AMHERST, N.Y. - The Daemen College Athletic Department shifted from the rigors of competition into celebration mode on Friday evening, as student-athletes, coaches and administrators took time to reflect on the 2015-16 season at the department's annual awards banquet, this year dubbed the Daemen ESPY's, held in Lumsden Gymnasium.  Award recipients from Daemen's current stable of 16 intercollegiate athletic programs were announced as head coaches took to the podium throughout the evening.

Also in attendance was Dr. Gary A. Olson, President of Daemen College.  Olson addressed a crowd of more than 200 with the event's opening remarks, congratulating all those in attendance, and thanking them all for the hard work and dedication that they've poured into their respective athletic and academic endeavors.

In addition, Daemen employee JoAnn Gallagher was named the recipient of the Brett Ferber Unsung Hero Award.  The prestigious honor, named for the former student and men's basketball team manager, is awarded annually to the institutional staff member or student who goes above and beyond in their dedication and support of Daemen Athletics.

Also in attendance was alumnus Brian Pettit who picked up a check from Daemen Athletics as a donation to Dreams From Drake, a foundation that Pettit established with his wife Jamie in remembrance of their late son, Drake Pettit.  The foundation aims to provide children and teens with various forms of support while experiencing the confusion and grief associated with the loss of a sibling or parent.  Pettit, a 1999 Daemen grad and member of the Daemen Athletics Hall of Fame, spoke briefly to the audience as well.

The night neared conclusion with the announcement of the department's three major awards: the C.L.A.W. Award recognizing the senior student-athlete who best exemplifies the traits of charactler, leadership, academic achievement and work ethic; the 2015-16 Female Athlete of the Year; and the 2015-16 Male Athlete of the Year.  For more information on the night's three major award recipients, click on the links provided.

Below is a full rundown of tonight's team award recipients.
 

Sport	Award Recipient	Award	Year	Hometown / Previous School
Men's Basketball	Torrence Dyck	Most Valuable Player	Senior	Rochester, N.Y. / San Jacinto College
	Deion Hamilton	Most Improved Player	Redshirt-Freshman	Rochester, N.Y. / Greece Athena
	Ryan Grandits	Coach's Award	Graduate Student	Kenmore, N.Y. / Medaille College
Women's Basketball	Sarah Saba	Most Valuable Player	Sophomore	Lancaster, N.Y. / Lancaster
	Somara Colon	Most Improved Player	Senior	Bronx, N.Y. / Mott Haven Village Prep
	Leah McDonell	Coach's Award	Junior	North Tonawanda, N.Y. / Cardinal O'Hara
Women's Bowling	Jess Cunningham	Most Valuable Player	Freshman	Watervliet, N.Y. / Watervliet
	Hayle Scanlan	Most Improved Player	Sophomore	Indianapolis, Ind. / Perry Meridian
	Kaitlyn O'Hara	Coach's Award	Redshirt-Freshman	Clarence Center, N.Y. / Clarence
Men's Cross Country	Jeremy Rushok	Most Valuable Player	Senior	Akron, N.Y. / Buffalo State College
	Kevin Roginson	Most Improved Player	Sophomore	Amherst, N.Y. / Williamsville North
	Timothy Poole	Coach's Award	Freshman	Fayetteville, N.Y. / Fayetteville-Manlius
Women's Cross Country	Mackenzie Donahue	Most Valuable Player	Junior	East Aurora, N.Y. / East Aurora
	Morgan Urbanek	Most Improved Player	Junior	Webster, N.Y. / Webster-Schroeder
	Hannah Rice	Coach's Award	Junior	East Aurora, N.Y. / East Aurora
Men's Golf	Mark Lesinski	Most Valuable Player	Sophomore	Getzville, N.Y. / Williamsville North
Men's Soccer	Kenny May	Most Valuable Player	Senior	Clarence, N.Y. / Clarence
	Tim Kersey	Most Improved Player	Sophomore	Webster, N.Y. / Webster Schroeder
	Justin Figler	Coach's Award	Freshman	Grand Island, N.Y. / Grand Island
Women's Soccer	Rose Carboni	Most Valuable Player	Sophomore	Endicott, N.Y. / Union Endicott
	Andrea D'Sa	Most Improved Player	Freshman	Bellmore, N.Y. / W.C. Mepham
	Kelly DuVall	Coach's Award	Junior	Addison, N.Y. / Addison
Men's Tennis	Mark Veitengruber	Most Valuable Player	Sophomore	Rockford, Mich. / Rockford
	Gregory Lowe	Most Improved Player	Senior	East Aurora, N.Y. / East Aurora
	David Gonzalez Villegas	Coach's Award	Freshman	Pereira, Colombia / Liceo Frances de Pereira
Women's Tennis	Karli Hollins	Most Valuable Player	Junior	Orchard Park, N.Y. / SUNY Geneseo
	Hayle Scanlan	Most Improved Player	Junior	Indianapolis, Ind. / Perry Meridian
	Maria McGrath	Coach's Award	Junior	Fairport, N.Y. / Fairport
Men's Track & Field	Niko Jemmison	Most Valuable Player	Junior	Brooklyn, N.Y. / Brooklyn Generation
	Matt VanDeMortel	Most Improved Player	Junior	Geneva, N.Y. / Geneva
	Jonny Schmidt	Coach's Award	Freshman	Clarence Center, N.Y. / Clarence
Women's Track & Field	Mackenzie Donahue	Most Valuable Player	Junior	East Aurora, N.Y. / East Aurora
	Amy Trabert	Most Improved Player	Sophomore	Amherst, N.Y. / Amherst
	Ashley Krol	Coach's Award	Junior	Depew, N.Y. / Depew
Women's Triathlon	Ashley Cheff	Most Valuable Player	Junior	Niagara Falls, N.Y. / Niagara Falls
Women's Volleyball	Ashley Drzymala	Most Valuable Player	Freshman	West Seneca, N.Y. / St. Mary's of Lancaster
	Katie McKrell	Most Improved Player	Sophomore	Webster, N.Y. / Webster Schroeder
	Amber Drzymala	Coach's Award	Junior	West Seneca, N.Y. / St. Mary's of Lancaster