L-R: Taurus Samuels, Lilly Durbin, Jalen Mackie, Samantha Yao, Idia Ihensekhien, Cameron Wolfe, Mothibi Penn-Kekana
Photo by: Gil Talbot
Dartmouth Holds 2021-22 Celebration of Excellence
5/16/2022 8:48:00 PM | Baseball, Equestrian, Field Hockey, Football, Men's Basketball, Men's Cross Country, Men's Golf, Men's Ice Hockey, Men's Lacrosse, Men's Soccer, Men's Squash, Men's Swimming & Diving, Men's Tennis, Men's Track & Field, Softball, Women's Basketball, Women's Cross Country, Women's Golf, Women's Ice Hockey, Women's Lacrosse, Women's Rowing, Women's Rugby, Women's Soccer, Women's Squash, Women's Swimming & Diving, Women's Tennis, Women's Track & Field, Women's Volleyball, Sailing - Open & Women's, Skiing, Athletics, Men's Heavyweight Rowing, Men's Lightweight Rowing, Men's Rugby
HANOVER, N.H. – The Dartmouth College Department of Athletics and Recreation hosted its annual Celebration of Athletic Excellence on Monday evening, honoring the achievements of teams and individuals throughout the 2021-22 academic year.
The ceremony was held in Leede Arena for the first time since 2016.
THE CLASS OF 1948 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS
Given "to one male and one female athlete of the junior class, who have combined outstanding performance in athletics and significant achievement in academics."
Winners: Cameron Wolfe (Men's Nordic Skiing) and Samantha Yao (Women's Golf)
Wolfe has been a consistent performer on the trails for the Big Green ski team, scoring points for the team in every one of the 20 carnival races he has competed in during his career. In four of his eight races this past winter, he finished among the top 10 and was the 11th ranked male Nordic skier in the East. He went on to compete in the NCAA Skiing Championship in Utah for the second time in his career.
An engineering major with a 3.93 GPA, Wolfe has also been named to the USCSCA National Collegiate All-Academic Ski Team in each of his three years at Dartmouth and will be inducted early into the worldwide engineering equivalent of Phi Beta Kappa.
Yao played in six tournaments this season, placing among the top 20 in each one while winning the Bama Beach Bash after five months off from competitive golf. She also set the school record for the lowest single round at 3-under par in that tournament and also set the record for two consecutive rounds as well. One of the Ivy League leaders in stroke average for the season, Yao helped the Big Green to within 10 strokes of the team's first Ivy League title at the conference championship. She even has a hole-in-one while at Dartmouth, which she recorded as a freshman.
An economics major with a 3.81 GPA, Yao was named to the Academic All-Ivy League Women's Golf Team and also a WGCA All-America Scholar in 2020, an honor she will assuredly receive again this year when announced in July.
CLASS OF 1950 AWARD
Presented to "the varsity student-athlete who has demonstrated the most extraordinary commitment to community service."
Winner: Mothibi Penn-Kekana (Men's Soccer)
Over the last two seasons, Penn-Kekana has been an integral member of the Big Green defense, starting all but one of the 31 games in the last two seasons. But he has been an even bigger star to all the people he has helped.
During his time at Dartmouth, he has served as a teaching assistant, or TA, for three different economics courses, and is now serving as the department's TA coordinator. Penn-Kekana was also instrumental in founding the Sadie Alexander Association, an organization for minority students in economics at Dartmouth.
Even before arriving in Hanover, he took a gap year to volunteer, mentor and coach youths in his homeland of South Africa after gaining his coaching qualification.
THE TIMOTHY WRIGHT ELLIS 1955 MEMORIAL AWARD
Given to a man showing extracurricular and scholastic drive, spirit, loyalty and amiability and is nominated and voted on by the captains of the men's teams.
Winner: Taurus Samuels (Men's Basketball)
Samuels has left an impact on the numerous groups he has served in leadership roles in our campus community. His roles as the SAAC Outreach Chair, SAAC President, Head of DBSAA Professional Development and Jaeger Civics Intern have all capitalized on his ability to rally people to change perceptions, explore issues and engage meaningfully.
