IUP Athletics announced its list of nominees for its sixth annual Crimson and Gray Awards.
These awards started following the 2016-17 season and are run by the department’s Athletics Communications office, who collects the nominations from head coaches. From there, a selection committee chooses winners for each category.
Awards include Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Coach of the Year, Performance of the Year, Senior of the Year, Team of the Year and more. Academic awards are also recognized during the show.
A record 130 student-athletes and coaches were selected as nominees and a full list can be seen below.
The Crimson and Gray Awards will be held virtually on the IUP Athletics social media accounts at a date to-be-determined in June.
SIXTH ANNUAL CRIMSON & GRAY AWARDS NOMINEES
Nominees are sorted in alphabetical order by sport
SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Women’s
Justina Mascaro; Grad Student – Basketball
4.0 GPA / Master’s: Business Administration
First team All-PSAC West guard
Led team with 13.5 PPG, 54.4 FG% and 43.5 3FG%; second with 5.1 RPG and 33 steals
Brianna Herr; Grad Student – Cross Country
4.0 GPA / Master’s: Dietetics
Top-3 runner for IUP in every event, team’s top finisher at Robert Morris Invite
Finished 36th at PSAC Championships
Lizzi Clemmer; Senior – Field Hockey
4.0 GPA / Major: Nursing
National Field Hockey Coaches Association Senior Team (one of 38)
Scored one goal and had two assists in seven games
Maggie Marsteller; Junior – Lacrosse
3.93 GPA / Major: Marketing and Economics
First team All-PSAC West defender
Second on team with 41 ground balls, third with 24 caused turnovers
Cassidy Zandier; Junior – Soccer
4.0 GPA / Major: Supply Chain and General Management
First team All-PSAC West defender
Lock down defender, led defensive unit that had five shutouts and allowed 1.35 goals per game
Joelle Snyder; Grad Student – Softball
4.0 GPA / Master’s: Exercise Science
Second team All-PSAC West shortstop
Led IUP in avg (.346), runs (26), hits (44), doubles (9), triples (2), and steals (20) from leadoff spot
Rachel Johnson; Grad Student – Swimming & Diving
4.0 GPA / Master’s: Employment and Labor Relations
PSAC Champion Scholar for women’s swimming; PSAC Winter Top 10
Two-time All-American at NCAA Championships; two-time PSAC champion at conference meet; Led team in scoring (regular and postseason); Team MVP
Joanna Stralka; Junior – Tennis
4.0 GPA / Major: Cell and Molecular Biology
First team All-PSAC West in singles; First team All-PSAC West in doubles
Atlantic Region and PSAC doubles finalist in the fall; at one point part of No. 14-ranked doubles pairing in Division II
Karolin Kirchtag; Senior – Tennis
4.0 GPA / Major: Sport Administration
PSAC West Athlete of the Year; First team All-PSAC West in singles and doubles; PSAC Champion Scholar for women’s tennis
Won singles and doubles titles at Atlantic Region and PSAC tournaments in the fall
Rachel Horrell; Senior – Track & Field
3.84 GPA / Major: Physical Education/Health
Finished fifth in the triple jump at PSAC Indoor Championships
Qualified for PSAC Indoor meet despite beginning student teaching this semester
Brooke Little; Senior – Volleyball
4.0 GPA / Major: Sports Administration
Third on team with 250.0 points, second with 2.45 points per set
Second on team with 224 kills and 2.20 kills per set, third with .225 hitting percentage
Men’s
Jake Cherry; Senior – Baseball
3.62 GPA / Major: Exercise Science
Played in 27 games, starting 23 at catcher
Hit .239 with 4 doubles, 2 home runs and 13 RBI
KJ Rhodes; Junior – Basketball
3.47 GPA / Major: Finance
Played in 27 games off the bench for Atlantic Region Champions
Totaled 30 points, 27 rebounds and averaged 8.9 minutes per game
Evan Weaver; Grad Student – Cross Country
4.0 GPA / Master’s: Educational Psychology
Top-5 IUP finisher in every meet
Placed 32nd of 152 runners at PSAC Championships and 56th of 157 runners at Atlantic Region meet
Josh Dauberman; Senior – Football
3.85 GPA / Major: Criminology
AFCA First Team All-American, D2Football Elite 100, First Team All-PSAC West
Started 10 games at right guard, led offensive line that gave up 8 sacks
Jack Buccigross; Senior – Golf
3.89 GPA / Major: Marketing
All-Atlantic Region selection, 11th-ranked golfer in region
