General | 4/26/2020 9:27:00 AM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The RIT Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced the recipients of its major awards for the 2019-20 academic year.
Instead of a traditional banquet setting, the department released the award winners virtually using social media and RITAthletics.com over the course of five days.
"While we weren't able to gather together as a family like we have done for many years, we still wanted to recognize the student-athletes and supporters of our program that have meant so much to our success," said Executive Athletics Director Lou Spiotti.
Eleven total honorees were released Wednesday-Sunday, including the Male and Female Athletes of the Year as well as the Ellingson Award recognizing the department's top studen-athlete. Short highlight videos were also posted to the department's Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts (@RITAthletics).
"I am continually amazed by the dedication that our student-athletes exhibit in their sport and in the classroom," commented President David Munson. "Their passion, perseverance and resilience, especially during these unprecedented times, illustrates the character that they embody. While this academic year didn't end the way we all wanted - particularly for winter sports' post-season and all of spring sports - I salute our athletes, knowing that this moment in history will help all of us grow as leaders in our communities."
Added Sandra Johnson, Senior Vice President, Student Affairs, "Inspiration comes in many shapes and sizes. The way our student-athletes push themselves to achieve at the highest levels, no matter what they set their minds to, illustrates so much of what makes the RIT student-athlete experience unique. It is hard not to feel a sense of school spirit whenever you see that roaring Tiger logo, and it is because of you -- our student-athletes -- who do a tremendous job representing the very best of the RIT community."
MESSAGE FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS LOU SPIOTTI
"This time of year is always a special one for our RIT Athletics Family. It's a time when we come together to celebrate and to recognize each and every accomplishment, be it team or individual.
It has always been my belief that RIT student-athletes epitomize the Greek model of mind, body and spirit. You are able to blend academic excellence with athletic prowess. There is no question in my mind that there are no others quite like you. I am truly amazed each and every day when I see the total commitment to your careers, to your sport and to your team.
This year has been an incredible one. One where we have achieved and succeeded academically and athletically. But, we have also shown our grit and spirit in the face of crisis and adversity. At the end of the day, this is truly Tiger Spirit. I am immensely proud of the way you all have handled yourselves through one of the most challenging times in the history of this nation. Frankly, I am not at all surprised.
I would like to take this time to congratulate you all on a simply wonderful year and to acknowledge the contributions of our seniors. You are a very special breed. I thank you for all you have accomplished and for your commitment to Tiger Athletics. We are forever proud of you"
Go Tigers!
COMEBACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - JULIA PROVENZANO (WXC/T&F) | VIDEO
Women's cross country/track & field senior Julia Provenzano was named the 2019-20 Comeback Athlete of the Year, as voted on by the department's athletic training staff.
Provenzano worked her way back into the top-seven of the women's cross-country team last fall that competed at the NCAA Division III Championships, helping the Tigers place 30th in the program's second appearance.
The chemical engineering major with a 4.0 GPA, Provenzano also received the NCAA Elite 90 Award, presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average who competes at each NCAA Championship site.
"We chose Julia as our Comeback Athlete based on her incredible resilience and tenacious approach to the recovery process," said RIT Athletic Trainer Amanda Paige. "Over the past few years, she has dealt with many setbacks, but her approach to recovery was always positive and steadfast."
"Julia has dealt with frequent injuries that caused her to miss many of her cross country and track seasons over the past years," said RIT Women's Cross Country Coach Amanda White. "Many athletes would have given up after so many setbacks, but Julia kept a positive attitude and focused on her long-term athletic goals. She worked hard to regain her health and fitness and earned a place on the team that qualified for nationals. Julia has shown incredible dedication and perseverance in overcoming her athletic hardships."
TIGER POWER DEN AWARDS - COURTNEY McHALE (WSOC), ZEB HOLLINGER (MLAX) | VIDEO
Women's soccer junior Courtney McHale and men's lacrosse freshman Zeb Hollinger were named the 2019-20 Tiger Power Den Award winners, as voted on by the RIT strength and conditioning staff.
One male and one female student-athlete are annually recognized for demonstrating a high level of competency in the weight room, including strength and power as well as movement competency. Recipients have an enthusiasm for training and go above and beyond program requirements in their preparation. Honorees do extra, are highly engaged in the process and are looked to by their teammates as leaders during training sessions.
"This year's recipients share a common characteristic - consistency," said RIT Strength and Conditioning Coach Ryan Kelly. "Courtney and Zeb come prepared to work hard every day. They do not take a day, set or rep off and are great representatives of the RIT strength and conditioning culture.
"Courtney is always the first to show up for training, often leaving her shoes behind so she can come back later for more. She has an exceptional work ethic, constantly seeking new challenges and personal bests and also spends most of her summer and breaks training in the Tiger Power Den.
"Zeb demonstrates great strength in the weight room. He has a passion for training and the sport of weight lifting. His clean and squat numbers have secured him multiple spots on our record boards. Zeb does not shy away from a challenge and is often one of the last guys to leave the weight room."
