2019 USAFL Roll of Honor
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The completion of every USAFL season is a time of reflection, recovery, and celebration.
For each of the clubs in the league, there is always something to celebrate. For some, it is an improvement in on- and/or off-field growth. For others, the gallantries involve drinking out of a championship cup or two. Many, if not all, are celebrated at pubs that have backed these clubs financially and spiritually, and it's a chance to return the favor.
But no matter or where, how or when, the conclusion of the year allows teams big and small to recognize those who excelled. Many of the accolades that were awarded in the colder months following the hot summer season were bestowed to those who excelled on the oval. The highest honors are usually referred to as the Best & Fairest, or the MVP award. In Houston, for example, they call it the Lonelow and the Ladylow, a nod to the Australian Brownlow. The Philadelphia Hawks award the Andrew Lochhead Medal for their best players, named after the longtime coach of that club.
One player doesn't always win games on their own. Most clubs recognize that too, hence the Most Improved, Best at each position, as well as Rookie of the Year and Rising Star awards... among others.
Of course, a club's successes aren't just measured in the act of sporting battle. There is a lot of work off the field too, and below you'll find those clubmen and clubwomen who are integral to different aspects of the team, from media to umpiring to recruiting and everything in between. In mostly all of these cases, these clubpeople are volunteers, taking time out of their lives and schedules to put heart, soul, and sweat into the game that they love.
As we do each year, we at USAFL.com present a list of who got to take home medals, certificates, and everything else having to do with the success of Australian Football in the USA in season 2019. Many of these names you'll see in 2020 for club and country. You'll see one of those -- Danielle Marshall -- playing for AFLW in about a month or so. And, many you'll only hear about from people within the club as being like family for what they do.
Presenting, then, the 2019 USAFL Roll of Honor.
ARIZONA HAWKS
Hawks (Men's) Awards
Best and Fairest: Jason “Pony” Wilhelm
B&F Runners Up: Cillian Gowan & Ryan Marshall
Rising Star: Chris Villicana
Rookie of the Year: Hunter Rickert
Lady Hawks (Women's) Awards
Best and Fairest: Danielle Marshall
B&F Runners Up: Melissa Wilhelm & Angel Bishop
Nationals Grand Final MVP: Danielle Marshall
Club Awards
Clubman of the year: Alex Saucedo Fernandez
ATLANTA KOOKABURRAS
Best and Fairest: Ryan Downey
Best Clubman: Will McDonald
Most Improved: Kyler Johnson
Coache's Award: Kyler Johnson
Top Volunteer: Andrew Schoppe
Best at Nationals: Chase Trujillo
Goal Umpire Appreciation Award: Jeff Whitlock
AUSTIN CROWS
Best & Fairest (Div 1): Dylan Barr & Harry Burgess (tied)
Runner Up (Div 1): Kenrick Tyrrell
Best at Nationals (Div 1): Dylan Barr
Best & Fairest (Div 3): Rob Pascolo
Runner Up (Div 3): Hamish Pellew
Best at Nationals (Div 3): Rob Pascolo
Best Clubman: Pete Pettinari
Best First Year Player: Andy Miller
Most Improved Player: Avram Rampersaud
Appreciation Award: Heather Serpico
BALTIMORE DOCKERS
Best & Fairest: Ian Payne & Nick Sisca (tie)
