2016 USAFL National Honor Roll

Following the completion of the 2016 USAFL season, many clubs across the country held year end dinners, banquets, and presentations to recognize the best players and clubpeople in local tradition.  For many, this truly brought down the curtain on this season which began some nine or so months ago (if not earlier), and which will dawn again in some weeks' time.

As is a similar rite of passage for Australian footy clubs, each puts their own spin on their awards.  From the "Lonelow" in Houston to positional awards to most courageous, the players who made the most of this year were honored by their clubmates.  Just as important as those who won for their onfield heroics were those who were recognized as best clubmen, for their service to their local club and the American footy initative cannot fully be calculated.

Ten of Tom Ellis's selections for the 2017-18 editions of the USA Revolution national team took home Best & Fairest honors, including Nashville's big rookie, John Freeman.  Jay Levesque (BWE), Mark McClure (CLB), David Grzesiak (DAL), Tom Hecker (FTL), Dan Livy (GGR), Jesse Carcamo (HOU), Brent Fischer (MIN), Saleh Tyebjee (SAC), and Andrew Rose (TUL) rounded out the rest of the bunch.  Other notables included former Revo Patrick Miller of Philadelphia picking up his third Best and Fairest, and Portland's Martin Coventry added another piece of hardware to his magical season.

On the women's side, the Freedom and Liberty national programs were well represented in the Best and Fairest category across the clubs.  Freedom veteran Jess Estrada was judged B&F for the national champion San Francisco Iron Maidens.  Minnesota speedster Jackie Thelen won tops for the Freeze ladies, and second year ruck Rosie Kloh took home her first best and fairest for Sacramento.  Several clubs began growing their women's programs in 2016, and a number of women: Emily Rice (DSM), Valerie Barber-Axthelm (SEA), Erica Sacci and Amy Arundale (PHI), and Heather Serpico (POR), won club building honors for helping continue the growth of the women's game in the USA.

Atlanta Kookaburras

BEST & FAIREST: Mark Cannatelli
Best Clubman: Sam Ridenhour
Coach’s Award: Sam Ridenhour

Austin Crows

D1 BEST & FAIREST: Ben May
D1 Runner Up: Harley Nussman
Clubman of the Year: Trent Kirk
Most Improved: Mike Montgomery
Best First Year Player: Michael Linehan
Most Consistent: Pete Pettinari
Golden Boot: Nolan Cox
Coaches Award: Brian Malesa
Div 2 Best & Fairest: Shaun Vanderkaap
Div 2 Runner Up: Michael Quebec

Baltimore-Washington Eagles

MEN’S BEST & FAIREST: Jay Levesque
Clubman Award: Steve Carty
Player’s Player Award: Kit Drury
Coach’s Award: Jordan Minot
Best New Player, Men’s: Nick Sisca

WOMEN’S BEST & FAIREST: Emily Riehl
Best New Player, Women’s: Sam Worrall & Molly Halberstadt

Boston Demons

MEN'S BEST & FAIREST: Rory Smith
Best & Fairest Runner-Up: Ross Druckenmiller
Best & Fairest 2nd Runner-Up: Jesse Galdston
Best First Year: Colin Smith
Most Courageous: Patrick Devine
Coaches Award: Ari Joniec
Leading Goal Kicker: Dan Fleming
Player's Player: Jeremy Humm

WOMEN'S BEST & FAIREST: Tracy Toner
Most Improved: Ashley Mallat
Most Courageous: Cailin Deal
Coaches Award: Amanda King
Best First Year: Colleen Cotto

Chicago Swans

FOUR CORNERS MEDAL (CLUB MVP): Corey Barker
Rich Noty Award (Best Clubman): Stu Nicol
Oxford Landing Coach’s Award: Jeremy Stark
Rookie of the Year: Steve Stavropoulos
MacGlashan Medal (Leading Goal Kicker): Trent Smith
Metro League MVP: Jeff Kraemer

Columbus Australian Rules Football Club

JACKAROOS BEST & FAIREST: Mark McClure
Jack in the Back (Best Defender): Simon Leadston
Jack in the Box (Best Midfielder): Clyde Simpson
Jack Attack (Best Forward): Chet Ridenour
Best New Player: Matt Linsenmayer

