FAIRBANKS - The Alaska Nanooks officially named their 2022-23 end-of-the-year awards at their annual awards banquet.

Bart LeBon Humanitarian of the Year Award
The first award of the night was the Bart LeBon Humanitarian of the Year Award. This award is given to the student-athlete who embodies a positive athletic role model through selfless volunteer work in the community. Jayda Van Dyke of the women's basketball team was named the 2022-23 award winner and became the first women's basketball player to receive the award since 2006-07 when Jocelyn Shumate won the award. 

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Jayda is the hardest worker that I know. She pushes herself and those around her through her tireless effort and preparation. In addition to her work on the court, she is a 4.0 student who creates positive connections with everyone she meets. She has volunteered with the school district for over 6 hours this year, as well as numerous volunteer opportunities she takes part in through her church. She is also a student-worker in the sports information department. Whether it's on the court as a Nanook or on the sidelines as a worker, "Chrickett" is one of the most thoughtful and selfless people I know.

Joe Tremarello Sportsmanship Award
The second award of the night was the Joe Tremarello Sportsmanship Award; an award given to a student-athlete who competes with respect and acts in a professional manner. T.J. Lloyd of the Nanooks hockey program was the 2022-23 recipient. Lloyd became the second Nanooks hockey player to win the award after Nick Hinz won it in 2017-18. 

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T.J. Lloyd, a defenseman for the Nanooks hockey team, is a great candidate for the Joe Tremarello Sportsmanship Award. Throughout his career, Lloyd has been known for his fair play and courteous behavior, making him a role model for his fellow teammates and opponents. He consistently demonstrates respect for his teammates, coaches, and officials, and is always willing to lend a helping hand to those in need. Lloyd's dedication to sportsmanship is evident in the way he conducts himself during games, where he plays hard but always remains respectful to his opponents by only taking 5 penalties all season. His positive attitude and sportsmanship have had a significant impact on the Nanooks hockey team and the community at large. For these reasons, T.J. Lloyd is a deserving candidate for the Joe Tremarello Sportsmanship Award, which recognizes student-athletes who compete with respect and act in a professional manner.

Harris Shelton Spirit of Competition Award
The third award given was the Harris Shelton Spirit of Competition Award; an award given to a student-athlete whose never-say-quit attitude is the finest among Nanooks. Tori Shoemaker of the Nanooks swim team was the 2022-23 winner. With the award win, Shoemaker became the second swimmer to win the award, following in Cassidy Heaton's footsteps after Heaton won the award in 2017-18. 

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After taking last season off and working hard to catch and keep up with her schoolwork, Tori is back! This season she has worked tirelessly in the pool and the weight room, as well as with the athletic trainers to continue doing the sport she loves and competing for the Nanooks. Throughout the last 2 years, Tori has had the finest "never-say-quit attitude" and has proved that she can do anything she sets her mind to, no matter the obstacle. 

In February, Tori placed 10th in the 1000-yard freestyle with a time only six seconds away from her personal-best. She then dropped 29 seconds from her personal-best in the mile to finish seventh-place in the conference, which is all-conference.

Owen Tinker Fan of the Year Award
The Owen Tinker Fan of the Year Award is given to a person who passionately supports the Nanooks and its student-athletes in competition and in the community. This season, the Nanooks recognized Ralph Seekins as their 2022-23 Owen Tinker Fan of the Year. 

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Ralph is at every Nanooks sporting event and really cares and knows the athletes. He also brings his camera and takes photos at each game and shares those photos free of charge. He is a great fan, donor, and supporter of Nanooks Athletics!

Linda Moffitt Leadership in Courage Award
The Linda Moffitt Leadership in Courage Award is an award for a female student-athlete whose actions have demonstrated leadership to promote social justice, equality, diversity and equal opportunity for women. This award is nominated by women coaches, staff and athletes and is selected by the Director of Diversity & Equal Opportunity. Linda Moffitt was a student at UAF who wrote a letter in 1973 to the Office of Civil Rights in Washington, D.C. to report discrimination within the athletic department. Linda's courageous action has had a positive impact for opportunities for women on campus and throughout the state. To find out more about Linda Moffitt click HERE

This year's recipient for the Linda Moffitt Leadership in Courage Award is Destiny Reimers of the women's basketball team. She joins teammate Olivia Kraska (2021-22 recipient) as the only women's basketball players to receive the award.

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She works relentlessly as an ambassador for UAF athletics in the Fairbanks and indigenous communities. Destiny is a 4.0 student who is on numerous committees around campus to improve the visibility of indigenous populations on the Troth Yeddha campus - including discussions around marketing & game day promotions, the court renovation, and new uniforms for sports. Destiny also spent over 5 hours volunteering at Denali Elementary & Barnett Magnet Schools.

Coach of the Year Award
The Alaska Nanooks Coach of the Year Award is awarded to a coach who has had a successful season through demonstrated effectiveness. This season was a very successful year for all programs and left the department with Co-Coaches of the Year instead of just one. Will Anti, head rifle coach, and Erik Largen, head hockey coach, both earned the Co-Coach of the Year title after Anti led the 'Nooks to the 2023 NCAA Rifle Championship and Largen led the Nanooks to their most wins since 2001-02, third-most wins in program history and had them on the verge of an NCAA Hockey Tournament berth.

