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Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Kassi Hastings '21
For the second consecutive year, a member of the women's volleyball team has been designated as the Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Kassi Hastings '21, a third-year setter from Windsor, New York, sports a 3.955 cumulative grade-point average as a Mathematics major with a minor in Adolescent Education. In the fall of 2019, Hastings helped the Soaring Eagles qualify for the Empire 8 Conference Tournament for the first time since 2015 after logging career highs in assists (712), digs (221), kills (41), and aces (26). |
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Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year: John Mullan '21
A third-year student-athlete with a major in Mathematics, John Mullan '21 of the EC men's soccer team has been tabbed EC's Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the second year in a row. Mullan, a Monroe, New York, native who helped the Soaring Eagles reach the Empire 8 Conference Tournament in 2019, maintains a cumulative grade-point average of 3.979 in the classroom. On the pitch, he appeared in a dozen games as a holding midfielder for the Soaring Eagles. |
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Team Academic Award: Men's Ice Hockey
Presented annually to the varsity sports team with the highest GPA during the academic year, the 2019-20 Team Academic Award is presented to the men's ice hockey team. In addition to earning a national ranking during the regular season and qualifying for the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) Tournament, the men's ice hockey team amassed a 3.549 grade-point average. In Term II alone, 26 of 29 members of the team finished with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, while three finished with a perfect 4.0. |
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Dean William S. Neal/SAAC Sportsmanship Award: Baseball
For the second year in a row and for the third time in the past four years, the baseball team has been elected winner of the Dean William S. Neal/SAAC Sportsmanship Award, as voted on by members of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. This award is presented annually to a Soaring Eagles Athletics team that has demonstrated out-standing sportsmanship throughout the year, both in and out of season, and in support of their fellow student-athletes as fans. It is named after former EC Dean of Admissions William S. Neal, who served in that role from 1989-2004. Members of the baseball team are regularly found in the stands at many athletic contests, sometimes in full uniform, and are rowdy in their support of their fellow student-athletes. |
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Merit & Honors Award Winners
Elmira College's student-athletes continue to excel in the classroom. Over 60% of the College's athletes earned either Merit or Honors Award distinctions. A total of 84 students receive a Merit Award, which recognizes those who have compiled a cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 through 3.39 over the course of their academic careers. Honors Awards, which are given to those with a cumulative GPA of 3.40 or higher, were credited to 118 individuals, which equates to 35% of the student-athlete body on campus. Click here to view all of the Merit and Honors Award winners from the 2019-20 academic year. |
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Lowman Award: Joseph Amoddio '21
Dual-sport student-athlete Joseph Amoddio '21 is the recipient of the 2019-20 Lowman Award, which is presented to an upper-class student, in good academic standing, whose personality, character, organizational, and administrative ability have had a positive impact on the athletics and recreational programs. Amoddio, who plays basketball and volleyball, serves as president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). In the classroom, he possesses a cumulative 3.5 GPA, is a member of the Investments Club, and is the Vice President of the Finance Board. |
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Wayne Moschetti '73 Memorial Award: Taylor Hanson '21
Women's soccer team captain Taylor Hanson '21 has been tabbed the winner of the 2019-20 Wayne Moschetti '73 Memorial Award, presented to a varsity athlete who is a member of the junior class who exemplifies the quality of spirit, character and academic achievement as that of Wayne Moschetti (Class of '73). Not only did Hanson pace the women's soccer team in points (7), she's involved in a variety of extracurricular activities as a Resident Assistant, Gold Key, EC Chiclette, Gannett-Tripp Library student assistant, and as a student-athlete representative on the College's Enrollment Steering Committee. |
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Margaret Locke Citizenship Award: Zach Williamson '20
Fourth-year baseball student-athlete Zach Williamson '20 is the recipient of the 2019-20 Margaret Locke Citizenship Award, presented to an upper class student-athlete who demonstrates participation, especially leadership, or other outstanding qualities in campus activities and volunteer community service. A Biochemistry major with a 3.95 cumulative GPA, Williamson is President of the TriBeta Biology Honor Society and Vice President of Gamma Sigma Epsilon Chemistry Honor Society. He has completed a variety of internship, volunteer, and shadow experiences at local hospitals and health care facilities, and is a chemistry tutor for the Office of Student Success and Advocacy. |
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Ellen Gibbs Matson Athletic Award: Anthony Parrucci '20
The Ellen Gibbs Matson Athletic Award is an endowed award presented to a graduating student-athlete whose athletic eligibility has expired and who has shown, in action, Ellen's leadership, joy of life, and commitment to Elmira College. This year's award winner is Anthony Parrucci '20. Parrucci, one of only four players in EC men's ice hockey history to serve as a three-year captain, is a three-year member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee's executive committee, the Class of 2020's Alumni Ring recipient, and a former winner of the College's Mildred Whittlesey McGraw Attainment Prize and Mary Lou Parrella '65 Prize. Along with his accomplishments on the ice, Parrucci owns a 3.86 GPA and has earned multiple American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) All-American Scholar awards. |
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Paul Brand Athletics Staff Award: Don Sherman
Associate Director of Athletic Communication and Business Development, Don Sherman, is the recipient of his second Paul Brand Athletics Staff Award, which recognizes a staff member who, through initiative and effort, has a positive impact upon the athletics program as well as the College in general, both on campus and in the community. The Elmira native spearheaded the athletic department's new visual identity effort, which was unveiled prior to the start of the 2019-20 academic year. Working with Texas-based design studio Torch Creative, LLC, Sherman directed the rebranding project and helped shape the new logos, as well as new wordmarks and an exclusive font created specifically for EC Athletics. The new look provides a fresh, exciting, and consistent brand that enhances the image, as well as the recognition, of the Soaring Eagles and the College as a whole. |
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Soaring Eagle Male Rookie of the Year: Xavier Townsend '23
Hailing from Queensland, Australia, Xavier Townsend '23 became Elmira’s go-to option between the sticks as a freshman. The first start of his career took place on September 5 against Hilbert, a 5-1 win for EC, and that performance blossomed into a fine rookie campaign that saw Townsend finish with an 8-6-1 record to go along with an Empire 8 All-Conference Honorable Mention nod. He accounted for all but one of Elmira’s wins, as he backstopped the Soaring Eagles to a fourth-place finish in the Empire 8 Conference standings and a trip to the E8 Tournament for the first time since 2015. Townsend boasted the Empire 8’s second-best saves per game mark (4.07), second-highest shutout total (6), and the third-best goals-against average (1.18). His six shutouts also ranked sixth in EC single-season history, while his 1.18 goals-against average currently sits in fifth place among career leaders.
