AWARDS SHOW ON NEC FRONT ROW | FLASH AWARDS PROGRAM

On Monday night, the Saint Francis University Athletics held its annual Flash Awards. It was the the first time the awards show was held in in-person since 2019. If you missed the awards, you can watch it on NEC Front Row at 1 p.m. on Wednesday. CLICK HERE to watch. 

Below you will find all the award winners from the event.

 

COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD

The community service award is presented to the group or groups which have dedicated significant time and commitment in performing projects for the benefit of the community.
 
Nominees: Field Hockey, Women's Lacrosse, Women's Swimming
Winner: Women's Lacrosse

The women's lacrosse team collected backpacks and school supplies for the local community. the team also participated in Reaching Every Door day during the university's red day, helped with potato fest in Ebensburg and raised money for the Western Kentucky tornado relief fund.

BOB HAHN RED FLASH TEAM OF EXCELLENCE

 The Bob Hahn Red Flash Team of Excellence is awarded to a team or teams that has excelled in areas such as on the field performance, community service, team GPA, support of Red Flash athletic programs, attendance in life skills seminars, and regularly models the eight goals of Franciscan higher education. A team must meet at least four of the six categories in order to be nominated as a Bob Hahn Red Flash Team of Excellence. 
 
Nominees: Field Hockey, Women's Lacrosse, Men's Soccer, Women's Swimming, Women's Volleyball, Women's Water Polo.
Winner: Women's Volleyball 
 
The women's volleyball team finished fourth in the Northeast Conference and participated in the nec tournament. the members of the team regularly attended Frankie Cup competitions and won the 2020-21 Robert & Mary Louise Kimball Frankie Cup. they held a dig pink match for community service and boasted a 3.548 grade-point average in the fall.
 
 
 

TOP PLAY OF THE YEAR

We have had several great plays this year and each week we have produced a top-4 plays of the week. Here we have the six players that are up for play of the year and in top plays of the week fashion we have a countdown to the top play of the year.


 
Winner: Jada Dapaa, Women's Basketball

 
 

FEMALE PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

Madeline Barnes, Softball, went 3-for-4 with a game-tying three-run homer, a game-ending two-run homer and
two runners thrown out trying steal.
 
Madalyn Harden, Women's Bowling, was named the Most Valuable Player at the Northeast Round Up that including bowling a game of 290.
 
Jenna Mastellone scored a career-high 29 points in a 70-62 win against Merrimack on January 15, 2022 to notch the most points for a Red Flash women's basketball player in 53 games.
 
Madi Tyus registered 26 kills and 10 digs in a five-set win against Sacred Heart on October 1, 2022. The 26 kills
were one off the program record for kills in a game, a mark that she also owns.
 
Winner: Madalyn Harden, Women's Bowling.


 

MALE PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

Patrick Heron, Men's Soccer, scored a natural hat trick in the first 31 minutes of the game against Central Connecticut State on October 10, 2021.
 
Nickolas Hyde, Track and Field, won the shot put at both the Northeast Conference Indoor Championships and at the IC4A/ECAC Indoor Championships.
 
Joshua McGrigg, Football, had himself a day against LIU scoring three touchdowns, on a 49-yard reception, a 94-yard kickoff return and a 59-yard punt return on October 9, 2021.
 
Winner: Joshua McGrigg, Football (McGrigg was not present to accept the award)
 

FEMALE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

The newcomer of the year is given to a male and female student-athlete after he or she has completed the first athletic season at the collegiate level.
 
The nominees for Female Newcomer of the Year are:
 
Maggie Hogan, Women's Volleyball, was the NEC Rookie of the Year and named NEC Rookie of the Week three times. She ranked third on the team with 202 kills and had a career-high 17 kills against Sacred Heart on
Nov. 5, 2021.
 
Olivia Ulam, Softball, still has three weeks left to her season, but she has been named the NEC Rookie of the Week twice this season and ranks in the top 4 on the team in home runs, RBIs, hits, doubles and total bases.
 
