RUSTON | Louisiana Tech Athletics celebrated its top individual and team accomplishments from the past year on Monday night inside the Thomas Assembly Center at the 9th annual Techspys.
The year-end "ESPY Awards"-style event highlighted all of the academic and athletic accomplishments of LA Tech student-athletes. The show featured 18 awards as well as community service awards, staff superlatives, and the Tenets of Tech winners, which are given to the student-athletes in each program that best exemplify the 12 guiding principles in which Tech students should possess.
In the days leading up to the event, student-athletes also tried their hands at crossing over to other sports, including softball and women's basketball, track & field and mens' basketball, football and bowling, and soccer and bowling, in segments called "Sport Swap."
Tech student-athletes and staff also took a moment to laugh at themselves with a blooper reel and get a glimpse of a few behind the scenes moments of 2022-23.
Male Presidential Award presented by University President Dr. Les Guice
Jonathan Fincher (Baseball)
2021 Third Team Academic All-America
2021 First Team All-Conference USA
2022 Second Team Academic All-America
2022 Collegiate Baseball Preseason All-American
2022 Second Team All-Region
Has appeared in 75 career games for the Bulldogs as a pitcher
Female Presidential Award presented by University President Dr. Les Guice
Lindsay Manning (Bowling)
Three-time Southland Bowling's Academic Honor Roll
Four-time C-USA Academic Medalist and C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll recipient
Has helped LA Tech to back-to-back NCAA Regional appearances
Named Tournament MVP of Dezy Strong event
Named to 2023 Southland Conference All-Tournament Team
Made two All-Tournament Teams in 2021-22
Male Performance of the Year
Nominees
WINNER
Jorge Corona (Baseball) vs. Dallas Baptist
Louisiana Tech catcher Jorge Corona knocked in six runs and homered twice – including a rare inside-the-park grand slam – to lead the Bulldogs to a 12-5 victory over Dallas Baptist in the first game of the NCAA Austin Regional. He delivered with a two-run homer in the fifth to give the 'Dogs a 7-1 advantage and then turned around the next inning to blow the game open with a grand slam.
Female Performance of the Year
Nominees
WINNER
Johannon Murray (Track & Field) at C-USA Outdoor Championships
Won the Gold Medal in the Conference USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the women's heptathlon with 4,937 points, which ranks No. 4 in program history. She finished top-five in all seven events, including first in the high jump and second in the shot put, javelin, and 800 meters.
Gatorade Male Athlete of the Year
Taylor Young (Baseball)
Taylor Young received multiple accolades as a senior, including ABCA First Team All-America, First Team All-South Region, First Team All-Conference USA, and 2022 C-USA Tournament MVP. He set several career program records, including the all-time hits record with 297 as well as breaking his own single-season runs record with 89. Starting in all 64 games as Tech's leadoff batter at shortstop, he anchored the Bulldog offense in nine different categories and produced 28 multi-hit games.
Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year.
Keiunna Walker (Women's Basketball)
Named the 2022 Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year, earned First Team All-Conference USA, Conference USA All-Defense, and was a three-time Conference USA Player of the Week. Started all 32 games leading the team scoring for the third straight season and finished her career as the No. 6 all-time leading scorer in program history with 1,975 points. Led the Techsters to their second postseason berth in as many years with an at-large bid to the 2023 WNIT.
Male Rookie of the Year
Jordan Crawford (Men's Basketball)
Jordan Crawford was one of five players named to the Conference USA All-Freshman Team. He was one of just three Bulldogs to play in all 33 games while also making 22 starts. The three-time C-USA Freshman of the Week honoree anchored LA Tech in total assists with 100, the ninth most in the league, and was second on the team in total steals with 39.
Female Rookie of the Year
Sierra Sacco (Softball)
Sacco batted.441 with a program-record 83 hits, including seven doubles and three triples. Her .441 batting average and 54 runs scored ranked second program history. She also stole 28 bases and totaled 24 multi-hit games while ending the season on a 31-game reached base streak. As a result of her efforts, Sacco was named the 2022 Conference USA Freshman of the Year, Extra Innings Softball Freshman All-American, First-team All-Conference USA and First Team NFCA All-Mideast Region in addition to being named a finalist for the Schutt Sports/NFCA National Freshman of the Year.
Male Newcomer of the Year
Rodney Heath, Jr. (Track and Field)
Ran four of the program's top five fastest times in the men's Indoor 60m including a program-tying 6.64 which ranked No. 25 in the NCAA this season. The Kentucky transfer capped off an impressive Indoor season with a silver medal at the 2023 Conference USA Indoor Championships in the men's 60m with another time of 6.64.
Female Newcomer of the Year
Tiffani Nash (Tennis)
Tiffani Nash joined the LA Tech team midseason after becoming immediately eligible as a transfer from Missouri State. She made an immediate impact in helping LA Tech close out the season with 18 victories, the second most in program history. She saw action in 11 matches while registering a 6-3 dual singles record, including a streak of four straight wins.
