GARY, Ind. — Indiana University Northwest celebrated its student-athletes on Thursday evening during the 2026 Champions and Leadership Awards Show, honoring standout performers, leaders, and scholars from across its athletic programs. The 4th annual event recognized excellence both on and off the field, with student-athletes, coaches, staff, and supporters gathering in the Arts & Sciences Theatre to reflect on a memorable year in RedHawk Athletics. Awards were presented for team MVPs, newcomers, character and leadership honors, academic achievements, and more.
Headlining the evening were Trinitie Lintner (Women's Volleyball) and Ladaion Barnes (Men's Basketball), who were named Female and Male Student-Athletes of the Year, respectively. Both delivered standout seasons and helped lead their programs to postseason success. Lintner and Barnes both earned first-team All-Conference honors, with Lintner helping the volleyball team reach the postseason for the second consecutive year, while Barnes helped the RedHawks qualify for the CCAC tournament for the sixth straight season.
Coach of the Year honors went to Jamie McNicholas, who guided the women's soccer team to their first-ever appearance in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference postseason tournament. In just his fourth season leading the program, McNicholas helped the RedHawks push top-seeded Holy Cross to the final minute of their tournament matchup, capping a historic year for the program.
The Erica Baran Champions of Character and Leadership Award, named in honor of a former student-athlete who helped set the foundation for the women's basketball program from 2007–2011, was presented to Emma Schmidt (Women's Basketball), recognizing her impact as a leader within the campus and athletic community over the past five years.
The Darrius Davis Career Achievement Award, named after a former men's basketball student-athlete for his transformational impact at IU Northwest from 2013–2016, was presented to Kendal Carrubba (Women's Soccer), recognizing her contributions both in the classroom and on the field throughout her RedHawk career.
Other major awards included:
Each varsity team also presented awards for Team MVP, Newcomer of the Year, and Champions of Character, honoring individuals who made significant contributions in their respective programs.
The Scholar-Athlete list recognized student-athletes who demonstrated excellence in the classroom throughout the academic year, including 53 student-athletes: Tre Adams, Tye Adams, Madalyn Addison, Abby Allen, Cesar Amaya, Chase Beals, Dom Bixeman, Daisy Bonilla, Juju Bozinovski, EJ Brown-Griffin, Kendal Carrubba, Brooke Chandler, Piper Ellenberger, Allison Farmer, Nick Flores, Deniza Fuentes, Spencer Gail, Alanis Gonzalez, Erick Gonzalez, Marissa Gutierrez, Ava Haluska, Jaiden Harmon, Erin Harrison, Aniyah Hinton-Henry, Matthew Hoarde, Jordan Ireland, Ava Kingery, Jake Klingaman, Logan Krambeck, Lindsey Krueger, Jamarea LaCaze, Gabi Lilovich, Luis Limones, Trinitie Lintner, Gracie Little, Nora Loebbert, Cesar Lopez, Gabby Maldonado, Jocelyn Martinez, Maranda Mason, Omar Mehisen, Olivia Montes, Madelyn Murray, Gavin Niebel, Marisa Paredes, Antonio Phillips, Katie Plopper, Madison Polzin, Raniyah Preston, Jack Stevens, Dusty Stoner, Addison Waddell, Gianna Witte.
The evening featured a red-carpet entrance and a highlight reel of the year's biggest moments, showcasing the growth and success of IU Northwest Athletics. The event closed with a Senior Salute honoring 18 graduating student-athletes across all sports, a message of gratitude from Director of Athletics Ryan Shelton, and optimism for the future of RedHawk Athletics. Congratulations to all award winners and scholar-athletes and thank you to everyone who helped make the 2025–26 athletic year one to remember!
