AURORA, N.Y. - Student-athletes representing all 16 of Wells College’s NCAA Division III varsity sports were honored at the 38th-annual Athletics Awards Ceremony Monday evening. The proceedings in the Wells College Dining Hall recognized not only the achievements of the department as a whole, but also the accomplishments of several individuals in the form of major awards, including the Kathryn S. Maloney Senior Scholar-Athlete Award, the John D. Wilson–Ralph H. Poole, Jr. Award and the Male and Female Student-Athlete of the Year awards.

2013 ATHLETICS AWARDS CEREMONY
PHOTO GALLERY

The Kathryn S. Maloney Senior Scholar-Athlete Award is awarded to the member of the senior class who has participated on a varsity team for a minimum of three seasons and has exemplified academic excellence throughout his or her career at Wells College. For her performance on the softball field and in the classroom, senior Lorelei Meier (Caledonia, N.Y.) was tabbed as the award’s winner.

A Henry Wells Scholarship recipient, Meier currently sports a cumulative grade-point average of 3.71. Having earned Dean’s List honors on six separate occasions, she was named to the North Eastern Athletic Conference All-Scholar-Athlete teams for the 2010, 2011 and 2012 seasons. Meier is also active on campus, serving as a member of the Whirligigs acapella group. She will graduate this spring with degrees in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Across her career, Meier ranks near or at the top of several statistical categories for the Express. She will graduate as the program’s all-time leader in career pitching victories (21), innings pitched (349.2), earned run average (5.91), strikeouts pitched (270), shutouts (4), pitching appearances (61), complete games (51), and batters faced (1,758). Additionally, her .293 batting average (78-for-266) ranks her ninth all-time in program history while her 90 career games played places her 10th all-time.

In 2012, Meier set the all-time single season record for lowest earned run average (3.93) while limiting opposing batters to a .274 batting average to place her third all-time in that statistic. Her 8.16 strikeouts per game was also a single season program record in 2012. In 2013, Meier’s eight pitching victories in one season tied her with Kate Littlejohn ’01 who accomplished that feat in 2001.

The John D. Wilson–Ralph H. Poole, Jr. Award is issued to a member of the senior class who, in the spirit of a liberal arts education, has made a distinguished contribution during his or her four years to the Wells College Department of Athletics. Three sport student-athlete Paige Stone (Madison, N.Y.) was tabbed as the recipient of the Wilson-Poole award. In addition to her athletic achievements at Wells, Stone has been an active participant in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, most recently serving as the chairperson in 2012-13.

Stone, a member of the women’s basketball, women’s soccer and softball teams, graduates this spring ranking amongst the top-10 in numerous statistical categories across all three sports. As a member of the women’s soccer team, Stone served as a team captain while also graduating as the all-time leader in career point scoring (82), goals (34), assists (14) and game-winning goals (8). Ranking second all-time with 71 games played, Stone has also played the most minutes (5,152) since 2007. She also set the program record for the most points and most goals in one season (19-7=45) in 2011 while earning NEAC First Team All-Conference honors the same season.

Across her softball career that began as a freshman in 2010, Stone exits Wells ranking fifth all-time with a batting average of .307 (83-for-270) while recording a .393 slugging percentage in 270 at-bats, ranking eighth all-time. Her 92 career games played also rank her eighth all-time and her 83 career hits place her second all-time, trailing the all-time record holder by only nine hits. Her three career home runs place her in a four-way tie for first place as she slugged three long balls in 2012, tying for first in single-season program history.

As a member of the women’s basketball team, Stone ranks fifth all-time with 44 games played while also playing 542 minutes in two seasons, ranking ninth all-time. In the program’s inaugural season in 2010-11, Stone played in all 25 games as a freshman – only two other players that year accomplished that feat.

Juniors Matthew Sleezer (Gloversville, N.Y.) and Ashley Roser (Taberg, N.Y.) were tabbed as the 2012-13 Male and Female Student-Athletes of the Year for their performances across the prior academic year. Nominations were submitted and voted on by the Athletics staff.

Sleezer, a three-year member of the men’s swimming program, concluded his junior season by claiming the 2012-13 NEAC Men’s Swimmer of the Year award at the conference’s Swimming and Diving Championships in mid-February. In the Men's 50 Yard Freestyle in the championships, Sleezer posted an all-time program record time of 21.94 seconds, eclipsing his previous personal record of 22.48 set on Nov. 3, 2012.

