BLUE ASH, Ohio – In addition to the presentation of the 2015-16 Presidents’ Cup, the Great Midwest Athletic Conference honored three individuals for their various career accomplishments on Monday night during the league's spring awards banquet.
Inside the Cooper Creek Banquet Center, the second annual G-MAC Male and Female Collegiate Achievement Award winners were introduced while a distinguished and esteemed professor was pronounced as the new G-MAC Faculty Mentor of the Year.
In attendance with his family from New York to help celebrate a special 23rd birthday and a proud coach in Paul Orchard was Cedarville’s Benjamin Tuttle as the male recipient of the 2015-16 G-MAC Collegiate Achievement Award.
The female honoree of the 2015-16 G-MAC Collegiate Achievement Award was Ursuline senior Vanessa Consiglio. Ursuline athletics director Cindy McKnight accepted the award on Vanessa’s behalf.
Last year’s inaugural recipients included former Cedarville men’s basketball student-athlete Marcus Reineke and former Trevecca Nazarene women’s basketball standout Kaci Britt Bell. TNU also received the first edition of the faculty mentor award after Dr. Brenda Patterson was elected in 2014-15.
The G-MAC Collegiate Achievement Award is based upon an individual’s academic excellence, athletic achievements, character, leadership and engagement within the community and conference.
The evening was emceed by G-MAC Commissioner Tom Daeger and included a video slideshow celebrating some of the year’s accomplishments, including the welcome of Malone University for the 2016-17 academic year.
The G-MAC Spring Awards banquet was held in conjunction with the G-MAC Spring Meetings at the Embassy Suites, which included groups like the Athletic Administrators Council (AAC), Joint Council, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Faculty Athletic Representatives (FAR).
Representatives from 13 schools were in attendance including five additional institutions ready to join the G-MAC in 2017: Findlay, Hillsdale, Lake Erie, Ohio Dominican and Walsh.
G-MAC Male Collegiate Achievement Award
Benjamin Tuttle
Cedarville University
Men’s Cross Country/Men’s Track & Field
Eastport, NY
Tuttle’s list of conference/regional/national accomplishments are endless and speaks volumes to the exemplary character he displays while representing his institution.
In cross country, Tuttle was the 2015 NCAA Division II Midwest Regional individual champ before garnering NCAA All-American honors by finishing 16th at the national meet.
He was pronounced the USTFCCCA Division II Midwest Region Athlete of the Year and made the regional team.
In the G-MAC, Tuttle was a part of four conference-winning Yellow Jacket teams and capped off his career with G-MAC Runner of the Year honors by beating competitive counterpart Logan Rodgers of Trevecca Nazarene. He was also an NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field qualifier in the 10K.
Tuttle is completing his Master of Ministry degree at Cedarville and has developed additional leadership skills while leading his team’s Bible study. One of his many passions resides with the triathlon (running, biking, swimming), where he spoke at the banquet about his desire to compete at a very high level.
G-MAC Female Collegiate Achievement Award
Vanessa Consiglio
Ursuline College
Women’s Soccer
Milton, Ontario, Canada
Consiglio’s all-around style of play on the field and academic proficiency in the classroom sets her apart as one of the G-MAC greats early in the league’s short history.
From being the CoSIDA Academic All-America Player of the Year to leading the entire NCAA Division II in assists, the Canadian product’s balance as a student-athlete is admirable. She also has been active within the community and has made a considerable difference in several organizations with her selflessness.
From 2012-15, Consiglio goes down as one of the elite in the first wave of four-year student-athletes. She ranks first in assists with 44 and is second in both goals (47) and points (139) and games played (77). She was instrumental in helping guide the Arrows to the 2014 G-MAC Women’s Soccer Championship in Pepper Pike.
Consiglio will continue her career by playing overseas in England while seizing an opportunity to pursue her Master’s degree.
G-MAC Faculty Mentor of the Year Award
Dr. J.D. Long
Assistant Professor of Education
Alderson Broaddus University
As decided upon by the G-MAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Dr. J.D. Long, Assistant Professor of Education at Alderson Broaddus University, is a very deserving choice as the Conference’s Faculty Mentor of the Year award winner for 2015-16.
Combining his passion for helping student-athletes in both coaching and administrative roles, Long is enjoying his fifth full year just finished in the AB education department.
Long was an AD at Alderson Broaddus and coached women’s volleyball and softball. He was also an adjunct professor since 1994 and has amassed 32 years of coaching experience.
Long was awarded an honorary doctorate at graduation two weeks ago in Philippi. He is humbled by this particular award because it came directly from the students and all three of his daughters played collegiate athletics and graduated in the medical field.
Long is one of the most respected professors at ABU due in large part to his involvement, support and dedication to all students in the institutions. J.D. is someone who students feel very comfortable around and know they can go to him for any guidance they may need.
J.D. Long is a face on the campus that students feel true support from. He has provided so much time and effort to the institution over the past 30 plus years.