson opened the evening with a message of gratitude toward every individual who played a part in making Nighthawk athletics great this year.
“To every student-athlete, coach, trainer and supporter—thank you,” Thompson said. “Your hard work, sportsmanship and spirit define who we are as Nighthawks. Tonight, we honor your achievements, your journey and the pride you bring to National Park College.”
Following a video tribute to each program’s achievements this year, Nighthawk cheer began the awards presentation by recognizing its athlete of the year, Rose Whitley (Malvern).
“Rose is an exceptional individual, whose strength, dedication and spirit have lifted not just stunts, but the entire team,” head coach Michelle Godwin said. “She has been a cornerstone of our squad and we are proud to honor her for an unforgettable season full of passion and perseverance.”
Freshman Rebeka Parker (Benton) was named the cheer team’s Newcomer of the Year.
“Rebeka is a rising star who has made a powerful first impression on and off the sidelines,” Godwin said. “She has quickly become an invaluable member of our squad. This award recognizes her courage to step up, her willingness to grow and her impact on our program.”
Next, Sports Information Director Mark Oliver presented awards for Nighthawk cross-country and outdoor track and field. First, freshman Bethany Breshears (Hot Springs) was awarded Women’s Cross-Country Runner of the Year.
“Bethany is the definition of a leader by example,” Oliver said. “Before NPC, she had never ran for competition before. She jumped at the opportunity to try something new and led NPC at every event this year. She not only showed what Nighthawk Nation is capable of on the course, but she also proved that she can do anything she sets her mind to.”
Freshman runner Alex Pacheco (Hot Springs) was named Men’s Cross-Country Runner of the Year.
“Alex did something this year that no Nighthawk student-athlete has ever done before—break the same school record three times in one season,” Oliver said. “He took pride in getting better in each event and represented NPC well.”
Freshman Darrius Haywood (Conway) took home Athlete of the Year honors for outdoor
track and field.
“Darrius is versatile, coachable and, above all, a fierce competitor,” Oliver said. “No matter what he was asked to do, he represented Nighthawk Nation with pride.”
Following a comical introduction, head soccer coach Corey Irvine celebrated the accomplishments of NPC’s women’s and men’s soccer teams, which captured their second-consecutive and third-consecutive National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 2 championships, respectively.
For women’s soccer, sophomore center back Cynthia Lopez (Carthage, Texas) was named the team’s choice for Player of the Year.
“Cynthia is a leader who held everyone on our team to a high standard throughout the season,” Irivne said. “She pushed everyone every single day and is a very talented soccer player.”
Sophomore center midfielder Natalie Brice (Benton, Louisiana) was selected as NPC’s Teammate of the Year.
“Natalie suffered an unfortunate injury midway through the season, but she continued to cheer for her teammates and is well respected by all of them,” Irvine said. “She worked hard to recover from her injury and is now signed to continue playing soccer at a four-year university.”
Lopez received the women’s soccer team’s final award of the night—Player of the Year.
“Cynthia is very deserving of this award,” Irvine said. “Her performances were outstanding, no matter what the circumstances were. She has also signed to continue her soccer career at a four-year university and I could not be more proud of her.”
Next, Irvine then honored the men’s soccer team, which named freshman center back Osagie Omoregie (London, England) the team’s choice for Player of the Year.
“Osagie stepped into a leadership role for us and led us in every single game,” Irvine said.
Sophomore center back Tyson Adams (Morgan, Utah) was named NPC’s Teammate of the Year.
“Tyson is always there for his team,” Irvine said. “Whenever a volunteer is needed on campus, he is always first in line to help out. He is a great young man who is respected by his teammates and campus community.”
To close out the soccer awards, Omoregie was named NPC’s Player of the Year.
“Osagie played every minute of every game for us and he played those minutes at a very high level,” Irvine said. “He is very deserving of this award.”
Head softball coach Autumn Wyatt spoke next, applauding her team’s resilience and team chemistry in a season which included Wyatt’s 100th win as head coach, multiple wins over nationally-ranked opponents and the program’s first perfect game.
“This is one of the best seasons I’ve ever had as a coach,” Wyatt said. “From how much fun they have together to the way they show up every day, they make everything worth it.”
Sophomore pitchers Bailee Cowell (Clarksville) and Gracie Fowler (Texarkana) were named Co-Pitcher of the Year.