Samuels also organized the Men's Mental Health Awareness campaign that brought voices to the forefront of the athletics platforms, sharing the importance of self-care, mental health, support for each other and unitization of sport psychology and counseling services.
His coach, David McLaughlin said of him, "Taurus exemplifies everything that is great about Dartmouth. Not only has he excelled as a basketball player on the court, but he has truly embraced everything that the Dartmouth community has to offer."
AGNES KURTZ AWARD
Presented to "the woman who best combines proficiency in athletics with dedication to the furthering of women's sports" as nominated and voted on by the captains of the women's teams.
Winner: Lilly Durbin (Women's Rugby)
Durbin has not let physical setbacks deter her from competing in the sport she loves. Following a serious knee injury as well as heart surgery in 2019, Durbin was not expected to play rugby again. But she defied all odds to return to the pitch this past fall and returned stronger than ever to excel in her sport. Durbin finished the fall season as the team leader in tries, the last of which came in the National Championship victory over Army West Point.
Her coach, Katie Dowty, said this about her: "She is one of the strongest and most positive people I know, and I can't think of anyone more deserving of this award."
THE ALFRED E. WATSON TROPHY
Presented annually to Dartmouth's top male student-athlete of the year.
Winner: Jalen Mackie (Football)
Entering his senior year with a total of just 10 tackles to his credit, Mackie emerged as the focal point of the Big Green defense this fall, leading the Ivy League with nearly 10 tackles per game. Seven times the linebacker recorded the most tackles in a game during the season, twice collecting a career-high 13, including in the 31-7 victory over previously undefeated Princeton. He was named the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week on two separate occasions and had at least 10 tackles in a game five times. Eight of Mackie's stops were for a loss with one sack, and he even added an interception in the season opener.
A first-team All-Ivy League and All-New England selection, as well as a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, which is given to the top defensive player in the FCS, he earned his place on the Stats Perform All-America Third Team.
THE CLASS OF 1976 AWARD
Presented annually to the most outstanding female student-athlete of the year.
Winner: Idia Ihensekhien (Women's Rugby)
Recently named the 2021-22 MA Sorensen Award winner as the top college women's rugby player in the country, Ihensekhien obviously was a force to be reckoned with on the pitch. Simply put, she combines tremendous power, skill and an innate knowledge of the sport to make herself the most dominant player in collegiate women's rugby.
The fifth-year senior led the Big Green to a perfect 7-0 record against National Intercollegiate Rugby Association teams, winning those seven contests by an average of nearly 45 points. After a 56-5 victory in the national semifinals, Ihensekhien scored two tries to help lift Dartmouth to a 28-18 triumph over Army West Point and win the national title, earning MVP honors for the game.
She was named a NIRA All-American all four years that she played, earning honorable mention as a freshman before making the first team in each of her final three campaigns. For her career, Ihensekhien scored 105 points on 21 tries and was a part of two national championship teams.
KENNETH ARCHIBALD PRIZE
Dartmouth's highest honor is presented annually to "the member of the graduating class who has been four years in attendance, who has been the best all-around athlete, regard also being had to moral worth and high standing in scholarship." The winner traditionally exemplifies all that we hope and expect of the men and women who put on the Dartmouth uniform and take to the field of play. This student-athlete is to be of exemplary athletic skill, of great academic prowess and of high moral character.
Winner: Derek Kyler (Football)
One of the most efficient quarterbacks across the FCS during this past fall and throughout his career, Kyler played an integral role in the Big Green winning more games in any three-season stretch in program history, averaging over 30 points a game and earning a national rank between 15 and 21 each year. Most importantly, he was a key component in the team claiming back-to-back Ivy League titles his last two campaigns.
This past season, he ranked second in the nation in completion percentage, setting a Dartmouth record at over 70 percent, and his touchdown-to-interception ratio was the best of any FCS quarterback. Kyler was among the top three Ivy quarterbacks in virtually every passing statistical category, including touchdowns, completions and passing yards, as well as total offense. He also set Big Green and Ivy League career records for completion percentage and passing efficiency.
