GLENSIDE, Pa. – As the academic year came to a close, the Arcadia Athletics Department held its annual Athletics Award Banquet, where the department recognizes student-athletes and staff for their outstanding achievements and dedication. At the event, the department gave out a variety awards to a wide range of recipients.
 
In an evening filled with celebration, memories, and laughter, students and staff alike enjoyed dinner and mingling before the event kicked off with recognition of all major conference award winners, before moving into the departmental awards.
 
Award                                                                                     Recipient
SAAC Moment of the Year                                                   Women's Soccer
Award of Merit                                                                       Colleen Stengel
                                                                                                  Camille Menns
                                                                                                  Isabelle Houser
                                                                                                 Nick Cardace
                                                                                                 Matt Mignogna
                                                                                                 Jason Rivera
Female Strength & Conditioning Award                            Taylor Byers
Male Strength & Conditioning Award                                 Angelo Giuffrida
Team Strength & Conditioning Award                               Women's Volleyball
Female Team Academic Award                                          Softball
Male Team Academic Award                                               Men's Cross Country
Female Scholar Athlete of the Year                                     Emily Eng
Male Scholar Athlete of the Year                                          Austin Lauer
Shirley Liddle Service Award                                                 Mike Korolishin
ECAC Award of Appreciation                                                 Miranda Leiggi
                                                                                                    Michael Hebenstreit
Female Rookie of the Year                                                     Lauren Dougherty
Male Rookie of the Year                                                         Da'Kquan Davis
Female Senior Athlete of the Year                                        Jess Kelly
Male Senior Athlete of the Year                                            Grant Fisher
NCAA Woman of the Year                                                      Jess Kelly
Female Athlete of the Year                                                     Jackie Bilotti
Male Athlete of the Year                                                         Phil Pierfy
President's Cup                                                                        Baseball
 
A full list of the award descriptions can be located here.
 
For each award, highlights about the award recipients were read, explaining why these individuals were recognized with each honor. Each winner's highlights can be found below.

SAAC Moment of the Year – Women's Soccer:
Women's soccer earns this award after ending Messiah's 11-year conference unbeaten streak to claim its first-ever MAC Commonwealth Championship with a thrilling 1-0 overtime win over the Falcons thanks to Jess Kelly's golden goal. That victory propelled the Knights to the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row, where they defeated Franklin College for the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament victory.
 
Award of Merit – Colleen Stengel:
Collen was a four-year player for the women's volleyball team and three-year team captain. During her senior season, Colleen started 22 of 28 matches played, registering 486 assists, 29 kills, 15 service aces, and six total blocks. She was a selfless contributor to the program during her time in Glenside. She changed positions, started, came off the bench, and did whatever the team needed. Off the court, Colleen served as the SAAC President and member of the banquet planning committee. Colleen also endured a personal tragedy near the end of the volleyball season with the loss of a family member. Her dedication to the team never wavered, and her true strength shined during that difficult time.
 
Head Coach Eli Porr added, "Working with Colleen over the last three years has been absolutely wonderful. Colleen is the definition of hard work and grittiness when it comes to being in the gym and workouts with the strength coaches. She will forever be the catalyst and catapult of what Arcadia women's volleyball is today. We will miss her dearly on and off the court as a member of our volleyball program, but her legacy will continue through the dedication and hard work of our team that Colleen showed them how."
 
Award of Merit – Nick Cardace:
Nick Cardace has developed into one of the premiere designated hitters not only in the conference, but in the region. Receiving all-region honors last season, Nick continues to make his mark on the program as he was just named the 2018 MAC Baseball Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year. Entering this weekend series, Nick is hitting .411 with six home runs, 34 RBIs, and 18 doubles in 2018.
 
Over the last two seasons, Nick has become an offensive powerhouse. Over that span, he has launched 11 homer runs, moving his career total to 12. His 12 long balls rank him fifth all-time. Over his career, he has also driven in an impressive 74 runs.
 
Last season, Nick played a vital role in the team's success to earning the MAC Commonwealth Title, as well as being named First-Team All-MAC Commonwealth, First-Team All-ECAC, Philadelphia Inquirer/PhillySIDA Academic All-Area Team, MAC All-Academic Baseball Team, and MAC Winter/Spring Academic Honor Roll.
 