Led team with 74.0 average, won West Chester’s invitational, had six top-10 finishes in nine events
Taylor Auger; Senior – Swimming & Diving
4.0 GPA / Major: Information Systems
Scorer at PSAC Championships, finishing 14th in 200 backstroke
Qualified for PSAC meet in four events
Jayden Thomas; Junior – Track & Field
3.93 GPA / Major: Marketing (Honor’s program)
Qualified for both PSAC Indoor and Outdoor Track Championships in high jump
Finished eighth at PSAC Outdoor with season-high jump of 1.92 meters (6-03.5)
COACH OF THE YEAR
Women’s
Tom McConnell – Basketball
21-9 overall record, fourth in PSAC West with 15-7 record
Earned NCAA tournament selection for seventh straight year
Reached as high as No. 6 in media top-25 poll
Joey Zins – Cross Country/Track & Field
MXC: 12th of 17 at PSAC Championship; 15th of 22 at NCAA regional championship
MITF: 13th of 15 at PSAC Indoor Championship
MOTF: 13th of 15 at PSAC Outdoor Championship
Gary Agard – Field Hockey
11-6 overall, fifth in PSAC with 5-5 record
Led IUP to first PSAC tournament berth since 2016
5-0 start to season was best by program since 2008
Brenna Gallagher – Lacrosse
12-6 overall, third in PSAC West with 9-3 record
PSAC West Coach of the Year
Most wins since 2016 (13-6); 5-0 in 1-goal games; PSAC quarterfinals
Adel Heder – Soccer
8-8-1 overall, fifth in PSAC West with 7-8-1 record (22 pts)
Reached No. 14 in Division II rankings, first ranking since 2014 season
Retired following season
Shawna Bellaud – Softball
17-21 overall, fifth in PSAC West with 8-8 record
Reached PSAC tournament for first time since 2018
Chris Villa – Swimming & Diving
Finished second of 12 at PSAC Championships
Finished 17th of 35 at NCAA Championships
Three swimmers combined for seven All-American honors; had four PSAC champions
Larry Peterson – Tennis
18-8 overall record, first in PSAC West with 6-0 record
PSAC West champion, PSAC tournament champion, Atlantic Region champion; advanced to final 16 teams of NCAA tournament
Coached Atlantic Region and PSAC singles and doubles champions in the fall
Julie Torbett – Volleyball
18-14 overall, fifth in PSAC West with 8-8 record
Led team to +11-win turnaround in first full season; second best improvement in program history
Accepted head coach position at Tennessee Chattanooga in January
Men’s
Steve Kline – Baseball
27-22 overall record, tied for fourth in PSAC West at 16-12
In first year, led +25 win improvement from 2021 (2-35)
Team ERA dropped by 2.96 (9.22-6.26); team BAvg improved by 72 points (.234-.306)
Joe Lombardi – Basketball
33-3 overall record, first in PSAC West at 20-2
PSAC West regular season, PSAC Tournament, Atlantic Region Tournament champions; advanced to national semifinals of Elite Eight; tied program record for wins (33)
Atlantic Region and PSAC West Coach of the Year
Joey Zins – Cross Country/Track & Field
MXC: Fourth of 12 at PSAC Championship; Eighth of 23 at NCAA regional championship
MITF: 10th of 12 at PSAC Indoor Championship
MOTF: Ninth of 13 at PSAC Outdoor Championship
Paul Tortorella – Football
7-3 overall record, third in PSAC West at 5-2
Coached league-best 17 All-PSAC West selections
Dan Braun – Golf
Won PSAC Championship in the fall
Led program to 25th straight NCAA regional tournament
Finished tied for eighth of 20 at NCAA regionals
Chris Villa – Swimming
Finished fifth of seven at PSAC Championships
Two PSAC individual champions
PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Women’s
Courtney Alexander – Basketball
Set IUP single game 3-point record with 9 made in 79-46 win over Shippensburg on Dec. 19
Scored career-high 31 points; 10-18 FGs, 9-16 3FGs, 2-2 FTs in 29 minutes
9 3-pointers broke her own record of 8, which she tied earlier in the month
Claire Murphy – Field Hockey
Scored game-winner in 54th minute of a 1-0 upset victory over No. 6 Kutztown on Oct. 30
Win clinched PSAC tournament berth for IUP in final game of regular season
Sarah Reustle – Lacrosse
Career-high 4 goals and 2 assists (6 points) with 6 draw controls in 15-9 win over Lock Haven April 19
Forced to carry offensive load with two starting attackers on the bench; had 5 goals in previous 12 games
Helped her earn PSAC West Athlete of the Week honors
Kathryn Burke – Lacrosse
