NDNU Awards Announced at Annual Banquet

April 29 – The Notre Dame de Namur athletics department held its annual Sports Awards Banquet on Wednesday.  The banquet, sponsored by SAAC (Student Athletic Advisory Committee), featured Athletic Department Awards for the top men’s and women’s performers and team awards for all 12 programs.

Athletic Department Awards

Co-Female Freshman of the Year:  Christina Villamayor (Volleyball)
Villamayor led the team and finished second in the conference with 341 kills...named Honorable Mention All-Conference...became the first Argo to record 30 kills in a game

Co-Female Freshman of the Year:  Sarah Biser (Women's Soccer)
Biser was named PacWest Newcomer of the Year and was selected to the PacWest Second Team...tied for the conference lead in goals with 14 and finished second in points with 33...recorded three hat tricks

Male Freshman of the Year:  Bennie Murray (Men's Basketball)
Murray was named Honorable Mention All-PacWest...led team in scoring with 12.5 points per game and 3-pointers with 53...top freshman scorer in the West Region.

Female Newcomer of the Year:  Carli Leary (Softball)
Leary started all 49 games at catcher...finished second on the team with a .331 batting average...hit a team high .462 in PacWest play...led team in doubles with 13 and RBIs with 22.

Male Newcomer of the Year:  Oswaldo Hernandez (Men's Soccer)
Hernandez was named First Team All-PacWest and Second Team All-West Region after anchoring an NDNU defense that ranked ninth in the nation

Female Scholar Athlete of the Year: Shauna Folan (Volleyball)

Male Scholar Athlete of the Year:  Gabe Ortiz (Men’s Soccer)

Female Athlete of the Year:  Britni Rathke (Women's Basketball)
Rathke was named First Team All-PacWest and Second Team All-Region...led team and finished 5th in the nation with 11.8 rebounds per game...led conference with 2.1 blocks per game and finished fourth in scoring with 15.6 points per game.

Male Athlete of the Year:  Cristobal Montes (Men's Soccer)
Montes led the Pacific West Conference in goals with 14, points with 33 and game-winning goals with 7...named PacWest Player of the Year and PacWest Newcomer of the Year...earned First Team All-West Region and First Team All-Conference honors

 

Sports Round-up and Team Awards

Men’s Soccer (14-4-3)

The NDNU men’s soccer team enjoyed on the best seasons in school history as they won the Pacific West Conference and earned a bid into the National Tournament.  The Argos went 14-4-3 on the season, including a 9-1-2 conference record and earned the school’s first ever top-25 ranking.  In addition to the stellar conference record, the Argos upset #2 Sonoma State on a last second goal in overtime.  Cristobal Montes led the conference in goals, assists and points on his way to earning PacWest Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year honors.  Montes, along with Oswaldo Hernandez also earned All-Region and First Team All-Conference accolades.  Joe Simonton, Carlos Lopez, Dorian Virrueta, Sheldon Steenhuis, Jacab Zavala and Christian Rosales also earned All-Conference selections.

Defensive Player of the Year: Oswaldo Hernandez – named First Team All-PacWest and Second Team All-West Region after anchoring an NDNU defense that ranked ninth in the nation

Offensive Player of the Year: Cristobal Montes - led the Pacific West Conference in goals with 14, points with 33 and game-winning goals with 7...named PacWest Player of the Year and PacWest Newcomer of the Year...earned First Team All-West Region and First Team All-Conference honors

MVP: Joe Simonton – started the final 18 games of the season on defense...help anchor the NDNU defense that allowed just 0.72 goals per game and recorded 12 shutouts.

Women’s Soccer (10-10)

The women’s soccer team took home fourth place in the PacWest with a 7-5 conference record.  The Argos went 10-10 on the season and finished the year with six wins in the final eight games.  Traci Cicerchi was selected to the PacWest First Team and was also named Second Team All-West Region.  Sarah Biser was named PacWest Newcomer of the Year and made Second Team All-Conference after tying for the lead in goals with 14.  Sally Olsson and Heather Toohey also earned PacWest recognition as they were named Honorable Mention All-Conference.

Defensive Player of the Year: Traci Cicerchi – named First Team All-PacWest and Second Team All-West Region...started all 20 games at sweeper and led the team in minutes played.

