FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU trio of
Kierstan Bell of women's basketball,
Alejandro Figueredo of baseball, and
Magnus Johnson of men's tennis have been announced as the recipients of the 2022 Eagles Club Most Outstanding Athlete award as announced by Director of Athletics
Ken Kavanagh today.
Bell became the seventh female since 2003 to earn the honor multiple times. Figueredo is the first baseball player since Jake Noll (2016) to earn the distinction, while Johnson is the first from men's tennis since Jordi Vives (2015).
"Kierstan, Magnus and Alejandro each had terrific seasons and are extremely well-deserving honorees amidst another strong group of Green & Blue stalwarts," said Kavanagh. "With special mention to Kierstan on becoming a select repeat honoree to cap her Eagle career, we are very proud to witness the commencement of her well-earned WNBA career with the Las Vegas Aces. We are also excited to have Magnus and Alejandro both back as tremendous contributors to FGCU both on and off their courts and fields of play."
The award recognizes the annual top overall female and male FGCU student-athlete(s) as voted on by the Eagles' head coaches and administrative staff. To be part of the initial candidate pool, student-athletes needed to have earned all-conference first-team honors or have been named as a league player of the year (or superlative player of the year) in their respective sport.
Kierstan Bell – Women's Basketball – Alliance, Ohio – Canton McKinley – Ohio State
No. 11 Overall WNBA Draft Pick (1st Round, Las Vegas Aces) … Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year … AP All-America Honorable Mention … USBWA All-America Honorable Mention … ASUN Player of the Year … All-ASUN First Team … ASUN All-Tournament Team … ASUN Tournament MVP … Led FGCU to a 30-3 overall record, the ASUN Championship Title, and a NCAA Tournament Second Round appearance (just the third time advancing to the second round in program history) … Against LSU, Virginia Tech, and Maryland averaged 22.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks … Scored 32 points and added 10 rebounds in win at LSU (finished #9 and only loss in non-conference play) … In NCAA First Round against Virginia Tech, scored 22 points while adding 8 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 assists … Had 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals in NCAA Second Round against Maryland … Despite missing nine games due to knee surgery, her total points on the year (547) were more than any other player in the ASUN this season ... Her scoring average of 22.8 points per game led the ASUN and would rank 5th nationally (doesn't meet 75% threshold due to injury) ... Came back from the surgery in FGCU's final two games of the season (win at Liberty, win over Jacksonville) to average 23 points, 4 rebounds, 3.5 blocks, 3 assists, and 2.5 steals in 30.4 minutes of play ... In the two wins over Liberty during the season, averaged 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals ... Had five 30-plus games overall on the season highlighted by a season-high 39 (17-of-31 FG) against Tennessee Tech - second-most points for a game in FGCU history ... Scored 28 points in double OT win over Michigan State ... Had six double-doubles on the year and holds the FGCU record with 24 for her career ... Also set the ASUN and FGCU record for most career ASUN Player of the Week honors (12) after earning the accolade four times last season before the surgery and once after.
Kierstan Bell On Earning The Honor:
"There's no greater feeling that becoming the reality of your dream. I'm honored to be selected for this award and I'm grateful to all of the fans who support the program and who supported me during my time there. Congratulations to Magnus and Alejandro on their careers so far – it is an honor to be in a group alongside each of them."
Head Women's Basketball Coach Karl Smesko on Bell:
"Kierstan was phenomenal in her two seasons at FGCU. We have been fortunate to have a lot of great players who have excelled in our program and Kierstan is the best among them. She is a remarkable talent who has the ability to have a long successful career in the WNBA."
Alejandro Figueredo – Baseball – Sucre, Venezuela – West Oaks HS – Seminole State
Collegiate Baseball News All-America Third Team … ABCA All-Southeast Region Second Team … All-ASUN First Team … After putting up one of the best seasons at the plate in FGCU history, was named a third-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper - the first time since 2017 that an Eagle has received All-America honors and just the sixth player overall … Started all 58 games for the Eagles and hit .392 with 13 home runs, 21 doubles, 62 RBI, and 49 runs scored en route to being named All-ASUN First Team ... Ninth in the NCAA with 91 hits while his batting average was top-20 ... His .659 slugging percentage also led the Eagles by over 30 points … 20th in the nation and tops in the ASUN with a .392 batting average (91-for 232) ... Reached base five times and drove in three runs against Cincinnati ... Went 3-for-5 with a double and four RBI at Stetson ... Went 4-for-4 with two doubles and four runs scored against #12 Miami ... Went 5-for-5 with a home run, two doubles, four RBI, and four runs against Stetson (April 24) ... Hit the game-tying home run in the eighth inning as part of 4-for-5 night at #5 Miami propelling the Eagles to an upset victory ... Became first player in program history to hit three home runs in one game, doing so against North Florida (May 20) while also driving in six runs in the regular-season finale.
Alejandro Figueredo On Earning The Honor:
"I am really excited and honored to be selected as one of the Eagles Club Most Outstanding Athletes. Especially when there are so many of my peers that I see daily here at FGCU working hard to better themselves in their sport. The sport of baseball has given me so much and I hope with the help of my coaches and the staff to continue my success on and off the field. Thank you for this honor. It means a lot to me and will push me to work even harder. Finally, congratulations to Kierstan and Magnus – they are both outstanding competitors and individuals."
