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Taylor Higginbotham
Sarah Twidwell

Higginbotham, McGuire Take Home Top Honors at 2019 WESPYs

A year’s worth of accomplishments was packed into one night of celebration.

MACOMB, Ill. – Western Illinois Athletics packed a year's worth of accomplishments into one night of celebration at the annual WESPYs event. Taylor Higginbotham and Sean McGuire took home the evening's top honors as female and male student-athletes of the year, while awards were also given in recognition of stellar performances, academic excellence, community service and much more. 

Female Senior of the Year

The Leathernecks had just one senior on their 2018-19 roster, and her name was Taylor Higginbotham --- a 5-10 guard from Germantown, Wisconsin, whose storied career included the NCAAs, a Summit League championship and the title of "all-time leading scorer."
 
With four seasons under her belt, Higginbotham assisted the Leathernecks to back-to-back 20-win seasons in 2017 and 2018, as well as three straight postseason appearances. She became the program's all-time leading scorer this past season and wrapped her collegiate career with 1,806 points, 806 rebounds, and 238 steals, with the latter two categories ranked third and fifth in school history, respectively. 
 
Higginbotham was also a two-time Second Team All-Summit League selection.

Male Senior of the Year

Game after game after game, for the past four years, Sean McGuire has been the anchor of Western Illinois' offense. His name is written in the program's record book in too many places to count, but this past season, he claimed the No. 1 spots in career passing yards, touchdowns, completions and attempts. 

Lining up under center, McGuire helped Western to three winning seasons and berths in the 2015 and 2017 FCS Playoffs with several national rankings along the way.

He finished his career as not only one best greatest quarterbacks in WIU history, but also second all-time in the Missouri Valley Football Conference with 9,819 career passing yards.

The complete list of winners:

Student-Athlete of the Year
Male: Khalen Saunders, Football             
Female: Taylor Higginbotham, Basketball

Rookie of the Year
Male: Adam Peterson, Swimming
Female: Danni Nichols, Basketball

Unsung Hero
Male: Otis Dortch, Basketball
Female: Madison Boone, Softball

Courage Award
Male: Elijah Elkerton, Football 
Female: Emily Marrs, Golf

Leatherneck Award
Male: Tre Hendon, Football
Female: Payton Abbott, Softball 

Cheerleader of the Year
Emily Sica

Highlight of the Year
Male: CJ Schaeffer Jr.'s walk-off, grand slam against South Dakota State  
Female: Bo Brasseur broke the school outdoor record in the long jump, which ranked No. 20 in the nation at the time 

Team Performance of the Year
Men's basketball knocked off No. 1 South Dakota State in the first round of the Summit League Tournament 

Brother-Sister Team Award
Softball and men's track and field 

Highest GPA Award
Male: Soccer  
Female: Basketball 

Community Service Award
Softball 
 
Gallery: (4/30/2019) WESPYs 2019
 
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