• OVC Community Service Awards History
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – The recipients of the 2023-24 OVC Community Service Awards have been announced.
The awards, first bestowed in 2022-23, are based on activities that took place during the 2023-24 academic year and recognize outstanding student-athletes for the contributions they make away from the playing surface, both on campus and in the community.
OVC member institutions who competed in the League during the 2023-24 academic year were able to select a maximum of one male and one female student-athlete from their institution to be honored. In total 20 individuals were honored with the awards this year.
“The OVC has always been about a sense of community,” said OVC Commissioner Beth DeBauche. “We are delighted to continue to bestow these awards to these outstanding student-athletes who are giving back to their communities.”
The 2023-24 recipients are:
• Joel Allen (track and field), Little Rock
• Brooklyn Bender (cross country), Southeast Missouri
• Justin Biggs (track and field), Tennessee State
• Addy Blackwell (basketball), Southern Indiana
• Daniel Egbuniwe (basketball), Tennessee Tech
• Elizabeth Galvin (soccer), Eastern Illinois
• M.E. Hargan (volleyball), Morehead State
• Nadia Kessling (track and field), Western Illinois
• River Lakey (football), Lindenwood
• Sofie Lowis (basketball), SIUE
• Natalie Marques (equestrian), UT Martin
• Alondrah Santana-Rodriguez (volleyball), Tennessee State
• Reagan Smiley (soccer), Tennessee Tech
• Abbie Smith (soccer), Little Rock
• Chad Smith (soccer), Eastern Illinois
• Lily Sutter (soccer), Lindenwood
• Dony'e Taylor (football), Southeast Missouri
• Nathan Tillman (golf), Western Illinois
• Ricardo Van Grieken (baseball), Southern Indiana
• Bryce Ward (rifle), Morehead State