2025-26 Miami Athletics Award Winners Unveiled
7/17/2026 9:57:00 AM | Baseball, Field Hockey, General, Men's Basketball, Hockey, Softball, Track & Field, Cross Country
OXFORD, Ohio—Miami University announced the recipients of its annual awards for the 2025-26 academic year today. The honorees will be recognized on the field at the home football game vs. Holy Cross on Saturday, Sept. 12.
Peter Suder (men's basketball) was named Miami's Male Athlete of the Year, while Berta Mata (field hockey) earned Female Athlete of the Year honors. Blake Mesenburg (hockey) and Riley Mazzalupi (field hockey) were named Male and Female Scholar Athlete of the Year, respectively.
Carson Byers (baseball) and Madie Patton (softball) received the Dr. Phillip Shriver Graduating Champions Medal of Honor. The Shriver medals recognize outstanding graduating male and female student-athletes who have been members of a championship team during their careers, along with being leaders and epitomizing Love and Honor.
This year's Darrell Hedric Award went to Ben Riegel (track and field), with Emily Eterovich (track and field) earning the Leann Grimes Davidge Award. These awards (in honor of Miami alumnus, former men's basketball coach and associate athletic director emeritus Darrell Hedric and in memory of former women's tennis coach Leann Grimes Davidge) are presented to a male and female student-athlete who exemplify outstanding qualities of leadership, scholarship, community service, sportsmanship and athletic achievement.
Andrew Sawyer won the Dr. David G. Shrider Academic Impact Award and Dr. Melissa Chase received the Darcy Shriver Academic Impact Award. These awards honor influential administrators, instructors, faculty or staff members who demonstrate exceptional commitment to the student-athlete experience in pursuit of Graduating Champions. Sawyer is the Education Outreach Specialist at the Myaamia Center and Chase serves as chair of the Department of Sport, Leadership and Management.
Suder led Miami to an unforgettable men's basketball season, helping the RedHawks go 31-0 in the regular season and 32-2 overall (including a win in the NCAA Tournament). Suder averaged 14.8 points per game to go along with 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.3 steals. The Carmel, Ind. native was named MAC Player of the Year and earned First-Team All-MAC and Academic All-MAC honors while sparking Miami to its first MAC regular-season championship since 2005. He was also a finalist for the 2025-26 Lou Henson Award, which recognizes the top player in mid-major college basketball. Suder, who earned a Bachelor's degree in Sport Management from Miami's College of Education, Health and Society, recently signed a two-way contract with the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers.
Mata helped Miami Field Hockey advance to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history last fall. She was voted an All-American by Synapse Sports (First Team) and the NFHCA (Second Team) in addition to earning MAC Defensive Player of the Year honors. Mata also was part of the MAC All-Tournament Team, was recognized as First-Team All-MAC and was named Academic All-MAC. The Barcelona, Spain native broke Miami's single-season record for assists with 22 and added eight goals to give her 38 points on the year. She played a total of 87 games for Miami over four years, racking up 12 goals and 41 assists. Mata earned a degree in Microbiology from Miami's College of Arts and Science.
Mesenburg, a four-time NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete, played 119 games for Miami Hockey over the past four seasons, producing nine goals and six assists. He was an integral part of Miami's leadership group for the past two seasons and was a significant part of the RedHawks' turnaround this past winter (a historic 15-win improvement from the previous season). Mesenburg became the first Miami student-athlete to win the NCHC Sportsmanship Award and was named a finalist for Team IMPACT's 2026 national Teammate of the Year Award. The Orono, Minn. native also earned the President's Distinguished Service Award from Miami University in 2026 and was a CSC Academic All-District selection in 2024. He earned his Bachelor's degree from the Farmer School of Business this spring with majors in Finance and Accountancy.
Mazzalupi was a three-time Academic All-MAC honoree and was recognized on the NFHCA Academic Team in 2025. She played in 70 games for Miami Field Hockey over the past four years and helped the RedHawks to a remarkable 59-29 record in that span with eight MAC championships (four regular-season, four tournament). Miami played in the NCAA Tournament in each of her four seasons and advanced to the program's first Elite Eight in 2025. Mazzalupi was honored with the MAC Medal of Excellence earlier this year. The Wayne, Pa. native earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Business Analytics from Miami's Farmer School of Business.
