Photo by: Christina Leung
San Francisco Athletics Honors Student-Athletes at 15th Annual Hilltop Awards
5/21/2026 12:00:00 PM | Baseball, General, Men's Basketball, Men's Golf, Men's Soccer, Women's Basketball, Women's Golf, Women's Soccer, Women's Volleyball, Cross Country, Beach Volleyball, Track and Field, Triathlon
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - The University of San Francisco (USF) Athletics department held its 15th Annual Hilltop Awards recently on Friday, May 8 on the university's Hilltop campus.
Remarks on Friday evening included contributions from USF's Interim Director Stephanie Shrieve-Hawkins as student-athletes where honored for their academic and athletic excellence during the 2025-26 school year.
Following another tremendous year, Anna Büttner (cross country/triathlon) took home the Anne Dolan Female Athlete of the Year while David Raphael (men's soccer) received the Bill Russell Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year award. This marks the second straight year in which a student-athlete from men's soccer has been named Male Athlete of the Year.
Sol Castro (women's basketball) and Zack Ramppen (baseball) both won the Dante Benedetti Award, which is given annually to the male and female student-athletes who serve as an inspiration to their teammates through their unwavering sense of loyalty, self-sacrifice, unselfishness, positive attitude and hard work.
Candy Edokpaigbe (women's basketball) and Ben Norris (men's soccer) were both honored with the Newcomer of the Year awards.
The Stephen J. Privett, S.J. Award, which honors a student-athlete or team who demonstrated a commitment to a higher standard of learning and social justice through their outstanding work in the community, was given to Sophia Priester-Veasley (track & field) for the second straight year.
Maite Kuestner (triathlon) took home the Charles Haney Academic Award, which is given annually to the senior student-athlete who has maintained the highest-grade point average during their time at USF.
After tying for third in the final West Coast Conference (WCC) standings this spring, the USF baseball team received the Spirit of '51 Award. This honor is given annually to a 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 named in honor of USF's undefeated, untied and uninvited 1951 football team whose supreme triumph came in its stand against racial inequality.
Sol Castro (women's basketball) and Matthew Duggan (baseball) were each presented with the Performance Carpe Diem Award. Determined by the USF athletic performance staff, the award is presented to a male and female student athlete who displays maximum effort on and off the field of competition through a consistent commitment to nutrition, strength and conditioning, sports medicine and mental performance enhancement.
Rounding out the individual awards was Eva Pett (women's golf), who received the Roger and Claudia Salquist Athletic Director's Leadership Award, which is presented annually to a senior student-athlete who displays exemplary leadership throughout their time on the Hilltop.
14TH ANNUAL HILLTOP AWARD WINNERS:
Anne Dolan Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year: Anna Büttner (Women's Golf)
Bill Russell Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year: David Raphael (Men's Soccer)
Dante Benedetti Award: Sol Castro (Women's Basketball) and Zack Ramppen (Baseball)
Newcomer of the Year Award: Candy Edokpaigbe (Women's Basketball) and Ben Norris (Men's Soccer)
Stephen Privett, S.J. Award: Sophia Priester-Veasley (Track & Field) and Morgan McDonough (Men's Golf)
Spirit of '51 Award: Baseball
Charles Haney Academic Award: Maite Kuestner (Triathlon)
Athletic Performance Carpe Diem Award: Sol Castro (Women's Basketball) and Matthew Duggan (Men's Soccer)
Roger and Claudia Salquist Athleitc Director's Leadership Award: Eva Pett (Women's Golf)
Excellence Awards:
Awarded to male and female representatives from each team that have achieved a high level of excellence. This is decided by each coaching staff based on their own criteria.
For updates and more information on University of San Francisco Athletics, follow the Dons @DonsAthletics on X, @DonsAthletics on Instagram, @DonsAthletics on Facebook, @DonsAthletics on TikTok, and subscribe to our YouTube Channel @USFDonsAthletics.
Remarks on Friday evening included contributions from USF's Interim Director Stephanie Shrieve-Hawkins as student-athletes where honored for their academic and athletic excellence during the 2025-26 school year.
