Athletics Celebrates Annual ROARS Awards

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Missouri Department of Athletics honored its top performers Monday at the 2022 ROARS Awards inside the Missouri Theatre.

Returning to an in-person event for the first time since 2019, the 14th-annual event was billed as “part ESPYs, part Oscars, all Mizzou” as the presentation highlighted great student-athlete moments from the past year of Tigers Athletics. 

On the team side, women’s basketball snagged the team community service award, wresting won team performance of the year for the Big 12 Championship win and men’s swimming and diving took home the Tiger Cup, a friendly competition between teams which awards points based on six categories – academic achievement, community service, career services and workshops, athletic success, athletes supporting athletes, and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) events.

Individual highlights included NCAA Champion Keegan O’Toole from wrestling being recognized as the Norris Stevenson Male Athlete of the Year and track and field’s Arianna Fisher earning the Debbie Walker Female Athlete of the Year award. Wrestling Head Coach Brian Smith was tabbed as the Coach of the Year and softball’s Kendyll Bailey won the Director of Athletics Leadership Award.

Below is a complete list of winners from Monday’s ceremony:

2022 ROARS AWARD WINNERS
AWARD NAME: WINNER (SPORT)

• For The Love Of The Game: Keagan Dunn (women’s golf), Alex Moore (men’s swimming & diving)
• Coach’s Academic Enhancement Award: Larissa Anderson (softball)
• Community Service Award: Amy Feddersen (women’s swimming & diving), Jack Dahlgren (men’s swimming & diving)
• Team Community Service: Women’s Basketball
• Letterwinners Club Award: Ellie Wright (tennis), Jack Dubois (men’s swimming & diving)
• Highlight of the Year: Lauren Hansen – game-winning layup vs. No. 1 South Carolina, Roberto Vilches – SEC Indoor High Jump Champion
• Dr. Judy Wells Academic Achievement Award: Kendal Cook (softball), Tre Morris (baseball)
• Professor of the Year: Chris Prestigiacomo (Trulaske College of Business)
• Heather Morris Courage Award: Addie Lyon (volleyball), Cannon York (football)
• Rookie of the Year: Amari Celestine (gymnastics), Tony Neubeck (baseball)
• Mizzou Made Staff Award: Brittany Collins
• Mizzou Made: Sarah Thompson (women’s swimming & diving), Peyton Mocco (wrestling)
• Coach of the Year: Brian Smith (wrestling)
• Director of Athletics Leadership Award: Kendyll Bailey (softball)
• Team Performance of the Year: Wrestling winning Big 12 Championship
• Debbie Walker Female Athlete of the Year: Arianna Fisher (women’s track & field)
• Norris Stevenson Male Athlete of the Year: Keegan O’Toole (wrestling)
• Tiger Cup: Men’s Swimming & Diving

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