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Soaring Eagle Female Rookie of the Year: Jordan Holt '23
From the first game of her rookie season, Holt proved to be a reliable skater for the women’s ice hockey team, especially on the defensive side of the puck. Holt appeared in 27 of 28 games during the 2019-20 season and played an integral role on Elmira’s d-corps, which concluded the year with the country’s second-best scoring defense by limiting opponents to just 0.89 goals per game. Among EC freshmen, the Calgary, Alberta, native was the third-highest scorer with eight points on two goals and six assists. Her impact on both sides of ice were recognized by the UCHC coaches, as she was selected to the All-UCHC Rookie Team.
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Male Career Achievement Award: Nick Ford '20
One of the most lethal scorers in recent history, Nick Ford '20 adds the Career Achievement Award to an already lengthy list of accomplishments. A three-time All-UCHC honoree, two-time All-USCHO recipient, a 2018 AHCA/CCM All-American, and former EC Athlete of the Year, Ford became just the third skater in program history to lead the Soaring Eagles in points in three consecutive seasons. Over the course of his career, Ford placed within the top-20 in Division III in points per game, goals per game, assists per game, and power-play goals nine times. In 2018, his goals per game (0.89) and points per game (1.79) averages ranked second in the county. Ford became the 51st skater in Elmira's illustrious history to eclipse 100 career points. In 106 career appearances, Ford amassed 149 points – a mark that is tied for 14th in EC history – on 63 goals and 86 assists. Additionally, the New Lenox, Illinois, native capped his collegiate career with an astounding 26-game point streak.
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Female Career Achievement Award: Tina O'Donnell '20
A four-year letter winner in field hockey and a two-year member of the women's lacrosse team, commitment and drive paved the path to starting roles on both teams for Tina O'Donnell '20. After seeing minimal action in net during her first season with the field hockey team, O'Donnell saw her playing time increase as a sophomore, before taking over as Elmira's full-time starting goalkeeper as a junior. She backstopped Elmira to two of its finest seasons in over 13 years, including the 2019 campaign that saw O'Donnell finish fourth in the country in save percentage (85.8%) and 17th in saves per game (9.06). A four-time E8 Defensive Player of the Week, O'Donnell's field hockey career culminated with an Empire 8 All-Conference Second Team selection. O'Donnell exits EC as one of the best goalkeepers in program history. She owns single-season records in goals-against average (1.45), save percentage (85.8%), and ranks third in career wins (13), shutouts (5), goals-against average (2.92), and save percentage (79.2%), as well as fourth in saves (460). As a lacrosse player, the Kutztown, Pennsylvania, native started 21 of 22 games as a midfielder and amassed 17 ground balls, 12 caused turnovers, six draw controls, and three points. |
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Female Athlete of the Year: Emma Crocker '21
Emma Crocker '21 enjoyed what can only be described as a breakout season for the women's ice hockey team in 2019-20 as she collected AHCA/CCM First-Team All-America, All-USCHO First Team, UCHC Player of the Year, UCHC All-Tournament Team, and All-UCHC First Team accolades. The Abington, Massachusetts, native produced career highs across the board in points (44), goals (21), assists (23), power-play goals (7), and game-winning goals (6), all of which placed her inside the top five of the UCHC. On the national stage, Crocker ranked among the best in Division III during her third year with the Soaring Eagles. She was third in points per game (1.57), seventh in goals per game (0.75), seventh in power-play goals (7), and 13th in assists per game (0.82). Crocker also tied for the national lead in game-winning goals, and thus earned a share of the 2020 NCAA statistical championship for that category. Crocker's impact on the Soaring Eagles' offense was the driving force behind a 22-4-2 overall record, a third consecutive conference title, and an auto-bid into the 2020 NCAA Division III Championships. |
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Male Athlete of the Year: Connor Powell '20
On the ice, Connor Powell '20 was a force to be reckoned with throughout his four-year career, and the 2019-20 campaign was no different. It marked the second consecutive season that Powell, a senior member of the men's ice hockey team, earned the College's top individual award, as he became the first student-athlete to repeat as the Athlete of the Year since 2012. In 26 games this season, the Merrimack, New Hampshire, native produced the second-most points of any Soaring Eagle with 34 (12g-22a). A timely scorer and distributor of the puck, Powell's skills shined on the power play as he tied for fifth in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) in power-play points with 19 (5g-14a). His efforts with the extra-skater helped Elmira finish the season with the nation's top power-play percentage (35.1%) and secure the NCAA statistical title in that category. Powell's efforts did not go unnoticed by the coaches of the UCHC, as he was selected to the All-UCHC First Team for a second consecutive year. As Elmira's lone All-UCHC First Teamer, Powell guided the Purple and Gold to a 17-8-1 overall record – EC's highest win total since 2011 – with a 13-5-0 mark against league opponents. The senior winger concluded his collegiate career with 141 points on 64 goals and 77 assists. |