Eva Valentini, Field Hockey, was named to the All-NEC second team after leading the Red Flash with eight goals and six assists for 22 points. She was also named the NEC Player and Rookie of the week in the same
week.
 
Winner: Maggie Hogan, Women's Volleyball


 

MALE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Patrick Heron, Men's Soccer, scored a natural hat trick against CCSU and led the team with five goals for 10 points. He was named the NEC Player and Rookie of the week for his performance against the Blue Devils.
 
Alex Schmoke, Football, was named a Hero Sports 2021 FCS Freshman All-American, an All-NEC first-team selection and a two-time NEC Special Teams Player of the Week. He also tied the program record with five
made field goals against Merrimack on Nov. 13, 2021.
 
Greg Reddick, Football, was also named a Hero Sports 2021 FCS Freshman All-American and the NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year. He led the team with 10 pass breakups along with an interception.
 
Winner: Greg Reddick, Football (Reddick was not present to accept the award)
 

COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR

Softball, the four-time defending NEC champions are well on their way to defending its title and we could be hosting the tournament right here in Loretto in May
 
Strength and Conditioning – This group has embarked on training our entire student-athlete body no punintended, and are in the process of switching to a velocity-based training and becoming athletic performance.
 
Women's Volleyball, the women's volleyball team advanced to the NEC Tournament for the first time since the 2014 season and racked up the NEC player, rookie and coach awards to earn all three honors in the same season in program history.
 
Winner: Women's Volleyball (Sara McMullen, Shaun McDonald)


 

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

 Jada Dapaa, Women's Basketball, was named the NEC Defensive and Most Improved Player of the Year and earned a spot on the all-NEC first team. She set the program record. With 378 rebounds in a single season and ranked third in NCAA Division I with 12.6 rebounds per game.
 
Rachel Marsden, Softball, leads the NEC in home runs, RBIs, era, wins and innings pitched. She has been named the nec pitcher of the week four times and has been named an NFCA Top Performer twice this season.
 
Mekenzie Saban, Softball, leads the team in hits, runs, doubles, total bases and batting average. She has also been named an NEC Player of the week and an NFCA top performer this season.
 
Madi Tyus, Women's Volleyball, was named the NEC Player of the Year, All-NEC first team, AVCA All-Region and AVCA All-American. She led the NEC with 440 kills and led the team to its first NEC Tournament since 2014. She had 20 kills in a match 20 times and became the seventh player in program history with 1,000 kills.
 
Winner: Madi Tyus, Women's Volleyball
 

 

MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Josh Cohen, Men's Basketball, was named the NEC Most Improved Player and paced the Red Flash in scoring, rebounds and blocked shots. He posted 18 double-digit performances including four 20-point games.
 
Martin Foray, Jr., Football, was named to the all-NEC first team and led the conference with 102 tackles. He registered a career-high 15 tackles twice during the season and double digits in tackles four times in 2021.
 
Nickolas Hyde won the shot put at both the NEC and IC4A/ECAC Championships. He was named to the all-NEC first team and All-East while finishing in the Top-4 during the indoor season four times out of the seven meets.
 
Winner: Nickolas Hyde, Track and Field

 
 

RONALD MUFFIE SCHOLARSHIP

The Bruno and Lena Degol family foundation endowed this Scholarship on behalf of 1957 Saint Francis graduate Ronald Muffie, who passed away on June 21, 2017. The scholarship will be divided evenly between a male and female athlete who exemplify the spirit and Commitment that Mr. Muffie showed during his time at the
University. Candidates for the scholarship must have achieved at least sophomore status and are in good academic standing. 
 
Winners:
Female: Julia Breneman, Field Hockey
Male: Bryce Baker, Track and Field
 

 

FRANK AND MARIE PICARELLA SCHOLARSHIP AWARD

We will now present the Frank & Marie Picarella Scholarship Award.  This award is presented annually to a male or female student-athlete who has demonstrated academic and athletic excellence.  The recipient must also intend to pursue or is currently pursuing a post-graduate degree at Saint Francis. 
 