Following another tremendous year, Anna Büttner (cross country/triathlon) took home the Anne Dolan Female Athlete of the Year while David Raphael (men's soccer) received the Bill Russell Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year award. This marks the second straight year in which a student-athlete from men's soccer has been named Male Athlete of the Year.
Sol Castro (women's basketball) and Zack Ramppen (baseball) both won the Dante Benedetti Award, which is given annually to the male and female student-athletes who serve as an inspiration to their teammates through their unwavering sense of loyalty, self-sacrifice, unselfishness, positive attitude and hard work.
Candy Edokpaigbe (women's basketball) and Ben Norris (men's soccer) were both honored with the Newcomer of the Year awards.
The Stephen J. Privett, S.J. Award, which honors a student-athlete or team who demonstrated a commitment to a higher standard of learning and social justice through their outstanding work in the community, was given to Sophia Priester-Veasley (track & field) for the second straight year.
Maite Kuestner (triathlon) took home the Charles Haney Academic Award, which is given annually to the senior student-athlete who has maintained the highest-grade point average during their time at USF.
After tying for third in the final West Coast Conference (WCC) standings this spring, the USF baseball team received the Spirit of '51 Award. This honor is given annually to a 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 named in honor of USF's undefeated, untied and uninvited 1951 football team whose supreme triumph came in its stand against racial inequality.
Sol Castro (women's basketball) and Matthew Duggan (baseball) were each presented with the Performance Carpe Diem Award. Determined by the USF athletic performance staff, the award is presented to a male and female student athlete who displays maximum effort on and off the field of competition through a consistent commitment to nutrition, strength and conditioning, sports medicine and mental performance enhancement.
Rounding out the individual awards was Eva Pett (women's golf), who received the Roger and Claudia Salquist Athletic Director's Leadership Award, which is presented annually to a senior student-athlete who displays exemplary leadership throughout their time on the Hilltop.
14TH ANNUAL HILLTOP AWARD WINNERS:
Anne Dolan Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year: Anna Büttner (Women's Golf)
Bill Russell Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year: David Raphael (Men's Soccer)
Dante Benedetti Award: Sol Castro (Women's Basketball) and Zack Ramppen (Baseball)
Newcomer of the Year Award: Candy Edokpaigbe (Women's Basketball) and Ben Norris (Men's Soccer)
Stephen Privett, S.J. Award: Sophia Priester-Veasley (Track & Field) and Morgan McDonough (Men's Golf)
Spirit of '51 Award: Baseball
Charles Haney Academic Award: Maite Kuestner (Triathlon)
Athletic Performance Carpe Diem Award: Sol Castro (Women's Basketball) and Matthew Duggan (Men's Soccer)
Roger and Claudia Salquist Athleitc Director's Leadership Award: Eva Pett (Women's Golf)
Excellence Awards:
Awarded to male and female representatives from each team that have achieved a high level of excellence. This is decided by each coaching staff based on their own criteria.
| Baseball | Gabriel Barrett |
| Men's Basketball | Aidan Braccia |
| Women's Basketball | Candy Edokpaigbe |
| Men's Cross Country/Track & Field | Ethan O'Shea |
| Women's Cross Country/Track & Field | Faustine Chaboche + Lily Bosemark |
| Men's Golf | Renato Naula |
| Women's Golf | Eva Pett |
| Men's Soccer | Kian Jones |
| Women's Soccer | Ellie Weissenberg |
| Triathlon | Josi Seerig |
| Volleyball | Maeve Bailey |
| Beach Volleyball | Branson Lennon |
For updates and more information on University of San Francisco Athletics, follow the Dons @DonsAthletics on X, @DonsAthletics on Instagram, @DonsAthletics on Facebook, @DonsAthletics on TikTok, and subscribe to our YouTube Channel @USFDonsAthletics.
Players Mentioned
/ Triathlon
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
RHP
/ Baseball
/ Track and Field
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
/ Track and Field
D
/ Men's Soccer
G
/ Women's Basketball
MF
/ Men's Soccer
/ Cross Country
/ Beach Volleyball
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
MF
/ Men's Soccer
/ Track and Field
/ Women's Golf
/ Track and Field
C/INF
/ Baseball
F
/ Men's Soccer
/ Triathlon
MF
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