DANBURY, CONN. - The Western Connecticut State University Athletics Department honored all of its student athletes with its annual Athletics Awards Ceremony and Highlight Video on Friday, May 15. Due to the ongoing pandemic, this year's ceremony, produced by Christian Gagnier of the WCSU Media Services department, was broadcast via YouTube.
The link to the 2019-20 WESTCONN ATHLETICS AWARDS CEREMONY will remain on the WestConn Athletics website for your future viewing pleasure.
Along with special mentions from Assistant Director of Athletics Caitlin Crowley, 85 seniors were recognized. The 2020 Chi Alpha Sigma honorees were highlighted and the opening segment was capped off with the naming of the 2020 Team Grade-Point Average Award, by WCSU President Dr. John Clark.
"WestConn places the highest priority on the whole educational experience with academic pursuit as the cornerstone of its mission," stated Dr. Clark. "As teams compete for wins in competition, they also work to achieve success in the classroom. This year, nine of the 18 intercollegiate teams earned a GPA above a 3.0.
The top three teams were honored at this year's ceremony are:
In third place with an overall team GPA of 3.28 is Coach Kimberley Rybczyk and the women's basketball team.
With an overall team GPA of 3.33 and in second place is Coach Dani McDonnell and the Field Hockey team.
The 2020 team with the highest GPA, with an overall GPA of 3.36 is Women's Lacrosse team and its head coach Jenn Thomas.
"To all the student athletes, congratulations on a great year, both in your sport and in the classroom, congratulations again and Go Colonials!," concluded Dr. Clark.
Male and Female Scholar Athlete of the Year - Presented by Dr. Julie Perrelli, Faculty Athletics Representative and Assistant Professor
The Male and Female Scholar Athlete of the Year award is presented to the person with the most successful season or individual performance during the season. The student-athlete should have maintained acceptable academic performance along the way. To be eligible for this award, the student athlete must complete a minimum of 48 credit hours at WestConn and have at least a 3.5 cumulative grade-point average.
Student athletes at WestConn are committed to success in the classroom and in competition, a balance which requires commitment, time management, and a strong work ethic. There are, however, a select few who achieve being a student athlete at an exceptional level and excel as scholar athletes. Each year we honor the top male and female student-athletes who have the highest GPA with a minimum of 48 credits earned. These standouts truly embody what it means to be a Division III student-athlete.
The 2020 Male Scholar Athlete of the Year is a senior from the football team from Torrington, Conn, majoring in Political Science, with a perfect cumulative 4.0 grade-point average, Andrew Schimanski.
Schimanski is a now a two-time winner of this award and is the ideal definition of a student-athlete on and off the field. As a four year member of the football team, he is the starting right tackle as an offensive lineman who helped his team to an 8-3 overall record and first-ever berth into the New England Bowl.
He is known for both his high intelligence and toughness on the football field. Schimanski was one of 40 players earning All-Academic Team honors from the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference. To set him further apart from his teammates, he earned the recognition as a 2019 Academic All-America® Football Team selection by CoSIDA, as they recognize the nation's top student athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. To make this honor even more impressive, Schimanski is the only student-athlete in District II of NCAA Division III to have a perfect 4.0 grade-point average.
Off the field, he is equally as impressive as he is a Kathwari Honor Program student. He has explored the world by spending a semester in Germany as part of the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP).
Schimanski has volunteered in various community service projects while at WestConn including the Danbury Faxon Marathon, SAAC-led field day with the Western CT Academy of International Studies Elementary Magnet school and Career-day set up and while back home during the summers, he volunteers with the Torrington High School football team.
The 2020 Female Scholar Athlete Award was presented to a field hockey player from New Preston, Conn. who majors in Health Promotion Studies – Allied Health with a perfect overall GPA of 4.0, Olivia Moore.
Moore is the starting center midfielder for the Colonials' field hockey team, and, as a sophomore, played a major role in helping the team to its best season ever.
The Colonials finished the 2019 campaign with a 15-5 overall record and program-best 10-2 mark in the Little East Conference.
Moore, a standout defender and midfielder, registered six assists in her second season.
She was named the program's Rookie of the Year in 2018 and honored by the Little East Conference this year as a Second-Team selection. Moore has also been honored by the LEC and the National Field Hockey Coaches Association, being named to both All-Academic Teams.