Scored 3 goals in final 3:39 to lead 12-11 comeback win at Mercyhurst on April 2
Scored game-tying goal with 1:31 left and game-winner with :36 left
Finished with season-high 4 goals and 1 assist
Hannah Scardina – Soccer
Tied IUP record with 4 goals in 5-3 victory over UPJ on September 25
Performance helped her earn PSAC Athlete of the Week honors
Recorded hat trick in the first half with scores in the 16′, 24′, and 27′ minutes
Mahogany Willis – Soccer
Recorded a hat trick (3 goals) in 4-3 overtime win at Edinboro on October 13
Performance helped her earn PSAC Athlete of the Week honors
Scored in 43′, 65′ and 97′ minutes
Bella Bucy – Softball
Tossed 1-hitter in rare complete game of relief in 7-3 win over Edinboro on April 10
Entered game with no outs after four batters in the first inning
7.0 innings, 1 hit, 1 earned run, career-high 7 strikeouts
Allison Brownlee – Swimming & Diving
Won 1-meter (5 dives) and 1-meter (6 dives) diving events vs. Gannon on Dec. 4
Part of second place 200 medley relay team
Also finished third in 100 freestyle
Karolin Kirchtag – Tennis
Won singles and doubles titles at ITA Atlantic Region Championship tournament
Went combined 10-0 over three days (5-0 singles, 5-0 doubles)
Four of five singles opponents were ranked among top-13 players in the region
Cassidy Kline – Track & Field
Won 400 meter hurdles at PSAC Outdoor Championships with career-best time of 1:01.55
Was second fastest time in Atlantic Region, 28th in Division II; NCAA provisional qualifying time
Nicole Peterson – Volleyball
Season-highs of 21 kills, 22.5 points, and 16 digs in 5-set win over Clarion in season finale
Win came over eventual PSAC tournament champion; came as IUP fought for postseason spot
Kills (21) and points (22.5) totals were highest by a Crimson Hawk on the season
Men’s
Markus Cestra – Baseball
Went 8-for-9 (.889) with a 1.778 slugging percentage in doubleheader sweep of UPJ on April 15
Had 5 doubles, 1 home run, 7 RBI and scored 3 runs
Went 5-for-5 with 4 doubles, 1 homer, and 5 RBI in game one alone
Armoni Foster – Basketball
Recorded first career triple-double in 97-45 win over Virginia State on November 27
Had 22 points, 10 rebounds and career-high 11 assists in 37 minutes
Performance helped him earn PSAC West Athlete of the Week
Joel Beckwith – Cross Country
Won Cal U’s Marty Uher Invitational in very first collegiate meet
Helped IUP win team title at Uher Invitational
Harry Woodbery – Football
Accounted for 5 touchdowns in his IUP debut, a 48-13 win at Mercyhurst on Sept. 25
Went 15-of-22 for 146 yards and 4 touchdowns; had 1-yard TD run
All 5 touchdowns came in first half
Jack Buccigross – Golf
Won West Chester’s Edwin B. Cottrell Invitational on April 5
Shot 1-over 143 in two-round tourney, tied for second lowest score in tournament history; first collegiate win
Performance earned him PSAC Golfer of the Week
Ryan Hartmann – Swimming & Diving
Had three top-15 finishes at Cleveland State’s Magnus Cup on November 18-20
Finished fourth in the 100 IM, seventh in the 100 butterfly, and 13th in the 200 IM
Kendall Branan – Track & Field
Won 800 meter run at PSAC Indoor Championships
Set PSAC Championship meet and Zafirovski Dome records with time of 1:52.59
Also an NCAA provisional qualifying time; 60th best time in DII
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Women’s
Kiera Baughman – Basketball
Team-high 73 assists, fourth on team with 9.7 points per game
291 points most by an IUP freshman since Cathy Torchia’s 369 (13.7 PPG) in 1989-90
Led team with three double-doubles, including 13 points and 10 rebounds vs. Cal in NCAA tournament
Claire Murphy – Field Hockey
Second team All-American midfielder; second team All-PSAC
Playing in her first full season after 2020 COVID cancellation
Lone goal of season was game-winner over No. 6 Kutztown, sent IUP to postseason
Emme Mass – Lacrosse
Second team All-PSAC West midfielder
Sixth on team with 21 goals, fourth with 25 draw controls
8 of 21 goals came on free position attempts – led team
Abby Lewis – Soccer
Second team All-PSAC West defender
Made 15 straight starts in the backfield
Helped IUP record five shutouts and give up 1.35 goals per game
Jordan Sylvia – Softball
Second on team with .910 OPS, 8 doubles and 20 RBI; team-best .421 on-base pct.