JILLAROOS BEST & FAIREST: Katrina Scherer
Bunker Hill Jill (Best Defender): Claire Conley
Treadmill Jill (Best Midfielder): Shannon Mahoney
Jill Skill (Best Forward): Jessica Hoover
Most Improved: Stacia Waddle
Best New Player: Katrina Scherer

Dallas Magpies

BEST & FAIREST: Craig Storer (AUS) & Dave Grzesiak (USA)
Golden Boot : Chris Willis
Best Newcomer: Ben Collins
Most Improved: Patrick Pryor
Clubman: Ross McLaren
Most Consistent: Tommy Magelssen
Best Backman: Mike Mayne

Des Moines Roosters

BEST & FAIREST: Craig Scott
Rookie of the Year: Emily Rice
Most Improved: Travis Briggs
Club Man of the Year: Paul Fradd

Fort Lauderdale Fighting Squids

BEST & FAIREST: Tom Hecker
Best Clubman: Gavin Caddy
Best Rookie: John Gardiner

Golden Gate Australian Football League

MEN'S BEST & FAIREST: Dan Livy
GGAFL Rookie of the Year: Dylan Chokes
GGAFL Leading goal Kicker: Fab Sobol 
GGAFL Clubman of the Year: Chris McLean
​​​​​​​GGAFL Mark of the Year: Bryan Dragus
​​​​​​​GGAFL Grower of the Game: JT Mann
​​​​​​​GGAFL Premiers: Oakland Pirates
​​​​​​​GGAFL GF MVP: Jake Ryan
Golden Gate Nationals MVP: Jake Ryan 
Golden Gate Nationals True Roo: Ryan Clark

WOMEN'S BEST & FAIREST: Jessica Estrada
GGAFL Women's Metro Premiers: San Francisco Sirens
GGAFL Women's Metro Grand Final MVP: Lyra Fernandez 
GGAFL Women's Leading Goal Kicker: Robyn Leslie 
GGAFL Women's Rookie of the Year: Jacque de Leuw

Houston Lonestars

THE LONELOW (BEST & FAIREST): Jesse Carcamo
Club Champion: Tom Donnelly
Rising Lonestar: David ​​​​​​​Restrepo
​​​​​​​Most Consistent: Zach Davis & Dave Anastas
Most Improved: Glen Wagner
Most Dedicated: Rob Boothby
Best 1st Year: Jeff Jamnik & Mike Monahan
Players Player: Dave Bryant
Coaches Award: Chris Fielder
Clubman Award: Max Boland

Kansas City Power

Best and Fairest: Caleb Dougherty 
Most Honorable Sportsman: Peter Chung
Most Improved: Brad McConnachy

Los Angeles Dragons

BEST & FAIREST: Justin Kenna
Runner Up: Chris Bagot
Leading Goalkicker: Justin Hall
Nationals MVP: Chris Bagot
Most Consistent: Donald Lee
Most Courageous: David Dollar
Most Improved: Gabriel Martin Del Campo
Best Newcomer: Paul Jackson
Best Backman: Tom Grigg
Best Utility: Joe Silvio
Coaches Award: Will Crandall

Minnesota Freeze

MEN’S BEST & FAIREST: Brent Fischer
Best & Fairest Runner Up: Andrew Werner
Most Consistent: David Walsh
Coach's Award: Abi Raveendran
Clubman: Brian Driscoll
Best First Year Player: Erik Mathiason
Most Improved: Dayne Plemmons
Nationals Best & Fairest: Brent Mergen
Nationals Best & Fairest Runner Up: Niphonh Vongkaysone

WOMEN’S BEST & FAIREST: Jackie Thelen
Most Consistent: Catherine Georgiadis
Coach's Award: Brianne Theisen
Clubwoman: Rae Hale
Best First Year Player: Kjarra Wymore
Most Improved: Lizzy Even
Captain's Award: Carrie Opheim

