WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ - The Monmouth University Athletics Department recognized the achievements of its student-athletes with its annual Student-Athlete Awards, which were announced Tuesday inside the OceanFirst Bank Center.
 
Among the prominent awards given were the Joan Martin Award, Bill Boylan Award, Parker Award and the Kelsey Award. In addition, Most Valuable Player Awards and Coaches Award winners were named for each team, as well as the Team Physicians' and Sports Medicine Award and Strength and Conditioning awards.
 
Nominees for the Paul G. Gaffney II Male Athlete of the Year were announced and include Ethan Lee (Golf), Xander Rice (Basketball), Jaden Shirden (Football), Ben Zakowski (Soccer), Mateo Bivol (Tennis), Declan McDonnell (Cross Country), Ahmad Brock (Indoor Track & Field), Evan Niedrowski (Outdoor Track & Field), Austin Denlinger (Baseball), Tommy Heller (Lacrosse), Cole Dyson (Swimming).
 
Nominees for the Paul G. Gaffney II Female Athlete of the Year include Morgan Davis (Bowling), Jania Hall (Basketball), Sofia Focues (Field Hockey), Lauren Bruno (Soccer), Emily Simko (Cross Country), Yasmeen Tinsley (Indoor Track & Field), Veronica Chainov (Outdoor Track & Field), Sophia Ramirez Velandia (Golf), Caroline Brennan (Lacrosse), Dani Dabroski (Softball), Hana McKinney (Tennis), Jensen Ritter (Swimming), Claire Leavens (Rowing).
 
The winners of the Paul G. Gaffney II Male and Female Athlete of the Year Awards will be announced this summer.
 
The Joan Martin Award, presented annually to the senior student-athletes who have shown dedication to their team while staying the course through adversity, was given to Chris Andrews (Baseball) and Taylor Charpentier (Women's Lacrosse).
 
Andrews has continually exemplified dedication to his sport while staying the course through adversity. A starter, this honoree dealt with a season ending injury that required reconstructive surgery. He stayed the course of recovery and rehabilitation while preserving through hardship off the field at home. This season, Andrews has made his way back into the starting lineup and has demonstrated remarkable resilience. 

Nominees for the male Joan Martin Award included Assanti Kearney (Football), Cameron Janovic (Cross Country), Chris Andrews (Baseball), Tom Gray (Lacrosse), Dylan Edge (Swimming).
 
Charpentier faced adversity upon starting her career at Monmouth when she was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder. While learning to manage and treating her OCD, she remained dedicated to her sport, not missing a season. A graduating senior, she has not only generated a positive impact for her team but has dedicated herself to spreading awareness and education on OCD. She has served as MSAAC Vice President and has participated in various student life positions.
 
Nominees for the female Joan Martin Award included Siyah Sweeny (Bowling), Kayla Richardson (Basketball), Abbi Nechay (Field Hockey), Julia Evernham (Soccer), Mary Tuley (Indoor Track & Field), Sydney Squier (Outdoor Track & Field), Liddie McCook (Golf), Taylor Charpentier (Lacrosse), Kait Mulcahey (Softball), Maggie Young (Swimming). 
 
The Bill Boylan Award, presented annually to the senior student-athletes who demonstrate the traits of leadership, sportsmanship, scholarship and athletic ability that were so constant in the career of Bill Boylan, was awarded to Eddie Morales III (Football) and Maddison Perna (Women's Soccer).
 
Morales III began his career as a walk-on and steadily earned through his performance, positive attitude and dynamic leadership ability, a full athletic scholarship. He has served as a mentor for younger players, was a two-time team captain and has been one of the program's most consistent performers over the last three seasons. He has been on the Dean's List for multiple semesters and has made two FCS Playoff appearances with his team. 
 
Nominees for the male Bill Boylan Award included Travis Dix (Golf), Eddie Morales III (Football), Griffin Tomas (Soccer), Diego Laporta (Tennis), Connor Bennett (Indoor Track & Field), Brandon Muir (Outdoor Track & Field), Casey Caufield (Baseball), Jack Gertie (Lacrosse), Thomas Svane-From (Swimming). 
 
Perna served as a 2023 team captain and has logged over 5,000 minutes of play in her career at Monmouth as a four-year starter. She has helped her team to multiple championships, while maintaining her status on the Dean's List. She has served as the MSAAC President and impacted the campus and local community with her robust amount of service hours.
 
