LA MIRADA, Calif. --- As part of the COVID-19 closures, Biola Athletics had to cancel its 2020 EDDIES awards and year-end student-athlete banquet. Since we were unable to announce our awards and celebrate student-athletes at the banquet, we will take the next two weeks to do so online and over social media.

We continue the process today by announcing the five finalists for the 2020 Male Newcomer of the Year award. The winner will be announced next week on Tuesday via our @BiolaAthletics social media accounts.

Freshmen and first-year transfer student-athletes are eligible for the newcomer of the year award. Please note: newcomers are eligible for other awards, such as female student-athlete of the year. So, if there's anyone missing they may be nominated for another award.

Please see the five 2020 nominees below:

Jack Kilgallon - Midfielder Jack Kilgallon inserted himself into the middle of some of the biggest moments of the season for Biola Men's Soccer. The Illinois-native played at least 30 minutes in 16 matches, earned 10 starts and led all freshmen with seven points. His seven total points--thanks to two goals and three assists--were third-most on the team as he grew into a dependable midfielder and saw over 1,000 minutes of game action in his first year of college. The first goal of his collegiate career came as Biola erased a 2-0 second-half deficit and forced overtime against a Cal State LA team that eventually advanced to the NCAA DII National Championship match. He also scored the equalizer in the 84th minute during Biola's comeback victory over Point Loma on Senior Night and picked up one of his three PacWest assists on Biola's final goal of the season in a 2-1 win over Fresno Pacific. 

Alexei Prokopchuk - Sophomore Alexei Prokopchuk found immediate success in his first season with Biola Tennis as he stepped into the No. 1 singles position for the Eagles. Prokopchuk finished the year as the No. 6-ranked singles player in the West Region after going 9-1 with six straight-set victories. His only loss came against Yassine Smiej, the top player on an Azusa Pacific squad that was top 10 in all of NCAA Division II at the time. He was also part of the No. 2 doubles team in the Region with teammate Edwyn Ramos. He helped the Eagles to a 7-4 record in 2020 before the season was halted. One major highlight of his season came when the Eagles faced off against Point Loma and UC San Diego on the road in back-to-back days. First, Prokopchuk and doubles partner Edwyn Rios won their break to clinch the doubles point against Point Loma, then Prokopchuk rode a dominant third set against the Sea Lions' No. 1 to seal the Eagles' first victory against the Sea Lions since Biola men's tennis was revived as a program in 2007. The next day, Prokopchuk provided some of the only bright spots in an Eagles loss against powerhouse UCSD, winning his doubles and singles matches to give his team a fighting chance.

Chris Rossow - Pick any of the biggest moments from this milestone-setting season for Biola men's basketball and Chris Rossow was likely right in the middle of it. The Eagles' four-overtime marathon win at Chaminade only happened because of his buzzer-beating floater to tie the game at 95 as time expired in the second overtime. When Biola needed to ice the game late, clinging to a three-point lead, they turned to Rossow again for a clutch corner three sealed the hard-fought victory. Rossow's heroics that day were just a preview of the crucial role he would play later in the season, taking over as starting point guard when Marquise Mosley, the team's leading scorer, went down with an injury. Rossow was averaging just under 12 points-per-game when Mosley went down, but over the last four games of the regular season, he upped that average to 16.5 ppg to go along with 6.5 assists per game. He saved his best for last, though, catching fire in the Eagles' first-ever PacWest tournament as Biola made a Cinderella run to the championship game. He averaged 27 ppg, six apg, and four rebounds per game and was named to the PacWest Conference All-Tournament team for his efforts. Rossow also led the Eagles with 40 made three-pointers on the season.

Ben Smith - The Eagles stormed out of the gates in the 2020 season before its cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic and junior transfer Ben Smith's impact on Biola Baseball was felt in both big and small ways throughout the torrid start. Smith reached base safely seven times during Biola's opening series against CSU Monterey Bay. He scored four times and hit a walk-off homerun on Saturday afternoon to clinch the series sweep over a team that had qualified for the NCAA West Regional in 2019. He hit another homerun against UC Colorado Springs on Feb. 14 that punctuated a five-game hitting streak. He finished the COVID-shortened season with eight runs scored. He also went 5-for-5 in stolen bases to lead the team in that category. The Washington-native started 13 of the Biola Boys' 14 games as the Eagles climbed to No. 8 in the national rankings. 

Patrick Waggoner - It only took one season for the former homeschooler to start rewriting the Eagles' record books. Patrick Waggoner not only carved out a starring role on head coach Ryan Kauth's deep and talented roster, appearing in all 11 swim meets in 2019-20, but he already owns four program records for individual events and is part of three relay records as well. His best swim of the year came in the 200-butterfly in the Pacific Collegiate Swimming and Diving Conference championships in February. Not only was his 1:52.56 a new best time for an Eagle in that event, but it was also his new lifetime best and gave him the conference title. Waggoner had two more podium finishes as well, placing second in the 200-IM and 200-freestyle. He also broke the Biola record in the 200-IM and 400-IM. Both of the record-breaking relays that Waggoner was a part of also took place at the PCSC championships -- the 200-freestyle relay and 400-freestyle relay. His performance played a crucial role in helping the Eagles to a third-place finish in the PCSC as a team, which was -- you guessed it -- another program best.

The winner will be announced via @BiolaAthletics on social media on Tuesday, April 28. Head on over to our @BiolaAthletics Instagram account to leave some love for these five finalists.

Tomorrow (Weds. April 22) we plan to announce the finalists for female student-athlete of the year. See the full schedule below.

Mon. April 20 - Finalists Announced - Female Newcomer of the Year - Grace Catena, Kellynn Hayes, Stephanie Lee, Liza Parahnevich & Raegan Tjepkema
Tue. April 21 - Finalists Announced - Male Newcomer of the Year - Jack Kilgallon, Alexei Prokopchuk, Chris Rossow, Ben Smith & Patrick Waggoner
Wed. April 22 - Finalists Announced - Female Student-Athlete of the Year
Thur. April 23 - Finalists Announced - Male Student-Athlete of the Year
Fri. April 24 - Winners Announced - Dr. Dave Holmquist Career Achievement Awards
Mon. April 27 - Winner Announced - Female Newcomer of the Year
Tue. April 28 - Winner Announced - Male Newcomer of the Year
Wed. April 29 - Winner Announced - Female Student-Athlete of the Year
Thur. April 30 - Winner Announced - Male Student-Athlete of the Year
Fri. May 1 - Winner Announced - Team Community Service Award