All-Time Golden Wings Award Winners
By Mike Lehman, TTU Sporting activities Facts
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech Athletics ongoing its recognition of the very best and brightest of its more than 300 university student-athletes by releasing two much more winners of its 2021 Golden Wings Awards.
On Wednesday, the Golden Eagle tennis crew was identified as the Group of the Year. Also produced was the Perform of the Year winner, heading to soccer’s Gabby Garcia for her golden objective in Tech’s additional time win about Jap Illinois.
For the tennis staff, it represented the fifth time in 6 several years declaring Workforce of the Yr honors, sharing the recognition in 2016, 2017 and 2018 and having the award outright in 2020. The Golden Eagles claimed its eighth OVC common-period title in the previous 10 complete seasons next yet another undefeated meeting slate that noticed Tech put up a 5- file in league perform.
After setting up the yr -5, with all five losses to “Energy 5” universities, the Golden Eagles ended the normal period on a 9-match profitable streak. TTU outscored its opponents 31-5 in conference action. Profitable 10 straight matches general, Tech fell in the OVC Event championship match towards Belmont soon after COVID-19 protocols pressured the purple and gold to contend with just five gamers. Tech was narrowly edged by the Bruins, 4-3, even with what seemed like insurmountable odds.
In the club’s initial house motion because Oct. 25, 2019, the Golden Eagle soccer team gave their fans extra than a fair share of dramatics, as Garcia scored four minutes into time beyond regulation to press Tech to a 1- acquire around Jap Illinois. The freshman chipped in the recreation-winner more than the outstretched hands of the Panther goalkeeper from 20 yards out to supply the thrilling victory.
Garcia’s 1st job aim lifted the purple and gold to a 3– start off, marking the first time since 2015 in which Tech has started off OVC play with three consecutive wins and the first time considering the fact that 2004 that TTU has commenced a time 3–. The Golden Eagles gained all three matches by 1- margins to develop into the 1st purple and gold squad in application history to get started a time with three straight shutouts.
The Golden Wings Awards, which enters its sixth year, is an end-of-the-year award ceremony for the Tennessee Tech College scholar-athletes to honor and celebrate their academic and athletic accomplishments more than the earlier entire seasons. With the cancellation of final year’s spring seasons thanks to COVID-19, this year’s awards time body turned simpler than in year’s past when various years had been employed to let for a extra total and good subject of possibilities. This year, all awards were being picked from the achievements from the 2020-21 athletic year.
Beforehand, baseball, softball, outside track & industry, men’s golf, women’s golf and tennis nominees were picked from their prior year of competitors to allow a more finish campaign from which to get nominees. The once-a-year awards present was officially cancelled for a second calendar year owing to complications with scheduling and COVID-19 protocols. Like the 2020 awards, the choice was designed to even now honor the college student-athletes for their achievements from one of the most special athletic yrs in background.
Prior to the initial Golden Wings Awards clearly show, Tennessee Tech Athletics annually presented 4 awards to deserving college student-athletes, such as Male Athlete of the Yr, Woman Athlete of the 12 months, Male of the Yr and Woman of the Yr. The first honor established, for the 1990-91 tutorial 12 months, was the Girl of the 12 months Award, coinciding with the initially NCAA Female of the Yr Award. Two yrs later, in 1992-93, Tech recognized its Guy of the Yr Award. Equally the Male Athlete of the Yr and Feminine Athlete of the Year honors were being additional for the 1993-94 tutorial calendar year. The 4 honors were being formally adopted into the Golden Wings Awards, including standards, for the 2016-17 tutorial 12 months.