2017-18 Wells Express Awards and Senior Recognition
The Wells College Intercollegiate Athletic Department honored its varsity teams and presented individual awards at the 2017-18 Wells College Athletics Award Ceremony and Senior Recognition. The event took place Monday, April 30 at Phipps Auditorium on campus.
Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Mike Lindberg and Wells College President Jonathan Gibralter made remarks on the season and highlighted achievements of teams and individual athletes.
Varsity teams were recognized by their coaches and presented team awards for Most Valuable, Rookie of the Year, Most Improved or Outstanding Defensive Player, and the Lesley Wead Zabriskie Express Award. The Express Award honors a student-athlete who embodies the true ideals of team commitment including leadership, discipline, dedication, and sportsmanship. Graduating team members were presented with a senior gift – a blanket embroidered with their names and the Wells Express logo.
The ceremony and recognition concluded with the presentation of five significant individual awards:
Kathryn S. Maloney Senior Scholar Athletes
The Kathryn S. Maloney Senior Scholar-Athletes are recognized for exemplifying academic excellence. Recipients must have participated on a varsity team for at least three years.
The Female Senior Scholar-Athlete is Nicole Sales, who has earned a 4.064 four-year cumulative grade-point average. She is a four-year member of the field hockey team and participated in women's lacrosse during her Wells College career. Nicole is a health sciences major with a concentration in pre-medicine.
The Male Senior Scholar-Athlete is men's volleyball senior Scott Litvin. He has earned a 3.906 cumulative grade-point average over the last four years. He is majoring in business with a minor in economics.
Female Athlete of the Year
Candidates for this award were submitted, considered, and voted on by the athletics department staff. This year's recipient is women's volleyball senior Anuhea Leite-Ah Yo. Anuhea was a record-setting performer in her sport, and earned First Team All-NEAC Recognition. She was a team captain and twice earned NEAC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Her stellar senior season concluded a four-year career that saw her earn all-conference honors every year. She was the NEAC Rookie of the Year in 2014 and the NEAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2015, and holds the program record for digs. She helped the team qualify for the conference playoffs all four years.
Male Athlete of the Year
Candidates for this award were submitted, considered, and voted on by the athletics department staff. This year's recipient is men's volleyball senior Brannon Perdicho. He helped his team to the best season in program history in 2018. He was a three-time NEAC player of the week in his sport, and earned All-NEAC First Team recognition. During his senior year he reached the 1,000 career kills milestone, and is the program's all-time leader in that category. Over his career, he earned All-NEAC honors four times. He helped the team reach the NEAC championship game each of the last two years.
Wilson-Poole Award
The John D. Wilson-Ralph H. Poole Jr. Award is annually presented to a member of the senior class who, in the spirit of liberal arts education, has made a distinguished contribution during their careers to the athletics program and betterment of the campus community at Wells College. This year's recipient is Scott Litvin. He has served the student-athletes of Wells College as an officer of SAAC and representative to the Athletic Advisory Committee (AAC). He has been a Resident Advisor for two years, a teaching assistant, and team captain for men's volleyball.
Photo caption: Pictured from left to right, Director of Athletics Michael Lindberg, Male Athlete of the Year Brannon Perdicho, Female Athlete of the Year Anuhea Leite-Ah Yo, Female Scholar-Athlete Nicole Sales, Male Scholar-Athlete and Wilson-Poole Award recipient Scott Litvin, and Provost Dr. Cindy Speaker.
TEAM AWARDS
The following team awards were selected on by coaches with input from team voting.
Men's Cross Country: Head Coach Dr. Jack Daniels
Most Valuable Runner: Adam M. Sleezer
Rookie of the Year: Eli Stone
Express Award: Tanner Mingen
Most Improved Runner: Bradlee Sherman
Women's Cross Country: Head Coach Dr. Jack Daniels
Most Valuable Runner: Nana Ogata
Rookie of the Year: Miranda Mingen
Express Award: Amanda Fastiggi
Most Improved Runner: Kaylen Furr
Field Hockey: Presented by assistant coach Elizabeth Rollo
Most Valuable Player: Abby Gilson
Rookie of the Year: Allison Solomon
Express Award: Nicole Sales
Most Improved Player: Caitlin Lawrence
Men's Soccer: Head Coach Jim Clementi
Most Valuable Player: Junger Vargas
Rookie of the Year: Kevin Schrank
Express Award: Benjamen Schanbacher
Most Improved Player: David Calvache
Women's Soccer: Head Coach Mara Primmer
Most Valuable Player: Mackenzie Maloney
Rookie of the Year: Nozomu Ishida
Express Award: Elizabeth Lockley
Most Improved Player: Sammie Jones
Women's Volleyball: Head Coach Mark Lucas
Most Valuable Player: Anuhea Leite-Ah Yo
Rookie of the Year: Rachel Anderson
Express Award: Eliza Schwab
Most Improved Player: Amanda Springer
Men's Basketball: Head Coach Joe Wojtylko
Most Valuable Player: Zach D'Arpino
Rookie of the Year: Jalen Tribble
Express Award: Zach D'Arpino
Outstanding Defensive Player: David Dames
Women's Basketball: Head Coach Tara Ruckh
Most Valuable Player: Carley Ryan
Rookie of the Year: Jordan Jacobs
Express Award: Yanna Ososkalo
Most Improved Player: Kamarie Maturine
Men's Swimming: Head Coach Trish George
Most Valuable Swimmer: Ian Ronan
Rookie of the Year: Aaron Connolly
Express Award: Owen May
Most Improved Swimmer: Richard Ford
Women's Swimming: Head Coach Trish George
Most Valuable Swimmer: Kaitlyn Schwend
Rookie of the Year: Caitlin Lawrence
Express Award: Courtney Cloutier
Most Improved Swimmer: Amy Storti
Men's Volleyball: Head Coach Mark Lucas
Most Valuable Player: Brannon Perdicho
Rookie of the Year: Robert Patzer
Express Award: Scott Litvin
Most Improved Player: Josh Undari
Baseball: Head Coach David Valesente
Most Valuable Player: Dylan Nolan
Rookie of the Year: Derek Shea
Express Award: Justin Forster
Most Improved Player: Tanner Dunkel
Men's Lacrosse: Head Coach Andrew Daly
Most Valuable Player: Aaron Heisey
Rookie of the Year: Carson Combs
Express Award: Tanner Mingen
Outstanding Defensive Player: Cash Lawson
Women's Lacrosse: Head Coach Meg Milliman
Most Valuable Player: Anna Bozeat
Rookie of the Year: Samantha Giovannini
Express Award: Quinn Doubet
Most Improved Player: Molly Doubet
Softball: Head Coach Erin Wolstenholme
Most Valuable Player: Naomi Kubo
Rookie of the Year: Jenna Devora
Express Award: Lizzie Monnat
Most Improved Player: Ellie Schwoebel