While maintaining a perfect grade-point average in the classroom as an Allied Health Major and excelling on the field, Moore also works in the Admissions Office where she gives tours to prospective students and their families and helps to moderate SchoolsApp, an app that assists incoming students to get to know one another.
She is a two-year member of SAAC, and participates in numerous community service activities including Western Day of Service, SAAC Field Day and the Haunted Halloween Walk.
Moore is the epitome of a student-athlete and a tremendous role model for all who encounters her.
Male and Female Rookie Athlete of the Year - Presented by Scott Ames, Associate Director of Athletics
This coveted honor is awarded to the first-year athlete who contributed the most to her/his team and whose performance indicates future contributions. The student-athlete should have maintained acceptable academic performance along the way. To be eligible for this award student-athletes must be in their first year of eligibility, regardless of their year in college. They must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours at WestConn during the first semester in the fall and have at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA.
The nominees for Male Rookie Athlete of the Year were:
Franz Muhaj – MEN'S SOCCER
Alexey Pilyugin – MEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING
Jaheim Young – MEN'S BASKETBALL
Matt Forti – FOOTBALL
Auguste Smith – MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
The Male Rookie of the Year is Bridgeport, Conn., native, Franz Muhaj.
Muhaj was named 2019 Little East Conference Rookie of the Year and honored on the league's All-Conference Second Team.
In 19 games, he finished second on the team in scoring with nine goals and three assists for 21 points. WestConn went 13-5-3 and advanced to the LEC title game against intra-state rival Eastern Connecticut State University after defeating University of Massachusetts Boston on penalty kicks in the semifinals.
The nominees for Female Rookie of the Year were:
Myah Croze – WOMEN'S SOCCER
Maria Guimaraes – WOMEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING
Phalina Sciara – FIELD HOCKEY
Sarah Silva – WOMEN'S TENNIS
Rory McMaster - VOLLEYBALL
Susana Almeida – WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Rosie Marquez – WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
This year, a pair of freshmen student athletes stood out as key contributors to their teams. Their successes were indistinguishable and so, the 2020 Co-Female Rookies of the Year are Bristol, Conn., native, Myah Croze, and a women's volleyball player from Canton, Mich., Rory McMaster.
Croze was named Little East Conference Rookie of the Year and was one of four Colonials honored on the league's All-Conference First Team.
She helped lead the 14-6-2 Colonials to a share of the LEC regular-season title and a trip to the conference tournament title game. Croze finished second on the team with 38 points after matching sophomore forward Kaleigh Panek's 18 goals, to go along with a pair of assists. Croze led the team with four game-winning markers.
McMaster enjoyed a stellar freshman campaign, leading the Colonials to the 2019 Little East Conference regular-season title and a 21-7 overall record. She was named LEC Rookie of the Year and honored on the league's All-Conference First Team.
McMaster is already in the Top-10 in assists in program history after recording 891 sets this past fall. She also tallied 210 digs and 40 service aces.
Male and Female Athlete of the Year - Presented by Dr. Keith Betts, Vice President for Student Affairs
The Male and Female Athlete of the Year Award is presented to the person with the most successful season or individual performance during the season. The student-athlete also maintained acceptable academic performance along the way. They must complete a minimum of 48 credit hours at and meet the 2.00 cumulative grade-point average.
The Athlete of the Year Award recognizes one male and one female student-athlete for their outstanding performances in the athletic arena. These exceptional athletes are integral pieces to the success of their teams and lead by example with great character. To be considered for this honor, student athletes must also be in good academic standing.
The nominees for Male Athlete of the Year were:
Eric Caldwell – MEN'S LACROSSE
Spencer Ranno – MEN'S SOCCER
David Lawrence – MEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING
Fenton Bradley – MEN'S BASKETBALL
Will Daniels – FOOTBALL
Senior men's basketball forward Fenton Bradley, Jr., from Mansfield, Conn., is the recipient of the 2020 Male Athlete of the Year.
The Interdisciplinary Studies major guided the Colonials to a 20-8 overall record, and to the Little East Conference regular-season and tournament titles. They made their first appearance in the NCAA Division III championships for the first time since 2012.
Bradley, Jr. was named Little East Conference Offensive Player of the Year and to the league's All-Conference First Team. He was also the recipient of the LEC Championship's Most Outstanding Player.
The 6'5" high-flyer was also named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District Second Team, D3hoops.com All-Northeast District Second Team and Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association All-Met First Team.