Byers was an integral part of three MAC championships with Miami Baseball, winning the 2025 regular-season and tournament titles and adding a regular-season trophy in 2026. He was named First-Team All-MAC in 2024, claiming MAC Reliever of the Year honors that season, and also earned a Second-Team All-MAC nod in 2025. The Mattawan, Mich. native is a two-time Academic All-District selection and a three-time Academic All-MAC honoree, and he received the MAC's Medal of Excellence in 2026. He went 15-7 on the mound for the Red and White over four years, adding 11 saves and producing 264 strikeouts in 244.1 innings pitched. Byers graduated with a degree in Human Capital Management and Leadership from the Farmer School of Business.
Patton earned six MAC Championships during her four years with Miami Softball, winning three regular-season crowns and three tournament titles. The Oxford, Ohio native (and daughter of two former Miami student-athletes) appeared in 64 games over her career with a .257 batting average, a .476 slugging percentage and five home runs. She has also represented the Red and White in a variety of settings outside her sport, including volunteering in the community, speaking at new student orientation events and serving as an in-game host at Miami football and basketball games. Patton graduated with a degree in Sport Communication and Media from Miami's College of Education, Health and Society.
Riegel capped an impressive career with the Miami track and field program by securing a bronze medal in the shot put at the 2026 MAC Outdoor Championships, moving into fourth on the RedHawks' all-time list for that event in the process. He also ranks third in Miami's record books in the hammer throw. The native of Centerburg, Ohio produced four different top-two finishes in shot put this spring. Riegel is a multi-year Academic All-MAC honoree and earned his Bachelor's degree from Miami's College of Arts and Science with majors in Biochemistry and Biology. He is currently engaged in graduate-level laboratory research on pancreatic cancer cell signaling as he pursues a Master of Cell, Molecular, and Structural Biology from Miami.
Eterovich graduated from Miami having scored for the RedHawks in all eight MAC Championship meets during her career (four indoor, four outdoor). She overcame a potentially career-ending injury this spring to take fifth in pole vault and keep that streak alive. Eterovich has been named Academic All-MAC (indoor and outdoor) for three years in a row, and was a Second-Team All-MAC honoree in 2024 when she captured silver at the MAC Indoor Championships. The Sagamore Hills, Ohio native also won a bronze medal at the following year's MAC indoor meet. She was recognized as CSC Academic All-District in 2026 for her accomplishments in her sport and in the classroom. Eterovich earned her degree in Accountancy from the Farmer School of Business.
Peter Suder (men's basketball) was named Miami's Male Athlete of the Year, while Berta Mata (field hockey) earned Female Athlete of the Year honors. Blake Mesenburg (hockey) and Riley Mazzalupi (field hockey) were named Male and Female Scholar Athlete of the Year, respectively.
Carson Byers (baseball) and Madie Patton (softball) received the Dr. Phillip Shriver Graduating Champions Medal of Honor. The Shriver medals recognize outstanding graduating male and female student-athletes who have been members of a championship team during their careers, along with being leaders and epitomizing Love and Honor.
This year's Darrell Hedric Award went to Ben Riegel (track and field), with Emily Eterovich (track and field) earning the Leann Grimes Davidge Award. These awards (in honor of Miami alumnus, former men's basketball coach and associate athletic director emeritus Darrell Hedric and in memory of former women's tennis coach Leann Grimes Davidge) are presented to a male and female student-athlete who exemplify outstanding qualities of leadership, scholarship, community service, sportsmanship and athletic achievement.
Andrew Sawyer won the Dr. David G. Shrider Academic Impact Award and Dr. Melissa Chase received the Darcy Shriver Academic Impact Award. These awards honor influential administrators, instructors, faculty or staff members who demonstrate exceptional commitment to the student-athlete experience in pursuit of Graduating Champions. Sawyer is the Education Outreach Specialist at the Myaamia Center and Chase serves as chair of the Department of Sport, Leadership and Management.
Suder led Miami to an unforgettable men's basketball season, helping the RedHawks go 31-0 in the regular season and 32-2 overall (including a win in the NCAA Tournament). Suder averaged 14.8 points per game to go along with 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.3 steals. The Carmel, Ind. native was named MAC Player of the Year and earned First-Team All-MAC and Academic All-MAC honors while sparking Miami to its first MAC regular-season championship since 2005. He was also a finalist for the 2025-26 Lou Henson Award, which recognizes the top player in mid-major college basketball. Suder, who earned a Bachelor's degree in Sport Management from Miami's College of Education, Health and Society, recently signed a two-way contract with the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers.