Additionally, Sleezer bested his own record of 50.17 seconds in the Men's 100 Yard Freestyle with a time of 50.02 in the championship’s final day of competition. Sleezer also combined with three of his teammates to set the fastest mark in program history in the Men's 800 Yard Freestyle Relay with a time of 8:02.17.

A two-time winner of NEAC Student-Athlete of the Week in 2012-13, Sleezer has won NEAC First Team All-Conference in three straight seasons. During the regular season, Sleezer also posted the second best time in program history in the Men’s 50 Yard Freestyle (22.48, Nov. 3, 2012) and also recorded the best time in program history in the Men’s 1,000 Yard Freestyle with a time of 11:36.93 on Oct. 11, 2012.

A two-sport athlete, Roser was a member of the Wells College women’s soccer team and the women’s basketball squad. As a rookie goalkeeper for the women’s soccer team, Roser posted a 7-12 overall record alongside a 2.81 goals-against average in 1,728 minutes of action. She accumulated three shutouts alongside her first collegiate point, an assist. She currently ranks first all-time in program history with 10.05 saves per game and fifth all-time with 191 total saves. 

Roser holds the women’s soccer single-season record for victories in a season (7) and stands second all-time in shutouts in a season (3). She ranks third all-time with seven victories and was ranked second within the conference with 191 saves. Nationally, Roser finished her season ranked seventh in total saves.

En route to earning 2012-13 NEAC Women's Basketball Player of the Year merits, Roser led the women's basketball team to the playoffs in only their third year of existence. Roser secured her 1,000th career point against the Saxons of Alfred University on Nov. 28, 2012 while scoring her 1,000th career rebound on Feb. 10 of this year. She was also able to set the program's single-game scoring mark of 39 total points against the Wildcats of SUNY Institute of Technology.

Roser racked up a double-double across 24 of her 26 games played and boasts 61 career double-doubles in 71 total games played across her three-year playing career. She has recorded at least 10 points in her past 34 games and has failed to reach double-digit point totals in only two of her 71 career games played. She has also recorded double-digit rebound totals in all but only eight career games.

With 16.7 rebounds per game across a 26 game schedule, Roser placed first amongst all qualifying NCAA Division III women's basketball players nationwide. Roser has also been feted by several different organizations for her performance across the prior women's basketball season. Women's DIII News listed Roser as an Honorable Mention after drawing D3Hoops.com 2013 Women's All-East Region Second Team for her accomplishments across the season prior.

The Team Achievement Award was presented by Faculty Athletics Representative Jaclyn Schnurr to the women’s cross country team. This award is presented annually to the intercollegiate team that achieved the highest grade-point average across both the spring and fall semesters of 2012. Earlier this year, the team was designated as a United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division III All-Academic award winner for the second-straight season. The Express were the lone member of the North Eastern Athletic Conference to earn recognition on the exclusive list.

Provost Dr. Cindy Speaker and Borsz concluded the first half of the ceremony by presenting gifts of appreciation to the 23 graduating senior student-athletes for their contributions to the various athletic programs at Wells during their tenure.

Prior to the major award winners being recognized and celebrated, each team’s Most Valuable Players, Rookie of the Year and Lesley Wead Zabriskie Express Award winners were hailed during speeches by the department’s head coaching staff.

To be selected as a team’s Most Valuable Player, the player must exhibit exceptional athletic ability while making an outstanding contribution to the team at large. The Rookie of the Year award recipient must demonstrate the skill and personal characteristics that are reflected in the philosophy of intercollegiate athletics while the Express Award is issued by the coach to the player who embodies the true ideals of team commitment – leadership, discipline, dedication and sportsmanship.

A full list of athletic award recipients reads as follows.

After the awards portion of the evening concluded, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee presented outgoing Wells College president Lisa Marsh Ryerson with a framed “13” jersey, reflecting the final year of her lengthy tenure.

Stay up to date with the latest news directly from the Wells College athletic department by "liking" us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/WellsExpress) and subscribing to our Twitter account (http://www.twitter.com/WellsExpress).