INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The inaugural IU Regional Campus Athletics Awards Celebration was held Thursday, May 7, bringing together the top student-athletes, coaches, and teams from across five Indiana University regional campuses to recognize excellence in athletics, academics, leadership, character, and campus involvement throughout the 2025-26 academic year.
Representatives from IU East, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU South Bend, and IU Southeast competed for six major awards during the event, held in the spirit of "One IU" — a theme made especially fitting following Indiana University's first-ever national football championship. The celebration recognized all 54 athletics teams and nearly 1,000 student-athletes from the regional campuses competing in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
The evening featured IU Northwest alum Darrius Davis as its keynote speaker. A first-generation student-athlete who competed for the RedHawks men's basketball program from 2014 to 2017, Davis helped guide the program to a 20-win season and holds multiple records in the IU Northwest record book. Now a Business Relationship Manager and Vice President at Generations Bank, Davis reflected on how the university shaped him: "I arrived ready to 'be the change,' but I didn't realize how much the university would shape me — challenging me to grow and make a greater impact. The message of One IU and building a culture of oneness is something I'll carry with me forever."
IU Northwest was well-represented across the night's six award categories with four nominees and two finalists.
Female Athlete of the Year Nominee — Trinitie Lintner (Women's Volleyball) Lintner, a junior, had an outstanding season that included 141 kills, 97 total blocks, and 2026 CCAC All-Conference First Team honors. She also serves as team captain and is President of the Association of Student-Athletes.
Career Achievement Nominee — Kendal Carrubba (Women's Soccer) Carrubba appeared in 52 matches over her career, logging 3,138 minutes on the pitch. She earned CCAC All-Academic honors in 2026.
Coach of the Year Nominee — Jamie McNicholas (Women's Soccer) McNicholas led the IU Northwest women's soccer program to its first-ever berth in the CCAC postseason tournament. During his tenure, the program produced eight NAIA Scholar-Athletes and six CCAC All-Academic selections.
Triple Threat Team Nominee — Women's Volleyball The RedHawks volleyball program was nominated for its balance of competitive progress, academic excellence — with all student-athletes earning at least a 3.0 GPA — and community service through outreach with the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana.
Champion of Character Finalist — Emma Schmidt (Women's Basketball) Schmidt was recognized for five seasons of team-first leadership and her dedication through strong commitment to community engagement, including service with Tradewinds of Northwest Indiana
Male Athlete of the Year Finalist — Ladaion Barnes (Men's Basketball) Barnes, who averaged 18.6 points per game and delivered a memorable 44-point performance, was nominated for his on-court excellence and lasting legacy of leadership within the program.
The celebration was presented by Ken Iwama, Vice President for Regional Campuses and Online Education, and was sponsored by the IU Bookstore and BSN Sports.
To view the gallery of the event, click HERE
