Dupuy, Wickware Earn Spirit of Miami Award
4/20/2015 12:00:00 AM | General
OXFORD, Ohio—Miami University football’s Chrishawn Dupuy and women’s cross country/track and field’s Taylor Wickware are the 2015 recipients of the ninth annual Spirit of Miami Award, presented to both a female and male senior student-athlete for each of their exceptional enthusiastic commitments to their teams.
The awards were presented Monday night (April 20) at the athletic department's annual Senior Dessert at Miami’s Shriver Center.
The Spirit of Miami Award is presented annually to the seniors who have demonstrated extraordinary dedication to their team. They were the "spirit" of the team, the team members who strived without recognition, achieved humbly for the benefit of the team and passionately contributed behind-the-scenes for the sheer privilege of experience, loyalty and investment in academic and athletic opportunity.
The winners personify the Miami University motto...
"Prodesse quam conspici" - to accomplish without being conspicuous.
Dupuy owns a 3.4 GPA in sports management. He quickly emerged as a leader within the athletic department, serving for four years as a football representative on the RedHawk Council and also being selected to represent Miami at the Mid-American Conference Leadership meetings. During his time at Miami Dupuy gave back to the community, taking part in several community service projects. Playing in 35 games in his Miami career, an injury cut his senior season short. Dupuy, however, continued to make a positive impact on the RedHawks.
“Chrishawn never lost his enthusiasm for the game or his teammates,” said the Miami football staff in their nomination of Chrishawn. “He attended every practice, encouraging his teammates to continue working hard and stay positive as they worked to meet the high expectations put into place by Coach Martin and his staff. During games, he was on the sideline cheering on his teammates and never did you see him exhibit any signs that he was feeling sorry for himself. His enthusiasm never waned. He understood that his role after the injury was to bring positive energy and body language to practice and games.”
Wickware owns a 3.9 GPA and majors in zoology with a concentration in pre-veterinary studies. Wickware raced two years in cross country and three years in track. A returning MAC scorer in track, she had her senior season taken away after being hit by a car in the fall. Despite multiple surgeries and metal rods placed in both legs which caused her to miss a month of school and caused many every-day obstacles, Wickware continued her studies and rehabilitation at Miami and prepares for veterinary school at Ohio State next year.
“Being the loyal teammate she has always been, Taylor has come to practices and meets on crutches to cheer her teammates on, and never with anything but a smile on her face. It takes a lot to be a student-athlete but even more to have your sport taken away from you in a blink of an eye and yet still fake it for the sake of the team and cheer, support and truly get excited when her teammates do well,” said head women’s cross country/track and field coach Kelly Phillips and teammate Jess Hoover in their nomination of Wickware. “She is an inspiration to her teammates, friends and coaches and is an incredible example of what it looks like to be a relentless champion while faced with great adversity.”
John and Lois Cocanougher, a Miami merger, created an endowment and named the award in honor of John's father--John E. Cocanougher, Sr. Mr. and Mrs. Cocanougher were present for Monday night's ceremony.
Spirit of Miami Award Winners:
2015 -- Chrishawn Dupuy, football; Taylor Wickware, women’s cross country/track and field
2014 -- Bryon Paulazzo, hockey; Erica Howes, women’s cross country/track and field
2013 -- Ian Joyce, men’s swimming; Laura Krueger, women’s swimming
2012 -- Brian Gallagher, men’s cross country/track and field; Martha Buckley, synchronized skating
2011 -- Sean Mock, men’s basketball; Rachelle Boff, soccer
2010 -- Andrew Mock, golf; Lindsay Randall, softball
2009 -- Rion Robinson, football; Stephanie Wilson, soccer
2008 -- Charlie Effinger, hockey; Sarah Fletcher, women’s track and field
2007 -- Dan Leonard, baseball; Jamie Morris, men’s swimming; Shannon Chew, soccer; Laura Vlasek, tennis