Mata helped Miami Field Hockey advance to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history last fall. She was voted an All-American by Synapse Sports (First Team) and the NFHCA (Second Team) in addition to earning MAC Defensive Player of the Year honors. Mata also was part of the MAC All-Tournament Team, was recognized as First-Team All-MAC and was named Academic All-MAC. The Barcelona, Spain native broke Miami's single-season record for assists with 22 and added eight goals to give her 38 points on the year. She played a total of 87 games for Miami over four years, racking up 12 goals and 41 assists. Mata earned a degree in Microbiology from Miami's College of Arts and Science.
Mesenburg, a four-time NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete, played 119 games for Miami Hockey over the past four seasons, producing nine goals and six assists. He was an integral part of Miami's leadership group for the past two seasons and was a significant part of the RedHawks' turnaround this past winter (a historic 15-win improvement from the previous season). Mesenburg became the first Miami student-athlete to win the NCHC Sportsmanship Award and was named a finalist for Team IMPACT's 2026 national Teammate of the Year Award. The Orono, Minn. native also earned the President's Distinguished Service Award from Miami University in 2026 and was a CSC Academic All-District selection in 2024. He earned his Bachelor's degree from the Farmer School of Business this spring with majors in Finance and Accountancy.
Mazzalupi was a three-time Academic All-MAC honoree and was recognized on the NFHCA Academic Team in 2025. She played in 70 games for Miami Field Hockey over the past four years and helped the RedHawks to a remarkable 59-29 record in that span with eight MAC championships (four regular-season, four tournament). Miami played in the NCAA Tournament in each of her four seasons and advanced to the program's first Elite Eight in 2025. Mazzalupi was honored with the MAC Medal of Excellence earlier this year. The Wayne, Pa. native earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Business Analytics from Miami's Farmer School of Business.
Byers was an integral part of three MAC championships with Miami Baseball, winning the 2025 regular-season and tournament titles and adding a regular-season trophy in 2026. He was named First-Team All-MAC in 2024, claiming MAC Reliever of the Year honors that season, and also earned a Second-Team All-MAC nod in 2025. The Mattawan, Mich. native is a two-time Academic All-District selection and a three-time Academic All-MAC honoree, and he received the MAC's Medal of Excellence in 2026. He went 15-7 on the mound for the Red and White over four years, adding 11 saves and producing 264 strikeouts in 244.1 innings pitched. Byers graduated with a degree in Human Capital Management and Leadership from the Farmer School of Business.
Patton earned six MAC Championships during her four years with Miami Softball, winning three regular-season crowns and three tournament titles. The Oxford, Ohio native (and daughter of two former Miami student-athletes) appeared in 64 games over her career with a .257 batting average, a .476 slugging percentage and five home runs. She has also represented the Red and White in a variety of settings outside her sport, including volunteering in the community, speaking at new student orientation events and serving as an in-game host at Miami football and basketball games. Patton graduated with a degree in Sport Communication and Media from Miami's College of Education, Health and Society.
Riegel capped an impressive career with the Miami track and field program by securing a bronze medal in the shot put at the 2026 MAC Outdoor Championships, moving into fourth on the RedHawks' all-time list for that event in the process. He also ranks third in Miami's record books in the hammer throw. The native of Centerburg, Ohio produced four different top-two finishes in shot put this spring. Riegel is a multi-year Academic All-MAC honoree and earned his Bachelor's degree from Miami's College of Arts and Science with majors in Biochemistry and Biology. He is currently engaged in graduate-level laboratory research on pancreatic cancer cell signaling as he pursues a Master of Cell, Molecular, and Structural Biology from Miami.
Eterovich graduated from Miami having scored for the RedHawks in all eight MAC Championship meets during her career (four indoor, four outdoor). She overcame a potentially career-ending injury this spring to take fifth in pole vault and keep that streak alive. Eterovich has been named Academic All-MAC (indoor and outdoor) for three years in a row, and was a Second-Team All-MAC honoree in 2024 when she captured silver at the MAC Indoor Championships. The Sagamore Hills, Ohio native also won a bronze medal at the following year's MAC indoor meet. She was recognized as CSC Academic All-District in 2026 for her accomplishments in her sport and in the classroom. Eterovich earned her degree in Accountancy from the Farmer School of Business.
Players Mentioned
LHP
/ Baseball
Sprints/Hurdles/Jumps
/ Track & Field, Cross Country
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/ Field Hockey
Midfielder
/ Field Hockey
Forward
/ Hockey
UT
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Throws
/ Track & Field, Cross Country
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