REGIS HONORS STUDENT-ATHLETES IN ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET

WESTON, Mass. – Regis College celebrated its annual Athletics Awards Banquet on Friday, April, 27th at the Casey Theater in the Fine Arts Center on the Campus of Regis College. Athletes were recognized for both their athletic and academic accomplishments during the 2011-2012 year.

Women's basketball senior Stephanie Crawford (Rockport, Mass.) was honored with the College's highest athletic award, the Mother Regis Award. The award is named for Mother Mary Regis, the first Superior of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston and the individual for whom the College was named. The recipient of the Award must excel not only in athletics, but show evidence of academic excellence by maintaining an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher. The award was presented by Regis College President Dr. Antoinette M. Hays.

Crawford, a nursing major, was an All-Conference selection the last three seasons and held a 3.5 GPA in her program. The senior leaves Regis having played in 111 games and scoring 1,221 points, leaving her fourth all-time in points scored in Regis women's basketball history.

One of the other major award categories was the Outstanding Senior Student-Athlete Award. The award was first presented back in 1997, and awards a senior that has demonstrated exceptional athletic ability in their sport by receiving a number of awards over their four years. Field Hockey's Victoria Pappas (Niantic, Conn.) received the 2012 Outstanding Senior Student-Athlete Award after earning multiple All-Conference honors as well as national recognition as an Academic All-American for the last four years. A two-year captain, she led her team to their first NECC Conference Championship in 2012.

Crawford's teammate Stefanie Wozmak (Auburn, N.H.) was named the 2012 recipient of the Senior Scholar-Athlete Award that recognizes a senior student-athlete that has c ommitted themselves academically as well as athletically. Wozmak, a four year student-athlete on the women's basketball team, helped lead the Pride to four-straight postseason berths during her time. A senior co-captain, Wozmak is on the Dean's list as well as a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta and Chi Alpha Sigma honor societies and holds a 3.7 GPA in the Health and Fitness Studies major.

Women's basketball continued their decorated evening as the team was awarded the Judith W. Burling Team Award for Academic Excellence. The award is named for long-time and beloved Director of Athletics, Dr. Judy Burling, who served Regis with over 20 years of service. The award is given to the team with the highest cumulative GPA.

For the second consecutive year, the athletics department gave out its Student-Athlete of the Year awards for each individual year – freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior. The award is given out to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional athletic ability in his or her sport.

For first-year students, swimmer Haley Bowen (Litchfield, N.H.) was named the Female Student-Athlete of the Year, while Track & Field's Jeremy Israel (Boston, Mass.) was named the Male Student-Athlete of the Year. Bowen earned All-Conference honors in five events as well as being the conference champion in the 200m breaststroke. In his first season, Israel broke four school records and was a qualifier in both the New England Qualifier and ECAC Championships, taking home the Bronze Medal in the 500-meter dash.

A pair of lacrosse players took home the sophomore awards as men's lacrosse player Billy Stewart (West Roxbury, Mass.) and women's lacrosse's Teresa Busiek (Arlington, Mass.) were named the Second-Year Student Athletes of the Year. Stewart finished the year first on the team in shot s (78) and second on the team in goals with 16 and was fifth on the team in assists with eight. Busiek, last year's First-Year Student Athlete of the Year, scored 58 goals this year and added 11 assists, while leading her team in ground balls (62) and caused turnovers (30).

Another men's lacrosse player took home the Junior Student-Athlete of the Year Award as Stephan Bottex (Norwood, Mass.) earned the award after being one of only three players on his team to start every game this season. Bottex is a three-year captain and led the pride in both groundballs (51) and face off percentage at 47.2% (69-for-146). A two-sport athlete, Kara Donovan (Woburn, Mass.) was honored as Regis' top Junior after competing in every softball game and starting every soccer game this year. Donovan, a defensive specialist on the soccer pitch, ranks in the top-three in every offensive category on the softball team and led the outfield in assists with five.

Rounding out the awards were Senior Student-Athlete of the Year winners Meghan Robohm (Easton, Mass.) and Andrew Carroll (Natick, Mass.). Robohm led the field hockey team to its first-ever NECC Championship and finished the season fifth on the team in goals with two and tied for the team lead in assists with six. Carroll, a four year member of the volleyball program, led his team in kills (105), digs (97), total attacks (374), points (115.5) and points per set (1.9) in 2012.

Other awards handed out included inductions into the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society, recognition for the 62 Scholar-Athlete Award winners, recognition of All-Conference Award winners, All-NECC Academic Award winners, New England Qualifier recognition, and Senior Awards. The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Appreciation Award was given to Paul Leahy, while the Pride Cup was handed out to the Women's Track & Field Team.

The 2012 NECC Field Hockey Championship team was also recognized, while women's basketball head coach Julie Plant was honored for eclipsing the 100-win plateau earlier this season.