Staff report
Louisiana Tech bowling senior Ashley Channell and baseball redshirt junior Jonathan Fincher were the recipients of the Presidential Awards at the 2021 Techspys held Monday night at the Thomas Assembly Center.
The year-end “Academy Awards”-style show highlighted all of the academic and athletic accomplishments of the Louisiana Tech student-athletes for the past year. Due to the cancellation of the 2020 spring seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Techspys focused on the accomplishments of the 2020-21 seasons through competitions played by April 19.
Channell and Fincher were honored with the Presidential Award presented by University President Les Guice, which is the highest honor bestowed upon a Tech student-athlete who best epitomizes what it means to be a role model Lady Techster and Bulldog. The duo was recognized for their hard work on the playing fields and in the classroom.
The Team GPA Award went to the Lady Techster cross country team while the SAAC Award (Community Service) was awarded to men’s and women’s cross country. The Tenets of Tech Award was given to the student-athletes in each program that best exemplify the 12 guiding principles that exemplify the qualities that Tech students should possess upon graduating.
The Tenets of Tech recipients were: Jonathan Fincher (baseball), Steele Netterville (baseball), Kaitlyn Eder (bowling), Trey Baldwin (football), Isaiah Graham (football), Eric Kendzior (football), Joshua Mote (football), Mac Murphy (golf), Amorie Archibald (men’s basketball), Mason Youberg (men’s cross country), Nolan Walker (men’s track and field), Amber Posthauer (soccer), Zoe Hicks (softball), Ilana Tetruashvili (tennis), Emily Boylan (volleyball), Lotte Sant (women’s basketball), Riley Killian (women’s cross country) and Johannon Murray (women’s track and field).
In the individual categories, Jarret Whorff (baseball) and Kaitlyn Eder (bowling) took home the Male and Female Performance of the Year awards, while Kenneth Lofton, Jr. (men’s basketball) and Keiunna Walker (women’s basketball) earned the Male and Female Play of the Year.
The 2021 Techspys also recognized the LA Tech student-athletes who earned various academic and athletic conference and postseason awards.
The night included singing performance by Walker and Jordan Myles (football), as well as a performance by the Louisiana Tech cheer team.
MALE PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR: Jarret Whorff (baseball) – Pitched a two-hit shutout against No. 1 Arkansas, striking out 10.
FEMALE PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR: Kaitlyn Eder (Bowling) – Kaitlyn Eder was named the 2020 Track Kat Klash MVP after leading the then-No. 9 Louisiana Tech bowling team to a second-place finish. She finished first individually with a pin average of 228.
MALE PLAY OF THE YEAR: Kenneth Lofton, Jr. (MBB) – Game-winning bucket in the final second of the NIT consolation game against Colorado State.
FEMALE PLAY OF THE YEAR: Keiunna Walker (WBB) – With the Lady Techsters trailing 48-47 and time running out on their season, junior Keiunna Walker made a season-saving, acrobatic basket to beat Marshall in the first round of the conference tournament.