GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Seven Furman student-athletes have been recognized for exemplary leadership by the Shucker Leadership Institute, the university announced this week.

Cameron Whitacre (women's soccer), Callum Allison (men's soccer), Mike Bothwell (men's basketball),  Madison Dillon (women's tennis), Ellie Schulson (women's tennis), Caroline Nguyen (track), and Julian Ashby (football) comprised the contingent of Paladin student-athletes honored for leadership.

Furman cheerleader Jada Walker was also honored, as she was accorded the Lipsomb Award.

Whitacre, recipient of Furman's Hall of Leaders Award for Excellence in Service and Leadership,  played in 14 matches and made four starts for the Furman women's soccer team this past season. The Greenville, S.C., native and team captained helped the Paladins to eight wins and recorded an assist in a win over North Greenville.

Allison, a midfielder, received the President's Award.  He helped the Furman men's soccer team to a 7-7-4 record this past season. The Greenville, S.C., native and Eastside High School product appeared in 14 matches, logged two starts, and netted his first career goal in a 2-1 victory versus VMI.

Bothwell and Dillon were recipients of the C. Dan Joyner Outstanding Athletic Leader Awards.

Bothwell, a finalist for the Lou Henson Award as mid-major player of the year, earned first team All-Southern Conference honors this season after leading the league in scoring (17.8 ppg) and leading the Paladins to a school-record 28 victories, their first SoCon title in 43 years, and their first NCAA Tournament win since 1974. The fifth-year senior from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, finished his career as just the fourth player in school history to eclipse 2,000 career points.

Dillon, an All-SoCon first team performer in doubles and a second team honoree for singles, has been nationally ranked in singles and member of three league championship teams, including a Paladin team that ranked a program high 19th nationally a year ago.  The Hilton Head, S.C., product holds Furman single season records with a .963 doubles winning percentage and 26 doubles wins — set in 2019.

Recipient of the Winston Babb Memorial Award for the sophomore class, Shulson, who hails from Newburyport, Mass., was named to the All-SoCon second team at flight five singles and earned a spot on the SoCon All-Freshman Team a year ago.  In doubles, she teamed with Madison Dillon to rank as high as 34th nationally, and their match win versus East Tennessee State helped the Paladins clinch the 2022 league championship.

Ashby was accorded the Winston Babb Memorial Award for the junior class.  The Lilburn, Ga., product who sports a 3.98 grade point average in physics, has handled all snapping duties for Furman's football team over the last three years, including a 2022 campaign that saw the Paladins post a 10-3 record and second round advance into the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Playoffs.

Track's Caroline Nguyen, from Asheville, N.C., who competes in both sprints, hurdles, and relays, received Furman's Unsung Hero award.