DANBURY, Conn. - Western Connecticut State University celebrated its student-athletes at its annual Athletics Awards Banquet at the William A. O'Neill Athletic and Convocation Center on the school's Westside Campus. Close to 400 student-athletes, coaches and administrators were in attendance for the special event. The attendees were treated to a fantastic 2023-24 recap video, while emcee for the evening's event was WCSU Alumni Hall of Famer Bart Busterna and major awards were presented by WestConn Director of Athletics Lori Mazza.
The following is a list of awards, nominees and winners for the 2023-24 competitive seasons.
Senior Awards - Graduation Stoles
The evening began with the WestConn head coaches handed graduating seniors their stoles.
Baseball
Pietro Baia, Justice & Law Administration
Sam Capetanakis, Communication
Jesse Dunn, Justice & Law Administration
Connor Gannon, Public Health
Abdel Razeq, Public Health
Stanley Roman, Communication
Zachary Schilling, Management
Women's Basketball
Sydney Craig, Psychology
Gabrielle Franks, Nursing
Maggie Nardiini, Public Health
Nicole Vivian, Public Health
Women's Cross Country
Marnie De La Rosa, Art
Scarlett Lacken, Justice & Law Administration
Field Hockey
Alessia Callahan, Public Health
Field Hockey & Softball
Sydney Chenoweth, Elementary Education
Football
James Bernhardi, Justice & Law Administration
Chad Blaszky, Management
David Boatswain, Management Information Services
Anthony Bradshaw, Management
Azeem Castellano, Cybersecurity
Kevin Franceschini, Justice & Law Administration
Ian Jackson, Marketing
Dalton Modehn, Accounting
Troy Pomykala, Management
Ambrose Richards, Justice & Law Administration
Brandon Rigdon, Digital and Interactive Marketing
Corey Tehe, Public Health
Men's Golf & Men's Lacrosse
Francis Braun, Management
Men's Lacrosse
Travis Benson, Nursing
Joseph Boss, Management
Lawrence Byrnes, Accounting
Brendan Grove, Management
Zachary Light, Management
Sean Mitchell, Communication
Women's Lacrosse
Molly Bresnahan, Communication
Katelyn Contreras, Nursing
Colleen Crotty, Nursing
Victoria Gracy, Marketing
Alexa Riggio, Public Health
Men' Soccer
Marc Kyriakidis, Management
Franz Muhaj, Economics
Mark Tricarico, Management
Eduardo Vargas, Marketing
Women's Soccer
Myah Croze, Nursing
Hannah Daly, Biology
Softball
Kaitlyn Dean, Elementary Education
Rachael Ushka, Management
Men's Tennis
Sebastian Frisch, Public Health
Nathaniel Mariduena, Management
Women's Tennis
Natalie Paradise, Music Education
Volleyball
Briana Beekman, Communication
Jenna Greenhill, Meteorology
Chloe Marquardt, Anthropoogy and Sociolgy
Olivia Monteleone, Meteorology
Taylor Rohan, Communication
Kaija Watts, Communication
Chi Alpha Sigma
Chi Alpha Sigma is the first national scholar-athlete society to honor those collegiate student-athletes who have excelled in both the classroom and in athletic competition. Chi Alpha Sigma recognizes college students who play at the NCAA level all while maintaining a 3.4 or higher cumulative GPA, starting in their academic junior and/or senior years. The awards were presented by the coaching staffs and WestConn Faculty Athletics Representative Julie Perrelli, PhD. Junior inductees received a certificate, and seniors received a medallion that was worn at graduation.