Anti led the team to their first NCAA Championship since 2008 and their 11th-overall title, the second-most in NCAA rifle history. This season, Alaska went 11-0, 6-0 PRC in head-to-head matches before taking second at the Patriot Rifle Conference Championships. After day one of the NCAA Championships, the Nanooks were in first-place with a smallbore score of 2349. On day two, the Nanooks posted an air rifle score of 2380 to cap off the weekend with an aggregate score of 4729 for the championship. They had a clean sweep of the disciplines, bringing home all three National Championship trophies. With the honor, Anti earns a back-to-back Coach of the Year honor. 

Erik Largen led the Nanooks to a 22-10-2 season; one for the history books. Not only did the Nanooks make a postseason push down the stretch, but they finished 14th in the PairWise Rankings and 15th in both the USA Today/USCHO media polls. Alongside their strong record, the Nanooks produced their most road-wins in program history, going 12-8-1 away from home. Despite playing 21 games on the road and only 13 games at home, the Nanooks turned heads, going 10-2-1 on home-ice in the Carlson Center and sweeping Arizona State on the road and grabbing road-splits with #19/17 Notre Dame and #1/2 Denver. To end the season, the Nanooks went 17-3-0 in their final 20 games and went 15-1-0 against all other Independent teams, including a 6-0-0 record against UAA after the Seawolves' return to college hockey. Largen becomes the first hockey coach to earn the Coach of the Year honor since Dallas Ferguson won it in 2009-10.

Staff Member of the Year Award
The Staff Member of the Year Award is given to a staff person who has demonstrated excellent performance and commitment to the Athletic Department. The 2022-23 recipient is Palmer Trolli, the Head Athletic Trainer. Trolli joined the Nanooks staff during the middle of the 2021-22 season and has continued to grow the department. This season he was the main training contact for hockey and rifle while also assisting in oversight for all 10 varsity teams. 

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Palmer Trolli, the head athletic trainer for the UAF athletics department, is a great candidate to win the Staff Member of the Year award for his outstanding performance and commitment to the department. Palmer has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to the well-being of the student-athletes, providing them with exceptional care and support both on and off the field. His expertise and professionalism have been invaluable to the department, and he has been a key figure in the success of the athletic programs. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Palmer has continued to provide exceptional care to the student-athletes and has worked tirelessly to ensure their health and safety. In addition to his outstanding performance, Palmer is known for his positive attitude and infectious energy. He always has a smile on his face and is a pleasure to work with, making him a beloved member of the UAF community.

Most Outstanding Athlete of the Year Award
The Most Outstanding Female and Male Athlete of the Year is awarded to the student-athletes who have made the greatest impact on their program during this past season. The Most Outstanding Female of the Year Award goes to Kendall Kramer of the women's cross country and Nordic ski teams. Kramer earned All-American honors in both sports. She earned the All-American honor at the 2022 NCAA XC Championships with an eight-place finish, the best by a Nanook in program history. Alongside her national recognition, Kramer earned All-West Region honors, she was an All-GNAC recipient and was the GNAC Women's XC Athlete of the Year with a first-place finish at the GNAC Championships. In ski, Kramer placed in the top-five of the freestyle one time and earned two top-10 finishes in freestyle. She had one top-five finish in classical alongside two top-10 finishes and earned a Second Team All-American honor in the 5k freestyle at the NCAA Ski Championships. 

On the male side, Rylan Kissell was named the back-to-back Most Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year after helping the 'Nooks to their 11th National Championship. He had the most historic year of any NCAA male rifle athlete in history. He won the NCAA Individual Air Rifle Championship, he set the national record with the first-ever 600 at NCAA Championships, he was named the NCAA's Most Outstanding Performer at Championships, he was the CRCA Most Valuable Shooter, and he led the 'Nooks to their team national title. Following the 2022-23 season, Kissell earned First Team All-American honors in Aggregate, Air Rifle and Smallbore while also maintaining a high enough GPA to be named a Scholastic All-American. Prior to the NCAA season, he was the Junior World Championships champion and was the #1-ranked shooter on the U.S. Team in air rifle. He now holds the record for most 600's in a career with four, two coming last season and two coming this season. 

Nanook Athletics Advisory Council Scholar-Athletes of the Year Award
The NAAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award is awarded to one male and one female student-athlete with superior combined academic and athletic achievements during the previous season. This award is awarded by the Nanook Athletics Advisory Council following a nomination period, interview process and one-on-one meetings. 

The Female NAAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award was awarded to Lainey Lioi of the women's swim team. Lioi became the first swimmer to be awarded the NAAC Scholar-Athlete Award since Mariya Pavlovskaya in 2010-11. Lioi posted 581.15 points this season for the Nanooks and ended the year on a high note, earning three personal-best times at the 2023 PCSC Championships in the 50-yard freestyle (25.00), 100-yard freestyle (54.17 as relay leadoff) and the 100-yard backstroke (1:01.40 as relay leadoff). She ended the year with three first-place finishes. Lioi is a Biological Sciences major and has maintained a 4.00 GPA in her studies while at UAF.

The Male NAAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award was awarded to Harrison Israels of the men's ice hockey team. He became the first hockey player to earn the NAAC Scholar-Athlete Award since Brandon Morley in 2016-17. This season Israels posted 15 points on nine goals and six assists while playing in all 34 games. He scored three power-play goals and one short-handed goal while being a staple in the face-off circle for the Nanooks. He led the team with 379 face-off wins and posted a win percentage of .529. He added 22 blocked shots. Israels is a Business Administration major and has maintained a 3.92 GPA in his studies at UAF. 

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