NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – The 2012-13 academic year for the State University of New York at New Paltz Department of Athletics, Wellness & Recreation came to a close in its typical fashion on Wednesday, May 8, at McKenna Theatre, as the department recognized a number of individuals and teams at the 2013 New Paltz Athletics Ceremony.

New Paltz director of athletics Stuart Robinson started the evening by delivering a welcome address, which spoke to the department's overall success during the course of the year. Each coach then spoke about his/her team's season, after which he/she gave out a team MVP award. After the distribution of academic awards, the newest additions to the Leadership Wall were announced. The major awards were then distributed before senior men's basketball player Matt Devine delivered the senior address. The highlight of the evening, as it is every year, was the unveiling of the 2012-13 end-of-the-year highlight video.

The following individuals and teams were given awards during the ceremony:

The New Paltz Prize
Awarded to the male and female team that has the highest team grade-point average at the conclusion of each semester. To be considered for the team prize, a team must have a minimum of 10 members.

Spring 2012:
Women's Volleyball (3.45)
Men's Basketball (3.17)

Fall 2012:
Women's Volleyball (3.46)
Men's Swimming (3.10)

The Donald Bishko Award
Awarded to the male and female athlete who has the highest combined grade-point average at the conclusion of the spring and fall of the year leading to the award.

Shayna Burgess (softball): 3.96 GPA, communication disorders
Michael Pinnola (baseball): 3.93 GPA, business

Leadership Wall Honorees
These individuals have demonstrated exemplary leadership both in and out of competition and will have a plaque bearing their name and photo on the department's Leadership Wall.

Chelsea Allocco (women's swimming)
Matt Carr (baseball)
Matt Devine (men's basketball)
Kayla DiPaulo (women's tennis)
Maliqua Fisher (women's basketball)

The Kenneth F. Burda Sportsmanship Award
Awarded to a student-athlete who has participated for at least three years and who demonstrates outstanding academic achievement, sportsmanship, citizenship, ethical conduct and leadership throughout his/her career beyond which is generally expected of student-athletes at New Paltz.

Female – Kim Lepore (field hockey)
Kim Lepore distinguished herself both on and off the field, as evidenced by the sheer number of accolades she has received. Athletically, she was tabbed to the All-State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Second Team in 2012, and her four-year career as a starting defender was capped with the program's first-ever SUNYAC title in 2012. Her work off the field was recognized, too, as she was named a SUNY Chancellor's Scholar-Athlete and earned the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence this past year. Lepore is a three-time SUNYAC All-Academic Team recipient (fall 2009-10, fall 2012) and a three-time SUNAYC Commissioner's List honoree (fall 2010-12), and she was named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) NCAA Division III National Academic Team during each of her four years at New Paltz. Her teammates look up to her, too, as she served as a team captain during the 2011 and 2012 seasons.

Male – Brian Smith (men's volleyball)
Brian Smith has embraced his first year as a team captain and has helped foster a culture of sportsmanship and excellence within the men's volleyball program. Beyond the respect he has earned from his teammates, Smith has also exhibited leadership off the court, as he coordinated a number of men's volleyball's staffing efforts at home athletics events. Smith was instrumental in the smooth production of men's volleyball's Senior Day activities this past year, and he remains a positive influence within the department.

The Athletic Director's Award
Awarded to a person or persons who, in the estimation of the Athletic Director, has provided dedicated service to the department.

Chris Carlson

Opposing basketball teams and fans feared the Hawks' Nest as much as the New Paltz teams themselves this season, largely due to the efforts of Chris Carlson. From orchestrating the pre-game chants of "I believe that we will win" to distracting opponents during free throws, Carlson—and the entire Hawks' Nest—constructed a huge home-court advantage for New Paltz basketball. It is fitting, then, that the Hawks had one of their best-ever all-around seasons on their home floor; the women's basketball team went 13-1 at home, while the men's basketball team went 7-5 in the friendly confines of the Hawk Center. Because of Carlson's enthusiasm and love for New Paltz basketball, the Department of Athletics, Wellness & Recreation received a raucous atmosphere at home events this past season.

The Carol Eckman Award
Awarded to the outstanding female athlete of the year.

Antonija Pjetri (field hockey)

Perhaps more impressive than the truckload of postseason accolades that she earned this year was Antonija Pjetri's dominant performance in goal during the championship game of the SUNYAC Field Hockey Tournament. With the score tied at 1-all after two overtime periods, New Paltz and SUNY Cortland went to a shootout to determine the conference champion. Pjetri turned aside every Red Dragon shot during that shootout, and the Hawks punched their ticket to the NCAA Division III Field Hockey Tournament. Pjetri finished the year with program-record-setting single-season marks in save percentage (.860) and goals-against average (1.09), and she wound up tied for the NCAA Division III lead in save percentage. She went 16-5 during the course of the season, and she registered 135 saves and eight shutouts. Pjetri was named an All-American by the NFHCA and Synapse Sports, and she also was lauded as the SUNYAC Player of the Year and the SUNYAC Tournament MVP. To boot, she gained First-Team All-SUNYAC laurels.


The Floyd Patterson Award
Awarded to the outstanding male athlete of the year.

