HIGH POINT, N.C. — High Point University Athletics hosted its annual student-athlete awards ceremony, known as the Pawscars, Tuesday night inside the Hayworth Fine Arts Center on campus.
 
Baseball senior Konni Durschlag was named the HPU Male Athlete of the Year, while women's track and field senior Sydney Horn was tabbed HPU Female Athlete of the Year once again.
 
Durschlag (baseball) is in the midst of his best season in collegiate baseball as he was most recently leading the nation in batting average (.495). The Charlotte, N.C., native has started in all 39 games for the Panthers, batting leadoff and playing centerfield. He currently leads the Panthers in six offensive categories and is among the nation's best in batting average, on base percentage, hits, total bases, runs scored, and slugging percentage. He has earned two Big South Player of the Week honors so far this season and was tabbed to the NCAA Division I Lineup of the Week following batting .765 through four games. Durschlag was named a D1 Baseball Midseason First-Team All-American.
 
Sydney Horn (women's track and field) competed at 10 meets during the indoor season. She set a new HPU program and Big South record at the Virginia Tech Challenge clearing 4.57m. Horn was crowned the Big South Women's Pole Vault Indoor Champion for the fourth time in her career, clearing 4.45m. She competed at her fifth NCAA Indoor Championship and placed seventh, clearing 4.40m to become a five-time Indoor Track & Field All-American. Horn was named the Big South Field Athlete of the Week seven times and named the Big South Most Outstanding Performer. 
 
Frankie DeFrancesco (men's soccer) took home HPU Freshman of the Year honors. He was named the Big South Freshman of the Year and led the Panthers to the school's first-ever win over a No. 1 team as he scored the game-winner to stun top-ranked Pitt on the road. DeFrancesco scored four goals and tallied three assists in 932 minutes on the pitch. The forward played in all 17 games with 15 starts en route to being named to the Big South All-Freshman Team and Second Team. He was ranked No. 30 on the TopDrawSoccer Top-100 Freshman as he won three Big South Freshman of the Week honors and one Big South Offensive Player of the Week accolades.
 
The HPU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee voted Bella Healy (volleyball) as the HPU Sportswoman of the Year, while Davis Whiting (men's lacrosse) was selected as the HPU Sportsman of the Year for the second straight year.
 
Alex Constantinou (men's track and field) was selected as the HPU Breakout Athlete of the Year. Before this year, his personal best in the high jump were clearances of 2.10m (outdoor) and 1.95m (indoor). The junior shattered his personal bests as he broke the Big South Meet Record with a jump of 2.18 (7' 1.75") to become the Big South Indoor Men's High Jump Champion. At this third outdoor meet, Constantinou bested his personal outdoor record with a jump of 2.16m (7' 1") at the VertKlasse Meeting to become the program holder in the men's high jump.
 
Jaleesa Lawrence (women's basketball) was awarded Newcomer of the Year. The senior was named the Big South Tournament MVP in her first season in Purple & White as she helped lead the Panthers to two Big South Championships and a NCAA Tournament appearance. She started in every game (33), played a team-high 30.7 minutes per game while averaging 10.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. She was named to the Big South All-Conference Second Team and All-Academic Team.
 
The HPU strength and conditioning staff recognized four student-athletes for their excellence in the weight room. Anna Venditti (rowing) was awarded the Female Iron Cub of the Year, while Crew Nelson (men's lacrosse) earned the Male Iron Cub of the Year. Bella Healy (volleyball) took home the Female Iron Panther of the Year award and Justin Ruiz (baseball) garnered the Male Iron Panther of the Year.
 
For their outstanding academics, Ana-Elena Kusters (women's golf) was awarded the Tobias Scholar-Athlete Award, while Dalton Olsovsky (baseball) was voted the E. Vance Davis Scholar-Athlete award winner.
 
The game of the year was given to men's soccer for High Point's first-ever win over a No. 1 team in any sport as the Panthers defeated top-ranked Pitt, 1-0, while men's basketball was awarded historic performance of the year for winning the Big South Tournament and advancing to March Madness for the first time in program history.
 
The competition cup was awarded to women's soccer for the team's efforts in the classroom, in the community, and on the field.
 
HPU Deputy Athletic Director Drew Sanchez was the emcee, while Athletic Director/Vice President Dan Hauser addressed the student-athletes with an overview of the department's outstanding accomplishments. Courtesy of the Panther Club, all seniors were presented with senior rings to begin the ceremony.

The Pawscars ended by recognizing the 2024-25 4.0 Millis Scholar-Athlete Awards, which are awards endowed by the Millis Family to showcase HPU's outstanding student-athletes' academic achievements. Eighty One student-athletes were awarded for their perfect 4.0 grade-point averages in the classroom. Molly Millis-Young was on stage to help present the awards alongside Athletic Director/Vice President Dan Hauser.
   
Female Athlete of the Year: Sydney Horn
Male Athlete of the Year: Konni Durschlag
Freshman of the Year: Frankie DeFrancesco
Newcomer of the Year: Jaleesa Lawrence
Breakout Athlete of the Year: Alex Constantinou
Game of the Year: Men's Soccer Defeats #1 Pitt
Historic Performance of the Year: Men's Basketball Wins Big South Tournament, Advances to March Madness for the first time in program history
Competition Cup: Women's Soccer
Sportsman of the Year: Davis Whiting
Sportswoman of the Year: Bella Healy
Tobias: Ana-Elena Kusters
E. Vance Davis: Dalton Olsovsky
Female Iron Cub: Anna Venditti
Male Iron Cub: Crew Nelson
Female Iron Panther: Bella Healy
Male Iron Panther: Justin Ruiz
 
Male Panther Cups
 
Baseball: Konni Durschlag
Basketball: Bobby Pettiford, Jr.
Cross Country: Hunter Steinau
Golf: Grady Newton
Lacrosse Zack Brenfleck
Soccer Brendan Krueger
Indoor T&F: Ricardo Montes de Oca
Outdoor T&F: Cole Wilson
 
Female Panther Cups
 
Basketball: Nevaeh Zavala
Cross Country: Charli Montalvo
Golf: Julia McLaughlin
Lacrosse: Esprit Cha
Soccer: Sabba Haghgoo
Rowing: Anna Venditti
Volleyball: Dylan Maberry
Indoor T&F: Sydney Horn
Outdoor T&F: Sydney Horn