General 8/13/2019 2:36:00 PM Nicholas Huenefeld (@niklaustradamus)

@FGCUEagles honor four with Most Outstanding Athlete awards for 2018-19

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Former soccer defender Preston Kilwien has been named FGCU's Most Outstanding Male Athlete for 2018-19, while a trio of athletes shared the female award - rising volleyball/beach volleyball junior Cortney VanLiew, rising soccer senior Evdokia Popadinova and rising basketball senior Nasrin Ulel.

VanLiew follows fellow teammate Amanda Carroll in becoming the second straight winner among the volleyball program, while women's soccer has now won three years in a row and four of the past five. Men's soccer has nabbed two of the past three after then Hermann Trophy finalist/All American Albert Ruiz won in 2016-17. In fact, this is the second time in the award's history that three student-athletes split either award, joining the 2014-15 female trio of Emma Svensson (swimming), Tabby Tindell (soccer) and Whitney Knight (basketball).

The award honors the best FGCU male and female athlete(s) for the previous year. It has been handed out since 2002-03 – FGCU's first year as an NCAA member (NAIA: 2000-02; Division II: 2002-07) – and the award is presented annually at the Welcome Back Picnic, which this year will take place on Aug. 25.

All finalists, who are included at the end of this release, were selected by department head coaches and executive staff as the best among FGCU's 15 programs, earned all-conference first team honors or better and been named as a league player of the year (or superlative player of the year) in their respective sport in 2018-19.

Below is more information about each of the award winners.

PRESTON KILWIEN
A native of Pleasant Hill, Calif., Kilwien closed out his FGCU career by leading the Eagles to a share of their seventh ASUN regular season championship, which helped him earn the following individual accolades:

First Team All-ASUN
ASUN Defender of the Year
Second Team All-Atlantic Region

After winning preseason defensive player of the year, Kilwien lived up to his expectations as he earned the same award in the postseason, unanimously. A staple on the FGCU backline, the 6-4 defender logged nearly 1,500 minutes on the pitch in 2018, starting all 16 matches. He played the full 90 minutes or more on 12 occasions helping FGCU produce five shutouts for a league-leading 0.83 goals-against average. The third overall men's soccer player to win the award, he is currently a member of the New York Red Bulls Reserves USL Championship team.

Kilwien on the award: "I'm extremely honored to win the most outstanding male athlete of the year. FGCU helped me develop so much as a person and soccer player, and I will forever be grateful. I want to say thank you to my family, friends, all of my teammates and the staff for their continued support and belief. I look forward to watching the school and soccer program continue to flourish."

Head Coach Jesse Cormier on Kilwien: "Preston is a great 'process' story for the program. He started out as a tremendously gifted young man but suffered from inconsistency in his performance in his early years. But, with each year and season he improved - fall and spring. He would work religiously on refining key components to improve his game and, most importantly, he worked on himself. He learned key lessons and built his character and developed a strong mentality to become an excellent leader and the best defender in the ASUN. His talent combined with his character, coachability and work ethic made him unbeatable in practice and games, and he became a highly trusted central defender for us. His commitment and dedication eventually evolved into him taking a key leadership role last fall where he took personal responsibility and obligation to the success of our team. By the time he left, he was taking the team on his shoulders, doing outstanding work academically, and becoming a role model who had everyone's respect in the locker room and beyond. So, I'm proud of him and the legacy he's left behind."

NASRIN ULEL
In her third season with the FGCU women's basketball program, Ulel continued to ascend as a player as she led her team to a 28-5 overall record (16-0 in ASUN), and the program's ninth ASUN regular season championship and sixth NCAA Tournament berth and captured the following awards:

First Team All-ASUN (unanimous)
ASUN Player of the Year
ASUN All-Tournament Team

The Murrieta, Calif. native averaged a career-best 14.6 points per game while starting all 33 contests. She finished as the ASUN's fifth-leading scorer and led the conference in 3-point field goals made in conference play alone. She tallied double-figure scoring in 13 of 16 ASUN games, including a stretch of 10 straight and four 20 + point performances. She ranked among the conference's top 10 in FGs made, 3-point FGs made, 3-point FG percentage and free throw percentage. Currently ninth on the FGCU career point list, she is on pace to finish in the top four all-time. She is the seventh women's basketball representative (for ten cumulative awards) to capture this honor. Current FGCU associate head coach Chelsea Lyles (2009-10 with MLB 7-time All Star Chris Sale) and assistant coach Shannon Murphy (2010-11) were amongst the previous winners.