“Bailee began the fall recovering from surgery,” Wyatt said. “When her number was finally called, she stepped up in a big way, breaking multiple records for us.”
“Gracie has improved leaps and bounds from her freshman season,” Wyatt added. “I’m incredibly proud of what she has accomplished on the field and in the classroom.”
Wyatt then recognized freshman third baseman Breanna Phillips (Conway) as NPC’s Newcomer of the Year.
“Breanna has made her mark, not only in the NPC record books, but across the region as well,” Wyatt said. “She is the only player in the nation to hit a home run against the second-ranked team in the nation, Murray State College.”
Next, Thompson highlighted a historic season for Nighthawk baseball, which included Thompson’s 100th win as head coach, the team’s first no-hitter, the most single-season wins in program history and new career leaders in triples and wins.
“It has been an amazing year, but we are not done yet,” Thompson said. “Fortunately, we get to be on our home field for the postseason. Our guys have done well on the field and in the classroom.”
Sophomore pitcher Bryan Raitz (Dallas, Texas) received Pitcher of the Year honors.
“I had a conversation with Bryan at the beginning of the year and I told him I needed him to be our ace this year,” Thompson said. “He has absolutely done just that. Every time he takes the field, you know he will go out and win you a baseball game.”
Sophomore infielder Quaterrion Walton (Atlanta, Georgia) was named Player of the Year.
“This young man is electric,” Thompson said. “When you watch the Nighthawks play, he opens your eyes to how athletic he is and he will make something happen.”
Freshman outfielder Ian McCracken (Carrollton, Texas) was selected as the team’s Newcomer of the Year.
“Ian came to us as a transfer student-athlete and led us as a big piece in our batting order,” Thompson said. “He protects those around him and that’s a must-have for a team to win.”
For Nighthawk men’s basketball, head coach Dion Hargrove applauded the team for its grit.
“With only two players returning from last year’s national championship team, we hit the ground running with recruiting on day one,” Hargrove said. “This group came in, worked hard, played hard and battled through adversity together.”
Sophomore center Tevin Tate (Springdale) was named NPC’s Teammate of the Year.
“Tevin came in and worked really hard to do whatever he was asked to do,” Hargrove said.
Freshman guard Addison Shelton (Little Rock) received academic MVP honors.
“Addison worked really hard in the classroom and on the court,” Hargrove said. “He’s the kind of person who determines his outcome based on his work ethic.”
Sophomore guard Mondo Watkins (Hot Springs) was recognized with the Nighthawk Grit Award.
“Mondo had incredible numbers for us this season,” Hargrove said. “He is a young man who is always willing to do whatever it takes to win. He has a bright future ahead of him.”
Reigning NJCAA Region 2 Coach of the Year Eddie Broughton Sr. took the podium next and bragged about NPC women’s basketball’s historic year on the court.
“It was an incredible year for us,” Broughton said. “To bounce back and break records was a pretty big deal. In 19 years of coaching, this team was completely different than any team I’ve ever coached. Their comradery and chemistry were always there from day one.”
Broughton recognized freshman guard Kishaliya Doss (Magnolia) with the Fearless Nighthawk Award.
“Kishaliya is scrappy,” Broughton said. “She did everything to help us win.”
Freshman guard Khayla Garrett (Brownsboro, Texas) was named NPC’s Most Impactful Player.
“Khayla did a little bit of everything for us,” Broughton said. “Night in and night out, we knew we could count on her to get the job done.”
Chosen by the women’s basketball team, freshman guard Daisy Dollar (Mena) was named NPC’s Teammate of the Year.
“Daisy’s energy, effort and encouragement makes her a special person,” Broughton said.
Men’s soccer freshman Tim Grahmann (Rüdesheim am Rhein, Germany) was named the Men’s Scholar Athlete of the Year.
“This young man moved to the United States from Germany last fall and has a 4.0 GPA at National Park College,” Thompson said. “He’s pursuing a business degree and an accounting degree, which is not an easy feat as English is not his primary language.”
Softball sophomores Gracie Fowler (Texarkana) and Jessica Suire (New Iberia, Louisiana) were recognized as Women’s Scholar Athletes of the Year.
