On Tuesday evening, the Clarkson University Athletic Department celebrated the accomplishments of its student-athletes with the 14th-annual Athletic Awards Ceremony.
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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 appreciate of the intricacies and importance of teamwork, went to senior women's lacrosse player Hanna Gleason. A two-year captain, Gleason serves the Golden Knights as an emotional and vocal leader throughout practices and games, offering encouragement to get better each day. Prior to a knee injury, she ranked second on the team in groundballs and helped the Golden Knights limit their opponents to a conference-low 5.77 goals per game. In addition to her leadership and prowess on the field, Gleason also has posted a 3.857 grade-point average and earned Presidential Scholar honors while majority in Biology with a concentration in Physical Therapy as well as minors in both Chemistry and Psychology. Â
The Male Athlete of the Year Award award went to senior Felix Abongo of the men's basketball team. Abongo was not only named a Liberty League First-Team All-Star, but he was picked as the Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year as well. A four-time conference all-star selection, Abongo finished his career eighth all-time in scoring, seventh all-time in rebounding, and eighth all-time in assists. He also finished ninth in blocked shots and made more free throws than any other player in the past 45 years at Clarkson.
The Female Athlete of the Year honor was awarded to senior Aishvina Arasu of the volleyball team. An AVCA Second-Team All-American, ECAC Metro/Upstate Player of the Year, and unanimous Liberty League Player of the Year, Arasu set the program record for kills with more than 1700. She helped lead the Golden Knights to a fourth straight trip to the NCAA Quarterfinals with a win in the New York Regional, as Clarkson has remained unbeaten in conference and in the region since October 2012.
For the second straight year, the Female Scholar Athlete of the Year went to senior women's lacrosse player Christine Wright. After seven semesters, Wright still has a flawless 4.00 grade-point average in Electrical Engineering, and she was chosen as a Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-American as a junior last year. She has only stepped up her game on field as a senior, as she easily leads the conference in total points (79) and assists (40), setting new single-season records for both categories through just 13 games this year.
Joining Wright as the top scholar athlete was men's lacrosse player Nick Strandholm, who gained the Male Scholar Athlete of the Year honor. Strandholm was chosen as a Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District winner as a sophomore last year and was also named a Liberty League All-Star Honorable Mention. With a 4.00 grade-point average in Civil Engineering, he once again is a strong candidate for CoSIDA honors.
The Male Rookie of the Year honor was shared between Brad Belote of the golf team and Charlie Maitland of the Nordic skiing team. Through 16 rounds this year, Belote is averaging 77.06 strokes per 18 holes in his first collegiate season. He finished second at the Liberty League Fall Golf Championships and his last round saw him shoot a two-under par 69 at the Ballston Spa Country Club on April 17. Maitland won the 1.5K sprint at the USCSA Nationals and finished third overall for the Golden Knights, also placing fourth in the 15K and 12th in the 7.5K races.
The Female Rookie of the Year award went to women's hockey player Loren Gabel. Named to the CAC Hockey All-Rookie team, Gabel ranked fifth on the team in scoring 27 points and was second in goals with 18. She tied for seventh in the nation in points among first-year players and was second in the country in goals among freshmen with 18.
The Team Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (S.A.A.C.) award went to the Clarkson Women's Lacrosse team. The Team GPA Award was given to the Men's Nordic Ski team, which had a collective 3.509 grade-point average.Â
