On Monday afternoon, the Clarkson University Athletic Department celebrated the accomplishments of its student-athletes with the 18th Athletic Awards Ceremony, the department's first such ceremony since 2019.
The Ed Sayer Memorial Award, an honor that recognizes an individual that exemplifies the former Clarkson swimmer's spirit in exhibiting compassion for their teammates, an indelible work ethic, a passion for their sport, and an appreciation of the intricacies and importance of teamwork, went to the baseball team's Michael Tito. A true ambassador for everything Clarkson University, Tito has played with the Golden Knights' baseball team for five years and over that time has made an impact in the lives of all of those he has met, building relationships with numerous departments across campus due to his involvement in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
The Male Athlete of the Year Award went to senior men's hockey player Zach Tsekos. Having already moved on for his professional career, Tsekos was named the ECAC Defensive Forward of the Year, an ECAC Second-Team All-Star, and ranked third on the team in points (31) and tied for second in goals (15) as well as ranking third on the team in blocked shots.
The Female Athlete of the Year was given to senior Olivia Zoeller of the softball team. The 2021 Liberty League Pitcher of the Year, Zoeller is a strong candidate to repeat the honor in 2022. An NFCA New York Region First-Team All-Star and Liberty League First-Team All-Star last season, Zoeller leads the Liberty League in earned run average (1.18) and strikeouts (140) along with several other categories. In the batter's box, she ranks third on the team in average and leads the team in runs scored while having also swiped 13 bases.
The Male Scholar Athlete of the Year Award went to graduate student Joe Lucas of the men's basketball team. Lucas has a 4.00 grade-point average in one semester in the MBA, but also had a 3.986 as an undergraduate in Business Intelligence & Data Analytics. He ranks 12th in program history in 3-point field goals made with 137 and was second on the team in that category this past season. Â
The Female Scholar Athlete of the Year Award went to senior Hannah Yorkey of the cross country and Nordic ski teams. Yorkey has a flawless 4.00 grade-point average while majoring in both Biomolecular Science and Chemistry. She was a Liberty League First-Team All-Star at the Liberty League Championships, placing seventh in a field of over 100 runners. She also finished 29th at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships, earning All-Region status.
The Male Rookie of the Year Award was awarded to freshman Kai Endo of the men's soccer program. One of the top defenders in the conference in his first season, Endo played a key role for the Golden Knights' defense, starting all 16 games and playing full time in 14 of the 16 contests. He was on the pitch for 91.1% of the team's minutes in 2021. .
The Female Rookie of the Year Award went to women's soccer first-year collegiate Chloe Hodge. A Liberty League Honorable Mention All-Star, Hodge led the team in scoring 11 points thanks to four goals and three assists, the most points by a Clarkson freshman since the 2015 season. She also led the team in shots (52) and shots on goal (22).
Clarkson's Team GPA award went to the women's soccer program, as that group of Golden Knights combined for a 3.567 average.
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