Nominees for the female Bill Boylan Award included Jenna Lehrer (Bowling), Belle Kranbuhl (Women's Basketball), Reese Bloomstead (Field Hockey), Maddison Perna (Soccer), Sydney Todd (Cross Country), Isabella Leak (Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field), Liddie McCook (Golf), Shannon Feeley (Lacrosse), Kiley O'Rourke (Softball), Alexa Ploskonka (Swimming). 
 
The Parker Award, presented annually to the teams with the highest grade-point average, went to the women's tennis and men's tennis programs for the spring 2023 semester and women's golf and men's tennis for the fall 2023 semester.
 
The Kelsey Award, presented to the student-athlete with the highest individual GPA, was awarded to Rachel Ludwick (Soccer), Devin Coia (Softball) and Tatum Perez (Track and Field). James Harmstead (Baseball) and Ariana Vanderhoop (Basketball) were each given the Academic Resilience Award.
 
In addition, Dalton Yeust and Yasmeen Tinsley (Track and Field) were named the Athletic Performance Award winners, while Chris Andrews (Baseball) and Reese Bloomstead (Field Hockey) were given the Team Physicians' and Sports Medicine Award.
 
Bill Boylan Award
Eddie Morales III (Football)
Maddison Perna (Women's Soccer)
 
Joan Martin Award
Chris Andrews (Baseball)
Taylor Charpentier (Lacrosse)
 
Kelsey Award
Rachel Ludwick (Women's Soccer)
Devin Coia (Softball)
Tatum Perez (Track and Field)
 
Athletic Performance Award
Dalton Yeust (Track and Field)
Yasmeen Tinsley (Track and Field)
 
Team Physicians' and Sports Medicine Award
Chris Andrews (Baseball)
Reese Bloomstead (Field Hockey)
 
Academic Resilience Award
James Harmstead (Baseball)
Ariana Vanderhoop (Basketball)
 
Marilyn Parker Award Spring 2023
Women's Tennis
Men's Tennis
 
Marilyn Parker Award Fall 2023
Women's Golf
Men's Tennis
 
MSAAC Community Service Award
Men's Lacrosse
 
Below is a list of the team MVA's and Leadership Award winners from this year:
 
BASEBALL
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Drew Helmstetter 
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Phil Stahl 
 
MEN'S BASKETBALL
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Xander Rice 
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Xander Rice 
 
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Kaci Donovan 
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Antonia Panayides 
 
BOWLING
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Morgan Davis 
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Siyah Sweeny 
 
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Declan McDonnell 
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Ian Moore 
 
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Emily Simko 
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Sydney Todd 
 
FIELD HOCKEY
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Aylin Aufenacker 
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Reese Bloomstead 
 
FOOTBALL
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Jaden Shirden 
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Greg Anderson 
 
MEN'S GOLF
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Ethan Lee 
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Travis Dix 
 
WOMEN'S GOLF
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Sophia Ramirez Velandia 
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Liddie McCook 
 
MEN'S LACROSSE
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Tommy Heller 
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Jack Gertie 
 
WOMEN'S LACROSSE
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Caroline Brennan 
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Rachel Strazdins 
 
ROWING
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Claire Leavens 
LEADERSHIP AWARD:  Sam Staubach 

MEN'S SOCCER
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Ben Zakowski 
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Bastian Hatcher 
 
WOMEN'S SOCCER
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Chloe Ferreira 
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Maddison Perna
 
SOFTBALL
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Billie Kerwood 
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Dani Dabroski 
 
MEN'S SWIMMING
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Owen Dyson 
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Connor Currie
 
WOMEN'S SWIMMING
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Jensen Ritter 
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Maggie Young 
 
MEN'S TENNIS
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Mateo Bivol 
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Gabriel Busato 
 
WOMEN'S TENNIS
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Hana McKinney
 
MEN'S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Jan Volkmar 
LEADERSHIP AWARD: David Strong 
 
WOMEN'S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Yasmeen Tinsley 
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Brianna Rubio 
 
MEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: David Strong 
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Ahmad Brock 
 
WOMEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Isabella Leak 
LEADERSHIP AWARD: Anne Rutledge/Brianna Rubio