BENNINGTON, Vt. – Southern Vermont College held its 2015 Athletics Banquet Monday evening, a time in which all 12 teams were recognized and honored before the department named its annual major award winners.
Women’s basketball junior captain Amber Flagg (Windsor, Conn.) collected her second straight Scott McKenzie Sportswoman of the Year laurel while baseball senior captain Sal Sciara (Massapequa, N.Y.) took home the 2015 Scott McKenzie Sportsman of the Year honor.
Men’s volleyball senior captain Scott Fitzgerald (Queensbury, N.Y.) was tabbed the 2015 Mountaineer Male Scholar Athlete of the Year, and sophomore Melodie Orrell (Gloucester, Mass.), a standout player for women’s soccer and a captain on the women’s lacrosse squad, reeled in the 2015 Mountaineer Female Scholar Athlete of the Year award.
SVC Athletics staff members nominated a quality pool for each of the major accolades, and the department then voted to decide the winners.
The Scott McKenzie Sportspeople of the Year, named after the former SVC head women’s soccer coach (1992-99), head softball coach (1997-99), and sports information director, is an award that represents an individual who is all-inclusive in all aspects of the Southern Vermont College athletics community, with the strongest focus being on performance. Aside from athletic success, the other attributes that play a very important role in receiving this award are sportsmanship and leadership both on and off the field, court, course or track.
Flagg, a Criminal Justice major, was tabbed the McKenzie Sportswoman of the Year after having another amazing season for the SVC women’s basketball team, leading the Mountaineers to their first-ever playoff appearance. Helping the team go all the way to the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Championship, she was named to the All-NECC First Team for the second year in-a-row. Flagg was a third-year captain for the Mountaineers, providing valuable leadership to the group. Additionally, she is a campus advisor, a representative to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and recently received the SVC Student Affairs Leadership Award.
Sciara, also a student in the College’s Criminal Justice program, is finishing one of his best-ever seasons as a Mountaineer as he’s concluding his collegiate career. Out of the lead-off spot, he has the best batting average on the team which also ranks him highly in the NECC. A dirt dog, the speedy senior never shies away from getting the opposing pitcher to throw over a handful of times or laying out in center to prevent a ball from dropping in. A third-year captain for Coach Gage, Sciara is looked up to by his teammates and peers as he sets a positive example on campus. A member of the SAAC, he is also willing to help out the department whenever called upon to provide an extra set of hands with a project or to assist in game operations.
To be eligible for the Mountaineer Scholar-Athlete Award, a student-athlete must post a minimum grade point average of 3.40 on a scale of 4.00 following the fall semester and must be a sophomore or higher in class standing. It is not based solely on academic performance, focusing on the balance between student and athlete.
Fitzgerald had an exceptional GPA following the fall term and is expected to land himself on the NECC All-Academic Team following the closing of spring marks. He was a captain for the men’s volleyball squad, helping guide the Mountaineers to their fifth-straight NECC playoff appearance and first-ever ECAC invitation with the program’s first winning record and most-ever victories. A Psychology major, Fitzgerald excelled both in his course work and on the court, being named an All-NECC Honorable Mention following the conclusion of the season.
Orrell did not allow her participation on two teams to affect her phenomenal success in the classroom, being named to the 2014 NECC Fall All-Academic Team and being on pace to make the spring squad after next week’s finals period. A student in the College’s Radiologic Sciences program, she excelled in both aspects of being a student-athlete. She was named to the All-NECC Second Team on the women’s soccer side of things, and her brilliant season on SVC’s inaugural women’s lacrosse squad has put her in line to garner additional all-conference accolades next week.
BANQUET PHOTO GALLERY
BANQUET SLIDE SHOW
Scott McKenzie Sportsman of the Year - Sal Sciara
Scott McKenzie Sportswoman of the Year - Amber Flagg
Mountaineer Male Scholar Athlete of the Year - Scott Fitzgerald
Mountaineer Female Scholar Athlete of the Year - Melodie Orrell
Robert Consalvo Faculty Appreciation Award – Michelle Deal
Sue Lamontagne Staff Appreciation Award – Stefano Donati
Southern Vermont 2015 Team Awards
Baseball
Silver Slugger – Sal Sciara
Gold Glove – RJ Pingitore
Cy Young – Joshua Hay
Men’s Basketball
Defensive Player of the Year – Casey Hall
Mountaineer Award – Dolapo Olugbile
Leadership Award – Antoine White
Women’s Basketball
Most Valuable Player – Amber Flagg
Breakout Player of the Year – Sarah McDonald
Men’s Cross Country
Instant Impact Award – Justin Ferguson
Most Improved Award – Patrick O’Toole
Mountaineer Award – Victor Velazquez
Women’s Cross Country
Rookie Award – Tenzin Dhekyong
Most Improved Award – Victoria Cotter
Team Spirit Award – Emily Freling
Women’s Lacrosse
Most Valuable Player – Melodie Orrell
Coach’s Award – Emily Lesure
Mountaineer Unsung Hero Award – Lauren Nesshoever
Outdoor Track & Field
Men’s Mid/Distance Award – Justin Ferguson
Golden Heart Award – Cameron Michael Curtiss
Women’s Mid/Distance Award – Shelby Whitman
Women’s Soccer
Most Valuable Player – Michelle Flores
Player’s Choice Award – Melodie Orrell
Softball
Most Valuable Player – Erika Garay
Coach’s Award – Emily Fleming
Most Improved Player – Michelle Flores
Men’s Volleyball
Most Valuable Player – Joey Dighton
Best Offensive Player – Herson Canta
Best Defensive Player – Tino Escovedo
Women’s Volleyball
Most Improved Player – Erin Ryan
Most Valuable Player – Jessica Delgado
Coach’s Award – Brin Goldman