PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. -- The Plattsburgh State Athletics Department Wednesday announced the finalists for athlete of the year and senior achievement awards. Those winners--along with Cardinal seniors, the Chi Alpha Sigma induction and Semmler award recipients--will be honored at a year-end banquet at noon Tuesday in the Warren Ballroom of the Angell College Center.
Here's a brief synopsis of the candidates for each award category...
Female Athlete of the Year
Susan Bodkin, Volleyball: The senior team captain out of Rockville Centre (South Side High School) became the school's second all-time leader with 3,059 assists. In 2009, she ranked seventh in service aces and was named the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Player of the Week on Sept. 12--the first Cardinal in seven seasons to accomplish the feat. She was a four-year starter at setter.
Stefanie Braun, Cross Country/Track: The sophomore from Dix Hills (Half Hollow Hills HS) earned SUNYAC Hall of Fame Cross Country honors last fall. Despite an injury-plagued year, she still earned first-team all-conference and -region accolades, as well as qualifying for the NCAA Championships. In indoor track, she won the SUNYAC 5k-race to give herself first team all-conference laurels, and her time was also an NCAA provisional mark. She's also provisionally qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 10- and 5ks.
Stephanie Moberg, Hockey: The senior forward from Saratoga Springs was the runner-up in the Laura Hurd Award voting as the nation's top player. The team co-captain led the Cardinals with 25 goals and 43 points en route to Eastern College Athletic Conference West Division Player of the Year accolades. A three-time academic all-conference selection, she has been named to the first teams of both AHCA All-America and All-ECAC West in each of the past two seasons.
Male Athlete of the Year
Mike Heymann, Cross Country/Track: The junior from Tully started off the year with a bang, winning the Cardinal Classic in a meet-record time of 15 minutes and 8 seconds. Later, he had runner-up finishes at the SUNYAC and Atlantic Region Championships to earn first-team all-conference and all-region awards and then finished ninth at NCAA’s to earn All-America First Team laurels. In indoor track, he was first-team all-SUNYAC in the winning 3k race and earned an All-America citation in the 5k. He's also an NCAA automatic qualifier for the 5- and 10k outdoor events.
Bart Misiak, Soccer: The junior back was named to the NSCAA All-America First Team, All-East Region First Team by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, All-SUNYAC First Team and All-ECAC Upstate First Team. He was also selected the player of the year by two organizations, the SUNYAC and ECAC Upstate (defensive). He anchored a defense that was the best in the conference, allowing just 18 goals in 20 contests. Misiak is from Mississauga, Ontario (St. Martin's Secondary).
Kyle Norchi, Lacrosse: The redshirt junior attackman from Hauppauge joins teammate Luke Weidlein as one of the nation's best 1-2 scoring punch. Norchi broke the school record for total points in a season (75 on 48 goals and career-best 27 assists) and currently ranks fifth in the nation and first in SUNYAC with 5.00 points per game. He became the 15th player in SUNYAC history to surpass 200 points earlier this season and is a two-time conference player of the week selection.
Chris Ruiz, Basketball: An honorable mention All-American (DIII Bulletin Newspaper), he was named to the All-SUNYAC First Team for the second straight year after leading the conference in scoring with 17.2 points per game. He was also tabbed second-team all-region by National Association of Basketball Coaches, ECAC Upstate and D3hoops.com. The junior guard is the seventh-leading scorer in school history with 1,135 points. Ruiz is a St. Agnes High product who hails from Washington Heights.
Male Senior Achievement
Luke Weidlein, Lacrosse: The attackman from Seaford High is the Cardinals career leader in total points and assists, becoming the 14th player in SUNYAC history to reach 200 points this season. The team co-captain has helped the Cardinals to their first 10-win season in program history in 2010. He was an all-conference choice as a junior after notching 43 goals and 70 points, both career highs at the time. Currently, he has 38 assists and 70 points.
Female Senior Achievement
Laurie Bowler, Hockey: A member of two NCAA championship teams, the Brantford, Ontario product is a three-time all-conference pick including 2007 ECAC Rookie of the Year. The all-time co-leader in NCAA Division III history with 29 power play goals, she ranks sixth with 120 career points at the school. The 2010 team co-captain helped the Cardinals to three regular-season titles and a 2007 conference championship.
Kaitlin Collica, Soccer: The center back from Baldwin High was a three-year starter who helped the team to a 37-13-8 record, with rankings as high as No. 11 in the nation and No. 3 in the East Region. A two-year captain, three-time All-SUNYAC pick and all-region player, she led the Cardinals to a 2009 NCAA tournament appearance that included 3-1-1 mark against nationally ranked opponents.
Jenny Schaffhouser, Cross Country/Track: Believed to be the first female student-athlete in school history to compete at four NCAA Championships. The senior from Richford (Newark Valley HS) is three-time all-region performer, member of the SUNYAC Cross Country Hall of Fame and All-American. She is a three-time NCAA qualifier in track.