Ulel on the award: "My teammates and coaches get all the credit. They allowed me the opportunity to be successful. I am beyond grateful for this recognition."

Head Coach Karl Smesko on Ulel: "Nasrin has worked very hard to become the player she is now. She played very little as a freshman, but she dedicated herself to becoming stronger, improving her skills and learning the game - and two years later she earned conference player of the year. Nasrin is a great example for student-athletes who don't have immediate success - trust the process and put in the work. Nasrin did that."

EVDOKIA POPADINOVA
After joining the Green and Blue as a transfer from the University of Northwestern Ohio, Popadinova captured the following honors last fall in her first year with the FGCU women's soccer team that posted a 13-4-2 mark, including victories over Michigan and at Alabama and at Ohio State:

First Team All-ASUN
First Team All-South Region
Second Team All-American

Popadinova established herself as one of the biggest offensive threats in the nation. She closed out the 2018 season ranked in the nation's top 12 in game-winning goals (ninth, six), goals per game (12th, 0.74), points per game (ninth, 1.84) and total points (12th, 35).

A three-time Bulgarian Footballer of the Year, the Hadzhidimovo native finished the season with 14 goals and seven assists. The forward paced the conference in points (35), goals, points per game (1.84) and goals per game (0.74). Her 14 goals is tied for the fourth-most scored in FGCU single-season history and her six game-winners check in fourth-best. The fourth overall women's soccer individual to win the award, she was also recently named to the Watch List for the 2019 MAC Hermann Trophy, the most prestigious individual annual award in college soccer.

Popadinova on the award: "It is a huge honor and responsibility for me to be chosen among our great athletes at FGCU. I won a lot of awards last season, but this is all in the past now. I am trying to stay healthy and focused on the new season. I strive for better results this year, and I will work really hard to win a NCAA ring with FGCU. I feel very blessed to be part of the FGCU family, and I want to thank my team and coaches for their outstanding efforts."

Head Coach Jim Blankenship on Popadinova: "What a great honor this is for Evie. She's someone who has been phenomenal for us both on and off the field, and she personifies this award. We're really excited for her future and can't wait to see what she'll accomplish this season."

CORTNEY VANLIEW
VanLiew is coming off a breakout campaign which resulted in her becoming the first player in program history to be named an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American. In leading her team to the programs' fourth ASUN regular season championship, first ASUN Conference Tournament title, NCAA berth and post-season victory (at #13 UCF in the opening round), she wrapped up her sophomore campaign in 2018 with the following recognitions:

First Team All-ASUN
ASUN Player of the Year (unanimous)
ASUN All-Tournament Team
ASUN All-Academic Team
AVCA First Team All-Region
AVCA Honorable Mention All-American (1st in Program History)
CoSIDA First Team Academic All-District

Statistically, the Seymour, Ind. native racked up 482 kills - just three shy of matching the single-season record - and added 312 digs, which was second on the team, along with 26 assists and 47 blocks (10 solo). Her 790 career kills already ranks fifth in the Division-I era. She had double-digit kills in all but seven matches and tallied 13 double-doubles, including 25 kills and 12 digs in a win over 13th-seeded UCF in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Overall, she enters her junior campaign needing just 210 kills to join Carroll and Brooke Youngquist Sweat as one of just three players in program history with at least 1,000 kills and 500 digs. She and Carroll are the only two volleyball players to win the award. She also is a contributing member of the FGCU beach volleyball program that produced a record season for wins (18-11) and lost a 3-2 ASUN Conference Tournament Championship match at #8 nationally ranked Stetson.

VanLiew on the award: "I am humbled to be recognized as one of FGCU's most outstanding female athletes. I share this award with my teammates and my coaches. Together, we had an unforgettable season that was filled with memories that will last a lifetime. I look forward to another great year of FGCU Athletics. Go Eagles!"

Head Coach Matt Botsford on VanLiew: "Cortney's performance last year, as only a sophomore, was among the more impressive things I have seen as a coach during my time in this profession. The way she elevated her game after the injury to Amanda speaks to the type of competitor she is, and it really allowed us to adapt much quicker to the adversity we were facing as a team. Cortney has always been a hard worker and extremely dedicated, so it was not a surprise to see her develop into the player she is now, but doing it that quickly, under those circumstances, is what really sets her apart. Aside from being an amazingly talented player on the floor, she is also a great teammate and person who has a positive effect on our program in multiple ways."

