Several events at the end of the spring 2025 semester honored student achievement in academics, athletics, research and leadership.
First in line were the 3rd annual Leadership Awards, followed by the Academic Awards, held during the final two convocations of the school year, April 28 and May 5, respectively. Finally, athletic awards were presented at the annual Threshpys banquet and celebration on May 10.
The Office of Student Life organizes the Leadership Awards, and presented the following for 2024-25:
● Social Justice Advocate Award – Bethel College Community for Justice and Peace
● Bridge Builder Award – Ben Rudeen, graduating senior from Osage City, Kan.
● Commitment to Service Award – Taryn Paulino
● Community Assistant of the Year – Tre August
● Emerging Leader Award – Emma Graber
● Established Leader Award – Ben Rudeen, graduating senior from Osage City, Kan.
● Student Supporter of the Year – Dr. Will Wiebe-Friesen
● Student Ambassador of the Year – Sadie Jensen
● Student Organization Program/Collaboration of the Year – Diversity Council
● Seth Dunn Memorial Award – Taryn Paulino
● Student Organization Adviser of the Year – Damon Klassen (BCCJP)
● Most Promising New Student Organization – Software Society
● “Be the Example” Award – Laynie Mayes
At the May 5 convocation, three graduating seniors received Thresher Awards, Bethel’s highest academic honor.
Dr. Cristy Dougherty, associate professor of communication arts and director of forensics, gave a Thresher Award to Emil Benavides, Stockton, Kan., a music and education major.
Peter Buller, a Bible and religion major from Inman, Kan., had three presenters for his Thresher Award: Peter Goerzen, assistant professor of Bible and religion, and Dr. Trent Voth, assistant professor of Bible and religion, along with Dr. Christina Liu, associate professor of music.
Finally, David Long, professor of visual arts and design, gave a Thresher Award to Gracie Higgins, Tacoma, Wash., an art major.
All three students graduated from Bethel on May 18.
Among the other academic awards presented were:
● Dorothy Wedel Kaufman Honor Scholarships in English, to Frank Driscoll, Jasper Krehbiel, Louisa Lehmann and Emilee Phoon
● Writing Fellowship awards, to Mason Bolen, Frank Driscoll and Jasper Krehbiel
● J. Lloyd Spaulding Award for Economics and Business, to Josiah Buller
● Ray and Betty Funk Prize for Entrepreneurship, to Damarion Anderson and Taryn Paulino
● Teachers of Promise: Sophie Girtz, graduating senior from Valley Center, Kan., and Eli Regier, graduating senior from Newton
The chemistry faculty presented the following:
● Outstanding Senior in Chemistry, 2024-25 – Claire Broxterman, graduating senior from Lindsborg, Kan.
● Outstanding Junior in Chemistry, 2024-25 – Caleb Koontz
● Outstanding Sophomore in Chemistry, 2024-25 – Karissa Wilson
● Outstanding Freshman in Chemistry, 2024-25 – Sarah Koehn
There were several special awards given in art and in theater.
David Long presented awards for “Outstanding Service in Visual Arts and Design” to April Powls and Lizzie Schmucker, graduating senior from Goessel, Kan.
He also gave the 2nd annual Leslie Leupp Awards, which go to one or more incoming seniors who have excelled in the visual arts, to Nick Collins and Tre August.
Damon Klassen, technical director of theater, gave an “Outstanding Theater Student” award to Emily Guldner, graduating senior from Independence, Mo.
The Kansas Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (KIPCOR) recognized the winners of the annual C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest: first place, Lynnzey Young, graduating senior from Gas City, Ind.; second place, Paton Buller; third place, Josué Coy Dick; and fourth place, Isaiah Smith.
The athletic awards, the Threshpys, included a number of special awards. Among these:
● Gerry Sieber Service Award, to Adam Akers, director of facilities;
● Douglas A. Penner Champion of Character Scholarships, to Samuel Hernandez, men’s soccer, and Daniela Casique, women’s tennis;
● Diane Sanders Flickner Outstanding Female Athlete: Mia Roman, graduating senior from Prairie Village, Kan., volleyball and women’s track and field;
● George Rogers III Outstanding Male Athlete: Harper Jonas, graduating senior from Wichita, men’s basketball;
● Loren and Peggy Reusser Spirit Scholarships, to Jorge Batista, men’s tennis, Patty Huerta, women’s tennis, Josiah Buller, football, and Alayna Vines, volleyball;
● Athletic Alumni Impact Award: Frank Stucky
Other Thresher athletic achievement awards included:
● Freshmen of the Year: Zaidh Zihar, men’s tennis, and Abby Koontz, volleyball;
● Unsung Hero of the Year: Maddie Chupp, graduating senior from Goshen, Ind., volleyball;
● Breakthroughs of the Year: Eli Wiseman, graduating senior from Belle Plaine, Kan., men’s basketball, and Kate Rowland, women’s tennis;
● Newcomers of the Year: Kazimir Kromwijk, men’s soccer, and Laci Ownbey, graduating senior from Benton, Kan., volleyball;
● Threshpy Athletes of the Year: Carmelo Yakubu, men’s basketball, and Daniela Herrera, women’s tennis.
