Vote Until January 15th: RVA Sports Awards finalists announced

The Richmond Region Tourism Foundation and its partners announced the finalists for the RVA Sports Awards, an event to honor the people and groups working to better the region through sports.

Public voting will take place at RVASportsAwards.com until Jan. 15. Winners will be recognized at the RVA Sports Awards on Feb. 4.

The regionwide event is presented by Rosie’s Gaming Emporium and Colonial Downs.

Finalists for the RVA Sports Awards include:

Kings Dominion Female Athlete of the Year

• Bridget Wilson, Douglas Freeman High School Lacrosse
• Emma Langley, USA Cycling
• Lindsey Frank, University of Richmond Lacrosse & Field Hockey
• Najlaa Williams, Virginia State University Volleyball

SouthState Male Athlete of the Year

• Armando Bacot, University of North Carolina Basketball
• Emiliano Terzaghi, Richmond Kickers
• Jada Byers, Virginia Union University Football
• Justin Verlander, New York Mets

Synergy Technical Team of the Year

• Randolph Macon Men’s Basketball
• Richmond Kickers
• VCU Women’s Tennis

Brown Distributing Coach of the Year

• Chris Mooney, University of Richmond Men’s Basketball
• Darren Sawatzky, Richmond Kickers
• Loren Johnson, Highland Springs High School Football

Rebkee Moment of the Year

• Launch of the River City Collegiate (Golf) Classic
• Keira D’Amato Breaks Marathon Record
• Richmond Flying Squirrels Secure Playoff Appearance

Techno Branded SWAG Fan of the Year

• Charlie and Steven Moore, Richmond Flying Squirrels Superfans
• Will Daniel, “Mayor of Richmond Sports” and Avid Richmond Spiders Fan
• Sharon Logan, 32 Years of Attending Races at Richmond Raceway

“Our region’s sports community is incredible,” J.C. Poma, Richmond Region Tourism Vice President of Community Relations. “For another year, we received many outstanding nominations. We look forward to an exciting event in February to honor the athletes, coaches and fans that make the Richmond Region a great place to live and visit.”

The event will include the Power of Sport Award presented by VCU Center for Sport Leadership, recognizing an athlete, coach, administrator or executive who uses sport as a vehicle to drive change. The national honor will highlight a sports figure who generates positive community impact, uplifts underserved residents, creates access through diversity and inclusion, and fights for social justice inside and outside the realm of competition.

Organizers also will announce the Dominion Energy Charity Classic Community Champion Award, given to someone who has made a longstanding commitment to sports in the Richmond community and is bettering the region through sports, and the Sheltering Arms Institute Courage Story, presented to an individual, group, or organization that has shown extraordinary courage and/or whose commitment to the Richmond community “transcends sports.”

Proceeds from the RVA Sports Awards support the Richmond Region Tourism Foundation’s Sports Tourism Grant Program Presented by the Richmond Association of Realtors, which distributes grants to local sports organizations to develop new events and expand the promotion of existing events to attract new visitors to the region.

The RVA Sports Awards will be broadcast on CBS-6 on Feb. 4 at 7:30 p.m.