GREENVILLE, S.C. – Conference Carolinas has unveiled the finalists for the 2025-26 Murphy Osborne Award. Chowan’s Diana Rodriguez, a senior from Tijuana, Mexico, is this year’s Chowan University Murphy Osborne Finalist. Rodriguez posted a phenomenal senior season on the volleyball court this past fall, becoming the programs all-time digs leader as well as being named the Conference Carolinas Defensive Player of the Year. 

Rodriguez serves the community and university on many levels. Academically, she is a member of Chi Alpha Sigma and was named a Chowan University Most Outstanding Student this year. She has been on both the Dean’s List and President’s list over her four years. She is also a two-time member of the Conference Carolinas Academic All-Conference Team and the CSC Academic All-District Team.  In her downtime, she loves to advance the game of volleyball to youth through camps, clinics, and club coaching responsibilities in Virginia and her home country. Additionally, she works in the athletic department in game day operations and assists with community engagement projects like Relay for Life, Play for Kay Cancer Awareness, and the annual MLK, Jr. Day of Service event. 

The winner of the 2025-26 Murphy Osborne Award will be officially announced on Thursday, April 16. The Murphy Osborne Award is Conference Carolinas’ Outstanding Senior Student-Athlete Award.

Student-Athletes are nominated by their institutions based on their academic, athletic and service accomplishments. The Faculty Athletic Representatives (FARs) from all Conference Carolinas institutions submit institutional nominations and votes are cast by the FARs.

To be eligible for the award, the student-athlete must be a December or May graduating senior or a first-year graduate student completing athletic eligibility at the same institution as undergraduate matriculation. The student-athlete must be a full-time student at the time of nomination, must have been a full-time student at the member school for at least two years and must be a starter or important substitute in a conference sport.

The award is named for longtime educator and college and university administrator Dr. Murphy Osborne. Previous Chowan representatives include: Lindsey Stigler (softball), Grace Arredondo (swimming), Ashley Mayes (swimming), Patrick Krack (baseball), and Danea Mackey (basketball). 

2025-26 Conference Carolinas Murphy Osborne Award Finalists
Jacob Oliver, Barton
Addie Galek, Belmont Abbey
Diana Rodriguez, Chowan
Madison Davis, Converse
Amanda Grimsley, Emmanuel
Savannah Koester, Erskine
Gerren Jones, Ferrum
Caroline Lucas, Francis Marion
Cassie Lowe, King
Rebecca Ryan, Lees-McRae
Eugenie Amidou, UNC Pembroke
Christina Gidney, North Greenville
Merritt Smith, Southern Wesleyan
Lilly Griffith, Young Harris