Clarkson Athletics Announces End of Year Award Winners

5/18/2020 1:57:00 PM

By: May 18, 2020

Although the in-person formality was cut from the end-of-the-year calendar, the Clarkson University Athletic Department nevertheless honored the accomplishments of its student-athletes with the announcement of the 18th annual Athletic Awards Ceremony.

The awards were somewhat revamped for 2019-20 since spring sports were unable to complete their respective seasons, so this year instead of a Male/Female Athlete of the Year, etc., in some instances the awards were limited to the fall and winter seasons, with individual spring sport excellence also recognized.

CHECK OUT THE HONOREES ON THE 2019-20 CLARKSON ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT AWARDS VIDEO

The Ed Sayer Memorial Award, an honor that recognizes and individual that exemplifies the former Clarkson swimmer's spirit in exhibiting compassion for teammates, an indelible work ethic, a passion for their sport, and an appreciate of the intricacies and importance of teamwork, went to Devin Brosseau of the Clarkson Men's Hockey team, winning out in the vote among coaches in an incredibly deep field. Brosseau, a two-time nominee for Hockey Humanitarian, including a top five finalist in 2019-20, spearheaded the Golden Knights' Team Impact with a local disabled teenager (integrating the young man as an honorary member of the team, involving him in all aspects of the hockey program, beginning in 2017 up to the present). He organized the 2018 and 2019 Hockey Fights Cancer nights at Cheel Arena benefiting the American Cancer Society, raising close to $8,000 this year alone, and is Clarkson Hockey's Team Captain for Relay For Life, another event that raises funds for the American Cancer Society. Recently, he took part in a fundraiser for a local child in order to help pay for expenses associated with her illness. Brosseau also heads up Clarkson Hockey's Involvement with the Headway Foundation (concussion awareness, 2018‐19, 2019‐20) where he has involved every athletic team on campus as well as many local youth teams this year. He led Clarkson Hockey's efforts in the 2019 Snack Pack Program Drive to help provide nutritional snacks to students in the Potsdam Central School District. He also volunteered at local elementary schools for visiting/reading and is active in the Town of Potsdam's Annual Spring Cleanup as well as organizing Clarkson Hockey's Salvation Army Bell Ringing.

With plenty of outstanding candidates from which to choose, the coaching staff was set with a difficult task of picking winners for the Male/Female Scholar Athlete of the Year awards. The men's award was shared among three student-athletes, including Nate Burns (Baseball), John Furcick (Soccer), and Zach Tsekos (Hockey). Burns graduated from Clarkson in three years with a cumulative GPA of 3.936 and then had a 4.00 in Clarkson's MBA program. An ABCA/Rawlings Second-Team All-Region selection in 2019, Burns led the conference in earned run average (1.69) a year ago and was well on his way to an outstanding fourth season as he had struck out 20 in his first 13 innings of the 2020 season. Furcick was a CoSIDA Academic All-American First-Team selection in the fall, the second time he has earned Academic All-Americans in as many years thanks to his 3.972 GPA as a double major in Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering. He was sixth on the team in scoring with four points and was a key part of the midfield defense that saw Clarkson record 12 shutouts. Tsekos produced a 4.00 GPA through five semesters in Mathematical Economics and was named ECAC Hockey's Student-Athlete of the Year. He ranked fourth on the squad in scoring this winter with 26 points, tying for second with 18 assists in 34 games. For the women, Isaksen was the lone winner thanks to an amazing collegiate career as one of the more decorated student-athletes in Clarkson history. A three-time AVCA All-American, three-time ECAC Division III Defensive Player of the Year, and two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American, Isaksen had a 3.677 cumulative GPA through seven semesters as a double major in Mathematics and Computer Science.

Clarkson's Male/Female Athlete of the Year awards for the fall sports went to Ian Roeloffs (Men's Soccer) and Rachel Reusch (Volleyball). A Liberty League First-Team All-Star and United Soccer Coaches All-East Region Second-Team selection, Roeloffs posted a 0.88 goals against average, .824 save percentage and nine solo shutouts, one short of the school record. Reusch earned numerous accolades in 2019, including AVCA All-American Honorable Mention, AVCA New York All-Region First Team, ECAC Division III First-Team honors and the Liberty League Player of the Year award. She ranked fifth in the conference in kills per set, blocks per set and points per set, while ranking sixth in hitting percentage.

Clarkson's Male/Female Rookie of the Year awards for the fall were earned by Michael Lanfear (Men's Soccer) and Kristin Werdine (Volleyball). Lanfear started 13 of Clarkson's 19 games in the most successful season by the program in more than two decades. A defensive-minded midfielder, Lanfear helped Clarkson record 12 shutouts in 19 games, one of the best figures in the nation. Werdine became the latest in a long line of Liberty League Rookie of Year winners for the Golden Knights' volleyball program, leading the conference in service aces (76), a figure that was seventh nationally. She was picked as the conference's rookie of the week on five occasions.

The winners of Clarkson's Male/Female Athlete of the Year honors for the winter season were Franke Marotte (Men's Hockey) and Elizabeth Giguere (Women's Hockey). Marotte was picked as a CCM/AHCA Second-Team All-American and the winner of ECAC Hockey's Ken Dryden Goaltender of the Year award, producing a .938 save percentage (fourth nationally), 1.78 goals against average (fourth nationally), and .721 winning percentage (sixth nationally). Giguere won the Patty Kazmaier Award as college women's hockey's national player of the year, leading NCAA Division I in goal scoring by a wide margin (37). She ranked second in the country in points (66) and was a CCM/AHCA First-Team All-American and ECAC Hockey Player of the Year.

