Kansas Athletics Hosts Rock Chalk Choice Awards

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Student-athletes from the Kansas Athletics programs got to walk the red carpet and celebrate the 2021-22 athletic year on Sunday evening at the Rock Chalk Choice Awards, which were hosted at the Lied Center on KU’s campus.

The program included the student-athletes making the announcement of awards, special recognition on the date of September 11th and a presentation from former Kansas track & field teammates Denesha McCuin and Andrea Norris on the 50th anniversary of Title IX. In addition, second-year Director of Athletics Travis Goff addressed the crowd.

"What a great night, ‘Hawks. Momentum is very real and we’re so excited about what’s ahead of us in 2022-23 and beyond. This is definitely a night to celebrate the past year, but it’s also a night to look forward. Our ambition is great and things that we want to achieve out in front of us, I don’t know if they can be measured. We believe in each of you individually and the trajectory of all of our programs at KU."

Director of Athletics Travis Goff

Throughout the night, four nominees for ‘Rock Chalk Moment of the Year’ were presented to the audience, who would then vote on the winner, which was announced at the end of the show.

The nominees were:

  • Sasha McMillin capping off her historic KU career as a member of the women’s track & field team
  • Football’s victory over Texas in Austin following a gutsy two-point conversion play call in overtime
  • Volleyball’s run to the Sweet 16 with victories over two nationally-ranked opponents
  • Men’s Basketball winning the sixth national championship in program history

Award Winners from the night included:

The Jayhawker Award – Avery Smith, soccer
Team GPA Award – Women’s Golf
Del Shankel Teaching Award – Dr. Danielle Hemingson
Best Jayhawk in a Supporting Role – Mac Copeland, football
Crimson Climb Award – Angela Price, softball
True Blue Award – Earl Bostick, football
Athlete of the Year from a Women’s Sport Program – Sasha McMillin, track & field
Athlete of the Year from a Men’s Sport Program – Ochai Agbaji, basketball
Rock Chalk Moment of the Year – Men’s Basketball winning the NCAA National Championship