Offensive Player of the Year: Sarah Biser – named PacWest Newcomer of the Year and was selected to the PacWest Second Team...tied for the conference lead in goals with 14 and finished second in points with 33...recorded three hat tricks

MVP: Traci Cicerchi – named First Team All-PacWest and Second Team All-West Region...started all 20 games at sweeper and led the team in minutes played.

 

Volleyball (3-30)

The NDNU women’s volleyball finished the season with three wins, including two in their final three matches.  The Argos earned sweeps of University of Mary, CSU Monterey Bay and capped of the season with a sweep of Grand Canyon.  Christina Villamayor was named Honorable Mention All-PacWest after tying for second in the conference in kills with 341.  Shauna Folan also garnered an award after being named Third Team Academic All-District. 

Most Improved: Sonya Legaspi – appeared in 28 matches...finished fourth on the team with 124 digs...recorded seven service aces.

Most Inspirational: Shauna Folan – led PacWest in total digs with 565 and finished second in digs per game with 4.63...earned Third Team Academic All-District honors. 

MVP: Christina Villamayor – led team and finished second in the conference with 341 kills...named Honorable Mention All-Conference...became the first Argo to record 30 kills in a game

 

 

Men’s Cross Country

The men’s cross country team capped off their season with a 4th place finish at the PacWest Championships and a 14th place finish at the West Regionals.  Arturo Huezo was the top runner for the Argos, placing 12th at the conference championships and earned Second Team All-PacWest accolades.  On the season, the Argos competed in seven races and finished in the top-10 five times. 

Most Improved: Aaron Sommer – ran in all seven races this season...finished 26th at the PacWest Championships and 31st at the Sacramento State Invitational.

Coach’s Award: Rick Medeiros – placed 23rd at the PacWest Championships and 81st at the West Regionals.

MVP: Arturo Huezo – earned Second Team All-Conference after finishing 12th at the PacWest Championships...was NDNU’s top runner in five of seven races.

 

Women’s Cross Country

The NDNU women’s cross country program competed in seven races this fall, capped off by a fifth place finish at the PacWest Championships and 22nd place finish in the West Regionals.  Ashley Hughey was the top performer in both races, which included a 16th place finish at the PacWest Championships.

Most Improved: Kathleen Romero – ran in five races this season...placed 42nd at PacWest Championships.

Coach’s Award: Stephanie Biehl – finished as NDNU’s top runner in two races...placed 22nd at PacWest Championships

MVP: Ashley Hughey – finished 16th at the PacWest Championships...was NDNU’s top runner in five of seven races.

 

Men’s Golf

The NDNU men’s golf team had another successful season with a fifth place finish at the PacWest Championships.  The Argos competed in ten events this season and finished with four top-10 performances.  Ryan Sheffer earned an invitation to the NCAA Regionals with a team best 75.69 scoring average and fifth place finish at the conference championships.  Sheffer also earned All-Conference honors for the second straight year.  

Most Improved: Brandon Van Goethen – finished with a 78.65 scoring average, including a 77.32 scoring average in the spring...shot four-under-par at Grand Canyon Invitational.

Argonaut Award: Ryan Sheffer – led team with a 75.69 scoring average and finished in the top-20 in four events...finished 5th at the PacWest Championship to earn All-Conference honors...qualified for Regionals in Nebraska next week.

Women’s Golf

The women’s golf team competed in nine tournaments on the season and placed in the top-10 in six of them.  The Argos capped of their season with a seventh place finish at the Lady Argo Invitational.  Kelly Ashton and Nicole Burtt led the team with a combined eight top-10 finishes.  Ashton placed in the top-10 six times,    including a fifth place finish at the CSU Monterey Bay Invitational while Burtt finished fourth at the Sonoma State Invite.

Most Improved: Nicole Burtt – was the Argos #2 golfer all year...had two top-10 finishes, including 4th place at the Sonoma State Invitational.

Argonaut Award: Kelly Ashton – led the team in scoring average on the season...had six top-10 finishes, including fifth place at the CSU Monterey Bay Invitational and sixth at the Western Washington Invitational.

 

Men’s Basketball (6-21)

The NDNU men’s basketball team finished the year with six wins and earned impressive victories over Grand Canyon and Menlo College.  The Argos also notched wins over CSU Maritime, Golden State Baptist and beat Academy of Art twice.  Dan Bergeron and Bennie Murray both earned Honorable Mention All-PacWest after finishing in the top-20 in the conference in scoring.  Bergeron led the team in rebounding, assists, steals and blocks while Murray was first in points and 3-pointers.

