SPRINGFIELD, Mo.— Sydney Horton from the Panthers women's bowling team has been named the Freshman/Newcomer of the Year for women's sports as part of the 2020 Drury All-Sports Awards. 

Each year, Drury Athletics announces their end-of-year awards in a ceremony near the end of the academic year. With the campus closed due to concerns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's event was canceled, but the athletics department moved forward to continue to honor student-athletes for outstanding achievements in competition, in the classroom and in the community for 2019-20.

Sydney Horton earned this year's honor following a season that saw her named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Freshman of the Year in her sport, and the Kansas City, Missouri native became the first bowler in program history to win a major conference award. She was also named Second Team All-GLVC as she led all newcomers in the conference with an average score of 188.3 in a Traditional game, and she posted a Baker game average of 184.4. Her total average of 183.0 per contest was the best mark ever by a Drury freshman.

Horton finished fourth in the voting for NCAA Freshman of the Year in her sport, which competes in a single division. She was named to two all-tournament teams during the season and was the 87th ranked player in RPI for all of NCAA bowling. Horton set 11 freshman records for Drury in 2019-20 and was the GLVC Bowler of the Year Feb. 16-23.

Other finalists for the Women's Freshman/Newcomer of the Year included Alma Abazi (women's tennis), Olivia Hall (triathlon), Katarzyna Rogowska (women's swimming & diving), and Makina Wratten (volleyball).

Previously, Drury Athletics announced its 2020 Panther Pride Awards, the finalists for the Women's Freshman/Newcomer of the Year, finalists for the Men's Freshman/Newcomer of the Year, and the finalists for the Women's Matthews Award.   
 
Future DU All-Sports Awards announcements will include: 

• Winner of Men's Newcomer/Freshman of the Year
• Winner of the Women's Dr. Edsel Matthews Award
• Winner of the Men's Dr. Edsel Matthews Award

 
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