DUDLEY, Mass. – The Nichols College athletics department hosted its second annual Athletic Awards Banquet Monday night at the Nichols College Athletic Center.
Hunter Ferreira received the Gary McNulty Award as the Outstanding Male Freshman Student-Athlete. On the gridiron, he led the Bison and finished fifth in the conference with 516 receiving yards. Ferreira's 28 receptions also led the team and placed him in a tie for 10th in the conference, while his eight touchdowns was second in the CCC and tied for the fourth-best mark in program history. This spring, he led the men's lacrosse program in assists, points, shots, and man-up goals, and was second in goals with 34; he ended his season sixth in the conference in points, ninth in assists, and tied for 12th in goals. Ferreira picked up six hat tricks this season and scored a career-high four goals on three occasions this spring. He recorded four points in a game seven times in 2019.
Samantha Kostek collected the Outstanding Freshman Female Student-Athlete Award. Kostek leads the softball team in batting average, hits, and runs scored, is second in stolen bases, and tied for second in runs batted in. She has eight multi-hit games, including a 4-for-4 effort against Worcester State last month, and entered this past weekend batting .391 over her last seven games. A native of Oxford, Connecticut, Kostek collected three hits in wins over McDaniel and Salve Regina, and has committed just two errors in 66 chances in centerfield and at second base this season.
Matt Morrow received the William Horrigan-Bud Sessions Award as the Outstanding Male Sophomore Student-Athlete. He helped the men's basketball program capture its third-straight Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship and advance to the 'Elite 8' of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. A CCC Second Team pick, Morrow collected 17 double-doubles this season to finish 10th in the nation. The Leicester, Mass. native also finished eighth nationally in total rebounds and 15th in field goal percentage. He played his best game of the season in the NCAA Second Round at Rowan on March 2, posting 18 points and 17 rebounds in an 87-76 win. In the CCC Championship win over the Fighting Scots, Morrow notched posted 16 points and 12 boards at the Hart Center in Worcester.
Mel McAleer took home the Nancy Rossini Memorial Award as the Outstanding Female Sophomore Student-Athlete. The Colonial Hockey Conference Player of the Year led the conference with 33 points while her 14 goals were tied for the CHC lead. She registered 11 multi-point games, highlighted by a five-assist performance in a win over King's on November 23. McAleer had five two-goal games, scoring twice in both ends of a home-and-home with UNE to close the regular season. At the conclusion of the regular season, she was named to the New England Hockey Writers Association Division III All-Star Team. McAleer is currently tied for third all-time in goals and fourth in points in program history.
DeAnte Bruton received the Outstanding Male Junior Student-Athlete Award. He helped the men's basketball program post the best record in program history and advance to the NCAA Tournament for the third-straight season. The 2017 CCC Rookie of the Year enters his senior season with 1,667 career points, which is No. 6 all-time at Nichols. Bruton is also fourth in steals and ninth in assists. The New London, Conn. native reached double figures in scoring in all but one game this season, including 14 games with at least 20 points and three games with at least 30 points He poured in game-high 32 points in CCC Championship against Gordon, and Bruton's 22-point, nine-rebound effort against Swarthmore in the Elite 8 is a performance those in attendance will never forget.
Amarie Settiwongse grabbed the Outstanding Female Junior Student-Athlete Award. She was named the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Player of the Year for the third time this past fall, making her one of just four student-athletes in conference history ever to do so. She closed the fall with a perfect 7-0 mark in conference play and boasts a 16-3 overall singles mark this season. Settiwongse scored key wins at No. 1 singles against Endicott, Gordon, and Salve Regina during the regular season before earning a perfect 6-0, 6-0 win against Roger Williams in the CCC Semifinals. The Bangkok, Thailand native then won a hard-fought, three-set match against Endicott in the CCC Championship.
