Athletic Department celebrates End of Year Awards Celebration

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The RIT Department of Intercollegiate Athletics celebrated its annual Athletic Awards Celebration inside Gordon Field House, Monday.
 
Below is a list of awards handed out, along with the finalists for each of the major awards (winners listed bold).
 
A. Stephen Walls Leadership Award
Named in honor of the founder of RIT's intercollegiate athletics hall of fame, the award annually goes to a student-athlete who demonstrates outstanding leadership qualities and activities within the team, the overall athletics program, and the campus community at large.
 
Holland Gillis – Women's Basketball
Ian Libby – Baseball
Peter Stefos – Men's Track & Field
Jessica Wagner – Women's Soccer
 
Dr. Bill Destler Community Service Award
Named in honor of RIT's ninth president and ardent supporter of intercollegiate athletics, the award is designed to recognize the outstanding community service efforts of our student-athletes and teams in the community and beyond.
 
Women's Rowing
Women's Lacrosse
Men's and Women's Swimming & Diving
 
Coaches Appreciation Award
Awarded to a person who has made significant contributions to the intercollegiate athletics program, giving their time and energy for the betterment of the department.
 
Rob Bauman – Athletic Trainer
RIT Office of Financial Aid
Sharon Milici – Athletic Department Senior Staff Specialist
Ryan Kelly, Connor McJury – Strength & Conditioning
 
Power Den Awards
Two student-athletes are annually recognized for demonstrating a high level of competency in the weight room, and for having an enthusiasm for training while going above and beyond program requirements in their preparation.
 
Women
Caroline Hill – Women's Track & Field
Tiana Hose – Cheerleading
Tirzah Pilet – Women's Track & Field
Alexis Smith – Softball
Natalie Siwek – Women's Rowing
Claire Templeton – Women's Lacrosse
 
Men
Mike Atanasoff – Men's Swimming & Diving
Matthew Funicelli – Men's Track & Field
Josh Harkless – Wrestling
Shane Lockhoof – Men's Lacrosse
Ian Reeve – Men's Soccer
Charlie Slaymaker - Baseball
 
Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Appreciation Award
The SAAC Appreciation award annually recognizes an individual, group or department that continuously strives to enhance the overall student-athlete experience.
 
Sara Bayerl – RIT Senior Associate Director for Events and Major Programs
Jeff Siegel – Associate Athletic Director
Olivia Winkfield – Assistant Athletic Director
 
Jan Strine Award
The Athletic Department annually recognizes a group or an individual for being an outstanding friend to both athletics and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf communities who has helped strengthen the relationship and mutual support between the two. The award is named in memory of longtime NTID professor Jan Strine, who passed away in 2013.
 
Brock Bowen – Men's Basketball
Skip Flanagan – NTID Athlete Coordinator
Caroline Hill – Women's Track & Field
Grace Phelan – Women's Volleyball
 
Cultural Competency and Social Justice Award
Awarded to a student-athlete who has demonstrated superior commitment to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and cultural competency within RIT Athletics and the campus community.
 
James Cannon – Assistant Wrestling Coach
Neko Ferrara – Men's Swimming & Diving
Taj Smith – RIT Director of Diversity Education
 
Team Academic Awards
Awarded to the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic teams with the highest cumulative grade point averages.
 
Women
1st – Women's Tennis 3.687
2nd – Women's Soccer 3.682
3rd - Women's Cross Country 3.674
 
Men
1st – Men's Hockey 3.60
2nd – Men's Cross Country 3.55
3rd – Swimming & Diving 3.42
 
Dr. Mark Ellingson Awards
Named in honor of RIT's former wrestling coach who went on to become its fifth president, Ellingson award nominees are considered based on a combination of high achievement in both the classroom and on the field of play.
 
Women
Erin Allor – Women's Soccer
Calista Gasper – Women's Volleyball
Elle Holland – Women's Swimming & Diving
 
Men
Aleksei Bingham – Men's Cross Country/Track & Field
Ben Clements – Men's Rowing
Chris Reilly - Baseball
 
Senior Athletes of the Year
Awarded based on overall career athletic achievement over the last four years.
 
Women
Erin Allor – Women's Soccer
Kaleesha Joseph – Women's Basketball
Erin Percy – Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
 
Men
Matthew Funicelli – Men's Track & Field
Colby Giroux – Wrestling
Tyler Hulse – Men's Track & Field
Taylor Jensen – Men's Lacrosse
Austin Lamb - Wrestling
 
All-Tiger Teams
Presented to individuals from across the entire department who stood out this past academic year during their respective seasons.
 
Fall
Ben Beaudry – Men's Cross Country
Liv Benard – Women's Volleyball
Aleksei Bingham – Men's Cross Country
Maddy Bullis – Women's Soccer
Matt Chaikowsky – Men's Cross Country
Randy Dickersbach – Men's Soccer
Hassan Eissa – Men's Cross Country
Amelia Gilbert – Women's Cross Country
Jessica Gomez – Women's Soccer
Sam Halligan – Women's Soccer
Sydney Neff – Women's Volleyball
Erin Percy – Women's Cross Country
Adam Wuest – Men's Soccer
 
Winter
Peter Anderson – Men's Track & Field
Paige Arieno - Cheerleading
Mike Atanasoff – Men's Swimming & Diving
Kassidy Burrows – Women's Track & Field
Sarah Coe – Women's Ice Hockey
Gianfranco Cassaro – Men's Ice Hockey
Tiana Hose - Cheerleading
Colby Giroux - Wrestling
Trenton Goyette – Men's Track & Field
Aiden Hansen-Bukata – Men's Ice Hockey
Josh Harkless - Wrestling
Justin Jantzi – Men's Track & Field
Kaleesha Joseph – Women's Basketball
Gellert Kish – Men's Swimming & Diving
Austin Lamb - Wrestling
Cody Laskosky – Men's Ice Hockey
Anna Peshenko – Women's Swimming & Diving
Matthew Resnick – Men's Track & Field
Kevin Ryan – Men's Basketball
Tommy Scarfone – Men's Ice Hockey
Drew Scheib – Men's Swimming & Diving
Max Stein – Men's Track & Field
Emma Waite – Women's Basketball
Carter Wilkie – Men's Ice Hockey
 
Spring
Kirsten Auble – Women's Tenis
Ben Clements – Men's Rowing
Michael DeFranco – Men's Rowing
Emily DiMarco – Women's Track & Field
Matthew Funicelli – Men's Track & Field
Michael Grace – Men's Lacrosse
Jessica Hall – Women's Rowing
Caroline Hill – Women's Track & Field
Tyler Hulse – Men's Track & Field
Taylor Jensen – Men's Lacrosse
Ian Libby - Baseball
Michelle Messenger – Women's Lacrosse
Grahith Movva – Men's Tennis
John Mozrall – Men's Lacrosse
Luke Pilcher – Men's Lacrosse
Chris Reilly - Baseball
Ellen Shepard – Women's Rowing
Alexis Smith - Softball
 
All-Rookie Team
Erin DiPaola - Women's Basketball,
Zoe Heffernan – Women's Lacrosse
Adele Jones – Women's Lacrosse
Miles Lim – Men's Swimming & Diving
Roberta Moger – Women's Soccer
Lorelei Robinson – Women's Swimming & Diving
Ryan Senf – Men's Track & Field
Charlie Slaymaker – Baseball