FLASH AWARDS PROGRAM
On Monday night, the Saint Francis University Athletics held its annual Flash Awards for the 2022-23 academic year.
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, Softball, Women's Soccer and Women's Swimming
Winner: Women's Soccer
| 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: Women's Lacrosse, Men's Soccer, Women's Soccer, Women's Swimming
Winner: Women's Lacrosse
Winner: QuaSean Holmes, Football (no picture)
| FEMALE PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR |
Women's lacrosse's Autumn McHenry tied the program record for goals in a game with nine goals in the nec tournament clinching win against CCSU
Women's track and field's Madeline Murphy was named the NEC Field Performer of the indoor track and field championships after winning both the long and triple jump.
Softball's Grace Vesco tossed a 10-inning complete game shutout with 14 strikeouts in a 1-0 pitcher's dual against George Mason.
Field hockey's Madison Waldspurger registered the program first hat trick since 2017 against Central Michigan.
Winner: Grace Vesco, Softball
| MALE PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR |
Men's basketball's Josh Cohen scored 40 points twice this season. Once against Lehigh and once against Hawaii and is only the second player to register two 40-point games.
Men's volleyball's Andrew Deardorff registered a career-high 23 kills to help the red flash clinch the inaugural nec regular season title against Daemen.
Football's Cole Doyle went 24-for-30 with 412 yards and five touchdowns In the NEC de facto championship game against Merrimack.
Winner: Cole Doyle, Football
| 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:
Women's lacrosse's Bella Fisher became just the third player in Northeast Conference history to be named NEC Rookie of the Week five times and she
has shattered the freshmen program record with 41 goals and 47 points this season.
Women's bowling's Mackenzie Keane was named the NEC Rookie of the Year and earned a spot on the All-NEC second team. she ranked third in the NEC in first-ball average.
Women's basketball Semaya Turner was named to the nec all-rookie team and finished second on the team with 8.4 points per game.
Women's swimming's Sara Turner captured the silver medal in the 200 fly at the NEC Championships and ranked second on the team in top-3 finishes.
Winner: Bella Fisher, Women's Lacrosse
| MALE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR |
Men's soccer's Jordaine Jaeger was named the first-ever NEC Rookie of the Year in program history and registered five shutouts and 75 saves in 16 matches in the fall.
Men's basketball's Landon Moore was named to the All-NEC rookie team and was a seven-time nec rookie of the week, one of six players in nec
history to accomplish the feat.
Football's Makai Jackson was named a Jerry Rice award finalist, Hero Sports FCS Freshman All-American and NEC Offensive Rookie of the Year thanks to 85 receptions for 991 yards.
Men's golf's Toby Webb is currently competing in the NEC Men's Golf Championships and has been the team's top golfers four times this season and registered a career-low round of 66 at the Golden Horseshoe Invitational.
Winner: Jordaine Jaeger, Men's Soccer
| COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR |
Football – The Red Flash won the 2022 NEC Championship with a perfect 7-0 conference record and the team participated in the NCAA tournament for the second time in program history.
Women's lacrosse – The Red Flash clinched its first-ever NEC tournament berth and will play in the NEC Semifinals on Thursday. The team has won a program record 10 games and an nec best five games in program history.
Men's volleyball – The men's volleyball team won the inaugural NEC men's volleyball regular season and advanced to the NEC championship game.
Winner: Men's Volleyball (Mike Rumbaugh, Scott Gleason - not pictured)
| FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR |
Women's lacrosse's Autumn McHenry is a three-time NEC player of the week, and a one time nec defensive player of the wee. She leads the NEC in goals and ranks second in points and leads the team in goals, points and draw controls this season.
Women's track and field's Madeline Murphy won both the long and triple jump at the nec indoor track and field championships to be named the NEC Most outstanding Field performer. She holds all of the Red Flash horizontal jumps record and looks to finish her career strong next weekend at the NEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Women's volleyball's Madi Tyus was named to the All-NEC first team and registered a program-record 29 kills against Chatanooga, while also joining the exclusive club with 1,000 kills and 1,00 digs for her career.
Women's soccer Tomke Dziaziaty was named to the All-NEC first team after scoring a team-high six goals and ranked third in the NEC with three
game-winning goals.
