Worcester State Athletics Celebrates at 2024-25 Athletics Awards Ceremony

Worcester, MA- On Monday, May 5^th the Worcester State University Athletic Department held their annual 2024-25 Athletic Awards Ceremony on the campus of Worcester State in the Gene J. & Julianne DeFeudis Wellness Center on the Brissette Competition Court.

The Department of Athletics honored players, teams, coaches, and support staff over the course of the evening. The featured speaker of the evening was senior Women’s Lacrosse recent MASCAC Champion Emma Grande.

The ceremony kicked off by celebrating all of this year's graduating seniors as they received their awards and cords from Deputy Director of Athletics John Meany and Vice President of Student Affairs, Dean of Students Julie Kazarian. President Barry Maloney was then welcome to the stage to provide remarks on the success of the student-athletes over the 2024-25 season and careers at Worcester State.

The Chi Alpha Sigma, National College Athlete Honor Society, student-athletes were celebrated for their induction into the athletic honor society at the start of the awards celebration that would honor not just on field but off field achievements from the program's student athletes. The multitude of all-conference student athletes were celebrated for their accolades over this year athletic season. Also highlighted were those spring 2024 all-conference selections who had not been selected by last year's ceremony. Brodie Jacques, Jadah Stokes, and Ciara Adu-Addo were also honored for their 2025 MASCAC Outdoor Track and Field championships in the 100m, Shot Put and record setting Long Jump performances. Jacques came away with a victory in the 100m at the Outdoor Meet, Stokes would repeat as winner the Shot Put as Ciara Adu-Addo would claim the title at the Outdoor Championship in the Long Jump, breaking a 15-year-old school record with her leap.

The major athletic department award winners included,

Rich Korzec Athletic Service Award: Shelby Reaugh (Sports Information) and Olivia Fortier (Women’s Lacrosse/Home Game Management Work Study)

Male Rookie Athlete of the Year: Riggs Catlin and Christopher Mondesir (Baseball)

Female Rookie Athlete of the Year:  Emily Johns (Women's Ice Hockey)

Male Athlete of the Year: Brandon Goris (Men's Basketball)

Female Athlete of the Year: Kelsey Czerniawski (Women’s Ice Hockey) and Olivia LaValle (Women’s Lacrosse)

Male Senior Lancer Award: Cody Porcello (Men's Ice Hockey

Female Senior Lancer Award: Abby St. Martin (Women’s Basketball) and Ava Gesner (Women's Lacrosse)

Blue and Gold Award: Drew Eid (Men’s Ice Hockey)

Margaret "Peg" Nugent Scholar Athletes: Jack Ryan (Men’s Golf), Madison Ferrara (Field Hockey) and Abigail Koziol (Softball)

and the Robert Devlin Senior Athlete Award for honoring an outstanding athletic performance by an athlete throughout the course of their career at Worcester State,

Male Robert Devlin Senior Athlete: Brodie Jacques (Men’s Track and Field)

Female Robert Devlin Senior Athlete: Emma Lanpher (Softball) and Angela Colonis (Volleyball)

The department also recognized that the spring sports (Women's Lacrosse, Softball, Baseball and Outdoor Track and Field) are still competing, and their all-conference and other athletic awards are yet to be announced. It was a celebratory night for all student-athletes.

Learn more about the major award recipients:

Rich Korzec Athletic Service Award: is someone who has exemplified outstanding service to the Athletic Department. This award is in memory of Rich Korzec, a former golf coach at Worcester State.

Shelby Reaugh has spent the last year going above and beyond as a GA in the athletics department to help cover the Lancers Sports teams. Between being one of our primary go-to-for-stats input she has also focused much of her time on updating graphics and pushing out pieces highlighting the individual success of each sports team, NCAA Initiatives to support the department as well as assisting other interns in their projects and endeavors whenever assistance is needed. She has been on hand for almost every major team event over the last year taking on the role of primary contact at numerous events to ensure accuracy and complete coverage for all the teams and has never hesitated to take on any task or challenge.