OTHER 2018-19 FINALISTS

MALE
Shak Adams (Soccer) - ASUN First Team, Second Team All-Atlantic Region
Schadrac Casimir (Basketball) - ASUN All-Newcomer Team, Second Team All-ASUN
Preston Kilwien (Soccer) - ASUN First Team, ASUN Defender of the Year, All-Atlantic Region Second Team
Juan Montes (Tennis) - ASUN First Team, ASUN All-Tournament Team
O'Vonte Mullings (Soccer) - ASUN Freshman of the Year, Second Team All-Atlantic Region
Mason Studstill (Baseball) - ASUN First Team

FEMALE
Tytionia Adderly (Basketball) - ASUN Defensive Player of the Year, ASUN All-Tournament Team
Dana Axner (Volleyball) - ASUN Defensive Player of the Year, ASUN Freshman of the Year, First Team All-ASUN
Snowy Burnam (Beach Volleyball) - First Team All-ASUN, ASUN All-Tournament Team
Holly Fritz (Soccer) - ASUN First Team, First Team All-South Region
Kate Kelly (Softball) - ASUN First Team, ASUN All-Tournament
Carley Lutzow (Cross Country) - ASUN First Team, NCAA All-South Region
Maja Ornberg (Tennis) - ASUN First Team
Lindsey Patton (Soccer) - ASUN First Team, First Team All-South Region
Gracie Redding (Swimming) - CCSA Swimmer of the Year, CCSA Championships Most Outstanding
Megan Wakefield (Diving) - CCSA Championships Most Oustanding Diver
Kayla Whetstone (Beach Volleyball) - First Team All-ASUN, ASUN All-Tournament Team

PREVIOUS AWARD WINNERS
2017-18: Brandon Goodwin (M. Basketball) & Amanda Carroll (Volleyball)/Ashley Parks (W. Soccer)
2016-17: Albert Ruiz (M. Soccer) & Tabby Tindell (W. Soccer)
2015-16: Jake Noll (Baseball) & Whitney Knight (W. Basketball)
2014-15: Jordi Vives (M. Tennis)/Nick Rivera (Baseball) & Emma Svensson (Swimming)/Tabby Tindell (W. Soccer)/Whitney Knight (W. Basketball)
2013-14: Mike Murray (Baseball)/Jordi Vives (M. Tennis) & Kira Toussaint (Swimming)/Kelly Perzanowski (W. Cross Country)
2012-13: Sherwood Brown (M. Basketball) & Sarah Hansen (W. Basketball)
2011-12: Ricky Knapp (Baseball) & Sarah Hansen (W. Basketball)
2010-11: Adam Glick (M. Soccer) & Shannon Murphy (W. Basketball)/Courtney Platt (Softball)
2009-10: Chris Sale (Baseball) & Chelsea Lyles (W. Basketball)
2008-09: Josh Upchurch (Baseball) & Cheyenne Jenks (Softball)
2007-08: Jason Peacock (Baseball) & Carmen Paez (Softball)
2006-07: Beau Bauer (M. Basketball) & Kate Schrader (W. Basketball)
2005-06: Juan Carlos Osorio (M. Tennis)/Jason Louwsma (Baseball) & Kate Schrader (W. Basketball)
2004-05: Bryan Crislip (M. Basketball)/Richard Stempnowski (M. Tennis) & Kelly Powe (Softball)
2003-04: Leighton Bowie (M. Basketball) & Kelly Powe (Softball)
2002-03: Chris Brown (Baseball) & Trish Fleming (W. Basketball)

FOLLOW ALONG
Ticket information for upcoming events is available by logging on to FGCUTickets.com or by calling 239-590-7145. Additional news and schedule information is available at FGCUAthletics.com. Follow us on Twitter (@FGCUEagles), Facebook (/FGCUAthletics), Instagram (@FGCUAthletics) and YouTube (/FGCUAthletics).

#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events in November and April to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.

ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 78 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 12 seasons at the Division-I level. Additionally, in just eight seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 36 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport – including both men's and women's soccer again in 2018. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. In 2018-19, the Eagles had an ASUN and state of Florida best seven teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in the spring 2018 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for twenty consecutive semesters. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours in 2017 – being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.

--FGCUATHLETICS.COM--

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