Tim Ferriter (men's volleyball)

Rarely does a freshman have an immediate impact with a varsity athletics program; in Tim Ferriter's case, he finished the 2013 season as one of the most decorated men's volleyball players in the program's history. While the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) did not start awarding All-America honors until 2004, Ferriter became the program's first-ever First-Team All-American, and he also became New Paltz's first Division III Newcomer of the Year. In addition, Ferriter was named the United Volleyball Conference (UVC) Rookie of the Year and was chosen to the All-UVC First Team. He finished the season ranked 21st in NCAA Division III in kills per set (3.29), and he racked up an impressive .343 hitting percentage (345-111-676) as an outside hitter. To boot, Ferriter ranked among the team leaders in digs per set (1.44), service aces per set (0.30) and blocks per set (0.43). He was a driving force all season for a Hawk team that went 27-6 overall and 8-3 in UVC play. New Paltz narrowly missed out on an at-large bid into the NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Tournament after falling to the Stevens Institute of Technology, 3-2, in the semifinal round of the UVC Tournament.


The Heinz Ahlmeyer Award
Awarded to a junior or senior athlete with two or more years of varsity participation whose dedication, perseverance and service beyond self throughout his/her athletic career at New Paltz has been an inspiration to both his/her teammates and fellow students.

Maliqua Fisher (women's basketball)

In what was clearly the most profound presentation of the evening, director of athletics Stuart Robinson read a letter he wrote addressed to Maliqua Fisher about receiving the Heinz Ahlmeyer Award. Here is the letter in full, which encapsulates perfectly all of the reasons that Fisher is deserving of the honor:

Dear Maliqua:

Tonight you are about to take your place as the 18th female student-athlete (and the first female of color) in the history of this award to take that nervous walk up to the stage to be recognized by all in attendance about your accomplishment as a student, an athlete, but more importantly, as a person. It is my hope that as you take that walk that you will savor that journey and let the moment own you because out of an impressive list of four other student-athletes, your star burned a little brighter.

First, let me tell you a little about the man for whom this award is named. Heinz Ahlmeyer was a student-athlete who attended New Paltz in the mid 1960s. Those who knew Heinz say that he was not a standout athlete, but he was a great teammate. Heinz was the type of person who always put his teammates first and was not afraid to challenge anyone (including his coaches) if they were not going to be fair to them. Coach Ventriglia had the privilege and pleasure to know Heinz. In fact, he also roomed with Heinz during his undergraduate time at New Paltz. Coach V has always said that it was not his play as an athlete that made him great. Heinz barely played, but he was a strong individual figuratively and literally. He was the strongest defender of team. He led by being a great teammate.

So, your humility might ask, "Why Me?" The three principles that guide this award are: dedication, perseverance and service beyond self. Dedication: simply stated, you love basketball. You love the escape that it provides from any other issues, stresses and distractions. You have worked on your game as a player and have always prided yourself on being up to any challenge that an opponent could present. Soft-spoken off the court, you worked to make a statement on the court. No challenge was too daunting; and you always did it with a smile.

Perseverance: Throughout your career, you have had to battle stress fractures in both legs that might have subdued others, but you would not be limited by the injury. Although your coach and the athletic trainers sometimes had to hold you back, you were always so determined not to show weakness no matter the pain. Again, your love of the sport would not let be denied what you thought that the team could achieve. Anyone present in the Hawk Center on the day that you and your teammates won your first SUNYAC title can forget the joy, the smile and of course the victory net around your neck.

Service Beyond Self: Jackie Robinson once said that "a life is not important, except in the impact it has on other lives." To know you it to know that this is the essence of who you are. Whether working as an EOP Mentor, EOP Orientation Liaison, RA or a member of the women's basketball team, you have always been conscious of the fact that you are a role model and an inspiration that anything is possible if you believe. You have given of yourself as a person and have had an impact on so many others in so many ways. These are the reasons why we celebrate your winning this award.

Over the past several years that I have spoken to Coach V, Heinz's sister and others who have played with or knew Heinz Ahlmeyer, I think that he would be impressed by the accomplishments that you have received while a student at his Alma Mater. As an EOP student, you have taken advantage of the educational opportunity afforded to you in the classroom and on the court. As an athlete, you have shown that one can be a fierce competitor and still have the utmost love of a sport. As a person, you have as Jackie Robinson said is the most luxurious possession, personal dignity. Yes, the College has and continues to change; but its core remains the same—people like you carry on the legacy Heinz Ahlmeyer left and what is best about New Paltz in general.

So stand up, smile and take the walk that you richly deserve.

Congratulations!


Team MVPs:
Women's Soccer: Samantha Abravanel
Women's Volleyball: Marissa King
Field Hockey: Antonija Pjetri
Men's Soccer: Harrison Lane
Women's Cross Country: Nichole Wischoff
Men's Cross Country: Rob Gorski
Women's Tennis: Paige Munroe
Men's Basketball: Matt Devine
Women's Swimming: Yuka Suzuka
Men's Swimming: Marton Keri
Women's Lacrosse: Talia Tesler
Men's Volleyball: Tim Ferriter
Women's Basketball: Alex McCullough and Maliqua Fisher
Softball: Amber Carozza
Baseball: Matt Kaldon