Cassius Brooks earned the John Tucker Award as the most outstanding male athlete at Arkansas Tech University and Ellen Spigner earned the Jeanice Falls Award as the most outstanding female athlete at ATU for the 2024-25 academic year.
Brooks was a senior on the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys basketball team during the 2024-25 season. He ranked fourth in the Great American Conference in scoring (18.5 points per game) and also ranked among the GAC leaders in steals (9th, 1.6 per game) and free throw percentage (10th, .804).
A native of Chicago, Ill., and a transfer from Kirkwood College, Brooks played at Arkansas Tech for two seasons. He appeared in 59 games as a Wonder Boy and made 58 starts. Brooks scored 931 points, collected 226 rebounds and made 125 assists over his two seasons at ATU. He helped the Wonder Boys win the 2023-24 GAC regular season title, capture the 2024 GAC Tournament championship and appear in the 2024 NCAA Division II Tournament.
Brooks was named All-GAC second team in 2024-25, All-GAC honorable mention in 2023-24 and most valuable player at the 2024 GAC Tournament.
Spigner was a junior on the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns golf team during the 2024-25 season. She won the individual championship at the 2025 Patriot Invitational, posting a 54-hole total of 1-over par 212 at Quail Lodge and Golf Club in Carmel, Calif., March 17-18 for her first career collegiate win. Spigner added top-3 finishes at the 2025 Spring Central Region Preview and the 2025 NCAA Division II Central Region Championship.
A native of Nashville, Spigner has played at Arkansas Tech for three seasons. She qualified for the NCAA Division II Championships as an individual in 2024 and led the Golden Suns to a team appearance at the NCAA Division II Championships in 2025. Spigner’s scoring average in 2024-25 (74.4) ranks third in Arkansas Tech women’s golf history. Her career scoring average through three seasons (75.6) also ranks third in Golden Suns history.
Spigner was named All-GAC first team in 2024-25 after earning All-GAC second team honors in 2023-24 and 2022-23. She is the 10th player in Golden Suns golf history to earn three or more all-conference awards. Spigner is a three-time Women’s Golf Coaches Association NCAA Division II All-Central Region selection.
The Jeanice Falls Award and the John Tucker Award are voted on by the ATU Faculty Athletic Committee, which is chaired by Dr. Shellie Hanna. Nominations are made by ATU head coaches.
Additional top student-athlete awards presented by the ATU Department of Athletics at the close of the 2024-25 academic year included:
Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Mackenzie Epperson of Russellville, cross country and track and field
Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Peyton Henderson of Springdale, football
Female Breakout Athlete of the Year
Kacie Gibbins of Vian, Okla., softball
Male Breakout Athlete of the Year
Tyler Sardelli of Olathe, Kan., baseball
Female Newcomer of the Year
Emma Kiser of Cumming, Ga., volleyball
Male Newcomer of the Year
Tobey Kim of Zapopan, Mexico, golf
Visit https://arkansastechsports.com to learn more about Arkansas Tech athletics.
