2022 Redbird Seniors Honored At Annual Awards Banquet

NORMAL, Ill. – The annual Illinois State Credit Union Senior Student-Athlete Banquet serves as the culmination for Illinois State senior student-athletes, as each receives his or her completed medallion after being handed the first half at the Walk of Champions as a freshman. The 2022 Redbird senior class was honored Monday evening in the Aaron Leetch Legacy Club to recognize all the accomplishments and accolades the class achieved during its time at Illinois State.

As a group, our seniors have helped lead their teams to more than 600 victories, seven regular-season conference championships, 16 conference tournament championships and 11 team postseason appearances.  In addition, the seniors have tallied six conference player of the year awards, 28 individual conference championships, 81 have earned first-team all-conference selections, and four athletes were named All-Americans. 

This group has also been busy in the classroom. During their tenure, Redbird Athletics has experienced exceptional academic success and over the last nine semesters, more than 75 percent of this class has appeared on the AFNI Athletics Honor Roll multiple times during their careers. This class posted a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) greater than a 3.00, which helped the athletic department as a whole set a new grade-point average record with a 3.61 GPA during the COVID-19 Spring 2020 semester.  The following fall 2020 semester, this senior group assisted in a 3.36 departmental GPA which would have been the departmental record if not for the COVID-19 spring which allowed for P/NP grading due to institutional policy.  This class, along with the rest of the Redbirds, have continued the streak of consecutive semesters with a departmental GPA greater than a 3.00 which currently sits at 27.  

This graduating class has not only continued a culture of academic excellence and athletic success but has pushed Redbird athletics to new standards and expectations. This group has not been afforded the same opportunities to engage the community the past two years due to the pandemic but found positive ways to be impactful by participating in but not limited to; pen pals with area schools, Notes for Nurses within the surrounding hospitals, YMCA and Boys/Girls Club participation, food drives, and other various civic engagement opportunities.

Seniors Kayel Newland (women's basketball) and Trey Georgie (football) served as the hosts and emcees for the evening. Illinois State Director of Athletics Kyle Brennan also spoke to the seniors, their coaches, and athletic staff and thanked them for all their hard work, dedication and commitment to Redbird Athletics. Women's tennis standout Laura Fitzgerald and men's track conference champion Brandon Gage were chosen to speak and give a moment of reflection on their time in a Redbird uniform following dinner being served. 

Former Redbird volleyball star Courtney Pence then took the stage representing the RB4L club, stressing the importance of staying connected to the athletics program after graduation and supporting the University. That led to the presentation of the senior plaques, as each senior was called to the stage to receive their finished medallion affixed to a plaque noting all their accomplishments as Redbird student-athletes.

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