Nick Sisca Clubman of the Year: John O'Connor & Nick Sisca
Rookie of the Year: Ryan Brubaker
CHICAGO SWANS
Men's Awards
Most Valuable Player: Ajani Crosley
Rookie of the Year: Andrew Do
Metro MVP: Christoph Odenthal
Leading Goalkicker: Stu Nicol
Women's Awards
Most Valuable Player: Rebekah Quinn
Rookie of the Year: Kelsey Lawson
Most Improved: Melissa Geldmyer
Best on Ground: Gena Bleyer
Metro MVP: Julia Trowbridge
Leading Goalkicker: Rebekah Quinn
Club Awards
Clubman of the Year: David Martin
CINCINNATI DOCKERS
Best & Fairest – Derrick Shotwell
Most Improved – Tyler Sasse
Best First Year Player - Tyler Ebert
1 Percenter Award – Alex Rundle
Best Team Man – Patric Nordbeck
Club Contribution – Cindy Rose
COLUMBUS CATS
Men's Awards
Best and Fairest: Declan Stimson
Nationals MVPs: Clyde Simpson
Best New Players: Patrick Balchak
Best Defender: Dean Panik
Best Midfielder: Declan Stimson
Best Forward: Rob Adams and Nick D'Ardenne
Biggest Hits: Steven Raimo
Best Marks: Nick D'Ardenne
Most at Training: Alec Dooley
Goal of the Year: Mark McClure
Most Improved: Jay Ziegler
Women's Awards:
Best & Fairest: Katrina Scherer
Nationals MVP: Katrina Scherer
Best New Players: Kayla Kingseed
Best Defender: Stephanie Shipley Snyder
Best Midfielder: Katrina Scherer
Best Forward: Stephanie McKitrick
Biggest Hits: Katrina Scherer and Nicole McClintock
Best Marks: Katrina Scherer
Most at Training: Stephanie Shipley Snyder
Goal of the Year: Stephanie McKitrick
Most Improved: Stephanie Shipley Snyder
Club Awards:
Ridenour Cup (award for going above and beyond for the club, chosen by previous winners): Dean Panik
Voted Best Club Members:
Non-players - Kirstie Kleiner and Brittany Allison
Non-Board Members- Katrina Scherer, Alan Gardner and Ryan West
All around - Dean Panik and Stephanie Shipley Snyder
DC EAGLES
Men's Awards
Most Improved: Scott F. Williams
Best New Player: Colin Miller
Player's Player: Paul LaShier
Coach's Award: Dan Yell
Best on Ground: Matthew Woodruff
Women's Awards
Best on Ground: Kristin Lough
Most Improved: Olivia Kosciusko Tritschler
Best New Player: Mackensy Medlin
Player's Player: Alexandra Clayton
Coach's Award: Christina Sobral
Club Awards
Clubman of the Year: Ryan Raybould
Eagles Spirit Award: Bort Edwards
Lifetime Membership: Steve Carty
Eagles Special Recognition: Tom Barrett, Tommy Romero-Batista, Matthew Woodruff, and Olivia Kosciusko Tritschler.
DENVER BULLDOGS
Men's Seniors Awards
Best & Fairest: Thomas Crameri
Rookie of the Year: Derrik Hanson
Most consistent: Daniel Duffield
Most improved: Taylor Morseth
Best at Nationals: Daniel Duffield
Coaches Award: Brad Mathers
Lady Bulldogs Awards
Best & Fairest – Val Gil
Best Rookies – Shay Sulisz, Alexandra Benitez, Dot Wheeler
Most Consistent – Alexis Koo, Zoe Do
Most Improved – Megan Larson
Best Moment at Nationals – Jessica Lin, Shay Sulisz and Jen Wilson-Humphries’ scoring play
Coaches Award – Jennifer Elliott, Toria Baker
Oscar Award – Tara Cilke, Angela Graham
Men's Reserves Awards
Best & Fairest - Brent Dowling
Rookie of the Year - James Madsen
Most Consistent - Drew Wolfe
Most Improved - Alex Johnson
Best at Nationals - Brent Dowling
Coaches Award - Daniel Kerwin
DES MOINES ROOSTERS
Men’s Awards
Best and Fairest Men: Peter Bailey
Most Improved Men: Derek Bixler
Rookie of the Year Men: John Flynn
Women’s Awards
Best and Fairest Women: Emily Rice
Most Improved Women: Hannah Bailey