Winner: Nicole Adams, Women's Volleyball
 
Adams is a three-year starter and finished her career with 918 kills and 452 digs. An all-NEC first-team performer in 2021. She boasts a 3.73 GPA and will continue to work toward her degree in health science with a physical therapy concentration.
 

 

MIKEY'S HEART AND HUSTLE SCHOLARSHIP

Next is the Mikey's Heart and Hustle Scholarship. The Robert Katan family established the annual scholarship fund in memory of Michael Katan, son of Anne Marie and Robert Katan. The scholarship is to be given to a student-athlete who demonstrates a desire to achieve, to never give up and to succeed both on and off the field.
 
Winners: Maggie Means (Women's Volleyball), Anoek Prujimboom (Women's Tennis), Christina Roncarati (Women's Lacrosse), Eva Valentini (Field Hockey)
 

 

SPIRIT AWARDS

Cheerleading, and Dance Team Spirit Awards: These individuals bring commitment, dedication and passion to all. That is Red Flash Athletics while displaying a sense of pride for being a member of the Saint Francis campus and community.
 
Winners: Emily Weaver (Cheerleading), Abby Clayton (Dance Team)
 


 

FATHER GABRIEL ZEIS STUDENT-ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT LEADERSHIP AWARD

The Fr. Gabriel Zeis Student-Athlete Development Leadership Award is presented annually to graduating seniors that meet the following criteria:
 
Is a member of the student athlete advisory committee (SAAC); And/or a member of the student athlete mentors program; Demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities and skills through their involvement in SAAC and/or SAMS; Must be in good academic standing; Must truly represent what being a saint francis university student athlete is all about
 
Winners: Elyssa Enrique (Women's Lacrosse), Sophie Rice (Women's Volleyball), Kyle Simmonds (Football)




 

FATHER DAN SINISI RED FLASH INSPIRATIONAL AWARD

The Fr. Dan Sinisi Red Flash Inspirational Award is presented to the individual or individuals who demonstrated, courage, enthusiasm and dedication while overcoming challenges throughout the year… inspiring teammates, coaches and all who know them. 
 
Winner: Dustin and Nickolas Hyde
 
Over the last 17 months, Dustin and Nickolas have lost both of their parents. Their mother, Lori, passed in December 2020 from CO-VID and their father, Brian, was killed in March of this year. They continue to persevere and the Red Flash community is here for support if you need it.
           

 

FEMALE FRANCISCAN AWARD

The Franciscan Athletic Award is presented annually to a senior male and/or female student athlete who demonstrates the eight goals of Franciscan higher education.  Saint Francis University and its athletics teams, grateful for the Franciscan heritage of the institution and open to the living spirit of Saint Francis of Assisi, strive to incorporate these Franciscan values into their lives as student athletes the eight Franciscan values are: humility
Generosity, reverence, service, respect, prayer, joy, love

Winner: Jordan Frank, Softball
 
Frank has been a member of three Northeast Conference championships teams and currently ranks second on the team in batting average, second in hits, third in RBIs and third in total bases. Named an all-NEC first
team selection in 2021, frank is earning her Master's of science in nursing and boasts a 4.0 grade-point average.


 

MALE FRANCISCAN AWARD

Male Winner: Alex Kiepert, Men's Golf
 
Kiepert posted a one-under par round at the Old Dominion/Outer Banks Intercollegiate in October. It was his best of the season, but not of his career after he carded a two-under par round in his sophomore campaign.
the president of the Student Government Association in 2020-21, Kiepert is majoring in business analytics with a 3.84 grade-point average.


