2021 aCATemy Awards -Overcoming Adversity
Overcoming Adversity Award Nominees
Corynne Hammit, Field Hockey
-From Head Coach Zoe Almquist:
"Missed all of 2019 season with a back injury and was not even on the roster. She came back this year to be named All A-10 Second Team and was the Wildcats Points leader in 2021."
Eleni Daughters, Women's Cross Country & Track & Field
-From Director of Track & Field Jen Straub:
"Throughout her 4 years at Davidson College, Eleni has suffered 3 concussions and, during this current season, has been battling a major foot injury on top of being quarantined mid season. In spite of these set backs, Eleni currently holds 6 school records in all and is on the way to rebreaking the outdoor 800m record in the upcoming conference meet as well as contending for the conference title, even though she is continuing to battle with her foot injury. Eleni's ability to overcome the physical pain and mental frustration of her injuries--specifically this current injury--demonstrates her ability to lead and persevere in difficult times. There is no one more deserving of this award."
Finlay Holsten, Wrestling
From Head Coach Andy Lausier:
"He is an incredible story of a most unlikely walk-on wrestler. He came to me during my first season at Davidson and asked to join the wrestling team. I thanked him for his interest, but explained that in the sport of wrestling, walk-ons almost always inevitably walk-off, and as I was in my first year of rebuilding the program, I couldn't afford that type of disruption to our roster. Although discouraged, Finlay didn't give up on the idea of walking-on, and he continued to request a chance. We ultimately made an agreement - I would give him the opportunity to walk-on, but in return, he had to give me one full year (no quitting during the season would be permissable). He eagerly shook my hand, and I skeptically shook his. Despite a brutal freshmen year, where Finlay was thrust into the starting line-up at the grueling weighting class of 197 lbs., he displayed resiliency and a desire to improve that outmatched anyone on the roster. Finlay suffered through a miserable 3-21 record during his freshmen campaign, but instead of growing discouraged, he became more invested. Finlay spent the summer following his freshmen year at Davidson, so he could train and put on size to move up to the heavyweight class. Between a strict diet of massive caloric consumption and grueling weight room work, Finlay gained 30 pounds. Unfortunately, his efforts were not immediately rewarded after a 4-10 season, where he split time as the starting heavyweight in our line-up. Finlay returned for his junior season expecting to again wrestle heavyweight. However, our starting 197 lbs. wrestler went down with a season ending injury weeks before our first dual, so Finlay made the selfless decision to drop all of the weight he had worked so hard to put on for the betterment of our line-up. In our COVID-condensed season, Finlay wrestled every match, going 4-4 on the season, including a first-period pin over the SoCon Conference runner-up and NCAA qualifier from UTC. To go from 3-21 to 4-4 in two seasons, and record a pin over a NCAA qualifier is an incredible breakthrough - and certainly one in which I have never witnessed as a coach. Finlay will return for his senior season as a team captain, a walk-on who has been put on scholarship, and he will be a serious contender for a SoCon title. Lastly, Finlay has achieved all of this improvement while maintaining a 3.825 cumulative GPA as a biology major."
Izzy Lozano, Lacrosse
From Head Coach Kim Wayne:
"Izzy was in a horrific skiing accident in January of her sophomore year, and spent weeks in the ICU. Izzy’s accident caused brain injury and also made her legally blind in the peripheral of one of her eyes. She went from barely surviving, to wondering if she would ever attend school again, to starting in every game her Senior year. She is one of our best defenders now, and one of the best defenders I have ever coached. It is truly amazing to see Izzy compete knowing what she’s been through"
Joe dosReis, Men's Track & Field
From Director Renny Waldron:
"In his first two years at Davidson, Joe has had to undergo two major knee surgeries. Through tireless rehab work and a work ethic like no other, Joe came back with a positive attitude and ready to run great. In his first cross country race in early February, Joe lost his shoe 2k into the 8k race; this was but a minor problem for Joe, who toughed it over the next 6k with one shoe off, despite running on hard ground in the dead of winter. Shortly after that, Joe came down with Covid, which forced him to miss the A-10 Championship race. Undeterred, Joe kept working hard and has come back with a vengeance, running great this outdoor season. He has run 1:54 in the 800 and 3:55 in the 1500, and is looking to improve on those very competitive marks in the last few races of the season."
Tyler Chisholm, Football
-Tore his ACL his sophomore season.
-Rehabbed and changed positions.
