Francis Marion University held its 56th-annual Athletic Gala in the university's Performing Arts Center on Monday, April 27. Most Valuable Player awards were given in 17 sports and for the seventh time the athletic department awarded 13 Frankie Awards, including the Swamp Fox Academic Award, the Ray E. Thames Memorial Raise the Roof Award, and the Mark Haselden Sportsmanship Award.
Most Valuable Player Award for acrobatics and tumbling – sophomore
JaLin Nelson (Albany, GA)
Most Valuable Player Award for baseball – junior
Charlie Bussey III (Graniteville, SC)
Most Valuable Player Award for men's basketball – senior
Cole Deptula (Verona, WI)
Most Valuable Player Award for women's basketball – sophomore
Kiara Croskey (Sumter, SC)
Dr. Tom Whiteley Most Valuable Player Award for men's cross country – freshman
Jaden Alexander (Lancaster, SC)
Women's Cross Country Most Valuable Player Award – sophomore
Emma Steen (Hartsville, SC)
Golf Most Valuable Player Award – sophomore
Leander Neuhaus (Hamburg, Germany)
Men's Soccer Most Valuable Player Award – senior
David Guevara (Guayaquil, Ecuador)
Folly Carter Most Valuable Player Award for women's soccer – sophomore
Alana Hunt (Swindon, England)
Most Valuable Player Award for women's softball – graduate student
Jenna Walling (Johns Island, SC)
Men's Tennis Most Valuable Player Award – sophomore
Miguel Maia (Barcelona, Spain)
Gladys Hite Most Valuable Player Award for women's tennis – junior
Magdalena Skachova (Bustehrad, Czech Republic)
Men's Indoor Track and Field Most Valuable Player Award – sophomore
Rashawn Byrd (Columbia, SC)
Women's Indoor Track and Field Most Valuable Player Award – sophomore
Aukeyonna Sims (Darlington, SC)
Men's Outdoor Track and Field Most Valuable Player Award – graduate student
Ryan Hunter (Blythewood, SC)
Women's Outdoor Track and Field Most Valuable Player Award – sophomore
Jazmine McDonald-Craft (Columbia, SC)
Joseph B. Durant Most Valuable Player Award for women's volleyball – senior
Caroline Lucas (Easley, SC)
7th-Annual Frankie Awards
Swamp Fox Academic Award – junior
Madilyn Gartner (Albertville, MN) - Volleyball
Mark Haselden Sportsmanship Award – senior
Caroline Lucas (Easley, SC) – Volleyball
Ray E. Thames Memorial Raise the Roof Award – freshman
Ethan Simpson (Sumter, SC) - Men's XC and Track and Field
Assistant Coach of the Year –
Toni Worley (Women's Soccer)
Head Coach of the Year –
Jeff Jefferson (Baseball)
Male Rookie of the Year – junior
Matteo Benistant (Saint Didier Sous Aubenas, France) – Men's Soccerl
Female Rookie of the Year – junior
Magdalena Skachova (Bustehrad, Czech Republic) – Women's Tennis
Male Breakout Performance – sophomore
Leander Neuhaus (Hamburg, Germany) - Golf
Female Breakout Performance – junior
Tehya Dave' (Pittsburgh, PA) – Women's Soccer
Comeback Player of the Year – junior
Madilyn Gartner (Albertville, MN) - Volleyball
Male Athlete of the Year – junior
Charlie Bussey III (Graniteville, SC) - Baseball
Female Athlete of the Year – graduate student
Jenna Walling (Johns Island, SC) - Softball
Most Outstanding Team – Baseball
Four of the MVP recipients were repeat honorees: Bussey III (2025, 2026 for baseball), Maia (2025, 2026 for men's tennis), Lucas (2025, 2026 for volleyball) and Hunter (2024, 2025, 2026 for men's track and field).
