Wells Express Awards and Senior Recognition Ceremony
The Wells College Intercollegiate Athletic Department honored its varsity teams and presented individual awards at the 2016-17 Wells College Athletics Award Ceremony and Senior Recognition. The event took place May 1 and was held 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.
Each of the 16 varsity teams was 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. Beginning with this year, the award is presented to a deserving female athlete and a deserving male athlete.
The female student recipient is Nadine Pershyn. Nadine is a member of the women's volleyball team who has earned a 3.868 cumulative grade-point average with a dual-major in Spanish and biology. She has recorded over 1,000 digs in her four-year career for the Express women's volleyball team.
The male student recipient is Alex Milliken, a member of the men's lacrosse team. He has a 3.823 cumulative grade point average, majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology. He is also the program's all-time leader in goals, assists, and points.
Male Athlete of the Year
Candidates for the Male Athlete of the Year Award were nominated, considered, and voted on by athletics department personnel. The recipient of the Wells College Male Athlete of the Year is Rich Ross of the men's basketball team. The sophomore from Bronx, N.Y. earned several significant awards and honors during the 2016-17 season and helped his team to one of the best seasons in program history. He was the NEAC Player of the Year for men's basketball, and was a first-team all-conference selection for the second year in a row. In just two years at Wells College, he has scored more than 1,000 career points and is already the all-time leading scorer in program history. He earned all-region honors from D3hoops.com and all-district recognition by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Your Wells College Male Athlete of the Year is Rich Ross.
Female Athlete of the Year
Candidates for the Female Athlete of the Year Award were nominated, considered, and voted on by athletics department staff members. The recipient of the Wells College Female Athlete of the Year is Ashida Cooper, a senior women's basketball guard from Bensalem, Pa. Cooper made an impact on the program in her two seasons. She was a First Team All-Conference honoree for the second year in a row and was named to the D3hoops.com East Region Team. In just two seasons with the Express, she scored over 1,000 career points. As a senior, she led all of NCAA Division III women's basketball in points per game.
Wilson-Poole Award
The John D. Wilson – Ralph H. Poole Jr. Award is awarded annually 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. The recipient of the Wilson-Poole Award for 2017 is Alex Milliken of men's lacrosse. A senior from Hilton, N.Y., Milliken has demonstrated tremendous athletic achievement and earned numerous honors and records. Within the campus community, he has earned Dean's List honors every semester, served as a residential advisor, been a teaching assistant and peer tutor, and is active in research and academic competition.
Photo caption: Pictured from left to right, Director of Athletics Michael Lindberg, Provost Dr. Cindy Speaker, Male Athlete of the Year Rich Ross, Female Athlete of the Year Rich Ross, Female Scholar-Athlete Nadine Pershyn, Male Scholar-Athlete and Wilson-Poole Award recipient Alex Milliken, Wells College President Jonathan Gibralter.
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 Sleezer
Rookie of the Year: Adam Sleezer
Express Award: Tanner Mingen
Most Improved Runner: Ross Cobb
Women's Cross Country: Head Coach Dr. Jack Daniels
Most Valuable Runner: Amanda Fastiggi
Rookie of the Year: Rutsuko Ueda
Express Award: Bailey Brown
Most Improved Runner: Jennifer Van Wormer
Field Hockey: Head Coach Kat Heterbring
Most Valuable Player: Lexi Cohen
Rookie of the Year: Kelly Mason
Express Award: Nicole Sales
Most Improved Player: Abby Gilson
Men's Soccer: Head Coach Dan Kane
Most Valuable Player: Tyler Adams
Rookie of the Year: Junger Vargas
Express Award: Jesse Constantino
Most Improved Player: Benjamen Schanbacher
Women's Soccer: Head Coach Mara Primmer
Most Valuable Player: Yanna Ososkalo
Rookie of the Year: Emma Booth
Express Award: Amber Welsh
Outstanding Defensive Player: Elizabeth Lockley
Women's Volleyball: Head Coach Mark Lucas
Most Valuable Player: Eliza Schwab
Rookie of the Year: Jackie Allen
Express Award: Nadine Pershyn
Most Improved Player: Olyvia Brazier
Men's Basketball: Head Coach Joe Wojtylko
Most Valuable Player: Rich Ross
Rookie of the Year: A.J. Nesci
Express Award: Chris Courtney
Outstanding Defensive Player: David Dames
Women's Basketball: Head Coach Tara Ruckh
Most Valuable Player: Ashida Cooper
Rookie of the Year: Miranda Mingen
Express Award: Carley Ryan
Most Improved Player: Dallia Rorick
Men's Swimming: Head Coach Trish George
Most Valuable Swimmer: Ian Ronan
Rookie of the Year: Adam Sleezer
Express Award: Tyler Lewis
Most Improved Swimmer: Brandon Sprague
Women's Swimming: Head Coach Trish George
Most Valuable Swimmer: Kaitlyn Schwend
Rookie of the Year: Shannon Simmons
Express Award: Anna Bozeat
Most Improved Swimmer: Caroline Kelemen
Men's Volleyball: Head Coach Mark Lucas
Most Valuable Player: Brannon Perdicho
Rookie of the Year: Caden O'Loughlin
Express Award: Scott Litvin
Most Improved Player: Ryan Turner
Baseball: Head Coach David Valesente
Most Valuable Player: Dylan Nolan
Rookie of the Year: Zach Kemp
Express Award: Justin Forster
Most Improved Player: Brandon Shirley
Men's Lacrosse: Head Coach Andrew Daly
Most Valuable Player: Alex Milliken
Rookie of the Year: Nick Hallinan
Express Award: Aaron Heisey
Outstanding Defensive Player: Cash Lawson
Women's Lacrosse: Head Coach Missy Jaworski
Most Valuable Player: Mackenzie Maloney
Rookie of the Year: Anna Bozeat
Express Award: Quinn Doubet
Most Improved Player: Madison Beriman
Softball: Head Coach Erin Wolstenholme
Most Valuable Player: Naomi Kubo
Rookie of the Year: Baylee Pearce
Express Award: Sydney Cullen
Most Improved Player: Lizzie Monnat
Women's Tennis: Head Coach Dan Sullivan
Most Valuable Player: Kara Reynolds
Rookie of the Year: Kara Reynolds
Express Award: Nicole Sanborn
Most Improved Player: Momoko Nakahama