 

FEMALE J. IRVING WHALLEY SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD

The J. Irving Whalley Sportsmanship Award is presented annually to the male and/or female senior student-athlete who demonstrates the following criteria: Sportsmanship on and off the field of play, Positive attitude, Community service, Leadership, Serving as a role model for younger student-athletes
 
Female Winner: Mylan Crews, Women's Track and Field
 
Crews broke the 60m dash school record twice during the indoor season and placed second in the event at the NEC and IC4A/ECAC championships. She will look to have another great performance at the NEC outdoor
Championships in the first weekend in May after earning Most Valuable Player and Most Outstanding Performer in the sprints at last year's championships.


 

MALE J. WHALLEY SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD

Male Winner: Christian Massey, Football
 
Massie recorded 14 tackles including 11 solo tackles and had three pass breakups in 2021. For his career, he appeared in 29 games and registered 49 tackles with 39 solo tackles and 13 pass breakups. Massie holds a 3.75
grade point average and is working toward his master of business administration.
 

 

FEMALE DR. PHILIP BENHAM SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARD

The Scholar-Athlete Award is named the Dr. Philip Benham Scholar-Athlete awards in memory of Phil Benham, who served as Faculty Athletics Representative from 2000-2004. Dr. Benham was a valued member of the university community who made his mark on the athletics program.  These awards are presented annually to the male and female senior student-athletes who exhibit excellence in academics and athletics.  These individuals have demonstrated the ability to balance these two demands and excel in both areas.
 
Female Winner: Anouk Ma-Ajong, Women's Tennis
 
Ma-Ajong won seven matches including five dual matches at No. 2 singles for the Red Flash. She also had three double wins at no. 1 doubles for the Red Flash. She has 16 wins in single play and 10 doubles wins in her career. Ma-Ajong is majoring in marketing and boasts a 3.96 grade-point average.


 

MALE DR. PHILIP BENHAM SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARD

Male Winner: Matt Blose, Men's Tennis
 
Blose registered three singles wins in 2021-22. Blose has 23 singles wins and 22 doubles wins in his career. Majoring in finance, Blose boasts a perfect 4.0 grade-point average and has been named to the president's list
every semester.


            

THE WALLACE AWARD

The Wallace Award is presented annually to the outstanding senior female student-athlete.  The award originated with Dr. Dee Wallace and the Wallace family, who saw the growth and achievements of women in athletics and the need to recognize these outstanding achievements at Saint Francis.  This award is in special memory of Mary Wallace who was an inspiration to dr. Wallace's endeavors as an athlete.
 
Criteria include: Value to team, Athletic ability, Dedication, Attitude, Academic accomplishments, Athletic accomplishments, Sportsmanship
 
Wallace Award Outstanding Female Student-Athlete: Mekenzie Saban, Softball
 
Saban will go down as one of the greatest players on the diamond. On Sunday, she moved into second place in program history with 237 hits and sits just six hits shy of the program record. She is also the program record holder in doubles and ranks in the top-5 in runs scored. Saban also holds single-season standards for batting average, hits, doubles and on-base percentage. She was nominated for the senior class award and advanced to the Top-10 in voting and you can vote until May 23 for Saban. The easiest place to find how to vote is the softball twitter page and it is pinned to the top. Named to the CoSIDA all-district team three times and she has been named to the president's list in every semester. She is working on her MBA with a 4.0 grade-point average.

           
 

EUGENE AND ROSEMARY TURANO AWARD

The Eugene and Rosemary Turano Award is presented annually to the outstanding male senior student-athlete. This award has been endowed by Eugene and Rosemary Turano, long-time supporters of Saint Francis University athletics. Gene Turano is a former varsity basketball player and a 1946 graduate of the university.
 
Criteria include: value to team, Athletic ability, Dedication, Attitude, Academic accomplishments, Athletic accomplishments, Sportsmanship
 
The 2022 Turano Award Winner: Joshua Blair, Men's Volleyball
 
Blair was named to the All-EIVA second team after leading the red flash to the EIVA tournament and pacing the team with 176 kills and 322 total attacks. Named to the All-EIVA first team in 2021 and an honorable mention in 2020, Blair finished his career with 478 kills and 946 total attacks in his career. Majoring in digital communications, Blair has a 3.714 grade-point average.