Rookie of the Year Women: Chloe Diskey
Clubperson of the Year: Lauren Rice
FT LAUDERDALE FIGHTING SQUIDS
SquidLow Best & Fairest: Gerard Rutishauser
Gold Boot: Troy Taseff
Most Exciting New Player: Duncan Pullman
Best Clubman: Kyle Thomson
The Golden Wand: Jeremy Reid
Squidward Up & Coming: Anthony Colarusso
Coaches Award: Andrew Hutchins & Gregg Everett
GOLDEN GATE AFL
Metro Grand Final Best on Ground: Derek Knutty
The Dazzler Mark of the Year: Ryan Clark
Metro Rookie of the Year: Garrett “Lethal” Hale
The Ironmonger (Metro Most Goals): Josh Warren
Leigh Barnes Medal Metro Best and Fairest: Ryan Clark
Troy Anthony Nationals MVP: Justin Mann
USAFL Men's Division 1 Best and Fairest: Jack "JMan" Lucas
Women's Metro Rookie of the Year: Claire Colleran
The Ironmonger (Women's Metro Most Goals): Katie Klatt and Caitlin Lutz
Maidens Metro Best and Fairest: Katie Klatt
Troy Anthony Women's Nationals MVP: Katie Klatt
USAFL Women's Division 1 Best and Fairest: Nikole "Mickey" Mackenzie
USAFL Women's Division 1 Grand Final MVP: Ellise "Meatball" Gallagher
True Roo: Oscar Tobar
HAWAI'I EAGLES
Best and Fairest: Michael Currie
Most Improved: Torey Sanchez, David Brewer
Best First Game: Alayna Espeseth
Best Forward: Alex Phipps
Best Midfielder: Ryan Smith
Best Defender: Daniel Murphy
Best Boot: Samuel Washburne
Rising Star: Marin McGhee
Club Support Award: Jaki Brewer
Club Support Award, Umpiring: Jeremy Burrows, Russell Toohey
HOUSTON LONESTARS
Men’s Awards
Lonelow Champion Best Mens: Chance Mire
Club Champion Mens (Runner-Up): Zach Weikel & Lachlan McQueen (Tied)
Rising Lonestar Mens: Steven Johnson
Best First Year Mens: Alex Van Bemmelen
Best at Nationals Mens: Chance Mire
MVP Mens: Carey Nolan
Women’s Awards
Lonelady Champion Best Womens” Hailey Rebar
Club Champion Womens (Runner-Up): Jackie Sparling
Rising Lonestar Womens: Michelle Noel
Best First Year Womens: Jessica Stewart & Alexa Ballinger (Tied)
Best at Nationals Womens: Hailey Rebar
MVP Womens Texas Heat: Hailey Rebar & Heather Serpico (Tied)
Club Awards
Club Appreciation Awards: Vu Truong(The Phoenix on Westheimer); Craig Dillon-Gibbons; Sherri Nolan
Best Clubperson: Jackie Sparling
Life Membership: Chris Fielder
DB Community Service Award: Nick Plaisance
Max Boland Best Off-Field Award: Nic Gorzynski
Andy Craig White-line Fever Award: Andy Craig
Jerry Maguire Recruitment Award: Ryan Minmier
JACKSONVILLE SAINTS
Best and Fairest: Hunter Bates
Most Improved/Well-Rounded: Bryan Jones
Rookie of The Year: Jon Gregory
Leading Goal-Kicker: Andrew Beh
Clubman: David Serraino-Meide
LOS ANGELES DRAGONS
Men's Awards:
Best & Fairest - Gabe Del Campo
Runner-Up – Sam Murphy
Leading Goalkicker - Pat Nicholls
Nationals MVP – Ryan McGettigan
Most Consistent - Justin Hall
Most Courageous - David Dollar
Most Improved - Pat McGranahan
Best First Year Player - Nick Zarbo
Best Backman - Drew Loewen
Best Utility - Will Crandall
Coaches Award - Pete Momjian
Best Role Player - Freddie Schulin
Women’s Awards
Best and Fairest: Aileen Yoon
Nationals MVP: Delphina “Del” Delgadillo
Rookie of the Year: Kelsey “Timmy” Casillas
MINNESOTA FREEZE
Men’s Awards
Best and Fairest: Ian Robertson
Runner Up Best & Fairest: Chris Byrgiotis
Coaches Award: Bill Barton
Rising Star: CJ Adams
Most Improved: Ben Stephens
Most Consistent: Zach Weaver
Women’s Awards
B&F: Catherine Georgiadis.