-Played a significant role in his senior year and never gave up
Corynne Hammit, Field Hockey
-From Head Coach Zoe Almquist:
"Missed all of 2019 season with a back injury and was not even on the roster. She came back this year to be named All A-10 Second Team and was the Wildcats Points leader in 2021."
Eleni Daughters, Women's Cross Country & Track & Field
-From Director of Track & Field Jen Straub:
"Throughout her 4 years at Davidson College, Eleni has suffered 3 concussions and, during this current season, has been battling a major foot injury on top of being quarantined mid season. In spite of these set backs, Eleni currently holds 6 school records in all and is on the way to rebreaking the outdoor 800m record in the upcoming conference meet as well as contending for the conference title, even though she is continuing to battle with her foot injury. Eleni's ability to overcome the physical pain and mental frustration of her injuries--specifically this current injury--demonstrates her ability to lead and persevere in difficult times. There is no one more deserving of this award."
Finlay Holsten, Wrestling
From Head Coach Andy Lausier:
"He is an incredible story of a most unlikely walk-on wrestler. He came to me during my first season at Davidson and asked to join the wrestling team. I thanked him for his interest, but explained that in the sport of wrestling, walk-ons almost always inevitably walk-off, and as I was in my first year of rebuilding the program, I couldn't afford that type of disruption to our roster. Although discouraged, Finlay didn't give up on the idea of walking-on, and he continued to request a chance. We ultimately made an agreement - I would give him the opportunity to walk-on, but in return, he had to give me one full year (no quitting during the season would be permissable). He eagerly shook my hand, and I skeptically shook his. Despite a brutal freshmen year, where Finlay was thrust into the starting line-up at the grueling weighting class of 197 lbs., he displayed resiliency and a desire to improve that outmatched anyone on the roster. Finlay suffered through a miserable 3-21 record during his freshmen campaign, but instead of growing discouraged, he became more invested. Finlay spent the summer following his freshmen year at Davidson, so he could train and put on size to move up to the heavyweight class. Between a strict diet of massive caloric consumption and grueling weight room work, Finlay gained 30 pounds. Unfortunately, his efforts were not immediately rewarded after a 4-10 season, where he split time as the starting heavyweight in our line-up. Finlay returned for his junior season expecting to again wrestle heavyweight. However, our starting 197 lbs. wrestler went down with a season ending injury weeks before our first dual, so Finlay made the selfless decision to drop all of the weight he had worked so hard to put on for the betterment of our line-up. In our COVID-condensed season, Finlay wrestled every match, going 4-4 on the season, including a first-period pin over the SoCon Conference runner-up and NCAA qualifier from UTC. To go from 3-21 to 4-4 in two seasons, and record a pin over a NCAA qualifier is an incredible breakthrough - and certainly one in which I have never witnessed as a coach. Finlay will return for his senior season as a team captain, a walk-on who has been put on scholarship, and he will be a serious contender for a SoCon title. Lastly, Finlay has achieved all of this improvement while maintaining a 3.825 cumulative GPA as a biology major."
Izzy Lozano, Lacrosse
From Head Coach Kim Wayne:
"Izzy was in a horrific skiing accident in January of her sophomore year, and spent weeks in the ICU. Izzy’s accident caused brain injury and also made her legally blind in the peripheral of one of her eyes. She went from barely surviving, to wondering if she would ever attend school again, to starting in every game her Senior year. She is one of our best defenders now, and one of the best defenders I have ever coached. It is truly amazing to see Izzy compete knowing what she’s been through"
Joe dosReis, Men's Track & Field
From Director Renny Waldron:
"In his first two years at Davidson, Joe has had to undergo two major knee surgeries. Through tireless rehab work and a work ethic like no other, Joe came back with a positive attitude and ready to run great. In his first cross country race in early February, Joe lost his shoe 2k into the 8k race; this was but a minor problem for Joe, who toughed it over the next 6k with one shoe off, despite running on hard ground in the dead of winter. Shortly after that, Joe came down with Covid, which forced him to miss the A-10 Championship race. Undeterred, Joe kept working hard and has come back with a vengeance, running great this outdoor season. He has run 1:54 in the 800 and 3:55 in the 1500, and is looking to improve on those very competitive marks in the last few races of the season."
Tyler Chisholm, Football
-Tore his ACL his sophomore season.
-Rehabbed and changed positions.
-Played a significant role in his senior year and never gave up
