All-America divers Meghan Bartlett (Johnstown, N.Y.) and Arron Carlson (LeRoy) are repeat Fredonia Student-Athlete of the Year winners.
Each won the awards in 2016 and again this year when season-ending awards were announced Sunday afternoon at the 2017 Awards Gala inside Rosch Recital Hall. In addition, Rookie of the Year awards went to third baseman Cassidy Herman (Maybrook) for her 2016 softball season and to freshman goalkeeper Ty Bentham (Columbus, Ind.) was his play last fall for the 2017 men's soccer team.
Women's soccer senior Maria Gordon (Stephentown) was recognized as 2017 Fredonia Scholar-Athlete of the Year. A double major in Communication and Spanish, Gordon's 3.92 grade-point average is the highest among all student-athletes graduating next Saturday. Her award was announced by Faculty-Athletic Representative Dr. Eileen Lyon, who also oversaw the Phi Alpha Sigma induction ceremony earlier Sunday at a pre-gala reception for seniors and their parents inside the Williams Center.
Sunday's Student-Athlete of the Year awards for Bartlett and Carlson were the latest honors earned by the pair. Each was named 2017 SUNYAC Diver of the Meet and Diver of the Year (the third straight for Bartlett) in their respective genders. They each won two NCAA Division III All-America certificates – the fifth and sixth for Bartlett, the fourth and fifth for Carlson dating back three seasons. Bartlett was cited as SUNYAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year in swimming and diving, while Carlson won the SUNYAC James Fulton Award for athletic and academic achievement.
Other Female Student-Athlete of the Year nominees were senior women's basketball guard Alexis Cheatham (Lockport), sophomore Brenna Donovan (Lewiston) of cross country, and junior sprinter Brittany Feldman (Jamestown) of track and field. Male Student-Athlete of the Year nominees included sophomore goaltender Eric Bogart (London, Ont.) of ice hockey, junior forward Ian Helps (Bronx) of men's basketball, and graduate student Collin Mulcahy (Batavia) of cross country.
In the Rookie of the Year categories, Herman was recognized among the women for her all-around play (school-record 121 assists, third on the 2016 team with 24 hits) while Bentham's was cited for winning 10 soccer games in goal – including a SUNYAC Tournament shutout of Plattsburgh. The awards were presented by 2016 Fredonia Rookies of the Year, sophomores Jenna Einink (Westfield) of women's basketball and Bobby Polachek (Kingston, Pa.) of men's hockey.
Herman was chosen ahead of freshman Anna Chiacchia (Hamburg) of women's tennis, current sophomore Hannah Kurbs (Lockport) of cross country/track and field, and freshman setter Amanda Mosack (Webster) of volleyball. Two baseball players, current sophomores Luke Kuczewski (Orchard Park) and Kevin Yirinec (Fairport), plus freshman hockey forward Jacob Haynes (Whitby, Ont.) were also nominated in the men's category.
Play of the Year and Performance of the Year awards were also made. The first went to senior Bryan Sibble (Liverpool) of men's soccer for his game-winning free kick vs. Oneonta to earn Fredonia a spot in the SUNYAC Tournament on the final day of the regular season. The latter award was made for the two-day performance by Adam Clouthier (Conroe, Texas), a senior swimmer, for setting team and conference records while winning the 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke titles at the 2017 SUNYAC championship meet.
Other nominees in the Play category were junior forward Oskar Gerhardson (Åhus, Sweden) of men's hockey, senior Sam Greco (Lockport) of men's soccer, and Helps of men's basketball. Performance nominees included divers Bartlett and Carlson as well as senior Jimmy Ritchie (East Aurora) of men's soccer.
The women's volleyball team won the Scholar-Athlete Team of the Year for carrying the highest cumulative grade-point average. Women's basketball won the Blue Devil Cup, a year-long competition among Fredonia teams for points earned in several categories.
Each of the seniors in attendance was called to the Rosch stage and received a gift from the athletic department.
The welcoming address was given by senior Megan Collins (Burlingham) of women's volleyball, followed by opening remarks by University President Dr. Virginia Horvath. Incoming Student-Athlete Advisory Committee President Ben Chatley (Sanborn), a junior on the men's swimming and diving team, talked about SAAC achievements during the past year, including the highly successful "Yards for Yeardley" walk. Bartlett spoke at the end of the gala, giving reflections of her Fredonia experience.
Other student speakers were junior Nicole Burrows (Baldwinsville) of women's lacrosse and senior Kelly Vincent (Randolph) of women's cross country, and track and field. Sibble also shared his experiences as a Fredonia student-athlete during the reception prior to the gala.