“This was a tight race,” Thompson said. “Our softball team is amazing in the classroom. These two young ladies represent the way Nighthawks should be in the classroom.”
Three honorees were recognized as Nighthawk Spirit Award recipients—Ainsley Louton (Hot Springs) of women’s soccer, Rose Whitley (Malvern) of Nighthawk cheer and Tyson Adams (Morgan, Utah) of men’s soccer. Thompson read their individual nominations.
“Ainsley is a local student who embodies service to others and the community,” Thompson read. “She works hard to provide for her family and is valuable on the soccer field. She plans to continue her nursing education here at NPC. This past year, she has shown grit and resilience through life’s toughest struggles.”
“Rose truly embodies the heart, pride and unshakeable spirit of Nighthawk Nation,” Thompson read. “Her energy, dedication and unwavering positivity has inspired those around her every single day. Whether cheering from the sidelines, leading by example or simply uplifting others with a smile, Rose represents everything it means to be a Nighthawk.”
“Tyson is a coach’s dream,” Thompson read. “He is always the first to help with the gear at practice and cleans the bus after away trips. He helps his campus and teammates constantly. He is a selfless individual and a perfect student.”
Next, Nighthawk baseball freshman Price Bedwell (Rogers) was honored as the NPC faculty’s choice for Student of the Year.
“This young man is prepared, ambitious, very willing to take on challenges and takes his academics seriously,” Thompson said. “He is an exceptional student in the classroom and a pleasure to have as a Nighthawk.”
The Student’s Choice for Faculty of the Year was awarded to Janetta Ritter, a professor in NPC’s business division who is retiring after 36 years of service, for her unwavering support of Nighthawk student-athletes,
“She’s always here for our students,” Thompson said. “She is supportive and understanding of our student-athletes and their busy schedules. This one saddens me because she is retiring.”
The final award of the night, the Student’s Choice for Staff of the Year, was awarded to Nighthawk athletic trainer and assistant baseball coach Marcus Wyatt.
“This guy does not get enough recognition for the amount of hours, effort and understanding he gives everyone with his busy schedule,” Thompson said. “I could not do any of this without him.”
Following the awards ceremony, Thompson closed the banquet by distributing cords to each graduating student-athlete, followed by words of wisdom for each member of Nighthawk Nation.
Award Recipients:
Cheer Athlete of the Year: Rose Whitley
Cheer Newcomer of the Year: Rebeka Parker
Women’s Cross-Country Runner of the Year: Bethany Breshears
Men’s Cross-Country Runner of the Year: Alex Pacheco
Outdoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year: Darrius Haywood
Women’s Soccer Team Choice Player of the Year: Cynthia Lopez
Women’s Soccer Teammate of the Year: Natalie Brice
Women’s Soccer Player of the Year: Cynthia Lopez
Men’s Soccer Team Choice Player of the Year: Osagie Omoregie
Men’s Soccer Teammate of the Year: Tyson Adams
Men’s Soccer Player of the Year: Osagie Omoregie
Softball Co-Pitcher of the Year: Bailee Cowell
Softball Co-Pitcher of the Year: Gracie Fowler
Softball Newcomer of the Year: Breanna Phillips
Baseball Pitcher of the Year: Bryan Raitz
Baseball Player of the Year: Quaterrion Walton
Baseball Newcomer of the Year: Ian McCracken
Men’s Basketball Teammate of the Year: Tevin Tate
Men’s Basketball Academic Most Valuable Player: Addison Shelton
Men’s Basketball Nighthawk Grit Award: Mondo Watkins
Women’s Basketball Fearless Nighthawk Award: Kishaliya Doss
Women’s Basketball Most Impactful Player: Khayla Garrett
Women’s Basketball Teammate of the Year: Daisy Dollar
Scholar Athlete of the Year (Male): Tim Grahmann
Scholar Athlete of the Year (Female): Gracie Fowler
Scholar Athlete of the Year (Female): Jessica Suire
Nighthawk Spirit Award (Female): Ainsley Louton
Nighthawk Spirit Award (Female): Rose Whitley
Nighthawk Spirit Award (Male): Tyson Adams
Faculty’s Choice – Student of the Year: Price Bedwell
Student’s Choice – Faculty of the Year: Janetta Ritter
Student’s Choice – Staff of the Year: Marcus Wyatt
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