BOONEVILLE, Miss. - Nine of the top representatives of the Northeast Mississippi Community College athletic department have received the prestigious Tiger Award. 

Northeast's Tiger Award is presented annually to an athlete from each program that consistently embodies positive qualities both on-and-off the field or court of competition. 

• Allyson Chapin (New Albany) was the number one entrant for singles and doubles contests for the women's tennis team over the last two seasons as it returned to action following a brief hiatus. 

Quotable: "Allyson played against the best of the best every time we took the court. She worked hard in practice and it showed on match day. Coaches from other teams would often comment on how tough she was and that she was a great player," head coach Mark Gilliland. 

• Megan Cornelison (Iuka) follows in the footsteps of her brother Alex, who was the 2021 Tiger Award recipient for football. She was part of a 20-member cheerleading squad that was present at games, pep rallies and other institutional activities such as 'Northeast Now.' 

Quotable: "Megan was one of the most talented and dedicated athletes that I've had the privilege of coaching. She played a huge role in the incredible season we had this year. We look forward to seeing what the future holds for her," head coach Chasity Moore. 

• John Daniel Deaton (Booneville) helped golf qualify for the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II National Tournament for the first time ever by finishing fourth individually at districts in Natchez with a two-under-par showing. 

Quotable: "JD is just a special kid. He's always working hard no matter what it is. He's going to very missed by our team because he's a leader. You can't put a value on what kind a player he really is," head coach Derek DeVaughn. 

• Alexie Griffin (Atoka, Tenn.) was a key contributor to softball's historic spring. She handled the hot corner of third base defensively and also batted .391 with eight home runs, 35 RBIs and a team-best 46 runs scored. 

Quotable: "Alexie was a coach's dream because she is very self-driven and works her tail off each and every day chasing perfection in all phases of life. She has a contagious, outgoing personality with an impeccable work ethic. I never had to worry about her because she knew when to focus," head coach Jody Long. 

• Ella Mask (Corinth) was the only women's basketball standout to start in all 24 games this season. The University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) signee had the best three-point percentage and assist-to-turnover ratio for the Lady Tigers. 

Quotable: "Not only is Ella a stud on the court, she's a great person. It is rare to see young people be selfless these days, but Ella showed that trait daily. She wants everyone around her to excel and is willing to work hard daily to make sure this happens," head coach Chelsey Rhodes. 

• Triston Newson (Independence) earned a scholarship to the University of Missouri after securing first-team NJCAA All-American honors with the Tigers. He was one of only eight defenders in all two-year college football leagues to rack up more than 100 tackles last fall. 

Quotable: "Triston put us in positions to be winners. His versatility made us better on defense. He changed what we could do overall schematically. He made plays that other people just can't make. He did everything right," head coach Greg Davis. 

• Jalin Rice (Madison) became the first player in the tradition-rich history of the men's basketball program to start for three consecutive seasons. The Cleveland State (Ohio) University signee was an all-conference selection after averaging 16.1 points and a team-best 4.3 assists. 

Quotable: "Jalin for three years was a tremendous leader both on the floor and in the classroom. He continued to grow as a young man. I'm very proud of the career he had at Northeast," head coach Cord Wright. 

• Grayson Stone (Tishomingo) may have only appeared in five career baseball games at Northeast, but his impacts were felt in the dugout daily by keeping up with important pitching charts that aided his teammates.

Quotable: "That dude is the most selfless human I've ever been around. He's just an incredible person. I wish we had him for three more years. We love him here," head coach Richy Harrelson. 

• Tristan Webber (Little Rock, Ark.) is the only freshman to obtain the Tiger Award for the 2022-23 school year. He wrapped up his inaugural season of tennis at Northeast with a thrilling three-set win over Holmes Community College that ended in a tiebreaker. 

Quotable: "Tristan is a leader by example. His work ethic and attitude made him an excellent teammate. His dedication to the team not only helped to improve his play, but everyone else's as well. He did all this while also keeping a difficult academic schedule," head coach Mark Gilliland.