‘Champions of Triton Athletics’ wall updated with new champions

The new “Champions” of Triton Athletics (CONTRIBUTE PHOTO)

The University of Guam on Friday afternoon updated their Champions of Triton Athletics wall in the UOG Calvo Field House on a “Live” version of the Triton Sports Zone, the weekly athletic podcast from Triton Athletics and Field House Department.

Rozanna Claros interviews Logan Hopkins. (CONTRIBUTE PHOTO )

Student host, Rozanna Claros, of the Triton Sports Zone, announced the new class of Champions on the podcast.

The Champions of Triton Athletics wall was first introduced in the fall of 2019 with a collection of 12 student-athletes who were team award winners from the previous academic year and was considered by their coaches and the athletics director as student-athletes of strong character, academics, and athletic ability. At that time, UOG had four sports, so three student-athletes each from men’s and women’s soccer and men’s and women’s basketball were installed on the wall.

Victor Consaga, UOG Sports Photographer whose pictures are used in the Wall of Champions. (CONTRIBUTE PHOTO)

For the cycle of the spring 2022 when UOG began to play sports again after the pandemic eased, 10 student-athletes were placed on the wall and featured students from 5 Triton Athletic teams to include men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, men’s soccer, and women’s rugby. The other two spots on the wall featured advertisements for the Triton Sports Zone podcast and the Triton Athletics Booster Club.

Katrina Santos, Women’s Basketball MVP for spring 2022 and new member of the Champions of Triton Athletics. (CONTRIBUTE PHOTO)

The players for this year’s wall of Champions:

■ Diane’ “D” Blackmon – Men’s Basketball – MVP

■ Teressa Wagthuth – Women’s Basketball – Best Offense

■ Isaiah Macias – Men’s Soccer – MVP

■ Jaren Gumataotao – Baseball – Best Defense

■ Katrina Santos – Women’s Basketball – MVP

■ Matthew Santos – Men’s Basketball – Best Offense

■ Raianne Quichocho – Women’s Rugby – MVP

■ Jason Miller Jr. – Men’s Soccer – Best Offense

■ Arren Yatar – Baseball – MVP and Student-Athlete of the Year

■ Alexandria Cruz – Women’s Rugby – Sportsmanship

The pictures will remain up for one academic year when they will be replaced at the beginning of the 2023-24 academic year with the Class of 2022-23.

“While it is hard to take down the pictures of the first class of Champions, it is also a proud time to install a new set of Champions of Triton Athletics on the wall and give our current and future players something to aim for in the future,” said UOG Athletics director Doug Palmer

The podcast also featured interviews with Victor Consaga, the UOG Sports Photographer, whose pictures are used for the Champions wall, as well as interviews with Katrina Santos, a new women’s basketball Champion on the wall and Logan Hopkins, a former men’s basketball Champion who now will attempt to return to the wall after being off island for two years. (PR)