The Monmouth University Athletics Department recognized the achievements of its student-athletes with its annual Student-Athlete Awards, which were announced Tuesday, April 25, at Pollak Theatre.
Among the prominent awards given were the Joan Martin Award, Bill Boylan Award, Parker Award and the Kelsey Award. In addition, Most Valuable Player Awards and Coaches Award winners were named for each team, as well as the Team Physicians’ and Sports Medicine Award and Strength and Conditioning awards.
Nominees for the Paul G. Gaffney II Male Athlete of the Year were announced and include Jaden Shirden (Football), Ben Zakowski (Soccer), Louis DiLaurenzio (Cross Country), Callan Smith (Swimming), Niels Van Noord (Tennis), Erik Stevens (Golf), Klemen Vuga (Basketball), Phil Stahl (Baseball) and Dalton Yeust (Track and Field).
Nominees for the Paul G. Gaffney II Female Athlete of the Year include Annick Van Lange (Field Hockey), Yasmeen Tinsley, (Indoor Track & Field), Paige Diecidue (Golf), Jordyn Pax (Tennis), Jamie Phelan (Bowling), Bri Tinsley (Basketball), Billie Kerwood (Softball), Cassidy Orban (Lacrosse), Camryn McHugh (Swimming), Ashley Navarro (Cross Country) and Jesi Rossman (Soccer).
The winners of the Paul G. Gaffney II Male and Female Athlete of the Year Awards will be announced this summer.
The Joan Martin Award, presented annually to the senior student-athletes who have shown dedication to their team while staying the course through adversity, was given to Da’Quan Grimes (Football) and Ashley Navarro (Women’s Track & Field).
Grimes has continually exemplified dedication to the Monmouth football program while staying the course through adversity. Raised by his grandmother, he found his love for football with the help of his youth coach who continuously supported him both on and off the field throughout his upbringing. Since arriving at Monmouth in 2016, he has faced no shortage of challenges, missing three seasons due to various injuries. His continued perseverance has led him to various all conference selections as well as graduating as the sixth leading tackler in program history.
Nominees for the male Joan Martin Award included Luke McBeth (Soccer), Kevin Del Giorno (Swimming), Scooter Whiteside (Lacrosse), Jarvis Vaughan (Basketball), Ian Moore (Track & Field) and Harry Padden (Baseball).
Navarro faced adversity with injuries several times during her first three years at Monmouth. After missing nearly two seasons due to multiple stress fractures, Navarro has gone on to be one of the best athletes in program history. She has set personal records in five events this season, held top times in the CAA and won gold and silver medals at the CAA Indoor Track & Field Championships.
Nominees for the female Joan Martin Award included Bente Steenhorst (Field Hockey), Ashley Navarro (Indoor Track & Field), Paige Diecidue (Golf), Jamie Phelan (Bowling), Lucy Thomas (Basketball), Devin Coia (Softball) Carli Mangum (Lacrosse), Emma Lagattolla (Swimming), Lacey Higgins (Cross Country) and Julia Evernham (Soccer).
The Bill Boylan Award, presented annually to the senior student-athletes who demonstrate the traits of leadership, sportsmanship, scholarship and athletic ability that were so constant in the career of Bill Boylan, was awarded to Justin Szuba (Football) and A’Liah Moore (Women’s Soccer).
Szuba was a standout on the field and in the classroom for the football program. Szuba is a nine-semester Dean’s List member, CAA Scholar Athlete of the Year recipient, team captain and was part of an offensive unit that led the CAA in a number of offensive categories.
Nominees for the male Bill Boylan Award included Jalen Jones, (Track & Field), Brady Mutz (Baseball), Erik Stevens (Golf), Ryan Morris (Lacrosse), Arthur Dussaubat (Tennis), James Leitz (Swimming), Louis DiLaurenzio (Cross Country) and Andrew Schweizer (Soccer).
Moore was a multi-season captain for the women’s soccer team and part of the first ever CAA regular season championship team at Monmouth. Moore has continuously excelled in the classroom and continues to break barriers with her work in the community.
