DAF announces 2024 athletes of the year Published April 4, 2025 By Debbie Aragon AFIMSC Public Affairs JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS -- JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas -- The Department of the Air Force recently announced a powerlifter and multi-sport athlete as their Female and Male Athletes of the Year for 2024. Congratulations to Master Sgt. Danielle Todman and Master Sgt. Aaron Lin, respectively. The Athlete of the Year Board at the Air Force Services Center evaluated more than 20 packages, looking for achievements, leadership, discipline and resiliency before deciding on the winning entries, said Tech. Sgt. Tamra Villanueva, DAF Sports manager and board facilitator at AFSVC. U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Danielle Todman, 177th Force Support Squadron Services Flight base fitness manager, competes in a powerlifting competition June 9, 2022, in Sun City, South Africa. Todman competed in the International Powerlifting Federation World Classic Powerlifting Championships. (Courtesy Photo) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res Master Sgt. Danielle Todman runs beside the East River with the Manhattan skyline in the background. Todman was recently announced as the 2024 Department of the Air Force Female Athlete of the Year. (Courtesy photo) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res Master Sgt. Danielle Todman was recently selected as the 2024 Department of the Air Force Female Athlete of the Year. (Courtesy photo) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res Master Sgt. Danielle Todman cheers on students at Kean University where she is the head coach for cross country and track and field coach. Todman, a member of the National Guard, was recently selected as the 2024 Department of the Air Force Female Athlete of the Year. (Courtesy photo) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res Female Athlete of the Year Todman, a services journeyman with the National Guard Bureau’s 177th Force Support Squadron, Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, is a powerlifter who competes nationally and internationally in the 76-kilogram weight class. In March 2024, she competed at the U.S. Virgin Islands Powerlifting Nationals across many events. She won first place in classic bench and equipped bench events, captured second place overall in the open 76-kg category, and earned the titles of 76kg Equipped National Champion and Best Lifter. During the International Powerlifting Federation Bench Press World Championship in May, Todman again showcased her equipped bench press strength, winning 5th place overall to solidify her position on the global circuit. At the International Powerlifting Federation Open World Championship in November, she again showed her strength on the world stage in the deadlift event when she ranked 6th place overall, becoming the first female athlete to rank in the top 10 globally in multiple sports. In addition to her personal achievements, Todman served as a dedicated powerlifting coach and handler for the North American Powerlifting Championships, representing the U.S. Virgin Islands, where she guided men and women to success in various weight classes, including first place overall in the master’s class for a world record. She also coached USA Track and Field open and master athletes to outstanding finishes in the New Jersey and New York Open and Masters Track and Field Championship. To encourage sports in her local community and raise awareness of a developmental disorder, Todman organized the 2024 World Autism Day Race on Kindness. The event drew 250 participants for a one-mile and 5-kilometer run and raised over $2,500 for a local school that specializes in supporting children with Autism. In her NGB unit, Todman was awarded a Meritorious Service Medal for her contributions to the wing fitness program when her work with the program led to a 35% reduction in physical fitness test failures over a three-year period. For Todman, her biggest motivators are her faith, her family and her failures. “My faith and family have kept me grounded so I could root and grow. Their fruits are the words that have refined me to be not just a better athlete but a better woman,” she said. “My failures have motivated me because I’ve learned they weren’t fatal. They were lessons that opened my heart and eyes to be more receptive to the things I needed to be my blessed and best for myself and others.” During the award period, Todman’s achievements were evident at all levels, Villanueva said. “As an athlete of an individual sport, it’s important to note that although she was supported by friends, family and colleagues, it was her discipline and hard work that got her on those podiums,” the technical sergeant said. “Her dedication to coaching, not only in her sport but other athletic disciplines, also helping her earn athlete of the year honors.” Master Sgt. Aaron Lin competes in the Olympic Air Rifle Finals at the Department of Defense Warrior Games at ESPN Wide World of Sports, Orlando, Florida, June 2024. Lin was recently selected as the 2024 Department of the Air Force Male Athlete of the Year. (Courtesy photo by Anthony Beauchamp) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res Master Sgt. Aaron Lin, at right, lights the flame as the spirit and torch bearer for Team Air Force during the 2025 Air Force & Marine Corps Trials opening ceremony at Randolf Air Force Base, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Dave Long) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res Master Sgt Aaron Lin shows his motivation during the Air Force/Marine Corps Trials powerlifting meet March 2025 at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. Lin was recently selected as the 2024 Department of the Air Force Male Athlete of the Year. (U.S. Air Force photo by Dave Long) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res Master Sgt. Aaron Lin, at right, competes in the Wheelchair Rugby Championship during the Air Force/Marine Corps Trials March 2025 in San Antonio. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ahna Waarvik) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res Male Athlete of the Year Lin is the 317th Recruiting Squadron’s first sergeant in Oxon Hill, Maryland. During March 2024, he earned a spot on the Air Force's Wounded Warrior team during the Department of Defense Warrior Games by outperforming a pool of over 200 elite Airman athletes. He and his teammates earned two silver medals in wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby, besting nine of 12 teams in the competition. Also in March, during the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps Trials at Nellis AFB, Nevada, he excelled in individual sports placing fourth out of 10 in his powerlifting weight class, 13th out of 91 in archery and top 40% in air pistol and indoor rowing against not only Airmen and Marines but U.S. Army Soldiers and Georgian and Ukrainian athletes. A month later, Lin competed in shot put, archery, Olympic air pistol, discus, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby during the Texas Regionals Para Sports Competition in San Antonio. He finished the competition placing sixth of 18 in archery and captured a bronze medal in air pistol. Later in the year, he competed in the DOD Warrior Games at ESPN's Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida, as a multi-sport Air Force athlete. Together, Lin and his team took home more than 150 medals, including Lin’s wheelchair basketball team winning gold by defeating opponents by double digits. Out of his competitive sports arenas, the master sergeant mentored two adaptive sports care events across the northwest and northeast for more than 300 Airmen, Soldiers and Marines. He also inspired and coached 22 Airmen athletes with half of them selected for Team Air Force. Finally, he was selected from a pool of more than 3,500 Airmen to be an Air Force Wounded Warrior Ambassador and went on to speak about the healing power of sports at 62 events for 2,400 Airmen, often as the key not speaker. When Lin found the Air Force Wounded Warrior program, he was “going through a lot, including being really depressed.” It became his biggest motivator to find himself again. “I went to a Wounded Warrior event and started playing sports … it was really therapeutic and brought me back,” Lin said. “When they asked me to compete in the Wounded Warrior trials, I really got into it. Then, I made the team in March 2024 and it taught me that hard work really pays off.” “Master Sgt. Lin’s diverse experience across various adaptive sports shows his commitment and dedication to not only learn different sports but to be the best … it’s very commendable,” Villanueva said. Official photo of Master Sgt. Aaron Lin. Lin was recently selected as the 2024 Department of the Air Force Male Athlete of the Year. (U.S. Air Force photo) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res Athletes & Airmen Life lessons learned while playing a sport easily transfer to military service, Villanueva said because they “create that sense of community and support amongst team members, developing that strong mental resiliency by staying focused under pressure and dealing with stress … sports help you develop as a warfighter and leader as we all work together towards a common goal of mission success on behalf of our nation.” Both Todman and Lin agreed that sports help them be better Airmen, mentors and leaders. “Being an athlete helps me be an example of ‘there is promise in process,’” Todman said. “I’m able to speak to the promise in both my Airmen and athletes. I’ve learned to see each person in the seasons they’re in personally and better speak to their motivation and the core of who they are as individuals. Learning and teaching patience, grace, commitment and dedication help me to be better every day as both an athlete and Airman.” Winning athlete of the year honors is inspiring her to continue pushing her limits and strive for excellence, she said. “But more importantly, I hope me winning inspires people to continue working their process and trusting in it so they can walk in their promise,” Todman said. Third from left, Master Sgt. Danielle Todman stands with members of her unit. Todman is the 2024 Department of the Air Force Female Athlete of the Year. (Courtesy photo) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res Lin agreed, saying athletics not only builds his personal resiliency but makes him a better Airman, wingman and warfighter. “When I was in Afghanistan and Iraq as an explosive ordnance disposal technician, I had to have perseverance, that warrior mindset, because when people called EOD, it meant they’d run out of options. You have to rely on your own resiliency … if you’re team is down, you still have to push through whether that’s on the field of sports or field of battle.