Seton Hall Celebrates Student-Athletes at 2022 SHUcademy Awards
5/4/2022 2:32:00 PM | Baseball, General, Men's Basketball, Men's Cross Country, Men's Golf, Men's Soccer, Men's Swimming and Diving, Softball, Women's Basketball, Women's Cross Country, Women's Golf, Women's Soccer, Women's Swimming and Diving, Women's Tennis, Women's Volleyball, H.A.L.L. Program
South Orange, N.J. - As the end of the 2021-22 academic year rapidly approaches, Seton Hall Athletics hosted the 2022 SHUcademy Awards on Tuesday, April 26, the first in-person edition of the awards show since 2019. The event was held in historic Walsh Gymnasium to celebrate the best of the best in Pirates athletics for the year.Â
Seton Hall assistant strength & conditioning coordinator Angelo Gingerelli hosted the event, and for the first time ever, the SHUcademy Awards featured a musical guest as JayReal, the stage name of men's basketball graduate student Jamir Harris, opened the show with his first live performance.
Women's basketball star point guard Lauren Park-Lane was named the Junior Female Athlete of the Year after a record-setting campaign in which she set new Seton Hall and BIG EAST assists records, earned first-team All-BIG EAST honors and was named the Metropolitan Div. I Women's Player of the Year.
Men's swimming & diving's Ross Pantano was named the Junior Male Athlete of the Year. He was part of two BIG EAST Championship winning medley relay teams and was named All-BIG EAST in five events total while also swimming an NCAA B standard time in the 200 backstroke.
Volleyball outside hitter Perri Lucas was named the Sophomore Female Athlete of the Year after leading the Pirates in kills and kills per set and earning All-Tournament honors across three different non-conference tournaments that Seton Hall attended.
Men's basketball's Kadary Richmond was named Sophomore Male Athlete of the Year after helping the Pirates to the NCAA Tournament with excellent play at the point guard position. He finished fourth in the BIG EAST in assists and fifth in steals.
Softball's Taylor Hill and women's swimming & diving's Allie Waggoner were crowned Co-Freshman Female Athletes of the Year. Hill currently leads the BIG EAST in doubles and is top-10 in batting average, slugging percentage and RBI. Waggoner broke the school record in two events, the 1000 freestyle and 400 IM, and went on to post top-six finishes in the 1650 freestyle and 400 IM at the BIG EAST Championship.
Men's swimming & diving's Sean Vizzard garnered Male Freshman Athlete of the Year after capturing the BIG EAST Championship in the 1650 freestyle with a school-record time and also earning All-BIG EAST honors in the 500 freestyle.
The senior athletes of the year will be announced at the Pirate Blue Senior Banquet on May 18.
Other winners on the evening included:
Most Valuable Pirate Staff Award
John Moon, Cross Country Head Coach
Walter Dukes Integrity & Impact Award
Caleb Smith, Men's Swimming & Diving
Iron Pirate Award
Janae Barracato, Softball
Blaise Panzini, Baseball
Pirate Perseverance Award
Alex Clyde, Baseball
Chris Lotito, Baseball
Freshman Scholar-Athletes of the Year
Matthew Bethea, Baseball
Caroline Lipton, Women's Soccer
Molly Mitman, Softball
Chiara Pucci, Women's Soccer
Sophomore Scholar-Athletes of the Year
Madeline Field, Women's Swimming & Diving
Josie McCartney, Women's Swimming & Diving
Mark Walier, Men's Soccer
Junior Scholar-Athletes of the Year
Torre Avitabile, Men's Soccer
Cornelia Jerresand, Women's Swimming & Diving
Senior Scholar-Athletes of the Year
JP Marin, Men's Soccer
Emma Newgarden, Women's Cross Country
Team Academic Award (Highest GPA)
Women's Golf
Men's Soccer
2021-22 Academic All-Stars (Highest GPA)
Torre Avitabile, Men's Soccer
Nicole Bastian, Women's Swimming & Diving
Luca Dahn, Men's Soccer
Madeline Field, Women's Swimming & Diving
Cornelia Jerresand, Women's Swimming & Diving
Oliwia Kempinski, Tennis
Josie McCartney, Women's Swimming & Diving
Emma Newgarden, Women's Cross Country
Hannes Ronnholmen, Men's Soccer
Mark Walier, Men's Soccer
Sport & Spirituality Award
Ben Puglessi, Men's Swimming & Diving
Breakthrough Athletes of the Year
Shelby Smith, Softball
Games of the Year
Men's basketball wins at No. 4 Michigan
Women's basketball rallies to win WNIT semifinals at Middle Tennessee State
Play of the Year
Mya Bembry hits game-winning jumper to lift women's basketball over Creighton in BIG EAST quarterfinals
Seton Hall assistant strength & conditioning coordinator Angelo Gingerelli hosted the event, and for the first time ever, the SHUcademy Awards featured a musical guest as JayReal, the stage name of men's basketball graduate student Jamir Harris, opened the show with his first live performance.
