Clarksville, Ark.-The second annual University of the Ozarks OZZY awards took place Tuesday, April 24 in the Rogers Conference Center where numerous student-athletes and teams were honored for their outstanding athletic and academic seasons.
Headlining the award winners were the 2017-2018 Athletes of the Year Hannah Smith and Nathan Rankin. Smith, a junior member of the cross country and track team, won three American Southwest Conference individual championships in track. Smith competed in the NCAA III Regional Cross Country Championships and finished 62nd overall. She owns the program 5K cross country record (19:52) at Ozarks and set the new conference track championship record (18:47) in the 5000-meter track. She was named the 2018 ASC Female Track Athlete of the Year. Rankin, a freshman member of the cross country, wrestling and track team, was the ASC Champion in cross country and South East Conference Champion in wrestling. Rankin was one of two Eagle wrestlers to qualify for the NCAA Division III Championships, the school's first-ever. Rankin was named to the USTFCCCA All-Region Team and NWCA All-Academic Team. The American Southwest Conference Scholar-Athlete Medal of Honor honors went to women's basketball player Roseanna Ezell and men's tennis player Spencer Turner.
Athletic department winners on the night, voted on by the student-athletes, included:
No. 1 Fan: Zach Thompson, student photographer
Faculty Member of the Year: Dr. Amy Oatis, University Professor
Female Rookie of the Year: Cassie Emerson, Women's Basketball
Male Rookie of the Year: Nathan Rankin, Men's Cross Country, Wrestling and Track
Female Breakthrough Athlete of the Year: Hannah Smith, Women's Cross Country and Track
Male Breakthrough Athlete of the Year: (Co) Michael Harris, Men's Cross Country and Track and Jeff Proctor, Men's Clay Target
Best Upset: Men's soccer team winning first round match in the playoffs
Most Improved Female Athlete of the Year: Hailey Ostrander, Softball
Most Improved Male Athlete of the Year: Thomas Ross, Men's Soccer
Most Improved Team of the Year: Baseball
Team of the Year: Women's and Men's Clay Target
Most Spirited Team: Men's Soccer
Best Moment of the Year: Wrestlers Devon Jackson and Nathan Rankin qualifying for the NCAA Division III National Championships, a first in program history
Rock Jock Champion: Women's and Men's Cross Country and Track Team
Comeback Athlete of the Year: Falon Hanson, Women's Soccer
Coach of the Year: Jeremy Provence, Women's and Men's Cross Country and Track
American Southwest Conference Scholar-Athlete Medal of Honor: Roseanna Ezell, women's basketball player and Spencer Turner, men's tennis player
2017-2018 Athletes of the Year: Hannah Smith, cross country and track and Nathan Rankin, cross country, wrestling and track
The Show can be viewed here: https://www.facebook.com/uofoathletics/videos/10155428321505318/