Runner-up B&F: Cathy Hoha.
Most Consistent: Paige Kiecker.
Nats B&F: Shereen Parsakallah.
Nats runner-up B&F: Lindsey Stene.
Rising Star: Jeri Johnson.
Most Improved: Pia Richardson.
Coaches Award: Connor Lewis.
NASHVILLE KANGAROOS
Women’s Awards
B&F: Natalie Smith
Most Improved: Kristen Baldwin
Coaches Award: Kayla Toney
Men’s Awards
B&F: Kersei Davis
Most Improved: Cody McLain
Coaches Award: Nick Hibshman
Club Award:
Clubman of the Year: John Freeman
NEW YORK MAGPIES
Men’s Awards
Most Valuable Player, National: Nick Bowman
Most Valuable Player, Non National: Karl Schoenmaekers
Golden Boot: Adam Franklin
Golden Fist: Matt Bartlett
Coach’s Award: Troy Danilo
Goal of the Year: Bobby McDowell
NYCAFL MVP: Matt Djordjevic
Nationals MVP, National: Tim Arakelian
Nationals MVP, Non-National: Shane Lowry
Rookie of the Year: Adam Craver
Magpie of the Year: Isaac Martin
Women’s Awards:
Women’s Most Valuable Player: Janie Green
Women’s NYCAFL MVP: Clare Algozin
Women’s Most Improved: Kyleigh Johnson
Women’s Most Consistent: Jessica Taylor
Women’s Golden Boot: Nat Wolff
Women's Golden Fist: Sam Wolf
Women’s Rookie of the Year: Siobhan McCulloch
Women’s Nationals MVP: Emma Kading
Women’s Coaches' Award: Danielle Gallagher
Women's Coaches' Award: Lara Musser
Queen of Training: Danielle Gallagher
Magpie of the Year: Jessica Taylor
NORTH CAROLINA TIGERS
Best and Fairest: Erik Hanson & Dennis Kurtz
Most Improved: Brian Moy
Nationals MVP: Stu McKenzie
Rookie of the Year: Chris Weatherspoon
Coach’s choice: Matt MacIntyre
Clubman: Andy Sterlen
NORTH STAR BLUE OX
Best & Fairest: Hannah Alexander
Rookie of the Year: Jane Wickland
Clubwoman of the Year: Olivia Vongharath
Most Consistent: Helen Phillips
Coache's Award: Nikki Kraemer
ORANGE COUNTY GIANTS
Best & Fairest: Michael Tarascio
Best & Fairest Runner Up: Tyler Mounce
Nationals MVP: Gareth Allen
Leading Goal Kicker: Abe Chase & Gareth Allen (tie)
Goal of the Year: Tim Ellis
Enforcer of the Year: Michael Tarascio
Rookie of the year: Zach Tuccianardi
Coaches Award: Roland Garcia-Curran
Most Consistent: Alex Sandstrom
Most Improved: Jack Butler
PHILADELPHIA HAWKS
Men’s Awards
Andrew Lochhead Medal (Best & Fairest): John Hinchen
Best Backliner: Rob Hinchen
Best Midfield: John Hinchen
Best Forward: Damien Holland
Leading Goal Kicker: Rohan Crawley
Most Improved: Dean Kakouras
Iron Man: Ted Heron
Coach’s Award: Jay Sacci
Rising Star: Justin Moldoon
Women’s Awards:
Andrew Lochhead Medal (Best & Fairest): Lindsay Turse
Best Backliner: Jackie Kershaw
Best Midfield: Erica Sacci
Best Forward: Leslie Gartner
Leading Goal Kicker: Leslie Gartner
Most Improved: Lindsay Turse
Iron Woman: Lauren Greenberg
Rising Star: Rose Stokley
Club Awards
Stu Jones Club Service Award: Drew Tyson
