Wake Forest Athletics Announces Arnold Palmer, Marge Crisp and Freshman of the Year Awards
7/13/2023 3:47:00 PM | Baseball, Women's Golf, Women's Volleyball
Four Demon Deacon student-athletes were honored for their impactful contributions during an unforgettable year.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Capping off a year to remember, Wake Forest Athletics this week announced the winners of the following awards: Female Rookie of the Year, Male Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year, the Arnold Palmer Award (Male Athlete of the Year) and the Marge Crisp Award (Female Athlete of the Year).
Female Rookie of the Year-Emma Farrell🎩 ACC Freshman of the Year & ACC All-Freshman Team selection
— Wake Forest Demon Deacons (@DemonDeacons) July 12, 2023
🎩 ACC digs-per-set leader
🎩 Started & appeared in all 31 of the team's matches
Congrats to @WakeVolleyball's Emma Farrell on being named Female Rookie of the Year! pic.twitter.com/Ws5nLSd0Qt
Making an instant impact for the Deacs, Farrell was named 2022 ACC Freshman of the Year and selected to the ACC All-Freshman Team as she finished as the conference's digs-per-set leader with a 4.41 average. She was the only freshman in the ACC to appear in the top-10 for digs-per-set. Additionally, she led the team in total digs with 507, sixth-most in a single season in program history. She was one of three Demon Deacons to start and appear in all 31 of the team's matches.
🎩 Notched 48 hits with five doubles and four home runs while driving in 29 runs
— Wake Forest Demon Deacons (@DemonDeacons) July 12, 2023
🎩 Immediate impact defensively for the #OmaDeacs
🎩 Appeared in 65 games with 59 starts
Congrats to @WakeBaseball's Marek Houston on being named Male Rookie of the Year! pic.twitter.com/00JwpNQ82v
Male Rookie Of The Year-Marek Houston
In a veteran heavy lineup, Houston made an instant impact as a freshman for a Diamond Deacs squad that won the ACC regular season and advanced to Omaha for the first time since 1955. Appearing in 65 games with 59 starts, Houston was one of the best defenders in the ACC during the season, posting a .957 fielding percentage. Offensively, he notched 48 hits with five doubles and four home runs while driving in 29 runs. He posted 10 multi-hit games and eight multi-RBI games and blasted a home run in Wake Forest's Super Regional victory over Alabama.
🎩 National Champion
— Wake Forest Demon Deacons (@DemonDeacons) July 13, 2023
🎩 Consecutive ACC Player of the Year honors
🎩 Scholar Athlete of the Year
Congrats to @WakeWGolf's Rachel Kuehn for once again being named our Marge Crisp Award recipient! pic.twitter.com/j4ll9SGr3H
Marge Crisp Award (Female Athlete of the Year)-Rachel Kuehn
National Champion. Consecutive ACC Player of the Year honors. Scholar Athlete of the Year.
The list goes on and on for Kuehn during a memorable 2022-23 season in which she was also named a first-team All-American and earned another All-ACC selection while setting a new program record for lowest single-season scoring average at 70.53.
She won two individual titles while helping lead Wake Forest to six teams including the first National Championship in program history.
Kuehn becomes the seventh Deac to win consecutive Marge Crisp Awards, joining Jennifer Kupcho (2017-19), Katie Stengal (2012-13), Cheyenne Woods (2010-11), Kelly Doton (2003-04), Janelle Kraus (1998-00) and Charlotte Grant (1981-82).
🎩 ACC Male Athlete of the Year
— Wake Forest Demon Deacons (@DemonDeacons) July 13, 2023
🎩 Back-to-back ACC Pitcher of the Year
🎩 Scholar Athlete of the Year
Congrats to @WakeBaseball's Rhett Lowder for once again being named our Arnold Palmer Award recipient! pic.twitter.com/WUoruHzLb1
Arnold Palmer Award (Male Athlete Of The Year)-Rhett Lowder
From start to finish, Lowder left his mark on an unforgettable season for Wake Forest baseball, being the centerpiece of a pitching staff that received national recognition for success. Lowder dominated from the mound, setting new single-season program records for victories (15) and strikeouts (143) while tossing the fourth-most innings in one campaign at 120.1. Nationally, he ranked fourth in ERA (1.87) and eighth in WHIP (.95).
He also earned back-to-back ACC Pitcher of the Year honors to become only the second player in conference history to win the award consecutively and was named Scholar Athlete of the Year. In early July, he was named ACC Male Athlete of the Year, becoming the sixth Demon Deacon to earn the prestigious award and first since Tim Duncan in 1997.
Lowder becomes the sixth Deac to win consecutive Arnold Palmer Awards, joining Will Craig (2015-16), Lee Bedford (2011-12), Randolph Childress (1994-95), Rodney Rogers (1992-93) and Charlie Davis (1971-72).
Players Mentioned