There are specific games Kyler will always be known for, such as the fourth-quarter comeback at Brown in 2019 to clinch the Ivy League crown. But no one will ever forget the Miracle at Cambridge earlier that season when he drove the team 96 yards in the final minute, ending with a Hail Mary, after eluding a heavy pass rush, that was caught in the end zone as time expired for a 9-6 victory over the Crimson.
The ceremony was held in Leede Arena for the first time since 2016.
THE CLASS OF 1948 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS
Given "to one male and one female athlete of the junior class, who have combined outstanding performance in athletics and significant achievement in academics."
Winners: Cameron Wolfe (Men's Nordic Skiing) and Samantha Yao (Women's Golf)
Wolfe has been a consistent performer on the trails for the Big Green ski team, scoring points for the team in every one of the 20 carnival races he has competed in during his career. In four of his eight races this past winter, he finished among the top 10 and was the 11th ranked male Nordic skier in the East. He went on to compete in the NCAA Skiing Championship in Utah for the second time in his career.
An engineering major with a 3.93 GPA, Wolfe has also been named to the USCSCA National Collegiate All-Academic Ski Team in each of his three years at Dartmouth and will be inducted early into the worldwide engineering equivalent of Phi Beta Kappa.
Yao played in six tournaments this season, placing among the top 20 in each one while winning the Bama Beach Bash after five months off from competitive golf. She also set the school record for the lowest single round at 3-under par in that tournament and also set the record for two consecutive rounds as well. One of the Ivy League leaders in stroke average for the season, Yao helped the Big Green to within 10 strokes of the team's first Ivy League title at the conference championship. She even has a hole-in-one while at Dartmouth, which she recorded as a freshman.
An economics major with a 3.81 GPA, Yao was named to the Academic All-Ivy League Women's Golf Team and also a WGCA All-America Scholar in 2020, an honor she will assuredly receive again this year when announced in July.
CLASS OF 1950 AWARD
Presented to "the varsity student-athlete who has demonstrated the most extraordinary commitment to community service."
Winner: Mothibi Penn-Kekana (Men's Soccer)
Over the last two seasons, Penn-Kekana has been an integral member of the Big Green defense, starting all but one of the 31 games in the last two seasons. But he has been an even bigger star to all the people he has helped.
During his time at Dartmouth, he has served as a teaching assistant, or TA, for three different economics courses, and is now serving as the department's TA coordinator. Penn-Kekana was also instrumental in founding the Sadie Alexander Association, an organization for minority students in economics at Dartmouth.
Even before arriving in Hanover, he took a gap year to volunteer, mentor and coach youths in his homeland of South Africa after gaining his coaching qualification.
THE TIMOTHY WRIGHT ELLIS 1955 MEMORIAL AWARD
Given to a man showing extracurricular and scholastic drive, spirit, loyalty and amiability and is nominated and voted on by the captains of the men's teams.
Winner: Taurus Samuels (Men's Basketball)
Samuels has left an impact on the numerous groups he has served in leadership roles in our campus community. His roles as the SAAC Outreach Chair, SAAC President, Head of DBSAA Professional Development and Jaeger Civics Intern have all capitalized on his ability to rally people to change perceptions, explore issues and engage meaningfully.
Samuels also organized the Men's Mental Health Awareness campaign that brought voices to the forefront of the athletics platforms, sharing the importance of self-care, mental health, support for each other and unitization of sport psychology and counseling services.
His coach, David McLaughlin said of him, "Taurus exemplifies everything that is great about Dartmouth. Not only has he excelled as a basketball player on the court, but he has truly embraced everything that the Dartmouth community has to offer."
AGNES KURTZ AWARD
Presented to "the woman who best combines proficiency in athletics with dedication to the furthering of women's sports" as nominated and voted on by the captains of the women's teams.
Winner: Lilly Durbin (Women's Rugby)
Durbin has not let physical setbacks deter her from competing in the sport she loves. Following a serious knee injury as well as heart surgery in 2019, Durbin was not expected to play rugby again. But she defied all odds to return to the pitch this past fall and returned stronger than ever to excel in her sport. Durbin finished the fall season as the team leader in tries, the last of which came in the National Championship victory over Army West Point.
