Torie Rapadas '28 and Taya Scott '28 receive team awards from Women's Club Basketball during the 2nd Annual Club Sports Gideons Awards Nights at the Soda Center. / Photo by Ashlee Rai '25
The Spirit of the Gaels: Club Sport Gideon Awards 2025
Club Sport Athletes and their guests were invited to the 2nd Annual Gideons Awards on Tuesday, May 13 at the Soda Center, which is the end-of-year recognition ceremony for Club Sport participants at Saint Mary’s College.
The night began with remarks from Carly Marks '24, Head Coach of Women’s Club Soccer, and Rose Velasquez '27, President and Co-Founder of Women’s Club Basketball. With grace and enthusiasm, they welcomed everyone to the second annual Gideon Awards Banquet, an evening dedicated to celebrating the athletes, leaders, and supporters who make SMC Club Sports a thriving hub of excellence and heart.
Their opening words set the stage for an evening of honor and reflection. Soon after, they introduced Jeremy Penaflor, Director of Club Sports, who delivered thoughtful invocation remarks that reminded everyone of the growth and resilience forged through competition and camaraderie.
From there, the awards commenced. Rose recognized the Multiple Year Leadership Team Members, inviting standing ovations from the crowd for students who led behind the scenes season after season.
Voices for Change Award
The inaugural Voices for Change Award, presented by Mitchell Foster, Director of Intercultural Center. Rose Velasquez '27 was overwhelmingly chosen for this award. This powerful recognition honored a student who used their platform to inspire dialogue and action around identity and justice—a reminder that leadership extends far beyond the scoreboard.
Fundraising Recognition
The Fundraising Recognition followed, with Carly Marks announcing top-performing teams: Men’s Rugby, Men’s Volleyball, and Men’s Lacrosse, among others. Creative efforts by teams like Women’s Rugby and Co-ed Tennis were celebrated for pushing fundraising boundaries with innovation and hustle.
Scholar-Athlete Recognition
The atmosphere turned reverent as Rose Velasquez introduced the Scholar-Athlete Recognition, applauding over 80 students who achieved a GPA of 3.5 or higher. These students exemplified the true meaning of “student-athlete,” balancing academic excellence with athletic passion.
Individual and Team Awards
The night hit a crescendo as Carly and Rose began announcing individual awards. First were the Most Improved Athletes, then the Leadership Award recipients, and finally the Most Valuable Players—athletes whose passion, commitment, and performance set them apart as the driving forces of their teams.
This flowed into team-specific awards, where each sport gave heartfelt and sometimes humorous recognitions to teammates who left a unique mark.
Honoring Our Seniors
Graduating athletes from across teams walked across the stage, received cords and stoles, and stood proudly at the front for a group photo. Many had spent years with Club Sports; others found their way more recently. But each of them left a legacy etched in teamwork, perseverance, and love for their sport.
Celebrating Champions
Rose then turned attention to the postseason-qualifying teams. Cheers erupted as athletes from Women’s Rugby, Men’s and Women’s Volleyball, and Men’s Rugby stood to be recognized for their postseason journeys—from Los Angeles to Phoenix to Berkeley. Their achievements were a testament to the growing excellence of SMC Club Sports.
Athletes’ Choice Award
The room hushed once more as the final awards of the night approached. Amanda Morton, who leads Athletic Training for Club Sports and last year’s recipient, took the stage to present the Club Sports Athletes’ Choice Award, honoring a staff member who had gone above and beyond in service of student-athletes. Jose Miranda '25 was honored with this award and mentioned quickly frequently throughout the night, recognizing his dedication and passion for each and every athlete.
The Gideon Award
Finally, Jeremy Penaflor returned to present The Gideon Award—the highest honor bestowed on a Club Sports athlete. This recipient was not only a star on the field but also a model of integrity, leadership, and humility off of it.
This year, Ayanna Williams '25 was honored with the Gideon Award. Ayanna participated in both Women's Club Volleyball and Women's Club Basketball, and embodies the leadership qualities with propel the teams to the next level of excellence.
Many congratulations were shared throughout the night and especially the 2025 graduating seniors.