Nominees for the female Bill Boylan Award included McKenzie Delahanty (Cross Country), Alexandra Ho (Swimming), Shannon Feely (Lacrosse), Kylie Gletow (Softball), Lovin Marsicano (Basketball), Jamie Phelan (Bowling), Zoe Klapman (Tennis), Paige Diecidue (Golf), Nina Corpora (Outdoor Track & Field), Ashley Navarro (Indoor Track & Field) and Katie Yoder (Field Hockey).
The Parker Award, presented annually to the teams with the highest grade-point average, went to the women’s bowling and men’s tennis programs for both the fall 2022 and spring 2022 semesters.
The Kelsey Award, presented to the student-athlete with the highest individual GPA, was awarded to Rebecca Winslow (Women’s Soccer). Davis Smith (Football) and Madi Bednarik (Women’s Lacrosse) were each given the Academic Resilience Award.
In addition, Ryan Moran (Football) and Lucy Thomas (Women’s Basketball) were named the Strength and Conditioning Award winners, while Scooter Whiteside (Men’s Lacrosse) and Kayla Richardson (Women’s Basketball) were given the Team Physicians’ and Sports Medicine Award.
Bill Boylan Award
Justin Szuba (Football)
A’Liah Moore (Women’s Soccer)
Joan Martin Award
Da’Quan Grimes (Football)
Ashley Navarro (Women’s Track & Field)
Kelsey Award
Rebecca Winslow (Women’s Soccer)
Strength and Conditioning Award
Ryan Moran (Football)
Lucy Thomas (Women’s Basketball)
Team Physicians’ and Sports Medicine Award
Scooter Whiteside (Men’s Lacrosse)
Kayla Richardson (Women’s Basketball)
Academic Resilience Award
Davis Smith (Football)
Madi Bednarik (Women’s Lacrosse)
Marilyn Parker Award Spring 2022
Women’s Bowling
Men’s Tennis
Marilyn Parker Award Fall 2022
Women’s Bowling
Men’s Tennis
MSAAC Community Service Award
Field Hockey
Below is a list of the team MVP’s and Coaches Award winners from this year:
BASEBALL
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Phil Stahl
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Andrew Schmid
MEN’S BASKETBALL
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Klemen Vuga
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Jack Holmstrom
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Bri Tinsley
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Lovin Marsicano
BOWLING
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Jamie Phelan
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Jenna Lehrer
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Louis DiLaurenzio
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Carrington Retzios
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Ashley Navarro
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Lacey Higgins
FIELD HOCKEY
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Annick van Lange
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Katie Yoder
FOOTBALL
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Jaden Shirden
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Justin Szuba
MEN’S GOLF
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Erik Stevens
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Ethan Lee
WOMEN’S GOLF
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Paige Diecidue
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Claire Orr
MEN’S LACROSSE
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Matt Soutar
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Ryan Morris
WOMEN’S LACROSSE
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Cassidy Orban
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Mary Kate George
ROWING
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Marissa McKenzie
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Kaitlyn Rice
MEN’S SOCCER
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Ben Zakowski
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Andrew Schweizer
WOMEN’S SOCCER
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Jesi Rossman
LEADERSHIP AWARD: A’Liah Moore
SOFTBALL
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Billie Kerwood
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Devin Coia
MEN’S SWIMMING
MOST VALUABLE SWIMMER: Callan Smith
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Thomas Svane-From
WOMEN’S SWIMMING
MOST VALUABLE SWIMMER: Camryn McHugh
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Jensen Ritter
MEN’S TENNIS
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Niels Van Noord
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Arthur Dussaubat
WOMEN’S TENNIS
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Jordyn Pax
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Zoë Klapman
MEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Dalton Yeust
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Abdul Azeez Adedokun
WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Yasmeen Tinsley
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Izzy Warren
MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Evan Niedrowski
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Jalen Jones
WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Ashley Navarro
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Brianna Rubio