Newburgh, N.Y. – The Mount Saint Mary College Athletic Department celebrated its student-athletes for their successes both on and off the field Monday evening during its annual Awards Ceremony. In addition to the five major department awards, the newest class of Chi Alpha Sigma was inducted and the department honored its Most Valuable Professor, its Student Workers of the year and its Super Fan with the Royal Megaphone Award.
Â
Chi Alpha Sigma is the first, and only, national scholar-athlete society to honor those four-year collegiate student-athletes who have excelled in both the classroom and in athletic competition.
Â
Chi Alpha Sigma recognizes college student-athletes who participate in a sport at the varsity intercollegiate level, achieve junior academic standing or higher after their fifth full time semester, and earn a 3.4 or higher cumulative grade point average. Student-athletes who compete for a collegiate club team are also eligible if the club team is overseen by the athletics department at the local chapter.
Â
For the second straight year, the Mount handed out its newest awards for Most Valuable Professor, Student Worker(s) of the Year and the Royal Megaphone for support of all sports at the Mount.
Â
The MVP award was bestowed upon Dr. Lynette DeBellis, Chair of the School of Nursing, who has been one of the department's biggest supporters and is always willing to help, especially with nursing students and their demanding course loads.
Â
The Royal Megaphone was awarded to sophomore Liz Petrellese who is the goalie on the Mount's women's lacrosse team. When not playing or practicing her own sport, you can find Liz in the gym at volleyball matches or basketball games, at the Kaplan turf taking in soccer or men's lacrosse games or at the Baseball/Softball complex cheering on the Knights.
Â
The Student Worker honors went to
Sofia Gannon and
Melanie McClinchey who staffed volleyball matches and took care of the scoring sheets and libero tracker with impeccable detail. The tasks, which often cause confusion and delays during matches, were never an issue at the Mount thanks to Sofia and Melanie.
Â
Department Awards
Athlete of the Year
- Awarded to the student-athlete who had the strongest season during the 2022-23 academic year.
- First Team All-Skyline Conference
- Skyline Conference Offensive Player of the Week on October 4
- Team leader in goals
- Second on the team in points
- Finished season tied for fifth in the conference in total goals and points.
- First Team All-Skyline Conference for third time
- Two-time Skyline Conference Player of the Week
- Led conference in total kills and kills per set
- Led team in service aces and digs.
- First player in program history to reach 1,000 kills
- Set single match program record for kills in a four-set match with 27
Â
Rookie of the Year
- Student-Athlete who excelled in their first collegiate season.
- Started all 13 games as a freshman
- Totaled 179 saves
- Posted a .531 save percentage, the second best single season mark in program history
- Finished a game with at least 10 saves in 11 games, including each of the last 10.
- Second in the Skyline Conference in total saves, fifth in save percentage and sixth in goals against average.
- Two Skyline Conference Rookie of the Week awards during Cross Country Season
- Two Skyline Conference Rookie of the Week Awards during the Outdoor Track and Field Season
- Won the 400-meter hurdles and the Triple Jump at the Skyline Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championship
- Named Skyline Conference Outdoor Track and Field Rookie of the Year
Â
Senior Of The Year
- The senior student-athlete who had the greatest impact on their program over the course of their career at the Mount.
- Appeared in 29 games the last two seasons after being limited to just seven over the first two years of his career due to Covid-19 disruptions.
- Matched his career high with four assists and five points during senior season.
- Gathered a career-high 32 groundballs in 2023.
- Caused a career-high 15 turnovers in 2022
- Named Second Team All-Skyline Conference following the 2022 season
- Three-time First Team All-Skyline Conference selection
- 2021 Skyline Conference Player of the Year
- 2021 All-ECAC Selection
- Career record holder in kills and first player in program history to amass 1,000 kills
- Holds the program record for career kills, single season kills, single match record for kills in a three and four set match and single season record for kills per set.
Â
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
- Student-Athlete who excelled both in the classroom AND on the field/court.
- School record holder in the Indoor 800-meters and 1,000-meters
- School record holder in the Outdoor 800-meters
- First runner to break 2:00 in the Outdoor 800-meters in program history
- Second Team All-Skyline Conference in the Outdoor 800-meters
- President of Tri-Beta, Biology Honor Society
- Near perfect grade point average
- Appeared in eight games after being limited by injury to start the season
- Collected 20 groundballs and won 12 face-offs
- Member of Psi Chi, psychology honor society
- Dean's list each semester
- Ralphe Scholar Award recipient
- Experimental Research Student AssistantÂ
- Near perfect grade point average
- Appeared in and started 25 games
- Averaged 8.2 points and 3.7 rebounds
- Handed out 44 assists and swiped 46 steals
- Full-time teaching position
- Full-time graduate student
Â
Knight of the Year
- Student-Athlete who is an excellent representation of the MSMC Athletic Department.
- SGA Athletic Affairs Senator
- Baseball's SAAC/SGA representative
- 2022 freshman orientation leader
- Writing Center tutor
- Member of Kappa Mu Epsilon
- Chi Alpha Sigma
- Hit .370 over 17 games, scoring 10 runs and driving in four
- Dean's List
- 2023 Chi Alpha Sigma president
- Vice President of Student Nurses Association
- Athletic Mental Health Advisory Board
- Morgan's Message Ambassador
- Pinky Swear Pack Member
- Stop the Bleed
- Men's and Women's Soccer and Softball Pink Out games
- Appeared in 30 games in 2023, scoring 15 runs and driving in 12.