The Threshpys also recognized Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference athletic and academic achievements, and included the presentation of B Letter Awards and 4-year letter awards.
4-year letter winners
● Cheer – Faith Lindley
● Men’s cross country – Matthew Fleck, Luke Schmidt, Tobin Wise
● Football – Loggan Birch, D.J. Ciers, Rodrick Edwards, Robin Neely, Tate Seabolt
● Women’s golf – Elly Bertholf
● Men’s soccer – Adalsteinn Kristinsson, Lucas Pardo
● Softball – Claire Broxterman
● Men’s tennis – James Menard
● Women’s tennis – Daniela Herrera, Jenna Mahoney
● Men’s track and field – Luke Schmidt, Hayden Wallace, Tobin Wise
● Women’s track and field – Mia Roman
● Volleyball – Jordan Boone, Maddie Chupp, Mia Roman, Brooke Russell
B Letter Awards (4-year letter winners plus the following seniors)
● Men’s basketball – Ekene Duru, Joshua Hoar, Lorenzo Monopoli, Carter Reid, Eli Wiseman
● Women’s basketball – Taylor Hight, Lexi Jones, Celeste Lemus, Natalie Richards, Carley Robb, Lexi Robinson
● Cheer – Megan Brown, Conor Carey, Louisa Lehmann
● Dance – Abi Boese
● Football – Cody Baxter, Braiden Botterweck, Conor Carey, Jared Givens, James Goff, Daymon Levell, Cade Mason, James Menard, Noah Miller, Torriano Richardson, Hunter Riddick, Ben Rudeen, Ben Schmidt, Kainan Wade
● Men’s soccer – Akindotun Ogunbiyi “DT,” George Thompson
● Women’s soccer – Olivia Allen, Madison Bliss, Victoria Esquivel
● Softball – Ashley Bodine, Ella Caudill, Emily Demartino, Gracie Higgins, Anna Northcutt, Kayla Richardson
● Men’s tennis – Elias Harder, Joshua Leinbach, Jordan Twenter
● Men’s track and field – Braden Esau, Matthew Fleck, Corbin Unruh
● Women’s track and field – Myiah Logue
● Volleyball – Amaya Malhas, Laci Ownbey
KCAC athletic awards
● Men’s basketball – Carmelo Yakubu, All-KCAC 1st Team; Harper Jonas, All-KCAC Honorable Mention; Eli Wiseman, All-KCAC Honorable Mention; Trenton Patterson, All-Freshman Team
● Women’s basketball – Kendall Locke, All-KCAC 1st Team, All-Defense; Natalie Richards, All-KCAC 3rd Team; Madyson Mckinzie, All-KCAC Honorable Mention
● Cheer –Conor Carey, All-KCAC 2nd Team; Faith Lindley, All-KCAC Honorable Mention; Gavin Patton, All-KCAC Honorable Mention
● Dance – Mateya McCord, All-KCAC 1st Team
● Football – Noah Miller, All-KCAC 1st Team; Ernest Ferrier III, All-KCAC 1st Team; Josiah Buller, All-KCAC 2nd Team; Loggan Birch, All-KCAC 2nd Team; Josh Ciers, All-KCAC 2nd Team; Kenyon McMillian, All-KCAC 2nd Team, All-KCAC Honorable Mention-Special Teams; Robin Neely, All-KCAC 2nd Team; Torriano Richardson, All-KCAC 2nd Team; Tate Seabolt, All-KCAC 2nd Team; Reese Bennett, All-KCAC Honorable Mention; Larry Cherry, All-KCAC Honorable Mention; D.J. Ciers, All-KCAC Honorable Mention; Rodrick Edwards, All-KCAC Honorable Mention; Colton McCarty, All-KCAC Honorable Mention; Jaric Woodley, All-KCAC Honorable Mention
● Men’s soccer – Filip Maksimovic, All-KCAC 1st Team, Offensive Player of the Year; Lucas Pardo, All-KCAC 2nd Team; Andrija Mitkovic, All-KCAC Honorable Mention; Juan Volker, All-KCAC Honorable Mention
● Women’s soccer – Leonie Kuhrt, All-KCAC 2nd Team; Malaysia Larque, All-KCAC 2nd Team
