MIDWAY, Ky. - The Midway University athletic department recently hosted The Midways, an annual event honoring the department's top individual and team accomplishments during the school year.

A campus-wide vote was held to determine several categories while others were chosen by the athletic staff. A full list of winners can be found below.

FEMALE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: BLAIR RINEY

The libero and defensive specialist recorded 385 digs while averaging 3.6 digs per-set in her freshman season with the Midway women's volleyball program.

This landed her on the All-River States Conference Third Team.

MALE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: CHASE WILLIAMS

A Second-Team member on the All-Midwest Sprint Football League team, Williams was a standout on offense and special teams, leading the Eagles in receiving yards (283) and yards from scrimmage (563).

The freshman also set a single-game program record with 107 receiving yards in an Oct. 12 game against Quincy.

THE COMEBACK AWARD: SAMMY FRIEL

The senior swimmer had a brutal offseason, first suffering a broken leg, then spending several days in the hospital with a series of dangerous blood clots.

But after making a quick recovery, she returned for a great senior season, hitting NAIA national qualifying cuts in four events.

SEE ALSO: 'That's just Sammy:' Midway swimmer Friel keeps positive approach in return from life-threatening blood clots

OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE: CHRISTIAN CARTER

The Midway quarterback had a record-setting performance in the Eagles' MSFL postseason debut against St. Mary of the Woods on Nov. 2.

He set single-game program records with 231 yards, 338 scrimmage yards and five total touchdowns. As a team, the Eagle offense had a program record 42 points and 451 yards.

BEST MOMENT: NEVAEH BROWN EARNS SIXTH ALL-AMERICAN HONOR

Brown's record-shattering pole vault career ended with two more All-American finishes, the fifth and sixth of her time at Midway.

She hit a top height of 3.80 meters at both the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Championships and 2025 Indoor Championships. She finished second at outdoor and sixth at indoor.

ANDY SHEA COMMUNITY SERVANT AWARD: KAYLIE CLARK

A senior member of the women's volleyball team, Clark was an omnipresent helpful hand on and off campus, organizing a blood drive and helping to run a youth volleyball clinic at the Lexington Christian Academy.

She also served as a resident advisor and a manager for the wrestling team, where she took on many functions, ranging from making grocery runs to filming matches.

THE MIDWAY UNIVERSITY SPIRIT & SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD: LUKE GUERRERO

When he's not losing head-to-head battles with Midway sports information director Clay Cunningham in NFL Immaculate Grid, Luke Guerrero is winning over his peers with his infectious smile. 

A linebacker on the sprint football team, Guerrero recorded 39 tackles on teh field while also being named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll, the Dean's List and the Midwest Sprint Football League Champions of Character team.  

OUTSTANDING TEAM: ESPORTS

The ascension of the Esports program continued when the Call of Duty team completed an unbeaten fall with a Playfly Mixed 2 Conference Championship.

That was the third division title won by an Eagle team in the last two years, the others coming from Rocket League and League of Legends. League of Legends also earned an at-large bid into the NECC Division 6 National Tournament this spring.

OUTSTANDING FEMALE STUDENT-ATHLETE: NEVAEH BROWN 

The six-time All-American and eight-time River States Conference champion in the pole vault captured the Outstanding Female Student-Athlete award for the third year in a row.

SEE ALSO: Nevaeh Brown looks back at record-setting career as she prepares for final national meet

OUTSTANDING MALE STUDENT-ATHLETE: JACOB KOCIS

Kocis departed Midway as a 13-time national qualifier across cross country and track and field, a nine-time program record holder, a two-time River States Conference Runner of the Year and a two-time winner of the Outstanding Male Student Athlete award.

His final race as an Eagle was a runner-up, All-American finish at the NAIA Marathon in December, a race he finished second in each of the last two seasons.

THE MARGARET WARE PARRIS AWARD: AUBRY KOESTER

A standout in all aspects of her time at Midway, Koester made the Athletic Director's Honor Roll six times, the Dean's List four times and was a three-time selection to both the River State Conference Scholar-Athlete and Daktronics Scholar-Athlete teams.

On the volleyball court, she was a four-time All-River States Conference selection and a three-time AVCA Mid-Central Region Team selection, while finishing 15th in the NAIA in kills per-set (4.02) during her senior season in 2024.

FACULTY/STAFF SUPPORT AND RECOGNITION AWARD: GAVIN WASHINGTON

An associate professor of sports management, Dr. Washington has been instrumental in helping student-athletes maintain eligibility while also securing internships on and off campus.

He is often credited for providing students with necessary tools for success both in and out of the classroom.

COACH OF THE YEAR: ASHLEY FREIRE

After receiving Coach of the Year honors from the Mid-South Conference in March, the Midway cheerleading coach earned the same designation from her university.

Under Freire's guidance, the Eagles have broken scoring records at numerous events, most recently doing so with an 84.88-point, third-place finish at the 2025 MSC Championships.