NMSA honors athletes in 40th anniversary ceremony

It was a nostalgic trip down memory lane last Thursday, a night celebrating the spectacular and illustrious 40-year history of the Northern Marianas Sports Association and honoring the CNMI’s athletes and their performances in 2024 during the NMSA Annual Awards Banquet at the Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan.

The Hibiscus Hall was filled with athletes spanning generations—from living sports legends and current star athletes, to young up-and-coming talents—celebrating CNMI’s sports history and the performances of its athletes in 2024.

For the third year in a row, the Female Athlete of the Year was Tania Tan of athletics for another record-breaking performance. In the 10th Micronesian Games in Majuro, Marshall Islands, she won gold in the 1,500m, gold in the 5K, and the gold and a new record in the 10K.

In a video message, she said, “It is an honor to be selected as your 2024 Female Athlete of the Year. Your support means the world to me and I hope to keep making you guys proud in the upcoming years. Go CNMI!”

The Male Athlete of the Year was tennis player Robbie Schorr. He, along with the NMI National Tennis Team swept the competition in the Micronesian Games and brought home seven gold medals and two bronze. Then, he and fellow netters Colin Sinclair, Colin Ramsey, and Tomas Abel debuted for the CNMI in the Davis Cup held in Bahrain.

In a video message, he thanked his parents Jeff and Hannah Schorr who have been supportive of him in all his sporting endeavours. He then thanked all his coaches and teammates on his journey, and he thanked NMI tennis coach Jeff Race. “Thank you again for this honor, and I will continue to work hard, improve as an athlete and an individual, and make Saipan proud,” he ended.

Swimmers made waves in the student-athlete of the year categories, as the Male Student Athlete of the Year was Isaiah Aleksenko.

He won nine individual gold medals and 10 gold medals in the relay events of the Micronesian Games, and won two bronze in the 47th Junior Olympic Cup in Tokyo.

The Female Student Athlete of the Year was Maria Batallones.

She won nine individual gold medals, three silvers, and eight golds in the relay races of the Micronesian Games. Batallones also competed in the 2024 World Aquatics Championships and broke the NMI age group and national records in the 100m breaststroke. She also represented the NMI in the World Aquatics Championships and set two national records in the individual event and one in the relay.

The Team of the Year was the NMI National Swim Team that blew everyone out of the water in the Micronesian Games. The swimmers accounted for 49 golds, 15 silvers, and 14 bronzes, making theirs the most successful campaign of any sport in the delegation.

The Coach of the Year was tennis’ Jeff Race—who has been honored with the title multiple times. He played a key role in the NMI National Tennis Team’s dominant performance in the Micronesian Games and coached the NMI junior players in the Australian Open Junior Event and the Pacific Oceania Junior Championships. He also led the NMI Men’s National Team in its historic debut in the Davis Cup.

The Hall of Fame inductee was golfer Jeffrey Taylor. He represented the CNMI in numerous regional competitions and made his national team debut in 1995 during the then South Pacific Games—now called Pacific Games—in Tahiti where he won a bronze medal and was the only NMI athlete in golf to make it to the podium ever. He also competed in the 2006 Micronesian Games and the 2011 Pacific Games and won numerous local tournaments and in Guam as well during his 30 years of playing.

The Administrator of the Year was Northern Marianas Badminton Association president Merlie Tolentino. Through her leadership, the NMBA became the first federation in the NMI and in Badminton Oceania to receive an award from a world governing body of sports—the Badminton World Federation. Also, the NMI Elite National Training Program was established and the NMI U17 Junior National Team achieved third place in the Pacific Under 17 Invitation Team Challenge and the U19 Team debuted in the BWF World Junior Championships in China. She also helped bring two international tournaments to the CNMI.

The event was also attended by Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang and Saipan Mayor Ramon “RB” Camacho, Rep. Elias Rangamar , NMSA board members, and Team Marianas sponsors.

NMSA president Jerry Tan was also in attendance and made his opening remarks, while U.S. Delegate Kimberlyn King-Hinds sent a video message as well. She congratulated the NMSA on their 40th anniversary and said, “to all the athletes, you make the Northern Marianas proud. I am deeply honored to share your stories and amplify your stories here in Congress.”