● Softball – Ashley Bodine, All-KCAC 3rd Team; Ella Caudill, All-KCAC 3rd Team
● Men’s tennis – Petr Kollar, All-KCAC 1st Team; Billy Haoda, All-KCAC 2nd Team; Jorge Batista, All-KCAC 3rd Team; Zaidh Zihar, All-KCAC 3rd Team
● Women’s tennis – Daniela Herrera, Player of the Year, All-KCAC 1st Team; Patty Huerta, All-KCAC 3rd Team
● Volleyball – Darla Crow, All-KCAC 1st Team; Cameron Offerle, All-KCAC 1st Team; Laci Ownbey, All-KCAC 2nd Team; Mia Roman, All-KCAC 2nd Team; Kylah Carter, All-KCAC 3rd Team
Coach of the Year
● Joseph Gogus, cheer
● Kiley McCord, dance
● Gabe Johnson, tennis
Team of Character (based on academic achievement and service):
● Men’s cross country
● Women’s cross country
● Dance
● Men’s golf
● Women’s golf
NAIA All-American
● Daniela Herrera, women’s tennis (2nd Team)
NAIA Scholar-Athletes
● Men’s basketball – Carter Reid, Rowen Schulz
● Women’s basketball – Lexie Jones, Karlee Locke, Kendall Locke, Alexis Marlow, Madyson Mckinzie, Tiffany Popp, Abrial Ramirez, Natalie Richards, Alexiana Robinson, Elisabeth Rowe, Farah Shehab, Caryn Yoder
● Men’s cross country – Braden Esau, Marcus Fiedler, Tobin Wise
● Women’s cross country – Emma Graber, Taryn Paulino, Bethany Schrag
● Dance – Karleigh Buethner, Eliza Epp, Adrianna Floro
● Football – Loggan Birch, Josiah Buller, Frank Driscoll, James Goff, Daymon Levell, Colton McCarty, James Menard, Kaleb Scripsick, Tate Seabolt
● Men’s golf –Cayden Cundiff, Caleb Koontz, Jacob Regier, Kaleb Scripsick
● Men’s soccer – Mason Bolen, Logan Brunton, Andrija Mitkovic, Aleksa Oborina, Juan Volker
● Women’s soccer – Katie Rose Friesen Birky, Madison Bliss, Briseis Gomez, Grace Tommie Harthorn, Madison Strauss
● Softball – Cassie Albin, Claire Broxterman, Ella Caudill, Anna Northcutt, Abrial Ramirez
● Men’s tennis – James Menard, Moses Sawatzky, Jordan Twenter
● Women’s tennis – Daniela Casique, Grace Dawes, Patty Huerta, Paula López, Jenna Mahoney, Kate Rowland, Karissa Wilson, Charis Yager
● Men’s track and field (indoor and outdoor) – Seth Balzer, Josiah Buller, Braden Esau, Marcus Fiedler, Tobin Wise
● Women’s track and field (indoor and outdoor) – Carley Bartell, Emma Graber, Taryn Paulino, Mia Roman, Bethany Schrag
● Volleyball – Maddie Chupp, Gracia Duron, Ryleigh Foster, Amaya Malhas, Hannah Retallack, Mia Roman
KCAC Scholar-Athletes (all NAIA Scholar-Athletes plus the following):
● Men’s basketball – Nick Bonner, Jack Denton-Cardew, Breylen Harris, Donovan Ringenbach, Brayden Schilling, Eli Wiseman
● Cheer – Conor Carey, Camryn Entz, Louisa Lehmann, Faith Lindley
● Men’s cross country – Seth Balzer
● Football – Joshua Ciers, Ethan Cook, Thomas Ippolito, Ben Rudeen, Ben Schmidt, Jayden Seabolt
● Men’s soccer –Javier Fraire, Lucas Pardo, Dominic Rodriguez
● Volleyball – Jordan Boone, Camryn Entz, Laci Ownbey
Bethel is a four-year liberal arts college founded in 1887 and is the oldest Mennonite college in North America. Bethel was the first Kansas college or university to be named a Truth, Community Healing and Transformation (TCHT) Campus Center, in 2021. For more information, see www.bethelks.edu
