DALLAS – Conference USA announced its Spring Spirit of Service winners Tuesday. The award honors student-athletes with significant community service endeavors, good academic standing and participation in their sport. The Spirit of Service award is presented three times throughout the season, with Tuesday’s honorees representing baseball, beach volleyball, men’s and women’s golf, softball, outdoor track and field and women’s tennis.
 
2024 Spring Spirit of Service Award Recipients
Oyinlomo Quadre, Women’s Tennis, FIU
Hannah Buffington, Softball, Jax State
Rayshawn Johnson, Men’s Track & Field, Liberty
Riley Hnatyshyn, Men’s Golf, LA Tech
Anaiya Midget, Women’s Track & Field, MTSU
Emily Stutesman, Women’s Track & Field, NM State
Coltin Atkinson, Baseball, Sam Houston
Summer McDonough, Beach Volleyball, UTEP
Averi Cline, Women’s Golf, WKU
 
FIU sophomore Oyinlomo Quadre, a psychology major, serves as the Media & Communications Coordinator for the Student-Athlete Leadership Council. She dedicates her time to promoting her peers’ success and support for the student-athlete community. The sophomore from Nigeria boasts a 3.56 GPA and was named to the FIU Dean’s List and CUSA Commissioner’s Honor Roll. She was the 2023 CUSA Women’s Tennis Player and Freshman of the Year and has helped lead the Panthers to back-to-back CUSA titles for the first time in program history.
 
Jax State junior Hannah Buffington showcased great involvement within the Jacksonville community. The Fort Payne, Alabama, native is a six-time President’s List honoree while maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA in Management. Buffington has also been a member of SAAC at Jax State for two years and currently is Vice President of the committee. The junior utility player appeared in 42 games for the Gamecock softball program.
 
Liberty graduate student Rayshawn Johnson made a lasting impact on the community during his time in Lynchburg. Johnson finished his academic efforts with a 3.27 GPA and a degree in Sport Management as a member of the Flame track and field team. The Willingboro, New Jersey, native participated in elementary literacy programs, reading to second grade classes on a weekly basis. Johnson played a large role in raising more than $8,600 for Lynchburg students and teachers.
 
Louisiana Tech sophomore Riley Hnatyshyn, a finance major, served in numerous community service outings including “Dawgs with a Cause”, Glenview Field Day and Hillcrest Carnival. He was named to the AD Honor Roll for six consecutive quarters and is a two-time member of the CUSA Commissioner’s Honor Roll. Hnatyshyn saw action in four events for the Bulldog men’s golf program while registering a stroke average of 77.50 over 12 rounds.
 
MTSU junior Anaiya Midget is a recent graduate with a degree in Entrepreneurship and will begin her master’s degree in the fall of 2024. Midget is the Community Service Chair for MTSU SAAC and has volunteered at many events including Earth Day trash cleanup, “Winter Care Packages for the Homeless” and “Both Hands”. The Nolensville, Tennessee, native competed in five meets, placing eighth in the Music City Challenge and finished 14^th at the CUSA Outdoor Championships in Long Jump.
 
New Mexico State senior Emily Stutesman is a kinesiology major and a track and field athlete with a 3.875 cumulative GPA. Stutesman served in the Aggie Stampede Event, Women’s Empowerment Dinner 5K Fun Run and is a science campus tutor in Las Cruces. The Glendale, Arizona, native is a 10-time NM State Crimson Scholar Athlete and was a recipient of the 2023-24 CUSA Commissioner’s Academic Medal. She finished her 2024 season with a sixth-place finish at the CUSA Championships in the 5000m.
 
Sam Houston senior Coltin Atkinson, a CUSA First Team All-Conference starting pitcher, serves as the Community Service Coordinator for SAAC and provides mentorship with day-to-day life skills for the entire freshman class. Atkinson graduated in December of 2023 with a 3.85 GPA in Construction Management and recently just began his second bachelor’s degree in communication studies. The Porter, Texas, native was a two-time CUSA Pitcher of the Week and ranks third in CUSA in wins (6) and ERA (3.62).
 
UTEP graduate student Summer McDonough, a 2024 CUSA All-Academic Team member in beach volleyball, achieved 23 total hours of community service including outings with “Rebuilding Together El Paso”, the Mesita Fall Festival and El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank. McDonough is currently pursuing her MBA and boasts a perfect 4.0 GPA. She posted a 14-11 record on court No. 2 and carried a five-match winning streak during the 2024 campaign.
 
WKU sophomore Averi Cline, a psychology major, has completed an astounding 183 community service hours over the 2023-24 academic year. She spent much of her time volunteering her time with organizations close to her heart such as Curbside Ministries and Crossland Kids Ministry. Cline has also spent time volunteering at her home humane center and acting as a FCA character coach for a local high school team. The Suwanee, Georgia, native competed in all 10 tournaments for the Lady Toppers golf program this year, turning in four top-20 finishes with a 74.8 stroke average.