Head Coach Bryan Torresani said, "Nick is an excellent example of what it means to be an Arcadia Knight. He shows up to the field every day with a positive attitude and looking to improve his game. There is no better example of a true student-athlete as he has consistently performed in both arenas throughout his career. He will no doubt be successful in all of his future endeavors."
 
Award of Merit – Camille Menns:
Camille was a leader on the floor for the women's basketball team this past season, serving as a team captain. Camille started in all 25 games, averaging 8.8 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, while shooting 36.5% from the floor. Menns' rebounding efforts ranked third in the MAC Commonwealth.
 
Outside of the gym, Camille is a true leader. She serves as a peer mentor, a part of the AU Lead program, and is a participant in both the Black Awareness Society and POWER.
 
Head Coach Rose Katz-Gobeli added, "Camille really took a huge leap for us on the court this year.  She became a starter and our leading rebounder. Her coaches and teammates have pushed Camille and she has been receptive every step of the way which is a testament to her growth as a player and a person. We are so proud of Camille & can't wait to see her jump from junior to senior year!"
 
Award of Merit – Matt Mignogna:
Since his freshman season, Matt has been an integral part of the men's lacrosse program. Currently in his second season as team captain, Matt has transitioned into his role as a leader very well. Though his role on the team may have changed on the field during his time at Arcadia, Matt's hard work and dedication never wavered. Over his career, Matt has played in 51 games entering the weekend, scoring 34 points with 22 goals and 12 assists. Matt ranks 10th all-time in goals and sixth all-time in games played.
 
Off the field, Matt is an all-around student-athlete, posting a 3.7 semester GPA in the fall and over a 3.0 cumulatively as a business administration, finance concentration major.
 
Head Coach Nick Taylor said, "Matt has been an integral part of our program since the day I got here four years ago. He has embodied what it means to be a member of our program and carries that with him as he moves on to graduation. Matt consistently brings energy, work ethic and determination to any task which has led to him being a team leader and example for many classes to come. We could not have built this program at the rate that we have without guys like Matt and we are very proud of his success."
 
Award of Merit – Isabell Houser:
Isabelle started all 20 games this season for the field hockey team, earning Second Team All-MAC Commonwealth honors in 2017. She registered 14 points, with three goals and eight assists. Her eight assists ties for 10th most in a single season in school history. As a freshman, Isabelle was named honorable mention for the All-MAC Commonwealth Team.
 
Off the field, Isabelle is a SAAC representative for her team and is scheduled to graduate in three years in Arcadia's biology/pre-PT program. She's been recognized for her academics, earning herself NFHCA National Academic Squad honors twice, while also being named an NFHCA Scholar of Distinction, member of the ECAC President's Honor Roll, and MAC Fall Academic Honor Roll.
 
In the fall, she represented Arcadia at the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum in Washington, DC.
 
Head Coach Erin Livingston added, "Isabelle is the definition of a competitor.  She will not be outworked, on or off the field.  She carries 3.9 cumulative GPA as a biology major, earned second-team all-conference, and is a sophomore captain.  I have coached at Arcadia for nine seasons, and Isabelle is the hardest working player I have ever coached.  I am very fortunate that I have the opportunity to show up to practice every day and coach Isabelle."
 
Award of Merit – Jason Rivera:
Despite only playing limited minutes at times, Jason has made his mark on the men's basketball team as a key bench player. After joining the team as a walk-on his freshman year, Jason became team captain as a junior. In his 28 games played on the season, Jason averaged 1.8 points and 1.1 rebounds per game. Don't let the numbers fool you, as Jason stepped up as a key contributor on defense. He also has exhibited tremendous personal growth away from the court.
 
Head Coach Justin Scott said, "Jason Rivera has really grown as a student-athlete but more importantly, he has grown as a young man over the last two seasons. He is very respectful, hardworking, mature and has great character. He has worked his way from a walk-on as a freshman, to a team captain as a junior. His work ethic and positive energy are two qualities that really stand out for Jason. Jason's role on the Men's Basketball team has increased each year and I am excited to see what's in store for him in his senior season."
 
