Etchison awarded IBCA scholarship

The REPORTER

Hamilton Heights’ Tillman Etchison is among the 40 Indiana high school seniors that have been named winners of 2024 scholarship awards from the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association, it was announced Wednesday.

The IBCA — a statewide coaches group with about 2,400 members — this year is presenting a grant of $500 to each recipient in the names of Marion Crawley, Junior Mannies, Pat Aikman and Steve & Jeanie Witty.

Through the years, the IBCA has awarded about $800,000 in scholarships to Indiana student-athletes.

“I would like to congratulate you for being selected as a recipient,” IBCA executive director emeritus Steve Witty wrote in informing winners of the various selections. “… Thank you for your contributions to Indiana high school basketball, and best of luck as you move on to the college of your choice.”

A total of 34 Crawley Scholarships were presented to 15 boys players, 15 girls’ players, three student managers and one team statistician.

The boys’ recipients for 2024 are Isaac Andrews of Wapahani, Addison Barnes-Pettit of Greensburg, Max Barr of Frankton,  Josh Fowler of Northview, Cayden Gehlhausen of Evansville North, Nolan Hackleman of North Putnam, Parker Hehman of Brownstown Central, Trishtan Holmes of Gary West, Blaine Hornsby of Connersville, Dylan Maxwell of East Central, Andrew Noblitt of Jasper, Zane Norman of Evansville Mater Dei, Griffin Smith of Cowan and Adam Stephenson of East Central.

The girls’ recipients for 2024 are Payton Benge of Plainfield, Sammie Bolding of Eastern Hancock, Abigail Bovie of Leo, Bailey Carson of Maconaquah, Chloey Graham of Gibson Southern, Kaidin James of New Washington, Bella Kilps of Hauser, Jayci Kitchen of Eastside, Ally Malone of Gibson Southern, Bailey Owens of Madison, Ellie Ryan of Oldenburg Academy, Kyah Streeval of Edinburgh, Sadie Wachsmann of Oldenburg Academy, Azaryon Wesley of Princeton and Madison Wireman of Oregon-Davis.

The statistician recipient is Max Finn of Indianapolis Cathedral, and the student manager recipients for 2024 are Bruce Amstutz of Carroll (Fort Wayne), Lexi Lofton of Danville and Caressa Redd of Speedway.

Criteria for the Crawley Scholarship includes achievement in basketball, achievement in academics, participation in extracurricular activities and service to one’s school and community. Crawley was a former four-time boys basketball state championship coach — two with the Washington Hatchets and two with the Lafayette Jeff Bronchos — who amassed 644 career wins. He later became the first executive director of the IBCA, serving in that role from 1970-74. He then served as the IBCA assistant executive director from 1974 until he passed away in 1982.

Lexi Smith, a girls’ player from Princeton, and Zach Wasserman, a girls’ basketball student manager from Valparaiso, are winners of the Mannies Scholarship for 2024.

Mannies Scholarships are presented to students who have a physical handicap but have contributed to their respective school’s athletic program. Mannies posted a 309-301 record in 29 seasons as a boys’ basketball coach at Delphi, Mississinewa, Lewis Cass and Elwood. He later served as athletic director at Danville and as the IBCA Job Placement Director from 1977-83.

Two players — Hannah Dart of the Madison girls’ team and Jayden Terry of the Cowan boys’ team — are recipients of the 14th annual Pat Aikman Character and Leadership Awards. This scholarship is named for Aikman, the Indiana All-Star games director from 1988-2007 and former IBCA Coordinator of Special Projects.

Criteria for the Aikman Award include achievements and contributions in basketball, scholastic achievement, extra-curricular activities, and service to school and community. Also, those considered for the Aikman Award are students who plan to enter the fields of journalism, sports management, athletic training or physical therapy.

J.D. Lynch of Brownsburg and Kaitlin White of Columbus North are the first winners of the Steve & Jeanie Witty Scholarship, named for the IBCA’s current executive director emeritus and his late wife. Steve Witty posted a 266-68 record and was a two-time boys’ basketball state champion coach at Ben Davis, then served from 2002 to 2022 as IBCA executive director. Jeanie Witty was a registered nurse who upon retirement became Steve’s administrative assistant. Jeanie passed away in April 2023 after serving the IBCA for 18 years.

The Witty Scholarship awards go to student-athletes who are the child of a current-year IBCA-member coach who plans to pursue a career in education/coaching or a something in a medical field such as a physician, physician’s assistant, nurse or medical technician.

“These are deserving young people who help make coaching a great profession,” Witty said of all the winners.