Head Baseball Coach Dave Tollett on Figueredo:
"Alejandro is just such a tremendous individual who is one of the hardest workers I've ever had. He is self-made and has an unbelievable determination to be the best at everything he does. He works just as hard in the classroom as a software engineering major and then does everything he can to help in the community. I consider him one of the best program guys I've ever had. He's a terrific leader in everything he does."
Magnus Johnson – Men's Tennis – Naples, Fla. – UCF
ASUN Player of the Year … All-ASUN First Team … Johnson joined former Eagle Jordi Vives (2014 & 2015) as one of just nine student-athletes in ASUN history to be a multiple-time Player of the Year ... He also joined Vives as just the second Eagle to be an All-ASUN First Team selection on multiple occasions … On the court, he went 21-6 overall, playing exclusively at the No. 1 position in the Spring where he had a 17-4 mark in dual matches ... In conference play, he went 6-1, the best record among players in the ASUN who played every match on court one ... He also picked up big non-conference wins over players from Miami, FAU, Binghamton, Troy, UAB, Buffalo, Mercer, Georgia State, Furman, and Memphis.
Magnus Johnson On Earning The Honor:
"I am very humbled to have been chosen as one of FGCU's Most Outstanding Athletes. It is a privilege to be honored alongside two incredible athletes in Alejandro and Kierstan. I am blessed to be surrounded by amazing teammates, coaches, and everyone in the athletic department. I really want to thank all those who have supported me in both my athletic and academic pursuits. Go Eagles!"
Head Men's Tennis Coach CJ Weber on Johnson:
"Magnus is having a fantastic career here at FGCU! I'm very happy for him and proud to be his coach. He is disciplined in all areas of his life, and it is an honor to see him develop in his leadership as well. There's not enough good things to be said about Magnus. He's just a great young man in all areas, a joy to coach, and a fantastic representative of FGCU. I'm looking forward to what lies ahead for him."
OTHER 2021-22 MALE CANDIDATES:
- Ethan Dudley – M. Soccer - All-ASUN First Team … ASUN All-Academic Team
- Tavian Dunn-Martin – M. Basketball - NABC All-District First Team … ASUN Newcomer of the Year … All-ASUN First Team
- Austin Cherichella – M. Golf - All-ASUN First Team
- Joe Kinker – Baseball - All-ASUN First Team
- O'Vonte Mullings – M. Soccer - No. 20 Overall MLS Draft Pick … USC All-Region Second Team … All-ASUN First Team
- Kevin Samuel – M. Basketball - ASUN Defensive Player of the Year … All-ASUN Second Team
- Gustavo Vasconcelos – M. Soccer - ASUN Goalkeeper of the Year … All-ASUN First Team
OTHER 2021-22 FEMALE CANDIDATES:
- Wiktoria Czarnecka – Swimming & Diving – CCSA Swimmer of the Year … CCSA Co-Swimmer of the Meet … CCSA Gold Medalist (50 Free, 100 Fly) … CCSA Silver Medalist (100 Free)
- Laura Edmonds – W. Golf - All-ASUN First Team
- Petra Halmai –Swimming & Diving - 2021 Olympic Team Member (Hungary) … CCSA Co-Swimmer of the Meet … CCSA Gold Medalist (100 breast, 200 breast) … CCSA Silver Medalist (200 IM)
- Kacie Johnson – Beach Volleyball - ASUN Pair of the Year … All-ASUN First Team … ASUN All-Tournament Team
- Ashley Labbe – W. Soccer - USC All-South Region Third Team … All-ASUN First Team
- Kajsa Lang – W. Soccer - USC All-South Region Third Team … All-ASUN First Team
- Louise Lillback – W. Soccer - USC All-South Region First Team … ASUN Player of the Year … All-ASUN First Team
- Chelsey Lockey – Volleyball - USA Volleyball Women's Collegiate National Team Member … All-ASUN First Team
- TK Morehouse – W. Basketball - All-ASUN First Team … ASUN All-Tournament Team
- Maddison Parmelly – Beach Volleyball - ASUN Pair of the Year … All-ASUN First Team … ASUN All-Tournament Team
- Erin Shomaker – Volleyball - AVCA Honorable Mention All-American … VolleyballMag.com Honorable Mention All-American … AVCA All-Southeast Region Team … ASUN Player of the Year … All-ASUN First Team … ASUN Tournament MVP … ASUN All-Tournament Team
- Reese Wakefield – Diving - CCSA Co-Diver of the Meet … CCSA Gold Medalist (3M Dive)
PREVIOUS AWARD WINNERS
2020-21: Van Holmgren (M. Golf) &
Kierstan Bell (W. Basketball)/Petra Halmai (Swimming & Diving)
2019-20: O'Vonte Mullings (M. Soccer) & Keri Jewett-Giles (W. Basketball)/Evdokia Popadinova (W. Soccer)
2018-19: Preston Kilwien (M. Soccer) & Cortney VanLiew (Volleyball/Beach Volleyball)/Evdokia Popadinova (W. Soccer)/Nasrin Ulel (W. Basketball)
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)
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ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 92 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 15 seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just 11 seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 45 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. In 2022, the men's golf team became the first program to earn at at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. Eight FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including women's basketball (No. 20, 2021-22), beach volleyball (No. 20, 2022) and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as four of the most recent. 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 3.50 GPA in the classroom in the fall 2020 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 26 consecutive semesters. The past five semesters (Fall 2019 – Spring 2022) saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher cumulative team GPA. 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.
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