Joe Assenza was named this year's recipient of the Jim Miller Senior Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship. He is in the midst of a career season for the resurgent Bison, who carry a 20-17 record into the final regular season contest of the season. This Poughkeepsie, New York native leads the Bison and is ninth in the CCC with a .338 batting average while his 33 runs and nine doubles are both tied for seventh in the conference. He has established a career-high in home runs this season and has 14 multi-hit games. He is currently riding an 11-game hitting streak. His 95 runs ranks eighth in program history and his 151 hits is ninth.
Cassandra Goyette snared the Outstanding Female Senior Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship. She established single-season program records for wins, goals against average, save percentage, and shutouts in one season this year as the Bison won a program-record 14 games in 2018-19. Named to the Colonial Hockey Conference Second Team, Goyette graduates number one in program history in wins, goals against averages, save percentage, shutouts, and saves. The Norton, Massachusetts native is also a three-time academic all-conference pick.
The Richard W. Scheffler Sixth Man Award was presented to
Shane Crayton. The award is named after longtime Nichols athletic employee Richard 'Dick' Scheffler – the biggest Bison supporter there ever was. Crayton was a three-year member of the football team and recently named 'Mr. Nichols.' Off the field, he has been a key member of the game management staff for the athletic department, serving as the voice of many Nichols College programs both on the public address system and our webcasts. A native of Leicester, Massachusetts, Crayton was been a member of the student government association during his time in Dudley and is the founder of the Men of Distinction organization.
The Major Charles T. Hopkins Award for Study, Sports, and Spirit is presented to the senior athlete whom has great success both in the classroom and in the arena of competition. This year's recipient,
Sabrina Boermeester, holds a 4.0 grade point average and will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. A three-year member of the women's volleyball program, she ranks first in service aces, third in kills, fifth in blocks, and sixth in digs. A native of Billerica, Massachusetts, she established career-highs in kills, assists, and blocks in 2018. Off the court, Boermeester is a member of the Honors Scholar Program and Emerging Leaders Program at Nichols as well as the Zeta Alpha Phi honors society. She has served as the President of the Class of 2019 and a head tutor for the academic resource center.
The Dan Cardin Memorial Award for Integrity and Leadership – which is presented to a student-athlete who is a model leader or unsung hero for their respective team – went to
Brian McKinley of the men's lacrosse team. Following a Commonwealth Coast Conference Third Team selection last season, this Nashua, New Hampshire native earned First Team honors this season despite playing nearly the entire 2019 season with a broken thumb. He leads the conference in saves and is second in save percentage, tied for second in wins, and third in goals against average. McKinley will graduate number one all-time at Nichols in wins, number two in saves and goals against, and number six in save percentage. A two-time CCC Academic All-Conference selection, he has worked in the athletic training room for three years, is a Chi Alpha Sigma member, and will graduate next month with a degree in marketing. Associate Athletic Director
Eric Gobiel said "He's been the anchor of our defense for years and a key piece of our program's success over his entire career. He is someone we will truly miss in the years to come."
Marcos Echevarria received The Hal Chalmers Memorial Award, which is presented to a senior student-athlete who has exemplified leadership through athletics, academics, student involvement, and overall Bison Pride. Echevarria holds a 3.4 GPA and will graduate with a degree in accounting. He finished his illustrious career on the hardwood No. 16 all-time in scoring in Division III history and third in three-pointers. This past season, Echevarria helped the Bison advance to the 'Elite 8' for the first time in program history, averaging 20.3 points to go with 3.9 assists and 1.8 steals. The Lynn, Massachusetts native was named to the Commonwealth Coast Conference First Team for the third-consecutive season and is also a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-District pick. A Jostens Trophy finalist, Echevarria closed his career at Nichols having banged in a three-pointer in an NCAA-record 105 consecutive games, dating back to his freshman campaign. He is the college's all-time leader in points, games played, free throws, and steals. Following the season, Echevarria was named to the D3hoops.com All-Northeast Region First Team for the third time in his career and invited to participate in the National Basketball Coaches Association Division III College All-Star Game, which took place at the Final Four in Fort Wayne, Ind.
