(photo by Riley Olson)
For the second year in a row, Cara Pellechia (Rochester, NY/Hilton) was named the Fredonia State Female Athlete of the Year. She was joined on the podium by teammate Cameron Sample (Niagara Falls, NY/ Niagara Falls), who was named the Male Athlete of the Year.
Both were SUNYAC Champions for the Track and Field team.
Pellechia won both the indoor and outdoor pole vault championships. She also earned points in the 100m dash. Pellechia now has six conference pole vault titles to her name. Additional accolades include the SUNYAC Field Athlete of the Year, and SUNYAC Female Student-Athlete of the Year. She carries a 3.95 GPA in Communications Disorders and Sciences.
Sample took the conference long jump title and currently ranks sixth in the nation after his leap of 7.23m. That puts him at No. 2 in school history. He was also part of the school records in the 4x200 and 4x100 relays. He carries a 3.10 GPA in Sport Management.
Other winners included Mieley Baran (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster) as the Female Rookie of the Year, and Stephen Hallberg (Jamestown, NY/Jamestown) as the Male Rookie of the Year. Baran scored 24 goals and had 16 assists for the women's lacrosse team that earned a post-season berth. Hallberg was third overall in the SUNYAC Cross Country Meet and was entered into the SUNYAC Men's Cross Country Hall of Fame. He also earned First Team All-Conference honors in the 5000m run.
Jacob Winn (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara Falls) was honored with the first-ever Blue Devil Belief Award. He suffered a medical emergency prior to an indoor track meet, and has kept a positive attitude and inspired his team in his road to recovery while seeing two of his teammates win the Athlete of the Year Awards.
Other awards include:
Sandra Haight Service Award - senior Alex Needham (Westlake, Ohio/Westlake) of the baseball team and department videographer; senior Alon Haimovitz (Herzliya, Israel) of the basketball team; and freshman Riley Olson (Gowanda, NY/Gowanda) who was an athletic department volunteer photographer
Mike "Koz" Kozlowski Award - Sherry Shields, department secretary
Student Athletes of the Year (Highest GPA for a graduating senior) - Erin Cunningham (Clarence Center, NY/Clarence), Women's volleyball; David Sudbrink (Nolensville, TN), Men's hockey
Team Awards went to:
Academic - Men's Ice Hockey
Spirit - Women's Lacrosse
Community Service - Women's Soccer
Team of the Year - Men's Cross Country
Blue Devil Cup (overall) - Women's Soccer
Each team also had a nominee from his or her head coach for the Blue Devil Belief Award, the award won by Winn. Nominees were:
- Audrey Brown, Women's Lacrosse
- Aaron Burkett, Men's Swimming
- Molly Cassidy, Women's Volleyball
- Kye Castellucio, Men's Soccer
- Mary Culeton, Women's Basketball
- Alon Haimovitz, Men's Basketball
- Karmela Leasure, Cheer
- Alex Needham, Baseball
- Sophie Olson, Women's Tennis
- Megan Orrange, Women's Swimming
- Maddie Payne, Women's Soccer
- Ethan Pitzman, Men's Hockey
- Vanessa Ryhal, Women's Track and Cross Country
- Allie Wandell, Softball
- Jacob Winn, Men's Track and Field
The department extended its gratitude to photographers Becca Torncello, Travis Bernhard, and Riley Olson for their work all year long. Together, they were responsible for nearly all the photos that appeared on our website, social media, and used for the banquet.
Videographers Alex Needham, Anna Sheehan, Oliva Fullerton, and Brad Babcock edited and took the footage used to to make the videos presented at the Freddys. The videos will be posted online over the next two weeks. Check out our Instagram account at @fredbluedevils.