Clubperson of the Year: Caitlyn Frazier
PORTLAND AFC
Sockeyes (Women’s) Awards:
PWAFL Best & Fairest Runner Up: Simone Shepherd
PWAFL Best & Fairest: Brandy Machado
Goal of the Year: Simone Shepherd
Mark of the Year: Brandy Machado
Golden Boot: Simone Shepherd
Most Improved: Juhanna Robberts
Rookie of the Year: Annabel Pirrie
Most Courageous: Lauren Skonieczny
Coaches Award: Aman Weaver
Best at Nationals: Simone Shepherd
Best & Fairest Runner Up: Lucy Parrington
Best & Fairest: Simone Shepherd
Steelheads (Men’s) Awards:
PAFL Golden Boot(s) - Matt Worden & Dave Quinn
PAFL Best & Fairest - Luke Mooney & Peter Doyle
PAFC Club Person of the Year - Elliot Boys
Goal of the Year - Kyle Peters
Mark of the Year - Alex McPhee
Golden Boot - Scott Waggener
Most Improved - Justin Haskill
Rookie of the Year - Austin Brooks
Most Courageous - Austin Brooks
Coaches Award - Seth Crosby
Best at Nationals - Jevon Mason
Best & Fairest Runner Up - Jevon Mason
Best & Fairest - Erik Anderson
SACRAMENTO SUNS
Lady Suns Awards:
Player of the Year: Rosemary Kloh
Rookie of the Year: Jenna Taipeleti
Most Improved: Sarah Breisacher
Golden Boot: Liz Danielson
Coach’s Award: Izzy Greenlatt
Nationals MVP: Jenna Taipeleti
Metro B&F: Annica Stull-Lane
Metro Inspiration Award: Keyko Torres
Metro Grand Final MVP: Annica Stull-Lane
Metro Leading Goalkicker: Erin Sheaffer & Chelsea Grant
Metro Best New Player: Jeanette Ochoa
Suns Awards:
Player of the Year: Kendall Hutchings
Most Improved: Justin Lee
Golden Boot: Colby Campbell
Coach’s Award: Robert Kwoka
Nationals MVP: Aaron Crumpacker
Metro B&F: Kelly Meriano
Metro Inspiration Award: Isaac Seckora
Metro Grand Final MVP: Kelly Meriano
Metro Leading Goalkicker: Traxel Towe
Metro Best New Player: Alex Herzfeldt
SacAFL (co-ed) Awards:
Best & Fairests: Kendall Hutchings & Jenna Taipeleti
Grand Final B&Fs: Kelly Meriano & Jenna Taipeleti
Leading Goalkickers: Chelsea Grant & Sam Doyle
Club Awards:
Bishops Award (Clubperson of the Year): Liz Danielson
SEATTLE GRIZZLIES
Men’s Awards
“Jim Trennery” MVP: Karl McGough
Coach’s Award: James Michael Kinder
Most Improved: Tom Mulvey
Nationals MVP: Ed Fayette
Rookie of the Year: Akiva Gebler
Defender of the Year: Saleh Tyebjee
Most Courageous: Brian Flaherty
Leading Goal Kicker: Tex Edmonds
Women’s Awards
Best and Fairest: Rhyan Johnson
Coach’s Award: Corie Hou
Most Improved: Tom Mulvey
Nationals MVP: Rachel Blum
Rookie of the Year: Rachel Blum
Defender of the Year: Lateah Holmes
Most Courageous: Dominique Gaudyn
Leading Goal Kicker: Amanda Boe
WISCONSIN WOMBATS
Best and Fairest - Lucas Johnson
Rookie of the Year - Andy Gray
Most Improved - Mark Politz
Coach's Award: Eric Monroe
'Pony' Award: Lucas Johnson
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