Bradley, Jr. led the Colonials with a 16.2 scoring and 6.3 rebounding average.
The nominees for this year's Female Athlete of the Year award were:
Kaleigh Panek – WOMEN'S SOCCER
Molly Henry – WOMEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING
Morgan Matthews – FIELD HOCKEY
Emma Chapman – WOMEN'S TENNIS
Brooke Baldelli – WOMEN'S LACROSSE
Nicolina Chenard - VOLLEYBALL
Gabrielle Hurlbert – WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
The 2020 Female Athlete of the Year is a sophomore on the women's soccer team from Shelton, Conn. and Health Promotion Studies – Community Health major, Kaleigh Panek.
Panek, the 2019 LEC and WestConn Rookie of the Year, reaped this past fall's conference Offensive Player of the Year honors. She was also named to the United Soccer Coaches' All-New England Second Team.
The sophomore led the Colonials to the LEC title match after scoring the game-winning goal in her team's 3-1 win over Castleton University in the league semifinals.
She finished with a team and conference-high 40 points and was tied with Croze with a league-best 18 goals scored, including three game-winners for the 14-6-2 Colonials.
WestConn shared a piece of the LEC regular-season crown, with UMass Boston, after going 7-0-1 in conference play.
Colonial of the Year - Presented by Lori Mazza, Director of Athletics and Recreational Services
The criteria for the department's top honor includes: dedication to sport, attitude, effort, ability, citizenship, character, leadership, and sportsmanship. The recipient must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours at WestConn and process a minimum cumulative 2.75 GPA.
The Colonial of the Year Award, the final departmental award of the evening, is the highest honor bestowed upon a WestConn student athlete.
While the 2019-2020 year began with great promise and exceptional achievement, WestConn was faced with unprecedented challenges and numerous changes to the way it operated. Before many of them even began, spring sport seasons were canceled. These student athletes did not have the chance to fully compete with their teams, win championships, or see the results of their cumulative hard work. The seniors saw their collegiate careers cut short.
For this reason, the 2020 Colonial of the Year Award looked a little different. WestConn honored Colonials of the Year from the fall, winter, and spring seasons.
The nominees for Colonial of the Year were:
Jasmine Grey – WOMEN'S SOCCER
Morgan Matthews – FIELD HOCKEY
Genesis Torres – WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Fenton Bradley, Jr. – MEN'S BASKETBALL
Malik Dawkins - FOOTBALL
Nick Falstoe – MEN'S SOCCER
Nick Edwards – MEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING
Hope Johnsky – WOMEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING
Abbi Debes – VOLLEYBALL
Kitt Sathong – MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
The 2020 Colonial of the Year for the fall season is a senior field hockey player from Bethel, Conn. majoring in Business, Morgan Matthews.
Matthews was named to the 2019 All-Little East Conference First Team and National Field Hockey Coaches' Association (NFHCA) All-New England Second Team.
She led the 15-5 Colonials with 17 goals, eight assists and 42 total points in her final season. Matthews tallied a team-high three game-winning goals.
The 2020 Colonial of the Year for the winter season is a senior women's basketball player from Stratford, Conn. and Health Promotion Studies - Wellness Management major, Genesis Torres.
Torres finished her final season with a 9.3 scoring and 4.4 rebounding average. Her season was cut short after suffering an injury during the Colonials' 9-16 campaign. She appeared in 17 games and made 16 starts.
The ceremony concluded with 2020 Colonial of the Year for the spring season.
WestConn recognized all of the spring-sport student athletes which had their seasons cut short.
"While you did not have the chance to break records and win titles, we know that you all would have excelled and represented WestConn to the best of your ability," said Mazza. "We appreciate all of your hard work, dedication, and commitment to your team and to the success of WestConn Athletics."
Below is a list of the other awards which were presented on Friday.
Senior Award
The WestConn Athletics Department will award a Senior Athletic Award to any student-athlete who will graduate this year and/or has used up his/her athletic eligibility. Each student athlete will receive a custom-made stole to wear when they finally walk at graduation.
Chi Alpha Sigma
Chi Alpha Sigma recognizes college students who receive a varsity letter in their sport while maintaining a 3.4 or higher cumulative GPA throughout their junior (minimum 60 credits) and/or senior years (minimum 90 credits). Each senior honoree is award a Chi Alpha Sigma medallion, suitable to be worn when they walk at graduation.