Nashville Kangaroos

BEST & FAIREST: John Freeman
Best Clubman: Maurice Howell
Leading Goalkicker: Cliff Cosnahan
Best Newcomer: Brian Domin
Coach’s Award: Tim Dunn

North Carolina Tigers

BEST & FAIREST: Scott Bradley & Nick Camilleri
Runner Up: Erik Hanson
Coaches Award: Duncan Price
Clubman: Mike Felland
Most Goals: Austin Doerr
Nationals Best MVP: Dara O'hAnnaidh
NAFA: Nelson Santos
Most Courageous: Pete Capozziello
Most Improved: Mike Hoffman
Recognition: Mark Century

Orange County Bombers

BEST & FAIREST: Gareth Allen
Runner up: Chris Angus
Clubman of the Year: John Case
Rookie of the year: Mike Birch
Most improved: Tim Ellis
Coaches Award: Alex Sandstrom
Most Consistent: Adam Shanks
Nationals MVP: Marcos Piovarcsik
Mark of the Year: Lloyd Davis
Goal of the Year: Kyle Roberts

Philadelphia Hawks

BEST & FAIREST: Pat Miller
Best Forward: Jonathan Ginsburg
Best Midfielder: Ryan McGettigan
Best Defender: Bradd Gower
Best Clubman: Chook
Most Consistent: Alex Lyden
President's Award: Ray Cascella
Coach's Award: Greg Glasgow
Rising Star: Erica Sacci, Amy Arundale, Ted Heron, Nick Preston
Goal of the Year: Erica Sacci
Mark of the Year: Jon Loring
Ironman: Chadd Baribault

Portland Australian Football Club

STEELHEADS BEST & FAIREST: Martin Coventry
Best & Fairest Runner Up: Austen Flint
Best Non-Australian: Will Sandman
Coach’s Award: Adam Carchedi
Most Courageous: Tyler Cox
Rookie of the Year: Erik Anderson
Most Improved: Ryan Coil
PAFL (Metro) Best & Fairest: Ryan Stewart

SOCKEYES BEST & FAIREST: Simone Shepherd
Golden Boot: Simone Shepherd
Coach’s Award: Heather Serpico
Rookie of the Year: Zaya McSky
Most Improved: Jessica Blecher
Most Determined: Amanda Weaver

Sacramento Suns

MEN’S BEST & FAIREST: Saleh Tyebjee
Rookie of the Year: Colby Campbell
Most Improved: Brennan Helwig
Golden Boot: Colby Campbell
Coach’s Award: Ramish Bahramand
Nationals MVP: Ed Manning
Clubman: Kendall Hutchings

WOMEN’S BEST & FAIREST: Rosemary Kloh
Rookie of the Year: Olivia Christensen
Most Improved: Oanh Nguyen
Golden Boot: Liz Danielson
Coach’s Award: Kasey O’Connor
Nationals MVP: Vicky Schoennagel

San Diego Lions

BEST & FAIREST: Evan Bradshaw
Best & Fairest Runner Up: John Carpenter
Most Consistent: Justin Valley
Best First Year Player: Anthony Falette
Most Improved: Christian Maine

Seattle Grizzlies

MEN’S BEST & FAIREST: James Conrick
Rookie of the Year: Jason Clifford
Most Improved: Eric Wabey
Defender of the Year: Matt Zapel
Most Courageous: Brian Flaherty
Nationals MVP: Max DePina
Best Clubperson: David Tomaselli
Leading Goalkicker: Matt Hocking

WOMEN’S BEST & FAIREST: Alison Leonard
Coach’s Award: Sage Reed Cowles, Marian Dickinson & Valerie Barber-Acthelm

Tampa Bay ARFC

Rookie of the Year: Austen Kugler
Comeback Player of the Year: CJ Morton
Most Improved: Kyle Roun
Spirit of The Club Awardee: Janni Mirosevich
Up and Comer: Jordan Calero

​​​​​​​Tulsa Buffaloes

BEST & FAIREST: Andrew Rose
Rookie of the Year: Caleb Thaddeus West
Golden Boot: Dustin Hayes
Buffalo Heart: Jonathan Showman