Schlosberg takes top award at Sweet Briar Athletic Awards Banquet

Emily Schlosberg (center) with Melissa Richards (left) and Mimi Wroten


Senior NCEA equestrian student-athlete Emily Schlosberg was honored as the Sweet Briar Crysler Award honoree on Friday evening at the Sweet Briar Athletic Awards Banquet held in the Upchurch Field House.

The prestigious Crysler Award was the headliner on Friday evening, as Schlosberg (Fairfax, Va.) was recognized with the award named after Cannie Crysler Shafer ’78. The Crysler Award has been presented since 1979 to an outstanding four-year student-athlete to honor her continuous commitment, sportsmanship and achievement in sport. Schlosberg is a two-time ODAC Rider of the Year and graduates as the leader in NCEA wins for the Vixens.

Junior Victoria Lawson (Shipman, Va.) was recognized as Athlete of the Year following a cross-country season that saw Lawson break and re-break multiple Sweet Briar records before leading the Vixens lacrosse team in the spring in multiple statistical categories.

Rider of the Year was presented to sophomore Kaitlyn Duecker (Chesapeake, Va.). Duecker, a member of Sweet Briar’s IHSA equestrian team, finished fourth in the nation at IHSA Nationals in novice flat, while helping to lead the Vixens to their best national finish in over a decade.

Senior Caroline Thomas (Appomattox, Va.) was honored as the recipient of the Coaches’ Award, presented to a graduating student-athlete who has demonstrated significant athletic achievement, represented Vixen Athletics with integrity in the Sweet Briar community and shown dedication to advancement of the program. Thomas, a four-year soccer player, finished eighth in the nation in saves per match as a senior goalkeeper and off the field served as Sweet Briar’s Student Government Association president.

The 2019 banquet also included the addition of Rookie Athlete and Rookie Rider of the year honors.

The inaugural Rookie Athlete of the Year was first-year golfer Annika Kuleba (Endy, N.C.). Having rewritten the golf record book at Sweet Briar in her first collegiate season, Kuleba was presented with the Rookie Athlete of the Year after demonstrating outstanding achievement in her sport.

The inaugural recipient of Rookie Rider of the Year was first-year Maggie Fraley (White Haven, Pa.). Fraley, who competes for the NCEA team at Sweet Briar, was named ODAC Rookie of the Year for helping the Vixens win the 2019 ODAC Championship just days before aiding the Vixens to the quarterfinals at the NCEA Championship in Waco, Texas.

Sophomore lacrosse student-athlete Madison Harpham (Monroe, Va.) was recognized as the recipient of the 2019 Susan Lehman Courage Award, which is presented to a student-athlete who has demonstrated courage above and beyond the usual rigors of training and competition.

Presented to a student-athlete with regard to her sportsmanship, team spirit and commitment to varsity athletics at Sweet Briar, the Class of 1977 Sportsmanship Award was presented to sophomore soccer and lacrosse student-athlete Sammy Holton (Arbutus, Md.).

The recipient of the Jean Pschirrer Freshman Athlete of the Year Award was first-year field hockey student-athlete Maggie Groetsch (Asheville, N.C.). The Jean Pschirrer Freshman Athlete of the Year Award is presented to a first-year varsity student-athlete who demonstrates dedication, motivation, sportsmanship and true love of her sport.

The Whiteman Award is presented to a student-athlete with a high scholastic average, sportsmanship and outstanding achievement in sport. Fresh off being named Second Team All-ODAC in tennis, junior Emily Wandling (Mechanicsville, Va.) was presented the Whiteman Award. Wandling, a biochemistry and molecular biology major, presented at the American Chemistry Society Conference in Orlando, Fla., during the season before returning to Sweet Briar to post a 7-0 singles mark in the month of April.

The Sweet Briar Student-Athlete Advisory Committee presented the 2018-19 Robert Barlow Faculty/Staff Award to mathematics professor Stephen Loftus.

Each coach added to the award ceremony by selecting a Pink and Green Award winner from their respective teams. Below is a list of Pink and Green honorees.

• Cross-country: Nora Florio (So., Lynchburg, Va.)


• Field Hockey: Caroline Trimmer (Jr., Toana, Va.)


• Golf: Aoife Magner (Sr., North Potomac, Md.)


• IHSA: Ailish Rhoades (Sr., Lebanon, Conn.)


• Lacrosse: Emma Smith (Jr., Lexington, Va.)


• NCEA: Lily Peterson (So., Ashland, Va.)


• Soccer: Caylin Newman (So., Bedford, Va.)


• Swimming: Dharma Kear (So., Virginia Beach, Va.)


• Tennis: Emily Wandling (Jr., Mechanicsville, Va.)