Baseball
Jesse Dunn, Justice & Law Administration
Connor Gannon, Public Health
Nicholas Moeller, Secondary Education
Zachary Ruta, Public Health
Men's Basketball
Malik Cole, Accounting
Kyle Marcello, Accounting
Women's Basketball
Gabrielle Franks, Nursing
Maggie Nardini, Public Health
Nicole Vivian, Public Health
Alyssa Virtue, Elementary Education
Men's Cross Country
Nicholas Howlett, Chemistry
Women's Cross Country
Marnie De La Rosa, Art
Alexandra O'Meara, Music
Summer Smith, Health Education
Field Hockey
Alessia Callahan, Public Health
Kayla Hnasko, Elementary Education
Field Hockey & Softball
Sydney Chenoweth, Elementary Education
Football
Brian Lombardo, Psychology
Donovan Miller, Health Education
Dalton Modehn, Accounting
Kenneth Okoroafer, Justice & Law Administration
Troy Pomykala, Management
Alexis Reyes, Public Health
Zach Soriano, Health Education
Corey Tehe, Public Health
Nicholas Troy, Economics
Ryan Van Dyke, Health Education
Kevin Wood, Finance and Mathematics
Men's Golf
Cole Strang, Biology
Men's Golf & Men's Lacrosse
James Deichler, Psychology
Aidan Mulligan, Justice & Law Administration
Men's Lacrosse
Travis Benson, Nursing
Matthew Maloney, Finance
Owen Stark, Mathematics
Women's Lacrosse
Vicky Gracy, Marketing
Faye Junge, Marketing
Men's Soccer
Matthew Silva, Finance
Marc Tricarico, Management
Eduardo Vargas, Marketing
Women's Soccer
Myah Croze, Nursing
Hannah Daly, Biology
Suzana Imetovski, Biology
Kyla Norton, Nursing
Annie Sobolewski, Nursing
Kaylee Tackson, Nursing
Softball
Kaitlyn Dean, Elementary Education
Brianna Malvino, Allied Health
Madison Zicchinelli, Professional Writing
Men's Tennis
Caleb Harris, Music and Music Production
Nicholas Peschier, Psychology
Women's Tennis
Sophie Charbonneau, Elementary Education
Sarah Cipriano, Elementary Education
Diana Rebelo, Nursing
Volleyball
Isabella Pincince, Nursing
Kaija Watts, Communication
Ashlyn Zemaitis, Justice & Law Administration
OVERALL TEAM GRADE-POINT AVERAGE AWARD
The award for highest team grade-point average honors an NCAA-eligible team's academic effort, not the efforts of the individual athletes. The team concept seems to shine through here at WestConn and acknowledging a team not only for the accomplishments on the court/field/pool but in the classroom is equally as important. Nine of 18 sports teams earned an overall g.p..a. of 3.02 or better. The top team g.p.a.'s are listed below and the highest g.p.a. award goes to WestConn Women's Basketball, coached by Kim Rybczyk.
Women's Soccer, 3.22
Men's Golf, 3.30
Men's Cross Country, 3.30
Women's Basketball, 3.39
SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
There is a difference between a student athlete and a scholar athlete. A student athlete is one who is successful both in the classroom and on the playing surface. A scholar athlete is one who excels in both areas. The student athletes who are here tonight are to be commended. The scholar athletes should be celebrated.
FEMALE SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Suzana Imetovski, Women's Soccer
Imetovski, a junior from Seymour, Connecticut, has received countless honors for her achievements in her sport. A biology major, she works for Greenwood Physical Therapy in Bethel, Connecticut and is following the PT pathway. In 22 games on the pitch this fall, Imetovski scored nine goals and had a team-high 11 assists for 29 points including two game-winners. She was named to the Little East Conference (LEC) All-Conference First Team, the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team, and the LEC All-Academic Team, and helped the Wolves post a 10-8-4 record and advance to the 2023 Little East Championship Finals. Imetovski is repeat winner of the this award with an overall g.p.a. of a 4.00.
Annie Sobolewski, Women's Soccer
Sobolewski, a junior from Lagrangeville, New York, has contributed each season to the WestConn soccer squad and also swam for the Wolves before missing the most recent winter season with an injury. Sobolewski appeared in 15 games this fall, scoring once, was named to the LEC All-Academic Team. She helped the Wolves post a 10-8-4 record and advance to the 2023 Little East Championship Finals. Sobolewski is a nursing major with an overall g.p.a. of 4.00.