Female Strength & Conditioning Award – Taylor Byers:
Taylor has consistently showed competitiveness, toughness, discipline, and effort throughout the year. Despite the grueling demands of her sport, Taylor has continued to raise the bar and improved all year long. Some of Taylor's accomplishments in the weight room this year included a 22-inch vertical jump and a 225lb x3 rep deadlift.

Her success in the weight room transferred into the pool as she placed fourth in the 100 breaststroke and fifth in the 200 breaststroke at this year's MAC Championships. Her performance helped her team to the best finish in program history.

Female Strength & Conditioning Award – Angelo Guiffrida:
Angelo consistently showed competitiveness, toughness, discipline, and effort throughout the year. He consistently held the top spot in the Iron Knight Challenge, finishing with 445 points. Some of Angelo's accomplishments in the weight room this year included a 35-inch vertical jump, 315lb x3 rep back squat, a 365lb x3 rep deadlift, and a pro-agility time of 4.15 seconds.
As a member of the men's volleyball team, Angelo helped his team reach the Inaugural MAC Championship match against Stevenson.
 
Team Strength & Conditioning Award – Women's Volleyball:
The women's volleyball team made improvements in power, strength, speed, agility, and conditioning. The team exemplified effort, hard work, and dedication in the weight room. All season, they demonstrated improvement in performance due to gains made during strength and conditioning training.

Outside of the weight room, the team set a program record for wins in a season, qualified for the MAC playoffs for the first time, and advanced to the championship match for the first time in program history after taking down Lebanon Valley in the semis. The team put four members on the All-MAC Commonwealth Team and produced the Conference Rookie of the Year.

Female Team Academic Award – Softball:
The softball team posted a 3.51 team GPA during the Spring 2017 semester then followed that up with a 3.62 team GPA during the Fall of 2017. Together, that correlates to a combined team GPA of 3.57 over the course of those two semesters. In that span, individual team members posted semester GPA's of 3.5 or higher a total of 24 times.
 
Outside of the classroom, the softball team recorded a 30-win season in 2017, which was the highest win total in a season in a decade. Along the way, the team qualified for the MAC Commonwealth playoffs and held reigning national runner-up Messiah College scoreless into the 19th inning before falling just short by the final score of 1-0. The Knights rebounded to win their second consecutive ECAC Division III Championship.
 
Male Team Academic Award – Men's Cross Country:
The men's cross country team posted a 3.47 team GPA during the Spring 2017 semester then followed that up with a 3.18 team GPA during the Fall of 2017. Together, that correlates to a combined team GPA of 3.33 over the course of those two semesters. In that span, team members posted semester GPA's of 3.5 or higher a total of five times.
 
On the course, the team had two Top 6 finishes during races in the fall semester. Also, at the 2017 MAC Championships, senior Brian Fridman became Arcadia's first-ever All-MAC recipient with a 29th-place finish overall, which earned him third-team honors. Collectively, the team finished in 11th place at MAC's, which is the program's highest finish in the conference. The Knights also had a program-best finish at the Mideast Regional.
 
Female Scholar Athlete of the Year – Emily Eng:
As a chemistry major, Emily has a 3.76 overall GPA, while playing a significant role on the court for the women's volleyball team. The Second Team All-MAC Commonwealth recipient, was named to the MAC Fall Honor Roll and the ECAC Academic Honor Roll.
 
On the court, Emily registered 556 digs which broke a 14-year old single-season program record. She also added 63 service aces which ranks fourth most in a single season. Eng, along with her teammates, led the women's volleyball program to unparalleled heights in 2017 as the Knights set the school record for wins in a season with a 23-12 record. Along the way, Arcadia qualified for the MAC Commonwealth playoffs for the first time with a second-place finish and defeated Lebanon Valley in the semifinals to advance to the championship match for the first time. Arcadia was also named the top overall seed for the ECAC Championships.
 
Male Scholar Athlete of the Year – Austin Lauer:
As an actuarial science major, Austin has a 3.84 cumulative GPA. In the pool, he placed 15th in the 200 butterfly and 20th in the 100 breaststroke to score points at the MAC Championship, aiding his team to the best finish in program history.
 
