VERMILLION, S.D. — The University of South Dakota athletic department hosted the annual The Charlies on Thursday evening, an annual award ceremony that honors student-athlete achievements for the 2024-25 academic year.
 
Headlining the 2025 Charlies awards were Grace Larkins of women's basketball (Catie Tobin Female Athlete of the Year) and Travis Theis of football (Dr. John Van Why Male Athlete of the Year).
 
Larkins, a senior from Altoona, Iowa, was voted the department's female athlete of the year after her stellar season that led her to win the Summit League Player of the Year honors. She averaged 24.0 points per game for South Dakota this season. Larkins ends her Coyote career inside the top-5 in multiple categories, including finishing second in program history in career points (2,089). She set a school record for points in a game multiple times this past season, including a 47-point performance at North Dakota State (Feb. 8).
 
Theis, a Pratt, Kansas native, was one of the top rushers in the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) in 2024, leading the league with his 90.2 yards per carry. He was one of two Yotes to rush for 1,000 yards this season, becoming the first Coyotes to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark in a season in the Division I FCS era and the first since 2007. A Second Team AFCA All-American, Theis also earned First Team All-MVFC honors in his final season. He rushed for 1,194 yards on 187 carries with a team-best 19 touchdowns on the ground.
 
A complete list of award winners:
 
Dr. John Van Why Award (Male Athlete of the Year): Travis Theis, football
 
Catie Tobin Award (Female Athlete of the Year): Grace Larkins, women's basketball
 
Male Scholar Athlete of the Year: Max Schmidtke, men's golf
 
Female Scholar Athlete of the Year: Grace Larkins, women's basketball
 
Colonel Wales Award (Most Outstanding Athlete from South Dakota): Erin Kinney, track & field
 
Male Rookie of the Year (tie): Isaac Ochoa, men's cross country/track & field; Alex Parkinson, men's swimming & diving
 
Female Rookie of the Year: Emily DiProspero, women's swimming & diving
 
Courage Award: Alyssa Thorson, softball
 
Coach of the Year: Bob Nielson, football
 
Performance of the Year: Mason Sindelar, men's track & field (indoor performance at Summit League Indoor Championships)
 
Student-Athlete Choice Award: Bryan Plenge
 
Dr. Jack Powell Leader of the Pack Award for Academic Excellence: Men's Golf
 
Dr. Tina Keller Leader of the Pack Award for Academic Excellence: Women's Basketball
 
Coyote Cup: Football
 
Coyote Character Awards

• Men's Basketball: Mayoum Buom
• Women's Basketball: Cassidy Carson
• Men's Cross Country: Caleb Rivera
• Women's Cross Country: Melanie Pankow
• Football: Travis Theis
• Men's Golf: Max Schmidtke
• Women's Golf: Emma Henningsson
• Soccer: Morgan Sullivan
• Softball: Clara Edwards
• Men's Swimming & Diving: Parker Sonnabend
• Women's Swimming & Diving: Gabbie Ahrendt
• Tennis: Sorcha Caves
• Men's Indoor Track & Field: Spencer Buley
• Women's Indoor Track & Field: Averi Schmeichel
• Men's Outdoor Track & Field: Wyatt Pruce
• Women's Outdoor Track & Field: Cassidy Mooneyhan
• Triathlon: Chelsea Webber
• Volleyball: Kylen Sealock