RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Men's basketball player Rhamel Brown and Kate Bowen of the softball team were named Manhattan College's Male and Female Student-Athletes of the Year during the Manhattan Athletic Department's 73rd Annual Block M Dinner at Smith Auditorium on Wednesday night. More than 350 student-athletes were recognized at the dinner, with each team presenting its Most Outstanding Performer and M Jasper Academic Award.
Brown earned Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive season in 2012-13 after breaking his own school record with 93 blocked shots. Brown also broke the program record for career blocks and ranked 10th nationally with 3.0 blocks per game. The junior Brooklyn native led the Jaspers with 11.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game and was named Second Team All-Metropolitan and Second Team All-MAAC, while also being selected to the MAAC All-Tournament Team.
Bowen, a junior from Newtown, Conn., led the Jaspers in batting average (.367), hits (61), doubles (12) and runs scored (34), while also belting four home runs and finishing second on the squad with 33 RBIs. She also paced the pitching staff with nine victories and a 3.81 ERA. In addition, Bowen was selected to the Capital One Academic All-District Team.
Joining Brown and Bowen as Most Outstanding Performer honorees were: Ramon Ortega (Baseball), Monica Roeder (Women's Basketball), Alyssa Windle (Women's Cross Country), Andrea Nyback (Women's Indoor Track & Field), Ashley Bowman (Women's Outdoor Track & Field), Tom Voorheis (Men's Cross Country), Felix Siljeback-Larsen (Men's Indoor Track & Field), Tom Bechert (Men's Outdoor Track & Field), Matthew Creamer (Men's Golf), Maria Aloe (Women's Lacrosse), Sean McMahon (Men's Lacrosse), Kara Davis (Women's Soccer), George Ellis (Men's Soccer), Kerry Schuermann (Women's Swimming), Robert Varieur (Men's Swimming), Lili Johnson (Women's Tennis) and Mariana Furquim (Volleyball).
The M Jasper Academic Award, which goes to the graduating senior with the highest GPA on their respective team, went to: Kyle Murphy (Baseball), Maggie Blair (Women's Basketball), George Beamon (Men's Basketball), Emmy Koskinen (Women's Cross Country & Indoor Track & Field), Melissa Yap (Women's Outdoor Track & Field), Will Wilkens (Men's Cross Country), Mike Carroll (Men's Indoor & Outdoor Track & Field), Creamer (Men's Golf), Amy Branchini (Women's Lacrosse), Jon Crean (Men's Lacrosse), Davis (Women's Soccer), Ellis (Men's Soccer), Amanda Babcock (Softball), Jackie Mamary (Women's Swimming), Mickey Ruddy (Men's Swimming), Johnson (Women's Tennis) and Julie Bies (Volleyball).
In addition, three special awards were handed out. The Comeback Player of the Year, which is presented annually by team doctors Anthony Maddalo, Gregg Cavaliere and Nicole Solomos to a student-athlete who was injured last season, but worked their way back to full competition through their perseverance and dedication to rehabilitation, went to Emmy Andujar of the men's basketball team. Hudson Valley Bone & Joint Surgeons made a $2,000 donation in Andujar's name to the Manhattan College Athletic Training Room, which will help student-athletes recover from significant injuries in the future.
The SAAC Award recognizes a student-athlete for their leadership as a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. This year's winner was volleyball player Kelsey Huntoon. The final award handed out was the Junius Kellogg Distinguished Service Award. This award goes to a leader in the Manhattan College community who stands for integrity and serves as a role-model for student-athletes and is presented by the Athletic Department. This year's recipient was Manhattan College chaplain Fr. George Hill.
