SAN FRANCISCO – USF Athletics will honor its best and brightest student-athletes and teams on Sunday April 29 at the Seventh Annual Hilltop Awards. The show will take place in War Memorial Gym at the Sobrato Center.
 
Emily Laskin (golf) reprises an appearance as the master of ceremonies. She will be joined by teammate Samantha Gong on stage as a co-host. Charles Minlend (men's basketball) and Samantha Jehnings (women's soccer) will be the red carpet emcees. Fans will be able to watch the entire award show live. 

Athletes were nominated for the various awards by head coaches and staff. A selection committee determined the finalists for each award. The winners are selected in a vote of athletic department personnel. Student-athletes will present the awards to their peers.

Awards to be presented include the Bill Russell Award, honoring USF's male student-athlete of the year and the Anne Dolan Award, which is awarded to USF's top female student-athlete who has distinguished herself in athletic competition.
 
The Four Pillars Award will be presented to a male and female graduating senior who has attained the highest standards of athletic performance, academic achievement, community service and leadership.
 
The Dante Benedetti Award, named after USF's legendary longtime baseball coach, will be presented to the male and female student-athlete who serves as inspiration to their teammates through their unwavering sense of loyalty, self-sacrifice, unselfishness, positive attitude and hard work.
 
The Newcomer of the Year will be awarded to a male and female student-athlete who has excelled in in athletic competition during their first year on the Hilltop.
 
The Stephen Privett, S.J. Award will be presented to a student-athlete who has demonstrated a higher commitment to learning and social justice through their outstanding work in the community. The award is named in honor of the 27th president of the University of San Francisco, whose 13-year tenure was distinguished by a commitment to "whole person education," a traditional hallmark of Jesuit education.
 
The Spirit of '51 Award will be presented to a USF team that embodies success both on the field and in the classroom by creating leaders who are ready to make an impact in the world. The award is given in honor of USF's undefeated, untied and uninvited 1951 football team whose dramatic stand against racism is perhaps the single greatest symbolic victory in the history of college sports.
 
USF will also recognize a male and female student-athlete who displays maximum effort on and off the field of competition while bringing out the best in their teammates through a consistent commitment to performance enhancement with the Carpe Diem Award.
 
The Charles Harney Award will be presented to the senior student-athletes who have maintained the highest grade point average during their tenure at the University.
 
Student-Athletes of the Year for each sport as selected by their coaches will also honored as their team's most valuable. In addition to the student-athlete awards, a Spirit Award will be given to a member of USF's dance team and a Student Athletic Trainer of the Year will be rewarded for their behind-the-scenes work throughout the season to help keep the Dons in top competitive shape.

New this year will be the recognition of 2017-18's Best Moment, awarded to one female and male athlete. The award is the only one of the Hilltop Awards to be voted on by peers and Dons fans. Finalists will be announced on the morning of Tuesday April 24. Voting will go live simultaneously on Twitter and Facebook. Fans can vote as many times as they'd like thru 9 p.m. on Saturday. The winner of both the female and male 2017-18 Best Moment will be determined Saturday night by a tally of votes gathered through the week on social media. It will be announced at the Hilltop Awards on Sunday evening.
 

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2017 Hilltop Awards and Finalists:

Athletic Performance Carpe Diem Award
Winners selected by Hilltop Awards Committee
 
Newcomer of the Year
Female
Erin Anthony (volleyball)
Anna Dalla Vecchia (beach volleyball)
Lizzie Bird (Cross Country)
Samantha Lind (Track and Field)
Joan Soewondo (golf)
Mya Bui (tennis)
Shannon Powell (basketball)

Male
Souley Boum (basketball)
Soren Lind (golf)
Jonathan Allen (baseball)
Ruben Stuiver (soccer)
Jack Rowe (Cross Country and Track)
Toby Briggs (golf)
 
Stephen Privett, S.J. Award
Margarita Treyes (women's tennis)
Nate Renfro (men's basketball)
Kalyn Simon (women's basketball)
 
Charles Harney Award
Winners determined by GPA achieved 

Dante Benedetti Award
Female
Marie Bouchard (Cross Country and Track)
Madelyn LaFollette (beach volleyball)
Emily Zinger (volleyball)
Izzie Lueken (soccer)
Amber Del Rosario (tennis)
 
Male
Bryce Kaminski (soccer)
Marco Barretto (tennis)
Michael Perri (baseball)
Jordan Ratinho (basketball)
Jalen Griffin (golf)
 
Spirit of '51 Award
Winners selected by Hilltop Awards Committee
 
Four Pillars Award
Female
Emily Laskin (golf)
Sonja Giraud (soccer)
Kalyn Simon (basketball)
 
Male
Chase Foster (basketball)
Johan Joenhagen (tennis)
Leon Schwarzer (soccer)
Grant Goodman (baseball)
 
Anne Dolan Award - Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year
Charlotte Taylor (Cross Country and Track)
Anna Seilund (basketball)
Sonja Giraud (soccer)
Vanessa Ha (golf)
Marie Bouchard (Track and Cross Country)

Bill Russell Award – Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year
Leon Schwarzer (soccer)
Tom Ponticelli (baseball)
Jack Rowe (Cross Country and Track)
Frankie Ferrari (basketball)
Tim Widing (golf)
 
Spirit Squad: Rookie of the Year
Winners selected by Hilltop Awards Committee

Spirit Squad: Spirit Award
Winners selected by Hilltop Awards Committee

Nicole Siegal Athletic Training Student of the Year
*Winners determined by USF training staff