No longer just a typical year-end banquet, the night transformed into a full-fledged celebration of spirit, sportsmanship, and success, thanks to a student-led initiative from the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Inspired by prestigious award ceremonies like the ESPYs, this year's gala brought a fresh new vibe to the event, complete with nominated finalists, on-stage presenters, and a palpable sense of anticipation.

"Our end-of-year celebration is one of my favorite nights of the year," said Director of Athletics Quin Monahan. "Seeing our student-athletes dressed up and celebrating as a family validates the hard work and long hours we all put in. Kudos to Genia Montford, Shawn Becker, and our incredible SAAC leaders for putting together such a special night."

In a departure from previous years where each team presented three awards, this year's gala streamlined the program with a focus on one team award per squad and expanded department-wide honors. SAAC President Lydia Gattozzi, who also took home Female Player of the Year honors, said the changes aimed to raise the stakes — and the excitement as a whole. 

"We wanted to make the banquet to feel more like an awards show, similar to the ESPYs," Gattozzi said. "Something that was more formal and had a build up of anticipation with adding nominees and having different presenters for each award. I'm really happy with how everything came together and it felt like it got our student-athletes more excited for the event as a whole."

Deputy Director of Athletics Genia Montford felt the same way. 

"Our Awards Gala is always a special night as all of our teams come together to celebrate the year, the success of our teams, and of our student-athletes," Montford said. "This year was even more special as our awards Gala was organized and planned by our Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. SAAC did an incredible job of changing the style to an ESPY style event making it more student-athlete focused. It is exciting to see our student-athletes take initiative, focus on serving their fellow student-athletes, improve the student-athlete experience, and in the process begin a new tradition for USCB Athletics."

One of the standout moments of the night came with the introduction of the Sand Shark Cup, a new spirit award based on attendance at athletic events. Softball claimed the inaugural title, a fitting tribute to their year-long support of their fellow athletes — and a prelude to their dominant night of awards.

Softball star Chloe Turner opened the ceremony by winning the Academic Excellence Award, while Beckett Jones of Men's Cross Country Track and Field earned the Unsung Hero Award for his behind-the-scenes contributions.

Madison Murphy, a first-year transfer, was crowned Newcomer of the Year, and the crowd erupted as the Moment of the Year was awarded to the fans for their electric support during the men's basketball playoff game against Lander — a true recognition of the Sand Shark Family and Sand Shark community.

Freshmen Camila Giordani and Bryson Shears were named Freshman Players of the Year, while Cam Edwards and Lydia Gattozzi took home the top honors of Male and Female Player of the Year, respectively.

Softball continued its dominance with Tamiyah Whitlock winning the inaugural Sand Shark Award for exemplifying leadership, character, and grit, and Cierra Kinlaw earning the prestigious Jane T. Upshaw Senior Award, marking the fifth time a softball player has won the award since its inception in 2014.

The evening was more than just trophies and applause — it was a reflection of a season filled with perseverance, passion, and purpose. With lights flashing and teammates cheering each other on, the first-ever Sand Shark Gala set a new standard for USCB Athletics.

And with a new tradition firmly planted in the heart of the Lowcountry, one thing's for sure — the Sand Sharks know how to celebrate their own.

Below is the list of all award winners from the ceremony:
Men's Cross Country Athlete of the Year | Elliott Howe
Men's Track and Field Athlete of the Year | Cam Edwards
Academic Excellence Award | Chloe Turner
Women's Golf Player of the Year | McLain Neal
Jacob Thomas Player of the Year | Erik Rengardt
Unsung Hero Award | Beckett Jones
Roberto Clemente Award | Noah Campbell
Alexandria Simmons Spirit Award | Makenzie Fore
Newcomer of the Year | Madison Murphy
Sand Shark Soccer Senior Sportswoman of the Year | Synne Bye-Andersen
Moment of the Year | Fans at the Men's Basketball Playoff Game vs Lander
Men's Basketball Legacy Award | Kyle Polce
Women's Basketball Coaches Award | Lydia Gattozzi
Sand Shark Cup Winner | USCB Softball
Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Year | Cydney Stevenson
Women's Track and Field Athlete of the Year | De'Andra Brown
Female Freshman of the Year | Camila Giordani
Male Freshman of the Year | Bryson Shears
Female Player of the Year | Lydia Gattozzi
Male Player of the Year | Cam Edwards
Sand Shark Award | Tamiyah Whitlock
Jane T. Upshaw Senior Award | Cierra Kinlaw