The top first-year student-athletes for the winter and selections for Clarkson's Male/Female Rookie of the Year for that season were Ryan Miles-Ferguson (Men's Basketball) and Gabrielle David (Women's Hockey). Miles-Ferguson emerged as one of the top players on the team during the second semester, averaging 9.6 points per game over the final 14 league contests of the 2019-20 season. Overall, he ranked second on the team in field goal percentage (48.0%). David was chosen USCHO.com Rookie of the Year in all of Division I women's hockey and was picked as the ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Year. She led the nation in freshman scoring with 38 points and was also top among first-year collegians in assists with 24.

The Team GPA Award went to the Golden Knights' Women's Cross Country team, which had a cumulative grade-point average of 3.634. Additionally, senior recognition day awards were provided for John Furcick (Pinky Ryan Memorial Award), Zach Tsekos (Paul Pilon Memorial Award), Matthew Kane (Paul Hyde Memorial Award), and Brent Reid and Taylor Lee (Martin A. Welt Family Award).

Below are the winners for spring sport MVP and Rookie of the Year awards.

Team Athlete of the Year: An award voted on by the members of the athletic team and given to a team member that has shown a high level of leadership, athletic ability and off season dedication to themselves, and their team. Qualities such as academic integrity, and sportsmanship are also criteria for this award.

Team Rookie of the Year:
An award voted on by members of the athletic team and given to a team member in their first year of collegiate competition that has brought a high level of dedication in the off season and athletic promise to themselves, and their team. Qualities such as academic integrity, and sportsmanship are also criteria for this award.

"Mike is very worthy of this award for our shortened season this spring. He led the team in almost all offensive categories and handled our pitching staff very well. Very deserving of this award." - Clarkson Head Baseball Coach - Jim Kane

"Jon and Joe both had very good starts to our shortened season for first year players. Both of them played well offensively and defensively. Very deserving of the Co-Rookie of the year award." - Clarkson Head Baseball Coach Jim Kane

"Hannah Bowen is the athlete every coach tries to find while out recruiting: academically focused, passionate about her sport, extremely hard working, tremendous teammate and all around quality human being. On a team with four seniors, her teammates looked to her as their measuring stick. Hannah lives our values everyday because they are the same values that define her. Seeing her season shortened is so disappointing because she was on her way to having a career season." - Clarkson Head Softball Coach Kristen McGaughey

"Riley showed so much promise in her outings against powerhouse teams. She is a player who relentlessly strives for perfection at practices but is able to trust and let loose in games. If she keeps down the same path she started this year she can have an incredible career for CUSB." - Clarkson Head Softball Coach Kristen McGaughey

"Liam St. Croix has been a two year captain chosen by his peers as well as an Honorable Mention All American. He is a leader by example with a great work ethic both on and off the field. I can't think of a more deserving player for our athlete of the year award. We are certainly hoping he decides to come back and use his last year of eligibility." - Head Men's Lacrosse Coach Bill Bergan

"Sebastian Geiger was beginning to understand just how good he can be at the college level before our season was cut short. He is a big, strong athletic offensive player that we used both at attack and midfield. He not only works hard on his game in practice but he is also a very hard worker in the weight room. I am looking forward to watching his success these next few years." - Head Men's Lacrosse Coach Bill Bergan

"Steph is a great player and even better teammate and person. She played almost every minute of every game in her career, giving everything she had each game. Our program will truly miss Steph's leadership on the defensive end of the field. I am so happy that her teammates recognized how valuable she has been to our success over her career." - Clarkson Women's Lacrosse Head Coach Ben Gaebel

"Julia is one of the most genuine people I have ever coached. She works hard each day and strives to better her game every day. I am so excited what her Golden Knight career has in store for her, she has all league potential and I think her growth as a player will be off the charts." - Clarkson Women's Lacrosse Head Coach Ben Gaebel

"Chris will be one of those players that I will never forget. He is an exceptional leader, captain, teammate, and student. Chris led our team in just about every round of competitive golf this season. He is a very talented young man on and off the golf course, and I'm sure he will find success in whatever the future holds for him. Hopefully, our underclassmen have learned from Chris's leadership and determination, and that they carry those traits into seasons to come." - Clarkson Head Golf Coach Brian Fairchild

"Winning team MVP for the Golf team was something I aspired to do coming to Clarkson prior to freshman year. The past few years I have had great leadership from the upperclassmen along with good coaching and work ethic throughout my time. Combining these things provided me with the capabilities to reach my true potential, and it was very nice to see it rewarded by being voted for the Golf team MVP." -Chris Rust

"We saw confidence in this young man from a very early part of the season. We were able to throw him into the lineup quickly, and he proved that he can compete at this level. Casey has a great swing and the ability to carefully make his way around the golf course. I see this young man moving his way into a leadership role as he progresses through his collegiate career." - Clarkson Head Golf Coach Brian Fairchild

" It's a great honor to be named Clarkson's Rookie of the Year. I've wanted to play college golf as long as I can remember, so having the opportunity to represent my school every weekend in competitions is a dream come true. The jump between high school and college definitely had its learning curve, but I'm proud of what I accomplished this season. This award marks a great start to my college career and I'm looking forward to progressing and hopefully contending to win some tournaments in future years." - Casey Ditzel

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Clarkson Athletics Announces End of Year Award Winners