Olivia Fortier has been a four-year manager for the Women’s Lacrosse team and dedicated Home Game Management and Wellness Center Employee. She has gone above and beyond in her roles to ensure smooth operations for both Wellness Center activities and game day operations. She can be found out on the field early preparing for games, practices and events with diligence and passion and while operating a scoreboard on top of every action and play in the game to ensure nothing is missed. Her presence is no small part of the continued success and preparedness of not only the Women’s Lacrosse team but all of our operations. 

Rookie Athlete of the Year: for outstanding athletic performance and achievement by a male and female, first-year student-athlete

Riggs Catlin was a standout on the Baseball team this year and named MASCAC Rookie of the Week twice this season. Has appeared in 32 games with 115 at bats recording 33 runs on 39 hits with 8 doubles, three triples and six home runs and a .339 batting average with 13 stolen bases. He currently has a 1.000% fielding percentage.

Chris Mondesir Has been named MASCAC Rookie of the Week and NCBWA Rookie of the Year after setting a new school record for Home Runs and RBIs in a single game. This season has appeared in 33 Games with 103 at bats so far recording 37 runs on 39 hits, with 6 doubles, 2 triples and 11 home runs. He has recorded 36 RBIs on the season with a batting average of .379 with 16 stolen bases with a .969 Fielding Percentage

Emily Johns was named the Inaugural MASCAC Women’s Ice Hockey Rookie of the Year after being named a 7x MASCAC Rookie of the Week. Was named to the MASCAC First Team All-Conference and played in 26 games, recording 12 goals, 3 of which were game winners, had 8 assists for 20 points on the season with a +23 rating on the ice. She finished 44th in the nation in goals per game.

Athlete of the Year: for outstanding athletic performance and achievement over the course of the 2023-24 academic year.

Brandon Goris was a 2x MASCAC Player of the week. He was named to the NABC DIII-All District Second Team and the D3hoops.Com Region I Second Team. He was also the MASCAC Player of the Year and a MASCAC 1st Team Selection. Played in 27 games this season, recording 474 points, 94 rebounds, 131 Assists and finished 14th in the Nation with 74 steals.

Kelsey Czerniawski was named the Inaugural MASCAC Defensive Player of the Year and selected to the First Team All-Conference after being a 6x MASCAC Goalie of the Week. Appeared in 17 games allowing just 28 goals for a 1.71 GAA while recording 639 Saves on the season for a .958 save percentage. Finished the season ranked nationally third in Save Percentage.

Olivia LaValle was most recently named the MASCAC Championship MVP, leading her team to a MASCAC Championship Win over Framingham State this past Saturday. She was named MASCAC Defensive Player of the Week earlier on the day and appeared in 18 games with 18 starts allowing 163 Goals with 170 saves for a 51.1% save percentage. Has a 10.64 Goals Against Average which currently ranked 92nd in the Nation while 20th in Save Percentage and 19th in in total saves and 54th in saves per game.

Senior Lancer Award: exemplifying dedication to their program, leadership qualities and good sportsmanship.

Cody Porcello is a four-year member of the Men’s Ice Hockey team. He appeared in 95 games on defense recording 5 goals and 12 assists for 17 points. He has served as the Communications Chair for SAAC and is a member of AMP and of Chi Alpha Sigma.

Abby St. Martin is a member of her class committee, serves as a presidential student ambassador and is a Member of the Phi Eta Honor Society. She is also a Member of the University Honors Program and served as an Orientation Leader. She has been named to the MASCAC Sportsmanship Team and was MASCAC All-Academic during her career and was named to the CSC All-Academic All Region Team. She started 52 games, recording 704 points, 492 rebounds, 96 steals and 56 blocks in her career.

Ava Gesner serves as the secretary of SAAC and is a member of the AMP Executive Board and SOTA. A MASCAC All-Academic Honoree, she has had 75 starts in 75 games on defense, recording 105 Ground Balls, 28 draw controls and 62 caused turnovers.

