AUGUSTA, Ga. – University of South Carolina Aiken volleyball standout Ashley Diedrich has been named a finalist for the 25th annual Greater Augusta Medals For Excellence in Sports Awards.
The award finalists will be honored at the G.A.M.E.S. Awards Banquet presented by American Family Insurance on Tuesday, May 10, at the Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center Oglethorpe Ballroom.
The ASC established the awards program in 1992 to honor outstanding achievements of local amateur athletes across the CSRA. The award categories are Adaptive Star, Amateur Star, Collegiate Star, All-Around Athlete, Outstanding Athlete, Rising Star, Outstanding Coach, Outstanding Official, and Outstanding Team. The council will also recognize an outstanding high school coach and official, as well as club sport, collegiate and adaptive athletes. Additionally, scholarships will be awarded to selected students entering college during the 2016-2017 year.
The 2016 G.A.M.E.S. Awards finalists are:
Adaptive Star
Ellen Geddes
Amateur Star
Jeff Spires
Collegiate Star
Ashley Diedrich - USC Aiken
Clint Hardy - Augusta University
All-Around Female Athlete
Julia Hatcher - Augusta Prep
McKenna de Graaf - Augusta Prep
Anna Robertson - Westminster
All-Around Male Athlete
Rashad Byrd - North Augusta
D'Ante Smith - Grovetown
Liam Welch - Aquinas
Outstanding Female Athlete
McKenna Lawrence - Evans
Bailee Munnerlyn - Evans
Lindsay Wallace - Davidson
Outstanding Male Athlete
Daniel Carr - Midland Valley
Brennan Day - Greenbrier
Zep Jasper - Laney
Rising Female Star
De'Sha Benjamin - Laney
Brianna Butler - Greenbrier
Amari Young - North Augusta
Rising Male Star
D'Angelo Durham - Aquinas
Brendan Gribek - Lakeside
Christian Tutt - Thomson
Outstanding Coach
Tom Norton
Outstanding Official
George Morrell - The Family Y Miracle League
Outstanding Team
Midland Valley Boys Basketball Team
The G.A.M.E.S Banquet will also feature special guest speaker Hines Ward, who is the Pittsburgh Steelers' all-time leading receiver and a two-time Super Bowl Champion. He is a four time Pro Bowler and the Steelers' all-time receiving leader in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. He holds every receiving record in Steeler history and was named the Steeler Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year in 2008. As a college player at the University of Georgia, he was the only player in NCAA history to amass over 1,000 yards in passing, running and receiving in three different positions.
The G.A.M.E.S. Awards banquet is presented by American Family Insurance and supported by Augusta Coca-Cola, The Augusta Chronicle, Queensborough National Bank & Trust, News 12 NBC 26, and TaxSlayer. Check-in and a social hour will open at 6:30 PM, with dinner and program beginning at 7:00 PM. The event is open to the public with tickets available online at www.2016GAMES.eventbrite.com at $45 for ASC members and $50 for non-members.
For more information contact Michelle Naval at
michelle@augustasportscouncil.org or by phone at 706.722.8326 ext. 235.
