Akers, Kipsang earn ECU’s top student-athlete honors
Article excerpt
Tyler Akers and Winnie Kipsang took home East Central University's top student-athlete honors at last month's Roary Awards Banquet. Akers, a dual-sport athlete, earned Male Student-Athlete of the Year, while Kipsang, a standout on the women's cross-country and track teams, claimed the Female award. The annual ceremony recognized 78 student-athletes across ECU Athletics, celebrating the department's athletic achievements and individual excellence.
East Central dual-sport athlete Tyler Akers was named the 2025-26 Male Student-Athlete of the Year at the annual Roary Awards Banquet last month.
Winnie Kipsang, a standout performer for the ECU women’s cross-country and track and field teams, was named Female Student-Athlete of the Year.
The banquet highlighted the success of ECU Athletics through the presentation of 78 awards recognizing student-athletes, teams, coaches and faculty and staff members for excellence in competition, achievements in the classroom and outstanding contributions to ECU Athletics during the 2025-26 season.
MALE ATHLETE
Akers, a junior from Springtown, Texas, hit .362 with three home runs, two triples, nine doubles and 27 RBIs. He also scored a team-high 60 runs and stole 22 bases.
The only player to start all 50 games for East Central, Akers helped lead the Tigers to a runner-up finish in the Great American Conference Baseball Championship tournament.
Akers was also a wide receiver for the ECU football team.
FEMALE ATHLETE
Kipsang, a junior from Eldoret, Kenya, finished 35th at the NCAA Division II Championships with a time of 22:06.77 on the 6K course.
She captured the individual title at the Great American Conference Championships, posting a time of 17:31.91 in the 5K race while helping the Tigers finish third as a team.
Kipsang became just the third runner in program history to win the individual conference championship and earn GAC Runner of the Year honors.
Note: East Central Coordinator of Athletic Operations and Outreach Sydney Dungen contributed to this report.
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2025-26 Roary AwardsATHLETES OF THE YEAR: Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Seth Spady (Football); Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Makenzy Herman (Women’s Basketball); Male Student-Athlete of the Year, Tyler Akers (Football/Baseball); Female Student-Athlete of the Year, Winnie Kipsang (Women’s XC / T&F).
SOCCER: Most Valuable Player, Ximena Resendiz; Tiger Teammate Award, Makaiah Carlson; Newcomer of the Year, Giselle Heck; Comeback Player of the Year, Madison Martinez.
FOOTBALL: Offensive MVP, Sergio Kennedy; Defensive MVP, Caden Pickens.
VOLLEYBALL: Defensive Player of the Year, Valentina Tijerina; Offensive Player of the Year, Jayla Buford; Teammate of the Year, Macey Goodwin; Most Valuable Player, Faiana Halatoa; Tiger Legacy Award, Faiana Halatoa
WOMEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY: Most Valuable Runner/Newcomer of the Year, Winnie Kipsang
MEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY: Most Valuable Runner, Paul Korir; Newcomer of the Year, Donald Kipsang.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Newcomer of the Year, Natalie Milwood; Player of the Year, Katie Edelen.
MEN’S BASKETBALL: Tiger of the Year, Rustin Coffey; Most Improved Player, Johnathan Price.
BASEBALL: Leadership Award, Cole Tracy; Offensive Player of the Year, Tyler Akers; Defensive Player of the Year, Mason Shimkus; Pitcher of the Year, Ryan Dembroski
SOFTBALL: Offensive Player of the Year, Elyse LeClair; Defensive Player of the Year, Kenni Tudor; Roary Heart Award, Kennedy Schroeder.
WOMEN’S GOLF: Most Valuable Player, Addison Furtick; Newcomer of the Year, Gabby Hack
MEN’S GOLF: Most Valuable Player, Pablo Illescas; Co-Newcomers of the Year, Gabriel Jones and Jackson Jones.
WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD: XC Track Athlete of the Year, Mercy Kibiwott; Track Athlete of the Year, Jazmine White.
MEN’S TRACK & FIELD: XC Track Athlete of the Year, Donald Kipsang; Track Athlete of the Year, Josh Horne.
CHEER: Newcomer of the year, Hayden Randall: Co-Leadership Award, Alyssa McGilbray and Jaylan Miller; Cheerleader of the Year, Natalee Fugate.
POWERLIFTING: DOTS Score Male, Hunter Franks; DOTS Score Female, Amree Wingfield; Newcomer of the Year, Paityn Seiger.
ESPORTS: Winners Building Winners Award, Cody Hisaw; Caring Leadership Award, Zachary Clouse; Personal Growth Award, Andy Jordan; Rising Star Award, Hannah Whitehouse.
STRENGTH & CONDITIONING: Soccer, Makaiah Carlson; Volleyball, Paula Ramos; Men’s XC/T&F, Samuel Brown; Women’s XC/T&F, Destiny Jennings; Football, Lane Johnson, Sergio Kennedy, Seth Spady, Alixzandur Brown; Men’s Basketball, Rustin Coffey; Women’s Basketball, Tatum Havens; Softball, Elyse LeClair, Kennedy Schroeder; Baseball, Blake Seefeldt, DeAngelo Morales, Greyson Christian; Cheer, Jaylan Miller, Nehemiah Meashintubby.
SAAC AWARDS: Coach of the Year, Daniel Wheeler; Assistant Coach of the Year, Grant Duncan; Team of the Year, Men’s Cross Country; Comeback of the Year, Men’s Basketball; Highlight of the Year, Gabriel Ogura, game-winning 24-yard field goal; Tiger Tough, Makaiah Carlson.