SAN FRANCISCO – Enjoying the first opportunity to host its ARTYs Awards in person since 2019, Academy of Art University student-athletes, coaches, and staff started May by coming together to celebrate the department's accomplishments from the 2021-22 season. The end-of-the-year presentation recognized Urban Knights from all 14 teams and featured honors for community service, academics, and athletic excellence.

Continuing a tradition started in 2016, members from the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee played a major role in the ceremony hosting and presenting awards throughout the evening.

The show's first ARTY went to women's basketball for their extraordinary efforts in serving the community and giving back to San Francisco. The team averaged over 32 hours per student-athlete for a total of more than 357 combined hours, earning them the Community Service Award.

The first individual awards presented were the ARTYs for the Best Male and Female Student-Athlete Grade Point Averages from the past two semesters (Spring 2021 and Fall 2021). Men's track & field and women's tennis were represented as Kaze Poitier's 3.77 GPA in the School of Interaction & UI/UX Design (formerly Web Design & New Media) was highlighted along with a perfect 4.00 GPA from Yun "Nicole" Shiau in the School of Communications & Media Technologies. The ARTY for Best Team GPA went to women's tennis who collectively delivered a 3.43 GPA over the last two semesters.

Starting in the realm of athletic achievement, women's golfer Anahi Servin becoming the Pacific West Conference leader in all sports with the most career Athlete of the Week honors won the ARTY for Record-Breaking Performance. Her five honors in 2021-22 gave her a total of 17 over the course of her career.

The Freshman of the Year ARTY went to Alisha Wilson of women's basketball and track & field. In addition to being ranked in the nation's top 20 in both the outdoor 400m and 4x400m, Wilson authored a memorable collegiate debut season in basketball, leading the PacWest in rebounds per game along with ranking second in blocks per game, sitting inside NCAA Division II's top 13 in offensive rebounds per game, being named the conference's Defender of the Week twice, and earning All-PacWest Second Team.

Then it was the duo of men's track & field jumper Mathieu Tshani and men's basketball guard Klay Brown who shared the ARTY for Newcomer of the Year. An Indoor All-American in the triple jump and All-Region performer, Tshani proceeded to break the program record in the Outdoor triple jump while currently ranking top two in the country in the event. The PacWest Defender of the Week honors led Brown to be named PacWest Defender of the Year, rank 11th in NCAA DII in steals per game, and end on the PacWest All-Tournament Team.

Introduced in 2015, two more awards were announced that focused on "servant leadership" or one's responsibility to serve as a positive role model for others in all aspects of life. The gender-specific honors were named after two individuals dedicated to this concept, inaugural Director of Athletics Dr. Jamie Williams and former Associate Athletics Director/Senior Woman Administrator Meghan Bushnell. Each for their work in the community, dedication to their craft in the classroom, and inspirational athletic efforts, baseball's Collin Carriger was bestowed the Dr. Jamie Williams Male Servant Leadership Award and Haley Randall of softball received the Meghan Bushnell Female Servant Leadership Award. Carriger dedicated 30 community service hours while Randall gave back with 60 community service hours.

"I believe that this award is a great reminder that college sports are not just about how well you do on the field, but it is about creating good connections with people and helping others," Randall said. "It is so easy to get caught up in the results of the game, but this season has reminded me that there are so many other amazing aspects of being a student-athlete other than just playing our sport. I believe that making strong connections with people, and helping others is very important, so this award is very special to me because I hope that I can continue to help others and be someone that people can look up to."

The various Most Valuable Player honors were assigned by the respective head coaches and the men's side included Collin Carriger (baseball), Saba Khvichava (cross country), Matthew Watkins (golf), Adrian Cekala (soccer), Shareez Hamm (track & field), and Latrell Williams (basketball).

On the women's side, the respective head coaches selected Natalia Novak (cross country), Anahi Servin (golf), Alisha Wilson (basketball), Sofia Ragona (tennis), Marie-Jeanne Ourega (track & field), Lauryn Henderson (softball), Picabo Reinhold (volleyball), and Reyna Valencia (soccer).

From the collection of MVPs emerged the Male Athlete of the Year, track & field's Shareez Hamm, and the Female Individual Athlete of the Year, women's cross country runner Natalia Novak. Hamm was an Indoor All-American with the 4x400m relay, three-time All-Region, and three-time PacWest Champion. Novak helped lead the Urban Knights to their first PacWest Championship in cross country, finishing as the PacWest Runner of the Year and the program's second All-American in the sport.

The announcement of the 2022 Richard & Clara Gil Stephens Urban Knight of the Year saw Shiau return to the stage. Shiau earned a 4.00 GPA in school of Communications and Media Technologies, completed 15 hours of community service, was an ITA Region Doubles Champion with teammate Sofia Ragona as well as All-PacWest First Team in doubles and Second Team in singles to embody the quintessential Academy of Art student-athlete.

"First of all, I want to thank ART U Athletics for giving me the opportunity to represent the school to play the sport I love," Shiau said. "I'm so grateful to receive these awards and recognitions. I also want to thank my tennis coach Clarisse Baca, strength coach Brian Hernandez, and my teammates for always giving me the best support throughout the year. The past year was never easy because of busy academics and tough tennis competitions, but I enjoyed them because all the challenges have made me grow on and off the tennis court. Getting these recognitions also strengthens my thought that the hard work will eventually pay off. I will keep trying my best in the classroom and on the tennis court!"

Along with earning the Best Moment ARTY for winning the PacWest Tournament Championship earlier in the evening's program, men's basketball closed things out being honored as the Team of the Year. Over the course of a season that was highlighted by a win over NCAA Division I UC Davis and five new program records, the Knights followed up a fourth place regular season finish with their first PacWest Tournament title and inaugural trip to the NCAA DII Tournament.

"The team winning the ARTYs awards for Best Moment and Team of the Year truly put a fitting cap on what was a great season," said Head Coach Scott Waterman. "It is great that this honor came from members of the athletics department and student-athletes which shows how we represented ART U over the course of the season. It is also a testament to our guys for all of the hard work, dedication, and effort that was put in to winning a PacWest Championship."

Full list of ARTYs winners below:
 

Community Service Award	Women's Basketball
Best Individual GPA	Kaze Poitier (MT&F) & Yun "Nicole" Shiau (WT)
Best Team GPA	Women's Tennis
Record-Breaking Performance	Women's golfer Anahi Servin breaking the PacWest record in all sports with the most career Athlete of the Week honors
Best Moment	Men's Basketball winning their first PacWest Tournament Championship
Freshman of the Year	Alisha Wilson (WBB/WT&F)
Newcomer of the Year	Mathieu Tshani (MT&F) & Klay Brown (MBB)
Dr. Jamie Williams Male Servant Leadership Award	Collin Carriger (BASE)
Meghan Bushnell Female Servant Leadership Award	Haley Randall (SB)
Male Team MVPs	Saba Khvichava (XC), Adrian Cekala (SOC), Shareez Hamm (T&F), Latrell Williams (MBB), Collin Carriger (BASE), Matthew Watkins (MG)
Male Individual Athlete of the Year	Shareez Hamm (T&F)
Female Team MVPs	Natalia Novak (XC), Picabo Reinhold (VB), Sofia Ragona (WT), Alisha Wilson (WBB), Anahi Servin (WG), Reyna Valencia (SOC), Marie-Jeanne Ourega (T&F), Lauryn Henderson (SB)
Female Individual Athlete of the Year	Natalia Novak (WXC)
Richard & Clara Gil Stephens Urban Knight of the Year	Yun "Nicole" Shiau (WT)
Team of the Year	Men's Basketball