Winner: Madeline Murphy, Women's Track and Field (no picture available)
Men's basketball's Josh Cohen was named the NEC Co-Player of the Year and All-NEC first team after scoring over 600 points this season with four
games over 30 points. He was also named to the Oscar Robertson Midseason Watch list.
Football's Cole Doyle was named a Walter Payton Award finalist, the NEC Offensive player of the year and All-NEC first team. He threw 21
touchdowns and tied the single-game program record twice with five touchdowns.
Men's volleyball's Ryan Parker was named to the All-NEC first team after leading the NEC in assists per game and service aces per game. He helped Saint francis to the NEC regular season title
Men's track and field's Trell Williams broke the indoor 60m hurdles record twice and finished second at the NEC Indoor Track and Field Championships in the 60m hurdles and will look to add to his medal count at the nec outdoor track and field championships next week.
Winner: Cole Doyle, Football
| 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: Juliana Marshall, Women's Soccer
Male: Giambi Nesbitt, Football
| 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: Rachel Marsden, Softball
Marsden was named the eighth-best two-way player by Extra Innings before this season, the 2022 NEC Pitcher of the Year and to the CoSIDA All-
District team. She ranks fifth in program history in wins and been a member of three NEC championship teams.
| 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: Torren Aikens (Men's Soccer), Anna Bernasconi (Women's Swimming), Peyton Blain (Men's Volleyball), Kelly Dowouna (Women's Tennis), Charlie Lucero (Men's Soccer), Elisabeth Zadjel (Women's Golf)
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: Angelina Petro (Cheerleading), Maria Ernst (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: Kelly Dickson (Women's Lacrosse), Matthew Menosky (Men's Volleyball)
| 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: Lizzie Fisher, Women's Lacrosse
This student-athlete has battled two season-ending injuries in her career and nearly had another injury derail her senior season. She was able to come back and register 17 goals and six assists and help the women's lacrosse team to its best season in program history.
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
Female Winner: Jordan Pietrzykowski, Softball (no picture available)
Pietrzykowski has been a member of three nec championship teams and currently leads the team in batting average, hits, runs, triples and ranks second on the team in doubles to help the team win the 2023 NEC regular season and will host the NEC championship graduation weekend.
Male Winner: Sean Smolyn, Men's Soccer
Smolyn was named a team captain in 2022 and registered two goals before a season-ending injury ended his career. He is an NEC SAAC representative and will be a graduate assistant for the Student-Athlete and Leadership Development office starting in the fall.
| 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: Mary Kate Norcross, Women's Golf
Norcross has been a member of the women's golf team for the last four years and competed in her third Northeast Conference Championship last weekend. She registered her best finish at the nec championships in 2021 with 22nd place finish.
Male Winner: Jordi Garcia, Men's Tennis
Described as the ultimate team player, he is willing to play any position in the lineup and always looking out for his teammates. A team captain, Garcia registered nine singles wins and six double wins in 2022-23 and was named an NEC Prime Performer.
| 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: Taylor Halbauer, Women's Water Polo (no picture available)
Halbauer has been named to the all-conference second team for three-straight seasons and has been an All-American honorable mention in her sophomore and junior campaigns. She has a 3.77 grade-point average and will graduate in may with a degree in finance.
Male Winner: Luke Ruggery, Men's Basketball
Ruggery served as team captain the last two seasons and has appeared in 72 games with 12 starts. He registered a career-high 18 points in his senior campaign. He has graduated from Saint Francis and is working on his MBA. He boasts a 4.0 grade point average.
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: Autumn McHenry, Women's Lacrosse
McHenry will go down as one of the greatest players in women's lacrosse history, ranking in the top three in program history for career points, assists, draw controls and caused turnovers, while also ranking fourth in goals and sixth in ground balls. She also holds a share of the single-game program record for goals, assists and points and is the only player In program history to reach 200 points, 200 draw controls, 100 goals and 100 ground balls.
| 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 2023 Turano Award Winner: Blake Liprando, Men's Volleyball
Liprando was named to the NEC All-Tournament team and All-NEC second-team honors after leading the Red Flash to the nec championship game and the inaugural nec regular season title this season. he notched a career-high 20 kills twice in his career including against North Greenville this season. he has recorded 768 kills, 428 digs and 38 aces in his career. He was named an EIVA honorable mention last season.
The ceremony began with the softball, women's track and field and football presenting their championship trophies along with men's volleyball and its regular season championship.