Individually, Austin had at least one top four finish in eight different dual meets on the season. His season also included lifetime bests in eight events. At the Diamond City Invitational, Austin placed 6th in the 200 butterfly and 8th in the 400 IM. At the TCNJ Invitational, he was in the top 16 for the 100 breaststroke, 200 butterfly, and 400 IM.
 
Shirley Liddle Service Award – Mike Korolishin:
Mike Korolishin has served Arcadia University in so many ways - ranging from serving on the Board of Trustees to his current work as General Counsel. Mike has one of the most challenging jobs at Arcadia University and routinely has to help the Board of Trustees, University President, and school administrators navigate very difficult situations. So much of what Mike does goes unseen by our students, faculty, and staff.
 
Over the course of the last six years, Mike has been a huge resource for Director of Athletics Brian Granata - helping him navigate some very challenging situations. Mike is an avid sports fan and cares deeply about the growth and development of Arcadia Athletics. He constantly reminds AD Granata that he has college eligibility remaining and can still muster a few innings out of his once promising pitching arm.
 
For longer than most people can remember, Mike has been on a mission to secure a quality home facility for the Arcadia baseball program. From pursuing various off-campus properties to his recent work centered around the Temple Ambler facility, Mike has spent countless hours pursuing leads and negotiating deals. Having faced one setback after another, he never wavered in his pursuit of what was best for Arcadia student-athletes. Long considered to have the worst baseball facility by far in the MAC, Arcadia Baseball now calls Temple Ambler its home. This former Division I facility represents a huge improvement over the Knights many different previous home fields and provides a true college caliber facility for our baseball program. This deal never would have been signed if not for the remarkable work of Mike.
 
ECAC Award of Appreciation – Miranda Leiggi:
Miranda has served as the Administrative Assistant in Athletics since August 2015. Over the course of the last three years, she has been a huge resource for the department. So much of what Miranda does never gets seen by our student-athletes, but she is instrumental in running an efficient department.

Among her many duties, Miranda is directly responsible for all office management functions, copying, filing, and supply ordering. Additionally, she manages game contracts for all home and away contests, coordinates transportation for nearly 300 trips per year, and schedules officials for all home contests.

Miranda is one of the most pleasant people you will meet. She always has a smile on her face and offers a kind "Hello" to everyone that comes by the office. Miranda is unflappable and excels in a high-stress environment. Her ability to never miss a beat when it comes to transportation and officials given the number of rescheduled events each spring is remarkable. She also has a tremendous ability to deal with head coaches for 19 different sports and somehow keeps our Athletics Director in line.

On behalf of the entire Arcadia Athletics community, we would like to thank Miranda for all that she does to support our student-athletes and Arcadia University.

ECAC Award of Appreciation – Mike Hebenstreit: 
Mike joined the Arcadia Athletics family in August of 2013 when he was hired as the Director of Intramurals, Recreation, and Student Employment. Over time, Mike began assuming additional leadership opportunities within the department as he took over as the Kuch Center Manager. Then, in February 2016, Mike was named the Athletics Business Manager.

In that role, Mike oversees all financial operations of the Athletics Department and serves as the manager of the department's annual golf outing fundraiser. He is also in charge of managing all athletic facilities rentals and has event management responsibilities. Mike has grown considerably during his time at Arcadia.
Always willing to take on extra work and help out in whatever way is needed, Mike is able to handle a high volume of work. He has also sought out leadership opportunities on campus through his involvement with the Arcadia Special Athletes Association and Staff Council.

It is important to note that Mike was nearly eliminated from consideration of this award because he is an avid Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots fan, but we decided to look past that this one time. Go Birds!

Female Rookie of the Year – Lauren Dougherty:
Lauren was a staple on the offensive end for the field hockey team this past season. The 2017 MAC Commonwealth and also ECAC Rookie of the Year recipient, not only led the team in goals and goals per game but was second in the conference behind an eventual first team All-American.
 
Lauren was also recognized as a first-team all-star by the MAC Commonwealth and ECAC after registering 16 goals and four assists for 36 points. Both her goals and points statistics ended as the fourth-best single-season performances in program history. On a national level, Lauren was recognized as a Zag Field Hockey/NFHCA Division III Scholar of Distinction for her athletic and academic excellence. An elementary/special education major, Lauren posted a 3.93 GPA in the fall and was named to the Academic All-MAC team as well as the MAC Fall Academic Honor Roll.

