Men's Track & Field 4/28/2017 10:43:00 PM Mike Miranto, Associate A.D. For Communications

Awards Doled Out At Daemen ESPY's

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 2016-17 season at the department's annual awards banquet, 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 250 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, Director of Sports Medicine Jeff Sage was named the recipient of this year's 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. Daemen's first-ever head athletic trainer, Sage has been with the department for 22 years, beginning in 1995 through an affiliation with Catholic Heath's AthletiCare before coming on full-time in 1997. Throughout his tenure, Sage has provided exemplary care and rehabilitation services to Daemen's growing allotment of student-athletes, while also overseeing the growth of the sports medicine department.

The night neared conclusion with the announcement of the department's five major awards: the C.L.A.W. Award recognizing the senior student-athlete who best exemplifies the traits of character, leadership, academic achievement and work ethic, the 2016-17 Female Newcomer of the Year, the 2016-17 Male Newcomer of the Year, the 2016-17 Female Athlete of the Year; and the 2016-17 Male Athlete of the Year. For more information on the night's five 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	Supreme Hannah	Most Valuable Player	Red-shirt Senior	Rochester, N.Y. / Eastridge
	Jaleo Wilkes	Most Improved Player	Senior	Niagara Falls, N.Y. / Polk State College
	Alex Borges	Coach's Award	Senior	Erie, Pa. / Mercyhurst Prep
Women's Basketball	Sarah Saba	Most Valuable Player	Junior	Lancaster, N.Y. / Lancaster
	Jesse DeWaters	Most Improved Player	Senior	Lockport, N.Y. / Niagara County CC
	Leah McDonell	Coach's Award	Senior	North Tonawanda, N.Y. / Cardinal O'Hara
Women's Bowling	Rachel Steele	Most Valuable Player	Freshman	Rensselaer, N.Y. / Columbia
	Kaitlyn O'Hara	Most Improved Player	Red-shirt Sophomore	Clarence Center, N.Y. / Clarence
	Katie Good	Coach's Award	Freshman	Hamburg, N.Y. / Frontier
Men's Cross Country	Kevin Roginson	Most Valuable Player	Junior	Amherst, N.Y. / Williamsville North
	Nigel Cordulla	Most Improved Player	Senior	Cheektowaga, N.Y. / John F. Kennedy
	Josh Bodnar	Coach's Award	Freshman	Fillmore, N.Y. / Fillmore
Women's Cross Country	Mackenzie Donahue	Most Valuable Player	Senior	East Aurora, N.Y. / East Aurora
	Emily Bradley	Most Improved Player	Red-shirt Sophomore	Lockport, N.Y. / Starpoint
	Brittany Denton	Coach's Award	Senior	Oakfield, N.Y. / Oakfield-Alabama
Men's Golf	Max Winterburn	Most Valuable Player	Red-shirt Junior	Harrogate, England / Boroughbridge
	Daniel Erker	Most Improved Player	Freshman	Croghan, N.Y. / Beaver River
	Pauley Pitcher II	Coach's Award	Junior	Baldwinsville, N.Y. / Charles W. Baker
Men's Soccer	Austin Stephany	Most Valuable Player	Senior	Watkins Glen, N.Y. / University at Buffalo
	Shaquille Corrica	Most Improved Player	Red-shirt Sophomore	New York City, N.Y. / Arts, Imagination & Inquiry
	Erick Moscicki	Coach's Award
Women's Soccer	Jamie Boyar	Most Valuable Player	Freshman	Williamsville, N.Y. / Williamsville South
	Monique Greene	Most Improved Player	Sophomore	Williamsville, N.Y. / Williamsville South
Men's Tennis	Ricardo Ruiz Martinez	Most Valuable Player	Sophomore	Valencia, Spain / American International College
	David Gonzalez Villegas	Most Improved Player	Sophomore	Pereira, Colombia / Liceo Frances de Pereira
	Adam Kerr	Coach's Award	Senior	Penfield, N.Y. / McQuaid Jesuit
Women's Tennis	Hayle Scanlan	Most Valuable Player	Senior	Indianapolis, Ind. / Perry Meridian
	Jessica Robins	Most Improved Player	Sophomore	North Tonawanda, N.Y. / North Tonawanda
	Shaylah Iverson	Coach's Award	Red-shirt Senior	Canandaigua, N.Y. / Naples
Men's Track & Field	Zach Laird	Most Valuable Player	Junior	Alexander, N.Y. / Alexander Central
	Drew Greenaway	Most Improved Player	Sophomore	Brooklyn, N.Y. / Brooklyn Generation
	Andrew Strobele	Coach's Award	Sophomore	Akron, N.Y. / Akron
Women's Track & Field	Kyra Kress	Most Valuable Player	Sophomore	Wayland, N.Y. / Alfred-Almond Central
	Sydney McDonough	Most Improved Player	Sophomore	Alfred Station, N.Y. / Alfred-Almond Central
	Tiffany Cycon	Coach's Award	Sophomore	Lancaster, N.Y. / Lancaster
Women's Triathlon	Nichole Geiger	Most Improved Player	Junior	Orchard Park, N.Y. / Orchard Park
	Amber Custodi	Coach's Award	Freshman	Ransomville, N.Y. / Lewiston-Porter
Women's Volleyball	Amber Drzymala	Most Valuable Player	Senior	West Seneca, N.Y. / St. Mary's of Lancaster
	Sydney MacInnis	Most Improved Player	Freshman	Superior, Colo. / Fairview
	Katie McKrell	Coach's Award	Junior	Webster, N.Y. / Webster Schroeder