HOPE BENJAMIN AND BEN PERRY WIN ATHLETIC DEPARTMENTS HIGHEST HONORS

WESTON, Mass.—In its annual athletics award banquet, Regis College recognized Hope Benjamin (Rochester, Mass./Old Rochester Regional) and Benjamin Perry (Chicopee, Mass./Chicopee) with the departments highest athletic awards. Benjamin was honored with the Mother Regis Award, while Perry received the Casserly Award. Both awards are named after Regis College founder Sister Mary Regis Casserly.

The two awards are presented to a male and female student-athlete that meets three specific categories. Award winners must present academic excellence, above a 3.0 grade point average, athletic excellence, and service to the community.

Benjamin, a senior for the Regis College softball team is its all-time leader in homeruns, and a two-time The Commonwealth Coast Conference Honorable Mention. She finished her season with a .375 batting average, nine homeruns, and 37 RBI.

Perry is one of the first male swimmers to graduate from a program that began when the college became co-educational in 2007. Perry has swum each year in the New England Swimming and Diving Invitational Association Championships. Having competed consecutive years as a New England qualifier, Perry has set several personal and team records. Perry is a Dean’s List member, and has won the Rising Star Award.

The other major award categories were Regis College Outstanding Senior Scholar-Athlete, won by Michael Fernandes (Granby, Mass./Granby) and Randelle “Randi” Garrity (Reading, Mass./Reading).

Derrick Neal (Boston, Mass./Brighton) was the men’s basketball team’s first 1,000-point scorer, and won the Outstanding Senior Student-Athlete Award with Sarah McNult (Hampstead, NH/Pinkerton Academy). Neal has been a four-year starter for Regis College, and led the team to its first TCCC and ECAC tournaments during the 2010-11 season.

McNult, a senior captain for the women’s basketball team, has led Regis College to four consecutive TCCC postseason appearances, and two Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference playoffs. During the 2009-10 season, Regis College made its first appearance in TCCC Championship since the mid-1990s.

For the first time in athletics banquet history, three new awards were added. The Regis College Outstanding Student-Athlete by class year was awarded for the first time. First-year student-athletes Teresa Busiek (Arlington, Mass./Arlington Catholic) of the women’s lacrosse team and Ryan Chambers (Abington, Mass.) of men’s basketball team won the Outstanding First-Year Student-Athlete award.

Brad Hastings (Mansfield, Mass.) of men’s lacrosse team and Kara Donovan (Woburn, Mass.) of women’s soccer and softball team earned the Outstanding Second-Year Student-Athlete award.

Wade Thongsythong (Framingham, Mass.) of the men’s soccer team and Stephanie Crawford (Rockland, Mass.) of the women’s basketball team earned the Outstanding Third-Year Student-Athlete Award for their respective teams.

Conference awards had not been presented for spring sports as conference championships began on Saturday. The annual awards banquet culminates the conclusion of Regis’ 16 NCAA Division III sports, and hopeful conference awards for teams and student-athletes.