Argonaut Award: Trent Henwood – appeared in all 27 games, four as a starter...averaged 3.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and shot 63% from the field.

Most Inspirational: Andre Hayes – appeared in all 27 games, six as a starter...finished fourth in scoring at 7.6 points per game and third in shooting percentage at 49%.

Defensive Player of the Year: Chris Silzer – started 26 games on the season...averaged 5.9 points per game and finished second on the team in steals with 29. 

MVP: Dan Bergeron – started all 27 games on the season...led the team in rebounds with 6.9, assists with 3.6 and finished second in scoring at 11.7 points per game.

Women’s Basketball (9-17)

The women’s basketball team finished six in the PacWest with a 5-7 conference record while recording a 9-17 record overall.  The Argos picked up impressive    victories against Cal Poly Pomona, Hawaii Pacific, Dixie State and defeated conference champion Grand Canyon.  Britni Rathke turned in the finest single   season performance in school history, finishing 5th in the nation in rebounding.  Rathke earned First Team All-PacWest and Second Team All-West Region honors while Tanaia Keyes and Jen Dreessen also received conference recognition.

Most Improved: Jennifer Dreessen – finished third on the team with 8.8 points per game and second in rebounding at 5.2...named Honorable Mention All-PacWest

Argonaut Award: Ashley Wilson – started all 26 games...led team in 3-pointers with 49 and finished fourth in scoring at 8.4 points pet game...named Third Team Academic All-District

Most Inspirational: Marianne Bautista – appeared in 25 games, making 14 starts...led team with 94 assists and finished sixth in scoring at with 4.8 points per game.

MVP: Britni Rathke – named First Team All-PacWest and Second Team All-Region...led team and finished 5th in the nation with 11.8 rebounds per game...led conference with 2.1 blocks per game and finished fourth in scoring with 15.6 points per game.

Lacrosse (5-4)

The NDNU lacrosse team concluded their season with 5-4 overall record and earned victories against Dominican, Whittier, St Andrews and Grand Canyon.  The Argos ranked as high as #10 in the polls after winning five of their first six games.  For the season, the Argonautss offense ranked 14th in the nation while the defense ranked 13th.  Nick Campo led the team with 24 points while Greg Bearson and Conrad Clevlen tied for the team lead with 18 goals. 

Coach’s Award: Owen Williams – appeared in all nine games this season...finished with six goals and one assist...scored four goals in the season opener against Grand Canyon.

Defensive Player of the Year: Steven Laird – appeared in all nine games in the midfield...finished second on the team with 39 groundballs and led team in caused turnovers.

Offensive Player of the Year: Conrad Clevlen – led team in goals with 18 and groundballs with 50 and finished third in points with 20...won 53% of his faceoffs.

 

Softball (10-38-1)

The NDNU softball team finished the year with ten victories, including a 7-3-1 start to the season.  The Argos picked up impressive wins against PacWest    opponent BYU Hawaii as well as victories over CCAA teams CSU Monterey Bay, CSU San Bernardino and Sonoma State.  Lindsay Crist earned Second Team All-Conference after leading the conference in triples and finishing second in steals.  Crist also led the team with a .342 batting average while Carli Leary hit .462 in conference play. 

Coach’s Award: Breanna Morales – started 40 games at first base and five at pitcher...tied for the team lead in homeruns with three and finished second in RBIs with 18.

Most Improved: Carli Leary – started all 49 games at catcher...finished second on the team with a .331 batting average...hit a team high .462 in PacWest play...led team in doubles with 13 and RBIs with 22.

MVP: Lindsay Crist – named Second Team All-PacWest...led in hitting at .347 and was the team leader in runs, hits, triples, homeruns and steals...finished first in the conference with 6 triples and second in steals with 18.

Tennis

The tennis team picked up their first victory since moving to Division II with a 6-3 victory over La Sierra.  Courtney O’Donnell led the team with six singles wins while Katelyn Mills and Sally Olsson teamed up for four doubles victories. 

Most Improved: Katelyn Mills – won four doubles matches on the season and two singles matches.

MVP: Ashley Wilson – won two singles matches at the #4 spot and won one doubles match.