University of North Carolina Athletics

Strength & Conditioning Announces 2023-24 Honors
June 3, 2024 | Baseball, Field Hockey, Men's Golf, Men's Lacrosse, Men's Soccer, Men's Tennis, Softball, Women's Golf, Women's Gymnastics, Women's Lacrosse, Women's Rowing, Women's Soccer, Women's Tennis, Volleyball, Wrestling, Cross Country, Track & Field, Fencing, Swimming & Diving, Athletics
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The UNC Strength and Conditioning staff has selected team award winners for the 2023-24 school year, recognizing performance, effort and improvement. The awards honor student-athletes from Olympic sports teams who excelled as part of in-season and out-of-season strength & conditioning programming.
Tar Heels were selected for Iron Ram, Most Improved and Newcomer awards.
The Iron Ram Award goes to the top all-around performer on each team, and winners are honored with photos hanging in the Loudermilk Center Olympic sports weight room.
Baseball pitcher Connor Bovair, softball pitcher Carlie Myrtle, men's fencer Jack Kambeseles. women's middle distance runner Alyssa Hernandez and wrestler Spencer Moore were all honored as Iron Ram winners for the second year in a row.
2023-24 Strength & Conditioning Award Winners – Olympic Sports
Baseball
Pitchers
Iron Ram: Shea Sprague, Connor Bovair
Most Improved: Will Simmons, Cameron Padgett
Newcomer: Harrison Lewis
Position Players
Iron Ram: Alberto Osuna, Jackson Van De Brake
Most Improved: Carter French
Newcomer: Gavin Gallaher, Luke Stevenson
Men's Cross Country/Distance
Iron Ram: Andrew Regnier
Most Improved: Jacob Laney
Newcomer: Noah Breker
Women's Cross Country/Distance
Iron Ram: Alyssa Hernandez
Most Improved: Grace Hanson
Newcomer: Maameyaa Nyinah
Diving
Iron Ram: Aranza Vazquez
Most Improved: Lara Phipps
Newcomer: Rodolfo Vazquez Montaño
Men's Fencing
Iron Ram: Jack Kambeseles
Most Improved: Michael Zhang
Newcomer: Ari Etin
Women's Fencing
Iron Ram: Ella Webb
Most Improved: Nicole Milewski
Newcomer: Molly Kettelle
Field Hockey
Iron Ram: Katie Dixon
Most Improved: Grace Pottebaum
Newcomer: Hope Haynes
Men's Golf
Iron Ram: Austin Greaser
Most Improved: Dylan Menante
Newcomer: Hampton Roberts
Women's Golf
Iron Ram: Vilde Nystrøm
Most Improved: Inez Ng
Newcomer: Reagan Southerland
Gymnastics
Iron Ram: Bella Miller
Most Improved: Amy Wozniak
Newcomer: Molly Neinstein
Men's Lacrosse
Iron Ram: Collin Krieg
Most Improved: Hayden Downs
Newcomer: Owen Duffy
Women's Lacrosse
Iron Ram: Kiley Mottice
Most Improved: Ellie Traggio
Newcomer: Paige Kelly
Rowing
Iron Ram: Claudia Quintaba
Most Improved: Astrid Gruber
Newcomer: Kenzie Gartland
Men's Soccer
Iron Ram: Riley Thomas, Sam Williams, Parker O'Ferral
Most Improved: Charlie Harper, Hayden Morgan
Newcomer: John McDowell, Elliott Auderieth
Women's Soccer
Iron Ram: Bella Sember, Tessa Dellarose
Most Improved: Kate Faasse
Newcomer: Olivia Thomas, Ella Smith
Softball
Pitchers
Iron Ram: Carlie Myrtle
Most Improved: Talia Hannappel
Newcomer: Janelle Wilson
Position Players
Iron Ram: Autumn Owen
Most Improved: Aneshia Jordan
Newcomer: Raeghan Carlson
Men's Swimming
Iron Ram: Patrick Hussey
Most Improved: Carter Freudenstein
Newcomer: Ben Delmar
Women's Swimming
Iron Ram: Elizabeth Sowards
Most Improved: Lily Reader
Newcomer: Samantha Armand
Men's Tennis
Iron Ram: Karl Poling
Most Improved: Dennis Perumov
Newcomer: Phillip Jordan
Women's Tennis
Iron Ram: Abbey Forbes
Most Improved: Fiona Crawley
Newcomer: Thea Rabman
Men's Track and Field
Sprints
Iron Ram: Craig Saddler II
Most Improved: Blaise Atkinson
Newcomer: Killian Fahy
Field Events
Iron Ram: Max Stakun-Pickering
Most Improved: Bryce Kazmaier
Newcomer: Sam Romerhaus, Myles Scott
Women's Track and Field
Sprints
Iron Ram: Aaliyah Berry
Most Improved: Amari Taylor
Newcomer: Delea Martins
Field Events
Iron Ram: Julia Moraitis
Most Improved: Vivian Stovall
Newcomer: Megan Kelleghan
Volleyball
Iron Ram: Emani' Foster
Most Improved: Chelsea Thorpe
Newcomer: Zoe Behrendt
Wrestling
Iron Ram: Spencer Moore
Most Improved: Cade Lautt
Newcomer: Marco Tocci
Tar Heels were selected for Iron Ram, Most Improved and Newcomer awards.
