Dwaine L. Sinnen Award

Honoring Character, Leadership, and the Driller Way

The Legacy of the Sinnen Award

The Sinnen Award is presented annually to a Tidewater Drillers player who best exemplifies the qualities that Coach Dwaine Sinnen valued most: hard work, hustle, dedication, enthusiasm, and selflessness.

Coach Sinnen believed that success in baseball was built on more than talent alone. He emphasized character, accountability, teamwork, and respect for the game, instilling values that became known throughout the Drillers community as “the Driller Way.”

The Sinnen Award honors those who embody these principles both on and off the field. While performance matters, the award ultimately recognizes players who lead by example, support their teammates, and represent the Drillers with integrity.

Past Sinnen Award Winners

The following individuals have been recognized with the Sinnen Award for their leadership, character, and commitment to the Drillers program.

Recipients are listed by decade, year, and age group.

2025
  • 10u – Jonah Petty
  • 11u – Rory Caudle
  • 12u – Deacon Rusak
  • 13u – Kellen Hunt
  • 14u – Lincoln Gallina

**The Tidewater Drillers Annual Awards Banquet and Sinnen Award presentations were paused for several years (2020-2024) before resuming in 2025.

2019
  • 9u – Rylan White
  • 10u – Kevin Healy
  • 11u – Graydon Ambrose
  • 12u – BJ McIntyre
  • 13u (Stubbe) – Joey Karpovich
  • 13u (Conroy) – Aiden Dougherty
  • 14u – Will Cozart
  • 2022/2023 – Peter Philips
  • 2021/2022 – Harrison Didiwick
2018
  • 10u – Grayson Friske
  • 11u – Jackson Campbell
  • 12u Blue – Hudson Bartley
  • 12u Grey – Mason Yavoich
  • 13u – David Holloway
  • 14u – Nic Ventrice
  • 15u/16u – ​Ben Adams
2017
  • 9u – ​Logan Jefferies
  • 10u – RJ Sanchez
  • 11u Blue – Blake Heselius
  • 11u Grey – Wes Stubbe
  • 12u – Dawson Newman
  • 13u – Caden Ward
  • 14u – Rush Friedberg
  • 15u – ​Carson Demartini
2016
  • 9u – ​Cooper Townsend
  • 10u – Sean Jefferies
  • 11u – Zachery Brunnelle
  • 12u – Alex Kowlasski
  • 13u – Max Wickum
  • 14u – Bryce Jones
  • 15u – ​Kevin McCabe
  • 16u – Aaron Morse
2015
  • 9u – ​Bryan Sleiman
  • 10u – Bubba Sawyer
  • 11u – Riley DeCandido
  • 12u – Landon Bonneville
  • 13u – Cooper Nelin
  • 15u – ​Connor Holland
2014
  • 9u – ​Keaton W. Hanbury
  • 10u – Conner Lewis
  • 11u – Rush Friedberg
  • 12u – Carson Ashby
  • 13u – Ethan Firoved
  • 14u – ​Trent Jones
2013
  • 9u – ​Connor Hutchinson
  • 10u – Gavin Spencer
  • 11u – Fenwick Trimble
  • 12u – Dane Hoggard
  • 13u – Nick Biddison
  • 17u – Glen Pizzanello
2012
  • 9u – ​Collin Schmitt
  • 10u – Jonny Wall
  • 11u – Wyatt Reid
  • 12u – Nick Dinini
  • ​12u – Kyle DeLaura
  • 13u – Riley Clifford
  • 14u – Will Mackey
  • 15u – Seth Houston
  • 17u – Kenner Berry
  • ​17u – Nick Faison
  • Showcase – Alex Shauger
  • ​Showcase – Brandon Hamm
2011
  • 9u – ​Drew Duffy
  • 10u – Riley Leadenham
  • ​10u – Cameron Wallace
  • 11u – Wes Pierce
  • 12u – Christian Moss
  • 16u – Colin Ballard
2010
  • 9u – ​Tommy Dye
  • 10u – Hunter Williams
  • 11u – Cam Reckling
  • 13u – Scott Bowman
  • 15u – Jordan Sergen
2009
  • 9u – ​Conner Butler
  • 10u – Matt Balance
  • 12u – Cole Coons
  • 13u – Brock Davis
  • 14u – Kurt Sinnen
2008
  • 9u – ​Jayden Tysinger
  • 10u – Matt Cooper
  • 11u – Jonathan Marsh
  • 12u – Jackson Walker
  • 12u – Kayla Johnson
  • 13u – Zach Neice
2007
  • 11u – ​Zach Rutherford
  • 12u – Turner Bishop
  • 13u – Connor Staskey
  • 14u – Killian Streen​
2006
  • 10u – Kyle McPherson
  • 10u – Greg Beale
  • 11u – Sam Sinnen
  • 12u – Timothy Kelly
  • 13u – David Nosal
  • 16u – Zach Wolff​
2005
  • 9u – Kyle Butler
  • 9u – Justin Hayes
  • 10u – Kyle Morrison
  • 11u – Connor Collins
  • 11u – ​Matt Campbell
  • 12u – Cameron Begley
  • 15u – Max Fischetti
  • 16u – Kyle McBride
  • 16u – Reid Killan
2004
  • 15u – Jonathan Whited
  • ​15u – Robert Morey
2003
  • 9u – Joe Bishop
  • 10u – Killian Strenn
  • 11u – Kyle Roberts
  • 12u – ​Seth Cutler-Voltz
  • 13u – Blake Boyce
  • 14u – Daniel Rye
  • 15u – Lee Turner
  • 16u – Beamer Weems​
2002
  • 9u – Tyler Ballard
  • 10u – Justin Tabora
  • 11u – Chris Taylor
  • 12u – ​Ben Tomchick
  • 13u – Travis Peszko
  • 14u – Wynton Weathers
  • 15u – Alex Ownes
2001
  • 10u – Kyle Seamon
  • 11u – Zachary Rivas
  • 12u – ​Vinny DeLalla
  • 13u – Justin Neumann
  • 14u – Steve Augone
  • 16u – Justin Jones
2000
  • 12u – ​Ryan Adcock
1999
  • 9u – Drew Wilkinson
  • 10u – Joey McDaniel
  • 11u – Josh Hurwitz
  • 12u – ​Jordan Medlin
  • 13u – David Winfree, Jr.
  • 14u – Brooks Sinnen

Honoring the Driller Way

The Sinnen Award represents the values that have shaped the Tidewater Drillers program for generations. While each recipient’s journey is unique, all share a commitment to teamwork, leadership, and respect for the game.

Through this award, the Drillers honor not only individual achievement, but the culture and character that continue to define the organization.

Learn more about the values that shape the Drillers. -> Legacy