Women's basketball star point guard Lauren Park-Lane was named the Junior Female Athlete of the Year after a record-setting campaign in which she set new Seton Hall and BIG EAST assists records, earned first-team All-BIG EAST honors and was named the Metropolitan Div. I Women's Player of the Year.
Men's swimming & diving's Ross Pantano was named the Junior Male Athlete of the Year. He was part of two BIG EAST Championship winning medley relay teams and was named All-BIG EAST in five events total while also swimming an NCAA B standard time in the 200 backstroke.
Volleyball outside hitter Perri Lucas was named the Sophomore Female Athlete of the Year after leading the Pirates in kills and kills per set and earning All-Tournament honors across three different non-conference tournaments that Seton Hall attended.
Men's basketball's Kadary Richmond was named Sophomore Male Athlete of the Year after helping the Pirates to the NCAA Tournament with excellent play at the point guard position. He finished fourth in the BIG EAST in assists and fifth in steals.
Softball's Taylor Hill and women's swimming & diving's Allie Waggoner were crowned Co-Freshman Female Athletes of the Year. Hill currently leads the BIG EAST in doubles and is top-10 in batting average, slugging percentage and RBI. Waggoner broke the school record in two events, the 1000 freestyle and 400 IM, and went on to post top-six finishes in the 1650 freestyle and 400 IM at the BIG EAST Championship.
Men's swimming & diving's Sean Vizzard garnered Male Freshman Athlete of the Year after capturing the BIG EAST Championship in the 1650 freestyle with a school-record time and also earning All-BIG EAST honors in the 500 freestyle.
The senior athletes of the year will be announced at the Pirate Blue Senior Banquet on May 18.
Other winners on the evening included:
Most Valuable Pirate Staff Award
John Moon, Cross Country Head Coach
Walter Dukes Integrity & Impact Award
Caleb Smith, Men's Swimming & Diving
Iron Pirate Award
Janae Barracato, Softball
Blaise Panzini, Baseball
Pirate Perseverance Award
Alex Clyde, Baseball
Chris Lotito, Baseball
Freshman Scholar-Athletes of the Year
Matthew Bethea, Baseball
Caroline Lipton, Women's Soccer
Molly Mitman, Softball
Chiara Pucci, Women's Soccer
Sophomore Scholar-Athletes of the Year
Madeline Field, Women's Swimming & Diving
Josie McCartney, Women's Swimming & Diving
Mark Walier, Men's Soccer
Junior Scholar-Athletes of the Year
Torre Avitabile, Men's Soccer
Cornelia Jerresand, Women's Swimming & Diving
Senior Scholar-Athletes of the Year
JP Marin, Men's Soccer
Emma Newgarden, Women's Cross Country
Team Academic Award (Highest GPA)
Women's Golf
Men's Soccer
2021-22 Academic All-Stars (Highest GPA)
Torre Avitabile, Men's Soccer
Nicole Bastian, Women's Swimming & Diving
Luca Dahn, Men's Soccer
Madeline Field, Women's Swimming & Diving
Cornelia Jerresand, Women's Swimming & Diving
Oliwia Kempinski, Tennis
Josie McCartney, Women's Swimming & Diving
Emma Newgarden, Women's Cross Country
Hannes Ronnholmen, Men's Soccer
Mark Walier, Men's Soccer
Sport & Spirituality Award
Ben Puglessi, Men's Swimming & Diving
Breakthrough Athletes of the Year
Shelby Smith, Softball
Games of the Year
Men's basketball wins at No. 4 Michigan
Women's basketball rallies to win WNIT semifinals at Middle Tennessee State
Play of the Year
Mya Bembry hits game-winning jumper to lift women's basketball over Creighton in BIG EAST quarterfinals
Players Mentioned
D
/ Men's Soccer
Utility
/ Softball
Breaststroke
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
F
/ Women's Basketball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
Backstroke/IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
G
/ Men's Basketball
Infield
/ Softball
Freestyle
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Tennis
D
/ Women's Soccer
RHP
/ Baseball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
Butterfly/Freestyle
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Outfield
/ Softball
/ Women's Cross Country
Backstroke/IM
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
RHP
/ Baseball
G
/ Women's Basketball
D
/ Women's Soccer
Backstroke/Butterfly
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
G
/ Men's Basketball
GK
/ Men's Soccer
Freestyle/IM
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
Pitcher
/ Softball
Freestyle/IM
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
Freestyle/IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
D
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