UT Martin Athletics Holds Annual UTMmys Award Show Presented By Leaders Credit Union
4/20/2026 10:03:00 PM | Baseball, General, Men's Basketball, Softball, Women's Basketball, Soccer, Men's Cross Country, Men's Track and Field
MARTIN, Tenn. – As the 2025-26 athletic year rolls to a close, the University of Tennessee at Martin department of athletics held its annual UTMmys presented by Leaders Credit Union on Monday evening.
As a year full of triumphs and successes were celebrated, the Skyhawks honored the best-of-the-best at the program's annual award show. Highlighting the night was the announcement of the 2025-26 Bob Carroll Male Athlete of the Year and Bettye Giles Female Athlete of the Year awards. UT Martin's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee also chose five separate award winners while the athletic department recognized three additional honorees (Col. William R. Kaler Academic Achievement Award, Phil Dane Community Service Award, Jerry Carpenter Spirit of the Skyhawk Award).
There was a tie in the Bob Carroll Male Athlete of the Year voting as Luke Johnson (men's cross country/track and field) and TJ Grines (baseball) each brought home the award. Johnson helped the Skyhawks rewrite the history books this season after not only winning Athlete of the Championship honors with his first place finish at the 2025 OVC Cross Country Championship but also lifted his team to the program's first league title. Along with his historic work during cross country season, he claimed more All-OVC honors with a podium finish in the men's 3k at the 2026 OVC Indoor Track and Field Championships. For Grines, he has been electric out of the leadoff spot and on the basepaths for the Skyhawks this season. He leads the country with 40 stolen bases on the season while setting new program single-season and career stolen base records. As a whole, he is boasting a .351 batting average with 14 doubles, three triples, five home runs and 36 RBIs on the season.
The Bettye Giles Female Athlete of the Year award was given to softball standout Avary Makarewicz. The catcher has been a force in the middle of the order for the Skyhawks who currently sit second in the OVC standings while leading the league in home runs (nine) and RBIs (42) on the season. In total, she has boasted a .364 batting average while compiling 20 extra base hits and boasting a .996 field average with 19 assists.
The SAAC awards included presentations for Clutch Performance (Sami Scholtz's no-hitter against Southeast Missouri), Newcomer of the Year (men's basketball's Matas Deniusas and soccer's Ava Huntrods), Signature Win (men's cross country's OVC Championship win), Coach of the Year (cross country's Jolyta Fuller and Anthony Palacio) and Team of the Year (men's cross country).
The Col. William R. Kaler Academic Achievement Award went to women's basketball standout Kenley McCarn while the Phil Dane Community Service Award was received by Lamine Niang from the men's basketball squad. Parker Gelinas from the soccer team earned the Jerry Carpenter Spirit of the Skyhawk Award.
As a year full of triumphs and successes were celebrated, the Skyhawks honored the best-of-the-best at the program's annual award show. Highlighting the night was the announcement of the 2025-26 Bob Carroll Male Athlete of the Year and Bettye Giles Female Athlete of the Year awards. UT Martin's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee also chose five separate award winners while the athletic department recognized three additional honorees (Col. William R. Kaler Academic Achievement Award, Phil Dane Community Service Award, Jerry Carpenter Spirit of the Skyhawk Award).
There was a tie in the Bob Carroll Male Athlete of the Year voting as Luke Johnson (men's cross country/track and field) and TJ Grines (baseball) each brought home the award. Johnson helped the Skyhawks rewrite the history books this season after not only winning Athlete of the Championship honors with his first place finish at the 2025 OVC Cross Country Championship but also lifted his team to the program's first league title. Along with his historic work during cross country season, he claimed more All-OVC honors with a podium finish in the men's 3k at the 2026 OVC Indoor Track and Field Championships. For Grines, he has been electric out of the leadoff spot and on the basepaths for the Skyhawks this season. He leads the country with 40 stolen bases on the season while setting new program single-season and career stolen base records. As a whole, he is boasting a .351 batting average with 14 doubles, three triples, five home runs and 36 RBIs on the season.
The Bettye Giles Female Athlete of the Year award was given to softball standout Avary Makarewicz. The catcher has been a force in the middle of the order for the Skyhawks who currently sit second in the OVC standings while leading the league in home runs (nine) and RBIs (42) on the season. In total, she has boasted a .364 batting average while compiling 20 extra base hits and boasting a .996 field average with 19 assists.
The SAAC awards included presentations for Clutch Performance (Sami Scholtz's no-hitter against Southeast Missouri), Newcomer of the Year (men's basketball's Matas Deniusas and soccer's Ava Huntrods), Signature Win (men's cross country's OVC Championship win), Coach of the Year (cross country's Jolyta Fuller and Anthony Palacio) and Team of the Year (men's cross country).
The Col. William R. Kaler Academic Achievement Award went to women's basketball standout Kenley McCarn while the Phil Dane Community Service Award was received by Lamine Niang from the men's basketball squad. Parker Gelinas from the soccer team earned the Jerry Carpenter Spirit of the Skyhawk Award.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Soccer
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/ Soccer
/ Men's Track and Field
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/ Softball
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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