Blue and Gold Award: Presented to an athlete who has overcome severe adversity to continue their playing career and have success in action.

Drew Eid an athlete who overcame tremendous odd to finish his career as a member of the Men’s Ice Hockey team. Over a 10-month period he had 5 dislocations through his junior and senior years in both of his shoulders. He attended rehab while being an active member of the Ice Hockey team where he never missed a practice or a game, being one of the most avid supporters of the team. He had reconstructive surgery on both shoulders to be back in action for his final season of play.  He was one of the most meticulous athletes regarding his attention to detail to being able to get back on the ice and play with his team.

Margaret "Peg" Nugent Scholar Athlete: for outstanding performance by a senior student-athlete in the classroom as well as in athletic competition.

Jack Ryan is a four-year member of the Worcester State Golf team, being named to the MASCAC First Team as a Senior, finishing 5th in this year’s MASCAC Championship. He recorded a hole in one his sophomore year and named to the MASCAC All-Academic Team and has maintained a 3.711 GPA over his time at Worcester State as a Criminal Justice Major.

Madison Ferrara was a member of the inaugural MASCAC Winning Field Hockey Team and she was Named to the LEC Second team as a sophomore and MASCAC Second Team as a senior. She is a SNA Fundraising Chair, MaSNA Secretary, member of the Pinning Committee and a RAM Clinic Student Leader/Volunteer. A MASCAC All-Academic Selection, she made 62 starts in 65 games for Worcester, recording 454 saves for 1.92 GAA recording 9 Shutouts for a .794 save percentage and she is third all-time in career saves. Over her time at Worcester State, she has registered a 3.629 GPA as a Nursing Major.

Abigail Koziol is the founding member of Morgan’s Message Council on campus where she is also a member SAAC, AMP and the Student Nurses Association. She serves as Class Representative for Nursing. Named to the MASCAC First Team as a sophomore and the MASCAC Second Team as a junior, she has appeared in 148 games and 447 at bats. recording 58 runs scored, 153 Hits and 95 RBIs, compiling a .342 batting average. Defensively, she has a .985 Fielding percentage. Over her career at Worcester State, she has registered a 3.755 GPA as a Nursing Major.

Robert Devlin Senior Athlete Award: for outstanding athletic performance and achievement by a senior student-athlete throughout the course of their career at Worcester State; named after former athletic director, Robert Devlin in 2009.

Brodie Jacques was awarded the 2023-24 Worcester State Male Athlete of the Year Award. He claimed the MASCAC Championships in the during the Outdoor season twice in 100m and 200m, Outdoor Long Jump and in the Indoor 60m. He is a 6x MASCAC All-Conference Selection and has been named to several MASCAC All-Academic Teams.

Angela Colonis served as Captain of the women’s volleyball team, being named MASCAC Offensive and Defensive Player of the week multiple times over her career. She was named to the MASCAC First Team her sophomore, junior and senior years and Named to the CSC All Academic All Region team her junior and senior year. In 112 career matches, she recorded 518 Kills, 1583 Assists, 1112 Digs, 132 service aces and 683 Points. She was ranked 10th nationally in Triple Doubles as a senior. She has achieved all of these statistics while maintaining a 3.559 GPA as a Nursing Major.

Emma Lanpher was named the MASCAC Rookie of the Year as a first and Named to the MASCAC Second team as a sophomore. Last season she was the MASCAC Player of the Year and named to the MASCAC First Team as a junior. In 155 career games, she has a career batting average of .390 and over 200 hits and 100 RBI’s and has scored 136 runs. She also has 21 career stolen bases and a .915 career fielding percentage at shortstop, the hardest position on the field. She has been named to the MASCAC All-Academic team her entire career and she is a member of the Athlete Mentor Program where she has maintained a 3.869 GPA as an elementary education major.

View the 2024 Athletics Award Ceremony here .