Tull, Smith Named as 2024 Anderson Outstanding Senior Athletes
The Anderson University athletics department has named Riley Tull as its Outstanding Female Senior Athlete and Cam Smith as its Outstanding Male Senior Athlete.
The Anderson University athletics department has named Riley Tull as its Outstanding Female Senior Athlete and Cam Smith as its Outstanding Male Senior Athlete.
Smith has spent the last four years with the men's basketball team while Tull has competed in women's lacrosse for four years with the Ravens.
Tull is a two-time first-team Heartland Collegiate Lacrosse Conference (HCLC) recipient, garnering the awards in her junior and senior seasons. She has been selected as HCLC Offensive Player of the Week five times in her career, which include three selections as a junior and two selections as a senior. Tull also received the HCLC Sportsmanship Award as a freshman and was selected to the HCLC All-Tournament Team as a junior and senior.
As a freshman, Tull contributed 13 goals and five assists for 18 points. During her sophomore year, Tull turned in 21 goals and 58 draw controls. Tull ranked second in the HCLC with 6.44 draw controls per game.
As a junior, Tull notched 44 goals, four assists, 48 points, 56 ground balls, 84 draw controls, 23 caused turnovers and 14 free-position goals. Tull ranked 21st in the nation in ground balls per game (4.67) and 41st in the nation in draw controls per game (7.00), while leading the HCLC in both categories. Among HCLC leaders, Tull ranked second in goals per game (3.67) and caused turnovers per game (1.92). The Ravens qualified for the HCLC Tournament for the first time in program history.
During her senior season, Tull racked up 44 goals, 15 assists, 59 points, 95 draw controls, 45 ground balls, 20 caused turnovers and eight free-position goals. Tull led the conference and ranked 44th in the nation with 6.33 draw controls per game. Among HCLC leaders, Tull also ranked third in points per game (3.93), fourth in ground balls per game (3.00), fifth in goals per game (2.93) and fifth in assists per game (1.00). Anderson advanced to the HCLC Championship game and set a school record with eight wins in the season.
Tull totaled 122 goals, 24 assists, 146 points, 242 draw controls, 134 ground balls and 57 caused turnovers in har career. She graduates with 15 career records, 11 single-season records and seven single-game records.
Tull has garnered academic all-HCLC honors and Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Academic Honor Roll recognition every year she has been eligible. She is part of the Honors Program and has made the Dean's List every semester. Tull put together a seminar on Women in Male-Dominated Positions. She has also been a member of Delight and has spent two years working at Mocha Joe's coffee shop on campus. Tull currently holds a 3.82 cumulative GPA. She graduated with a double major in Accounting and Management with a concentration in Project Management.
Smith contributed to back-to-back Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Tournament Championships. He is a two-time second-team all-HCAC selection, collecting the accolades as a junior and senior. Smith was named to the HCAC All-Tournament Team as a junior and senior. He also received an HCAC Athlete-of-the-Week selection as a junior.
During his sophomore season, Smith recorded averages of 7.2 points and 1.2 assists while shooting 60-of-122 (49.2 percent) from the field. As a junior, Smith ranked in the HCAC in several statistical categories, including ninth in points per game (14.7), third in field-goal percentage (.508), fifth in assist-turnover ratio (1.36), T-6 in assists per game (3.2) and eighth in free-throw percentage (.741). Anderson became HCAC co-regular-season champions and then proceeded to capture the first HCAC Tournament title in program history. The Ravens also qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2009-10 season.
As a senior, Smith produced 12.9 points per game. Among HCAC leaders, Smith ranked second in field-goal percentage (.534), fourth in assists per game (3.9) and fifth in assist-turnover ratio (1.73). Anderson locked up an outright HCAC regular-season title with a 16-2 conference record, which marks the best HCAC record in program history and the best HCAC record by any school since the 2016-17 season. The Ravens then secured their second consecutive HCAC Tournament title. Anderson closed the season 23-5, finishing with the program's highest winning percentage since the 1960-61 season.
Smith became the 43rd player in program history to eclipse the 1,000-point barrier, compiling 1,010 points and 241 assists in his career. He posted career averages of 10.9 points and 2.6 assists. Smith went 382-of-748 (51.1 percent) from the field and 190-of-264 (72.0 percent) from the free-throw line. He closed out with a career assist-turnover ratio of 1.24.
Smith completed his undergraduate in three years, earning a Business Management degree and graduating with a 3.39 GPA. He garnered academic all-HCAC recognition during his sophomore and junior years. Smith was also named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court as a junior. He is in his first year of the Masters of Business Administration (MBA) program and holds a 3.17 GPA.