Her coach, Katie Dowty, said this about her: "She is one of the strongest and most positive people I know, and I can't think of anyone more deserving of this award."
THE ALFRED E. WATSON TROPHY
Presented annually to Dartmouth's top male student-athlete of the year.
Winner: Jalen Mackie (Football)
Entering his senior year with a total of just 10 tackles to his credit, Mackie emerged as the focal point of the Big Green defense this fall, leading the Ivy League with nearly 10 tackles per game. Seven times the linebacker recorded the most tackles in a game during the season, twice collecting a career-high 13, including in the 31-7 victory over previously undefeated Princeton. He was named the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week on two separate occasions and had at least 10 tackles in a game five times. Eight of Mackie's stops were for a loss with one sack, and he even added an interception in the season opener.
A first-team All-Ivy League and All-New England selection, as well as a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, which is given to the top defensive player in the FCS, he earned his place on the Stats Perform All-America Third Team.
THE CLASS OF 1976 AWARD
Presented annually to the most outstanding female student-athlete of the year.
Winner: Idia Ihensekhien (Women's Rugby)
Recently named the 2021-22 MA Sorensen Award winner as the top college women's rugby player in the country, Ihensekhien obviously was a force to be reckoned with on the pitch. Simply put, she combines tremendous power, skill and an innate knowledge of the sport to make herself the most dominant player in collegiate women's rugby.
The fifth-year senior led the Big Green to a perfect 7-0 record against National Intercollegiate Rugby Association teams, winning those seven contests by an average of nearly 45 points. After a 56-5 victory in the national semifinals, Ihensekhien scored two tries to help lift Dartmouth to a 28-18 triumph over Army West Point and win the national title, earning MVP honors for the game.
She was named a NIRA All-American all four years that she played, earning honorable mention as a freshman before making the first team in each of her final three campaigns. For her career, Ihensekhien scored 105 points on 21 tries and was a part of two national championship teams.
KENNETH ARCHIBALD PRIZE
Dartmouth's highest honor is presented annually to "the member of the graduating class who has been four years in attendance, who has been the best all-around athlete, regard also being had to moral worth and high standing in scholarship." The winner traditionally exemplifies all that we hope and expect of the men and women who put on the Dartmouth uniform and take to the field of play. This student-athlete is to be of exemplary athletic skill, of great academic prowess and of high moral character.
Winner: Derek Kyler (Football)
One of the most efficient quarterbacks across the FCS during this past fall and throughout his career, Kyler played an integral role in the Big Green winning more games in any three-season stretch in program history, averaging over 30 points a game and earning a national rank between 15 and 21 each year. Most importantly, he was a key component in the team claiming back-to-back Ivy League titles his last two campaigns.
This past season, he ranked second in the nation in completion percentage, setting a Dartmouth record at over 70 percent, and his touchdown-to-interception ratio was the best of any FCS quarterback. Kyler was among the top three Ivy quarterbacks in virtually every passing statistical category, including touchdowns, completions and passing yards, as well as total offense. He also set Big Green and Ivy League career records for completion percentage and passing efficiency.
There are specific games Kyler will always be known for, such as the fourth-quarter comeback at Brown in 2019 to clinch the Ivy League crown. But no one will ever forget the Miracle at Cambridge earlier that season when he drove the team 96 yards in the final minute, ending with a Hail Mary, after eluding a heavy pass rush, that was caught in the end zone as time expired for a 9-6 victory over the Crimson.
Players Mentioned
Center
/ Women's Rugby
Prop/Number 8
/ Women's Rugby
QB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
D
/ Men's Soccer
G
/ Men's Basketball
XC
/ Skiing
/ Women's Golf
Hailey Rorick Postgame Interview vs. Brandeis 9.30.25
Wednesday, October 01
Taylor Schram Postgame Interview vs. Brandeis 9.30.25
Wednesday, October 01
Dartmouth Football at CCSU Highlights - Sept. 27, 2025
Tuesday, September 30
Football at CCSU Postgame 9-27-25
Monday, September 29