Male Play of the Year
Nominees
WINNER
Walker Burchfield (Baseball) vs. Old Dominion C-USA Tournament
LA Tech was on the verge of being eliminated from the C-USA Tournament, putting its NCAA Regional hopes in doubt. After already suffering a 9-6 loss to Old Dominion in 13 innings that day, the Bulldogs had to turn around and face the Monarchs again with the right to advance to the championship game. ODU got a 2-run homer in the top of the ninth to take a 7-6 lead. That set the stage for Walker Burchfield who delivered a 2-RBI, pinch-hit single to give the Bulldogs the walk-off victory.
Female Play of the Year
Nominees
WINNER
Ulanda Lewis (Track and Field) at C-USA Indoor Championships
Won the Gold Medal in the 60m at the 2023 Conference USA Indoor Track & Field Championships with a personal best of 7.36, which ranks as the seventh fastest time in program history and is the first 60m title for LA Tech since 2013.
Moment of the Year
Nominees
CO-WINNERS
Katelin Cooper (Softball) vs. Southern Miss
With bases loaded and Tech down 7-5,
Katelin Cooper stepped up to the plate and promptly drove a 1-1 pitch to left centerfield for bases-clearing walk-off triple, igniting pandemonium at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field as the Lady Techsters won the 2022 C-USA Regular Season Conference title. The Conference title capped an improbable turnaround after the Lady Techsters were slated to finish seventh in the C-USA preseason polls.
Steele Netterville (Baseball) in C-USA Tournament
Steele Netterville ripped an RBI-single to bring pinch runner
Riggs Easterling home from third as second-seeded Louisiana Tech defeated No. 5 seed UTSA in walk-off fashion, 9-8, to clinch the 2022 C-USA Baseball Championship title. With the game tied at 8-8 and two outs, Netterville ripped a 2-2 pitch down the first base line to clinch the title and give the Bulldogs the automatic bid into the NCAA Regionals.
Team of the Year
Bowling
The LA Tech Bowling team spent the entire season ranked in the top 15 in the country, ranking as high as No. 8. The Lady Techsters had three top-three finishes this season, including winning titles at the SWIBC, Dezy Strong, and Sonic Boom Invitational. LA Tech ended up finishing third in the Southland Conference Tournament, claiming wins over Tulane, Stephen F. Austin, and Youngstown State.
Team Community Service Award
Volleyball
Community Service Award
Women's Basketball – Lotte Sant
Men's Basketball – Will Allen
Soccer – Emma Jones
Baseball – Dalton Davis
Softball – Bailey Wright
Tennis – Lara Unkovich
Golf – Payne Johnson
Volleyball – Sydney Jackwin
Bowling – Lindsay Manning
Men's Track & Field – Marshall Ellis, Logan Bailey
Women's Track & Field – Nariah Parks, Jacquelin LaBerteaux
Football – Patrick Rea
Female Team GPA Award
Cross Country – 3.38 GPA
Male Team GPA Award
Male – Golf – 3.38 GPA
Top GPA Per Team Award
Women's Basketball – Silvia Nativi
Men's Basketball – Ben Ponder
Soccer – Maci Geltmeier
Baseball – Steele Netterville
Softball – Lauren Menzina
Tennis – Tiffani Nash
Golf – Payne Johnson
Volleyball – Jailen Hurley
Bowling – Lindsay Manning, Tara Spridco
Men's Track & Field – Henry Terral
Women's Track & Field – DaLoria Boone, Jacquelin LaBerteaux
Football – Patrick Rea
Top Female GPA Graduation Senior
Bowling – Lindsay Manning, Tara Spridco – 4.0 GPA
Top Male GPA Graduation Senior
Golf – Payne Johnson – 4.0 GPA
Tenets of Tech Winners
Women's Basketball – Lotte Sant
Men's Basketball – Isaiah Crawford
Soccer – Alma Cedefors
Baseball – Adarius Myers
Softball – Bailey Wright
Tennis – Tiffani Nash
Golf – James Swash
Volleyball – McKenzie Johnson
Bowling – Allyson Sand
Men's Track & Field – Laeden Tucker, Logan Bailey
Women's Track & Field – Victoria Datta
Football – Mykol Clark
STAFF SUPERLATIVES (Winner in
BOLD)
Best Dressed
Nominees – Kyle Buffolino,
Shyandrea Glass, Ambr McCray
Biggest Cheerleader
Nominees – Jeanee Romero, Cole Squyres,
Dr. Eric Wood
Life of the Party
Nominees –
Isaac Andrade, Kyle Roberts, Blake Talos
Most Likely to Get Ejected
Nominees –
Lane Burroughs, Matt Nantais, Matt Terry, Steve Voltz
Office Parent
Nominees – Malcolm Butler, Bianca Jackson,
Mandy Miller
SPORT SWAP
Softball & Women's Basketball / Track & Field & Men's Basketball
Football & Bowling
Soccer & Football
BLOOPER REEL
