Skagit Valley College Athletic Department announces Male and Female Athletes of the Year
The Skagit Valley College Athletic Department is pleased to announce the 2021 Male and Female Athletes of the Year. These annual awards go beyond athletic performance; they recognize academic success, community involvement, work ethic, commitment, dedication, and many other qualities that are representative of Cardinal Athletics.
Female Athletes of the Year
Grace Christianson (Women’s Golf): Grace was one of the top golfers in the league each year, although she missed a variety of accolades due to the impact that Covid had on the tournament schedule. She had three individual wins and led the Cardinals to five team victories. In addition, Grace was named the best player of the fall season last year by the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) Golf Committee. She made many improvements to her swing and mental game, and she was one of the hardest workers they have ever had on the team. Grace works full-time at Avalon Golf Links and has excelled there, too. In addition, she made academics her priority and earned a 3.9 GPA and graduated in Fall 2020 with honors, earning an Associate of Arts, Direct Transfer Agreement (AA-DTA). She plans to make her career in golf.
Delaney Kaysner (Softball/Women’s Soccer): Delaney not only endured all that all of our athletes faced this season, but she did it while playing two sports. She was an instrumental part of SVC’s Softball program as the team’s starting shortstop and #2 hitter in the lineup. She started every game and never missed a beat. She would come to practice the day after a soccer game — barely able to walk sometimes — but she remained a leader by example and a motivator for the team. The team embraced her schedule, respected her dedication, and are proud of the way she handled herself as a two-sport competitor.
Delaney’s athletic talents and accomplishments can be talked about nonstop, but even more impressive was that she excelled in the classroom. She is pursuing a difficult Pre-Nursing degree, which she will complete in Fall 2021.
Delaney is a second-year Soccer player who started for the Cardinals every game this Spring. She was one of the team’s top performers for the Covid season version of NWAC All Stars. Not only was Delaney a starter, but she was also the starting shortstop for SVC’s Softball team. She was able to balance college and two sports, often practicing for both each day. Sometimes, she played up to six games a week when league games started. Delaney led by example and came ready to play in one of the more critical positions on the team. She was a strong contributing factor to the team’s success this year, helping Women’s Soccer reach 2nd place in regional play for the first time in more than 15 years.
Male Athletes of the Year
Anthony Iglesia (Men’s Basketball): Anthony earned a 3.28 GPA and graduated in Winter 2021 with an Associate of Arts, Direct Transfer Agreement (AA-DTA). He will attend the University of Washington to play basketball as a preferred walk-on. Anthony averaged 14.7 points per game and handed out 3.5 assists per game. He was All League last year during the team’s 25-4 season. He was respected as a great leader, teammate, and a positive example for everyone in the program.
Carter Parcher (Baseball): Carter excelled in the classroom, holding a 3.18 GPA while pursuing an engineering degree, which he will complete in Summer 2021. He was the team’s best hitter and pitcher this year, hitting just under .300, while throwing 90-92 mph on the mound. Carter gained almost 10 mph on his fastball during his time at SVC, which is an amazing improvement and accomplishment. He was highly respected by his teammates and the coaching staff.
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