Male Rookie of the Year – Da'Kquan Davis:
Da'Kquan was recognized at the conference level, earning MAC Commonwealth Rookie of the Year honors. The point guard averaged 14.2 points per game, which sat second on the team and 15th in the conference. He added 4.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, while shooting 47.6% from the floor and 31.8% from long range. Da'Kquan ranked ninth in the conference with a 75.4 free throw percentage.

As a whole, Da'Kquan was a force on the floor for the Knights, aiding the team to an appearance in the MAC Commonwealth playoffs where they defeated Messiah College in the opening round. Davis also helped Arcadia secure a berth into the ECAC tournament.

Female Senior Athlete of the Year – Jess Kelly:
Jess has etched herself into the women's soccer record books over the course of her career. After the 2017 season, she became just the second-ever All-American in program history. The three-time All-MAC Commonwealth team member currently sits in the top five all-time in points, goals, game winning goals, and penalty kicks made.

No stranger to the accolades, Jess was named the 2017 MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Year, as she guided the women's soccer team to its first ever MAC Commonwealth Title, ending Messiah's 11-year unbeaten conference record with a golden goal in overtime of the championship game.

During her senior campaign, Jess earned accolades both on and off the pitch. Athletically, she was named First Team All-Region, Philadelphia Inquirer/PhillySIDA Academic All-Area, and MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Week three times, while posting a career high 18 goals and 43 points.

In the classroom, Jess posted 3.3 fall 2017 semester GPA and has a cumulative GPA of 3.4 as a biology major. She was recognized as a member of the ECAC Academic Honor Roll and MAC Fall Honor Roll.

Prior to her senior season, Jess was acknowledged as an ECAC All-Star in 2016, while making the MAC Honor Roll and winning the Arcadia Female Strength and Conditioning Award in 2015.

Over the course of her career, Jess helped lead the Knights to a total combined record of 67-22, two ECAC titles, one conference championship, two appearances in the NCAA Tournament, and the program's first-ever NCAA tournament game win.

Male Senior Athlete of the Year – Grant Fisher:
Grant Fisher has dominated in the water during his time as a Knight. During his 2017-18 season, Grant became the second NCAA qualifier in program history for his win at the MAC Championships in the 1650 freestyle. He also claimed the MAC title in the 500 freestyle, while also earning top honors as a member of the 800 freestyle relay.

Grant earned College Swimming Conference Swimmer of the Week four times in his senior campaign and MAC Swimmer of the Week twice.

In his three years, Grant has been a three-time conference champion in the 500 freestyle, while setting program records in the 500, 1000, and 1650 freestyle. Grant also owns the Lenox Pool record for 1000 freestyle.

At the conference level, Grant was a First Team All-MAC member in all three of his years at Arcadia in the 500 freestyle and 1650 freestyle, while earning first-team recognition in the 800 medley twice.

In the classroom, Grant posted a 3.6 semester GPA for fall 2017 and has a cumulative GPA of 3.5 as a business administration major.
Over the course of his career, Grant has helped lead the Knights to a meteoric rise within the MAC as the team climbed from the bottom half on the conference to a program-best second-place finish in 2018. Also, the men's swimming program has posted an astounding 24-7 record in dual meets.

NCAA Woman of the Year – Jess Kelly:
After what we just heard a few minutes ago with all her accomplishments in the classroom and on the soccer field, what else is there to say about Jess Kelly? For that, we asked Head Coach Rick Brownell to tell us a little more about Jess Kelly, the person.

Coach Brownell said, "Jess is one of the hardest working, most intelligent and competitive players I've ever coached. Jess's work ethic is second-to-none, improving dramatically every year in the program, culminating in a story-book finish during her senior season.  She has the rare combination of athletic skill, coupled with an advanced tactical understanding of the game that makes her an invaluable attacker and impossible to defend.

Whether presenting a mock pregame speech in the locker room that draws hysterical laughs or when she is demanding intensity on the field with just a look, Jess has epitomized the spirit of Arcadia Athletics with her unassuming, yet high-functioning, and success-driven personality.