The Iron Ram Award goes to the top all-around performer on each team, and winners are honored with photos hanging in the Loudermilk Center Olympic sports weight room.
Baseball pitcher Connor Bovair, softball pitcher Carlie Myrtle, men's fencer Jack Kambeseles. women's middle distance runner Alyssa Hernandez and wrestler Spencer Moore were all honored as Iron Ram winners for the second year in a row.
2023-24 Strength & Conditioning Award Winners – Olympic Sports
Baseball
Pitchers
Iron Ram: Shea Sprague, Connor Bovair
Most Improved: Will Simmons, Cameron Padgett
Newcomer: Harrison Lewis
Position Players
Iron Ram: Alberto Osuna, Jackson Van De Brake
Most Improved: Carter French
Newcomer: Gavin Gallaher, Luke Stevenson
Men's Cross Country/Distance
Iron Ram: Andrew Regnier
Most Improved: Jacob Laney
Newcomer: Noah Breker
Women's Cross Country/Distance
Iron Ram: Alyssa Hernandez
Most Improved: Grace Hanson
Newcomer: Maameyaa Nyinah
Diving
Iron Ram: Aranza Vazquez
Most Improved: Lara Phipps
Newcomer: Rodolfo Vazquez Montaño
Men's Fencing
Iron Ram: Jack Kambeseles
Most Improved: Michael Zhang
Newcomer: Ari Etin
Women's Fencing
Iron Ram: Ella Webb
Most Improved: Nicole Milewski
Newcomer: Molly Kettelle
Field Hockey
Iron Ram: Katie Dixon
Most Improved: Grace Pottebaum
Newcomer: Hope Haynes
Men's Golf
Iron Ram: Austin Greaser
Most Improved: Dylan Menante
Newcomer: Hampton Roberts
Women's Golf
Iron Ram: Vilde Nystrøm
Most Improved: Inez Ng
Newcomer: Reagan Southerland
Gymnastics
Iron Ram: Bella Miller
Most Improved: Amy Wozniak
Newcomer: Molly Neinstein
Men's Lacrosse
Iron Ram: Collin Krieg
Most Improved: Hayden Downs
Newcomer: Owen Duffy
Women's Lacrosse
Iron Ram: Kiley Mottice
Most Improved: Ellie Traggio
Newcomer: Paige Kelly
Rowing
Iron Ram: Claudia Quintaba
Most Improved: Astrid Gruber
Newcomer: Kenzie Gartland
Men's Soccer
Iron Ram: Riley Thomas, Sam Williams, Parker O'Ferral
Most Improved: Charlie Harper, Hayden Morgan
Newcomer: John McDowell, Elliott Auderieth
Women's Soccer
Iron Ram: Bella Sember, Tessa Dellarose
Most Improved: Kate Faasse
Newcomer: Olivia Thomas, Ella Smith
Softball
Pitchers
Iron Ram: Carlie Myrtle
Most Improved: Talia Hannappel
Newcomer: Janelle Wilson
Position Players
Iron Ram: Autumn Owen
Most Improved: Aneshia Jordan
Newcomer: Raeghan Carlson
Men's Swimming
Iron Ram: Patrick Hussey
Most Improved: Carter Freudenstein
Newcomer: Ben Delmar
Women's Swimming
Iron Ram: Elizabeth Sowards
Most Improved: Lily Reader
Newcomer: Samantha Armand
Men's Tennis
Iron Ram: Karl Poling
Most Improved: Dennis Perumov
Newcomer: Phillip Jordan
Women's Tennis
Iron Ram: Abbey Forbes
Most Improved: Fiona Crawley
Newcomer: Thea Rabman
Men's Track and Field
Sprints
Iron Ram: Craig Saddler II
Most Improved: Blaise Atkinson
Newcomer: Killian Fahy
Field Events
Iron Ram: Max Stakun-Pickering
Most Improved: Bryce Kazmaier
Newcomer: Sam Romerhaus, Myles Scott
Women's Track and Field
Sprints
Iron Ram: Aaliyah Berry
Most Improved: Amari Taylor
Newcomer: Delea Martins
Field Events
Iron Ram: Julia Moraitis
Most Improved: Vivian Stovall
Newcomer: Megan Kelleghan
Volleyball
Iron Ram: Emani' Foster
Most Improved: Chelsea Thorpe
Newcomer: Zoe Behrendt
Wrestling
Iron Ram: Spencer Moore
Most Improved: Cade Lautt
Newcomer: Marco Tocci
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