JAN STRINE AWARD - EMILY LEDERMAN (WS&D) | VIDEO
Women's swimming & diving senior Emily Lederman was voted the 2019-20 Jan Strine Award winner.
The department annually recognizes a group or an individual for being an outstanding friend to both the RIT Athletics and National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) communities that has helped strengthen the relationship and mutual support between the two.
Lederman was a four-year performer on the women's swimming and diving team. She has been very involved with athletics and the NTID student community, and is also active within the women's computer science program.
"Emily is a wonderful ambassador for RIT Athletics and NTID," said RIT swimming and diving coach Phil Baratela. "Emily is always willing to help recruit deaf and hard of hearing athletes to come to RIT and she gladly shares her experiences as a student athlete."
DR. BILL DESTLER COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD - RIT WOMEN'S BASKETBALL | VIDEO
The RIT Women's Basketball team was selected the 2019-20 Dr. Bill Bestler Community Service Award winner.
The award is designed to recognize the outstanding efforts of RIT student-athletes and teams in the community and beyond. Community service is central to being a good citizen as well as an engaged member of the campus community. It also adds to the student experience and helps reinforces the department's role as a contributing member of the community.
In conjunction with Team IMPACT last November, the team welcomed nine-year old Lily Breon-Milliman to the squad with a special "signing day" celebration at Clark Gymnasium.
A resident of nearby Webster, N.Y. with cerebral palsy, Lily joined head coach Amy Reed, Executive Director of Athletics Lou Spiotti and the team to sign her official letter of intent to become a Tiger in front of hundreds of RIT student-athletes, faculty, staff, administrators and local community members.
"Bringing Lily into our program completed our team," said junior guard Sarah Henretta. "She brings energy and excitement every time she is at practice, and can make the entire team erupt with laughter."
"Last year, our team talked about making community service a recurring event from year to year," said sophomore forward Addy Flood. "There were other basketball teams we had seen work with Team IMPACT, so we thought it would be a great fit for us. I also got to know Lily two years ago giving her swimming lessons and thought she'd be great."
COACHES APPRECIATION AWARD - MARK MUENZER (ADMISSIONS) | VIDEO
RIT Senior Associate Director of Admissions Mark Muenzer was tabbed the 2019-20 Coaches Appreciation Award recipient.
The award recognizes a group or an individual that has made significant contributions to intercollegiate athletics from outside the department, giving their time and energy for the betterment of the program.
Muenzer has worked as an admissions officer since 2001 and regularly assists RIT coaches during the process of finding the next generation of Tiger student-athletes.
"Mark has been amazing to work with," said RIT women's basketball coach and Senior Woman's Administrator Amy Reed. "He is knowledgeable and passionate about RIT and it shows. Every single player we've attained, we couldn't have done it without Mark."
"Mark has been outstanding in timely feedback in all recruited student athletes," said men's basketball coach Bob McVean. "He is always available to help facilitate the application process, especially during the recent closure of the campus and facilities."
A. STEPHEN WALLS LEADERSHIP AWARD - WIL SEIFRIED (MS&D) | VIDEO
Graduate student men's swimmer Wil Seifired is the recipient of this year's A. Stephen Walls Leadership Award, given to a student-athlete who demonstrates outstanding leadership qualities and activities within the team, the overall athletics program and the campus community at large.
Seifried earned his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering and is currently pursuing a master's degree in materials science and engineering.
The two-time co-captain helped lead the Tigers to a third-place finish at the 2020 Liberty League Championship. He also received the Alfred L. and Ruby C. Davis Leadership Award in recognition of outstanding leadership on campus.
"Wil is a leader with a true passion to serve others," said RIT head swimming and diving coach Phil Baretela. "He selflessly gives his time to his team and community while remaining humble. He has left a lasting impact on our team as an amazing teammate and mentor."
Seifried has served on RIT's SAAC chapter and was part of RIT's Alternative Spring Break twice. In 2019, he travel to Charleston, SC in conjunction with Meanoia to focus on asset-based community development. He helped remove non-productive banana trees to free up space for a community garden, helped clean a community park and also helped fix up some local houses to be turned into affordable housing.
Seifried also traveled to New Orleans earlier this year to partner with Common Ground Relief. His trip centered around environmental protection and wetland restoration, helping to plant approximately 1,000 trees in four days to prevent soil erosion, stop land recession on barrier islands and enhance storm protection.
SAAC APPRECIATION AWARD – RIT ATHLETIC TRAINING STAFF | VIDEO
The RIT Athletic Training staff was named the recipient of the 2019-20 SAAC Appreciation Award.
Voted on by the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, the award recognizes an individual, group or department that continuously strives to enhance the overall student athlete experience.
The Sports Medicine staff is comprised of Head Athletic Trainer Ben Emke, along with Missy Wilson, Amanda Page and Rob Bauman. They are responsible for the care of over 620 student-athletes on an annual basis.
In a special message, the SAAC E-Board said, "Congratulations! We wanted to thank the athletic trainers for their hard work to make sure we stay on our feet! Thank you for being there when things get rough. You all rock!"