Jess has achieved legendary status within the soccer program. Having scored the biggest goal in Arcadia history in overtime versus Messiah, she has put a permanent stamp on the direction of Arcadia women's soccer."

Female Athlete of the Year – Jackie Bilotti:
Jackie has become a staple at shortstop for the softball program as the reigning MAC Commonwealth Player of the Year. Starting in every game this season, she has led the team to the first-ever sweep of Messiah in program history just last weekend. As the team gears itself to head into the MAC Commonwealth Championships as one of the top competitors, there is no doubt that Jackie's contributions have gone a long way.

Entering the weekend, she's hitting .400 with six doubles, four triples, one home run and 24 RBIs. On her career, she is in the top 10 in 11 different categories and holds the single-season record for hits.

No stranger to accolades, Jackie was named a CoSIDA All-District First Team in 2017 and is a two-time NFCA All-Region selection. She's been named First Team All-MAC Commonwealth in both of her first two seasons, while also being named MAC Commonwealth Rookie of the Year in 2016. A member of the back-to-back ECAC Championship teams, Jackie was named All-ECAC First Team in 2017 and the ECAC Division III South Rookie of the Year in 2016.

Not only a star on the field, Jackie has an outstanding academic reputation. She posted a 3.75 fall 2017 semester GPA and boasts a cumulative GPA of 3.91. Jackie has earned recognition as an NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete in 2016 and has been a member of the MAC Honor Roll in two straight seasons.
Entering yesterday's doubleheader with Albright, the Knights had posted a 75-44 record during Jackie's time in Glenside. Jackie was named Arcadia's Female Rookie of the Year in 2016 and our Female Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2017.

Male Athlete of the Year – Phil Pierfy:
As a two-sport athlete, Phil has quickly become the definition of what it means to overcome adversity. After suffering a season-ending injury as a freshman while playing basketball and subsequently missing the entire baseball season, Phil returned as a true competitor. Throughout the entire academic year, Phil doesn't take much time off from being an athlete. He starts his year with fall baseball, before transitioning into basketball season, and then into the regular baseball season.
On the hardwood, Phil led his team in scoring this year with 15.7 points per game, ranking himself ninth in the conference. He also contributed 6.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 52.3% from the floor, 40.7% from three-point range, and 78.5% from the stripe. His shooting percentage and free-throw percentage rank sixth in the league. With his performance, Phil earned Second Team All-MAC Commonwealth honors.

On the diamond, Phil has shown his versatility while playing outfield, first base, and even pitcher. Entering the weekend series, Phil was hitting .369 with 10 doubles, four home runs, and 28 RBIs at the plate. On the mound, Phil has pitched 5.2 innings over three games, posting a 1.59 ERA and three strikeouts. Phil and his teammates have qualified for MAC playoffs this year and will be seeking their second consecutive conference championship when the postseason begins next week.

Phil was a key contributor for the baseball program as a sophomore in 2017 as the team set a school record for wins in a season, won its first-ever MAC Commonwealth championship, and advanced to the NCAA tournament.
As a member of SAAC and a dedicated student, Phil posts a 3.33 cumulative GPA as a actuarial science major.

President's Cup – Baseball:
Collectively, the baseball team posted a 2.9 GPA over the course of the 2016-17 academic year. In the process, the team had three players selected to the MAC All-Academic Team and two student-athletes honored on the Philly Inquirer Academic All-Area Team. The team also participated in 314.5 hours of community service, spread out over five events.

On the field, the Knights won their first-ever MAC Commonwealth Title, leading the team to the NCAA Championship Tournament for the second time ever. The team won a program-best 33 wins, including a victory at NCAA Championship Tournament. In the 12-inning battle in the first round against Worcester State, then junior Mike Boulanger picked the perfect time for his first career hit as he drove a one-out, 2-2 pitch to the center field fence in the bottom of the 12th that scored then senior Jordan Draude from third with the game-winning run.

During their conference title run, Head Coach Bryan Torresani earned MAC Commonwealth Coach of the Year. The Knights produced four ABCA all-region selections, 2 D3Baseball.com all-region players, two ECAC first-team players, and finished the season ranked #27 in the country. The 2017 season was truly a historic season for Arcadia Baseball.