MALE SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Kevin Wood, Football
Wood, a senior from Bethel, Connecticut, is a force to be reckoned with both on and off the field. He finished his career on the gridiron with 21 consecutive starts on the defensive line and helped the Wolves post a 7-3 record, win a Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC) title, and qualify for the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament for the first time since 2001. Wood is a four-time member of the MASCAC All-Academic Team and graced the CSC Academic All-District Team in 2023. He is double majoring in applied mathematics and finance with a 3.95 g.p.a.
ROOKIE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
This award is given annually to the male and female freshman athlete who contributed the most to his/her team and whose performance indicates future contributions. We look forward to all of these individuals continuing to make an impact on their team and the university.
MALE ROOKIE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
The nominees for the Male Rookie of the Year were:
Dae'Shawn Allen, Football
Bryan Birkl, Baseball
Timothy Larson, Golf
Jeffrey Norales, Soccer
Jaiden Patrick, Cross Country
Eric Quiterio, Swimming and Diving
C.J. Riley, Basketball
Cody Suhr, Lacrosse
Dae'Shawn Allen, the The 2024 WestConn Athletics Male Rookie of the Year, comes from White Plains New York and is a majoring in business administration. Allen totaled 38 receptions for 843 yards and eight touchdowns this fall, showcasing his abilities as a dynamic playmaker and earning recognition as one of the nation's top talents. His average of 22.2 yards per reception ranked him among the elite in college football, and he was an equally lethal threat running the ball and in the return game as evidenced by hys 1,364 all-purpose yards. Allen was named to the D3Football.com National Team of the Week once and received the MASCAC Rookie of the Week award multiple times on his way to the MASCAC Rookie of the Year honor His standout performance in the NCAA Tournament game at Johns Hopkins, where he amassed 259 receiving yards, further solidified his reputation as a top-tier receiver.
FEMALE ROOKIE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
The nominees for the Male Rookie of the Year were:
Kendall Allen, Softball
Emily Kiernan, Swimming and Diving
Sophia Onek, Soccer
Isabella Pota, Lacrosse
Reagan Schoen, Field Hockey
Julia Stoliker, Volleyball
Julia Stoliker, the 2024 WestConn Athletics Female Rookie of the Year is a native of Red Hook, New York who posted a 3.23 g.p.a. in the classroom as well. Stoliker played in all 28 matches and 98 sets this season. She led the team and the LEC in total kills with 312, 29 more than the nearest hitter, and averaged 3.28 kills per set. Stoliker topped ed all conference outside hitters in hitting percentage with a .284 clip that placed her fourth in the conference. Stoliker contributed in all aspects to her team. She placed second on the squad in both service aces and digs and fourth in blocks. She finished second in overall points in the conference with 360.5 points for an average of 3.79 points per set. Stoliker helped the Wolves to a record of 20-8 and was named the LEC Rookie of the Week four times during the regular season. She topped off her fantastic first season as an LEC First Team All-Conference member and as the LEC Volleyball Rookie of the Year.
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
The purpose of the Athlete of the Year awards is to recognize one male and one female athlete for their outstanding performances in the athletic arena. In addition nominees must have maintained acceptable academic performance.
MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
The nominees for the Male Athlete of the Year were:
Nicholas Bedell, Golf
Chad Blaszky, Football
Aidan Burke, Tennis
Julian Duque, Lacrosse
Rafael Masbad, Swimming and Diving
Eric Rohm, Cross Country
Kadin Talho, Soccer
Jaheim Young, Basketball
Chad Blaszky, the 2024 WestConn Athletics Male Athlete of the Year, is a management major from Seldon, New York. A team captain who repeated on the All-MASCAC First Team in 2023, Blaszky led the Wolves in rushing with 1,117 yards, ranking 20th in the nation, and had a conference-best 16 touchdowns which was 14th in nation. He also caught seven passes for 103 yards and was honored as the MASCAC Offensive Player of the Week once this fall. Blaszky was a D3Football.com All-Region Second Team honoree in his final season and he closed his career as the all-time leading rusher in Wolves football history with 3,313 career yards. Blaszky helped the Wolves post a 7-3 record, resulting in a share of the MASCAC title, and qualification for the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament for the first time since 2001.
FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
The nominees for the Female Athlete of the Year were:
Alessia Callahan, Field Hockey
Myah Croze, Soccer
Vicky Gracy, Lacrosse
Olivia Monteleone, Volleyball
Lexi O'Meara, Cross Country
Natalie Paradise, Tennis
Charline Plasczynski, Softball
Nicole Vivian, Basketball
Myah Croze, the 2024 WestConn Athletics Female Athlete of the Year, comes from Bristol, Connecticut and graduates this May with a degree in nursing. Croze's soccer career with the Wolves has been highly decorated. She was the LEC Rookie of the Year in 2019, and the LEC Offensive Player of the Year in both 2021 and 2023. She was also the WetsConn Athletics Rookie of the Year in 2020. This fall, Croze led the conference in goals, game-winning goals, points, conference goals, conference assists, and conference scoring. She capped off her final autumn by earning All-Region from the United Soccer Coaches Association and is listed among every scoring category in the WestConn women's soccer all-time individual career records. Crfoze is currently working at at Bristol Hospital as a nurse's aid while she has maintained a g.p.a. of 3.59.
ATHLETE OF DISTINCTION
The Athlete of Distinction award was established to a recognize student-athlete each year who exhibits the following attributes; dedication to their sport, positive attitude, athletic ability, citizenship, character, leadership, and sportsmanship. They are expected to contribute to their sport, to the classroom experience, and to the greater community at large.
The nominees for the Female Athlete of the Year were:
Molly Bresnahan, Women's Lacrosse
Ian Chen, Men's Swimming and Diving
Malik Cole, Men's Basketball
Julia DePalma, Women's Soccer
Jenna Greenhill, Volleyball
Kayla Hnasko, Field Hockey
Nick Howlett, Men's Cross Country
Grace Parkosewich, Softball
Abdel Razeq, Baseball
Diana Rebelo, Women's Tennis
Jonathan Russack-Baker, Men's Lacrosse
Summer Smith, Women's Cross Country
Cole Strang, Golf
Matthew Silva, Men's Soccer
Sophia Simoes, Women's Swimming and Diving
Corey Tehe, Football
Nicole Vivian, Women's Basketball
Jonathan Russack-Baker is this year's winner of the WestConn Athletics Award of Distinction. He is a graduate student with a cumulative g.p.a. of 3.66. Russack-Baker worked his way up from dedicated but little-used reserve for WestConn men's lacrosse in his first season in Danbury to the LEC All-Conference Faceoff Man this spring. New to the position, he took it upon himself to learn the trade from scratch and his hard work has more than paid off. After graduation last May. Russack-Baker turned down a chance to play Division I lacrosse and returned to the Wolves in pursuit of another league title. He also found time to run cross country for the Wolves in the fall. Russack-Baker won 65 percent of his faceoffs and totaled 185 ground balls, leading the conference in both categories, and also scored nine goals and assisted on four others. He helped WestConn win the Little East Men's Lacrosse regular season title and advance to the conference championship game. Not only did Russack-Baker, shatter the Wolves' records in several categories, he also helped organize the team's annual involvement in the Tunnel to Towers Run, which helps raise money for our nation's greatest heroes and their families. He is involved in the Tyler Graham Foundation, Annes Place, organizes Trick or Treating for canned good for the local food shelters, and participates in the WestConn Athletics Day of Service every September. Russack-Baker is pursuing his master's degree in business administration and is a native of Groton, Connecticut.