ELLINGSON AWARD – ADAM BRUBACHER (MHKY) | VIDEO
Men's ice hockey senior captain Adam Brubacher was tabbed the 2019-20 Ellingson Award winner as the department's top scholar-athlete.
The two-time Atlantic Hockey All-Conference selection tied for 19th nationally and sixth among defensemen with 24 assists while tying for 10th in Atlantic Hockey with 28 points. He finished his career one of only 35 players and only six defenseman in the nation with at least 100 career points while his 80 assists were the 12th-highest total over the last four seasons.
Voted the Atlantic Hockey Defensive Player of the week on three occasions this season, Brubacher became the 13th player in RIT's Division I era to hit the 100-point plateau, finishing 10th with 106 points. He also didn't miss a game in four seasons, finishing two shy of a tie for third-place in program history with 148 appearances.
Brubacher is set to complete his MBA in four years, finishing his undergraduate coursework last spring with a 4.0 GPA. The six-time Dean's List recipient and 2019 Academic All-American also earned Beta Gamma Sigma Honors and a Saunders College of Business Merit Scholarship during his time as a Tiger.
TEAM ACADEMIC AWARD – WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL | VIDEO
The RIT Women's Volleyball team earned the 2019-20 Team Academic Award for compiling the highest cumulative grade point average among the 25 teams in the athletic department.
Head coach Jim Lodes squad accumulated a 3.67 GPA while 12 members garnered Liberty League All-Academic Team recognition for maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative GPA, including honorable-mention All-Americans Kelly Waters and Katie Hobler.
The Tigers finished the 2019 season with an 18-12 record while clinching the third seed for the Liberty League Tournament with a 5-2 conference mark.
SENIOR FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – MIA WHITE (WSOC) | VIDEO
Women's soccer senior captain Mia White was selected the 2019-20 Senior Female Athlete of the Year, awarded to a student-athlete in their final year of eligibility based on career athletic performance, leadership and academic performance.
The 2019 Liberty League Player of the Year helped the Tigers to 41 victories, three Liberty League Tournament showings and an appearance in the 2018 NCAA Tournament over the last four years.
White finished 11th in program history with 42 points on 14 goals and 14 assists while playing 75 career games.
The two-time co-captain was named a First-Team Liberty League All-Star as a senior after earning honorable-mention recognition in 2018.
This past fall, White played all 18 games and finished third on the team in scoring with a career-high 20 points on five goals and a Liberty League-best 10 assists. She recorded a career-high seven points on three goals and an assist in a win over 10th-ranked Oneonta (Sept. 17).
White played in 21 games in 2018, finishing second on the team in scoring with 11 points on four goals and three assists. She finished third on the team in scoring in 2017 with nine points on four goals and an assist. White made her collegiate debut in 2016, playing in 17 games.
"Mia made a remarkable impact on the field, on her teammates, coaches, and RIT as a whole," said RIT head coach Liz Masterson. "Mia was a force on the field, making her presence felt both physically on her opponents and also technically with her abilities to connect and create dangerous opportunities for her and her teammates. Never caring if she got any glory at all, Mia selflessly created plays, did the difficult defensive work and celebrated her teammates' successes endlessly. Mia's dedication, hard work, resilience, positivity and heart has forever changed the program and all of the people who had the good fortune to call themselves Mia's teammates."
The two-time Liberty League All-Academic selection is set to graduate with a business degree this spring.
SENIOR MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – DEMPSEY KING (WRES) | VIDEO
Wrestling senior captain Dempsey King was selected the 2019-20 Senior Male Athlete of the Year, awarded to a student-athlete in their final year of eligibility based on career athletic performance, leadership and academic performance.
King was a three-time NCAA Division III Championship qualifier, including a national runner-up finish at 165 lbs. in 2019. He finished his career with a 108-24 record, tying the late Tony Wallace for fourth all time in program history, while also finishing fourth with 35 career pins.
"In my time at RIT, no wrestler has meant more to our program than Dempsey King," said wrestling coach Jason Bovenzi. "A three-year captain, his fingerprints are on every aspect of our transition into one of the top teams in NCAA Division III."
The 2020 ECWC Wrestler of the Year was seeded sixth at 165 lbs. for the NCAA Championships after winning the Mideast Region title. King also capped his Tiger career by earning Tony Wallace Most Outstanding Wrestler honors at the 2019 RIT Invitational, while winning individual titles at the New York State Championship, RIT Invitational and Roger Williams Invitational. He finished the season with a 30-1 record, including 14 pins.
"Dempsey embodied what it means to be a leader," said Bovenzi. "Whether it was helping with recruiting, managing team chemistry, leading vocally or by example, I have never had an athlete so invested in every aspect of the program."
King also excelled in the classroom, earning Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference and National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic honors. He is on pace to graduate with a degree in civil engineering technology.
"A role model with his attitude, training and discipline, Dempsey showed us all the blueprint on how to be an elite college student athlete," said Bovenzi. "He leaves an indelible mark on our program as he transitions to life after college. It has been an honor and a privilege to coach hi. "