Third on team with .333 BAvg, 30 hits and 14 runs
vs. PSAC West: .395 avg, 1.126 OPS, 4 doubles, 2 homers, 14 RBI, .658 slug in 16 games
Amanda Gwinn – Track & Field
Qualified for PSAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships in the high jump
Finished eighth in the high jump at PSAC Indoor Championships
Jadyn Butler – Volleyball
Played in 27 matches, starting four as a defensive specialist
Sixth on team with 100 digs, seventh with 1.52 digs per set
Men’s
Jimmy Tooley – Baseball
Led IUP in ERA (4.17), wins (8-1), strikeouts per 7 innings (6.8), and opp batting average (.234)
Tossed 1-hitter in 1-0 win over Clarion, giving up hit with two outs in the seventh; PSAC West Pitcher of the Week
Most wins and lowest ERA by an IUP starting pitcher since Stephen Cooke in 2012 (8-2, 2.00)
Tomiwa Sulaiman – Basketball
PSAC West Freshman of the Year
Averaged 7.1 points and 5.9 rebounds; second on team with 55.3 field goal pct.; started 18 of final 21 games
Averaged 8.3 points and 8.3 rebounds with two double-doubles in seven postseason games
Joel Beckwith – Cross Country
All-Atlantic Region selection after finishing 25th of 157 runners at regional meet
Second team All-PSAC selection after finishing 17th of 152 runners at conference meet
Won collegiate debut (Marty Uher Invite); IUP’s top finisher in all five meets
Tyrone Fowler – Football
PSAC West Freshman of the Year, first team All-PSAC West
Led IUP with 11.5 TFLs, 7.0 sacks and 3 forced fumbles
2.5 sacks in season-finale comeback win at West Chester; PSAC West Defensive Player of the Week
Thomas McGillan – Swimming & Diving
Qualified for three individual events, competed in seven total (four relays) at PSAC Championships
Totaled 49.5 points at PSAC Championships (27.5 individual, 22 relay)
Finished sixth in 50 free, seventh in 100 free, 14th in 100 breaststroke
Justin Egizio – Track & Field
Earned All-PSAC honors in the 4×100 relay with a third place finish at the conference outdoor meet
Also finished fifth in the 400 meters at PSAC Outdoor Championships; competed in four total events
Part of winning 4×400 relay at IUP’s Ed Fry Invitational
BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Women’s
Tori James – Cross Country
Second team All-PSAC at conference championship meet with 20th place finish; Two top-10 finishes, IUP’s top runner in each of first four meets
27th at PSAC Championships, top-3 team finisher in two of three events
Kathryn Burke – Lacrosse
True freshman walk-on in the fall; played in all 18 games with 3 starts
Ninth on team with 16 goals and 21 points
Hannah Scardina – Soccer
First team All-PSAC West forward in first season; One of PSAC’s top scorers, led IUP with 9 goals, 5 assists and 23 points
Freshman during cancelled 2020 COVID season
Kaylee Kassa – Swimming & Diving
Scored 75 points at 2022 PSAC Championship; Hit three of four lifetime bests at conference meet with difficult schedule (1650 free, 1000 free, 400 IM, 200 fly); fifth in 200 fly at 2:09.99
Scored 14 points at first PSAC Championship’; 200 fly time in 2018 was 2:24.55 (+0:14.56)
Karolin Kirchtag – Tennis
PSAC West Athlete of the Year; Won singles and doubles titles at Atlantic Region and PSAC tournaments; Set IUP record with 31 singles victories
Had 7-8 singles record, including 3-2 against PSAC West, in 2020-21 season
Cahsia Page – Track & Field
All-PSAC performer in the 100 meters with a third place finish at conference outdoor championship meet, running career-best time of 12.23;
Finished seventh in 100 meters at last year’s PSAC outdoor meet with time of 12.34
Caroline Walsh – Volleyball
Honorable mention All-Atlantic Region, first team All-PSAC West; second in PSAC with .314 hitting percentage, third on team with 206 kills
Played in 15 of 28 matches with 5 starts in 2019
Men’s
Tomiwa Sulaiman – Basketball
PSAC West Freshman of the Year; Averaged 7.1 points and 5.9 rebounds; second on team with 55.3 field goal pct.; started 18 of final 21 games
Played in three games during COVID-shortened 2020-21 season; averaged 9.3 points and 10.7 rebounds
Kendall Branan – Cross Country
Second team All-PSAC selection after finishing 26th out of 152 runners at conference meet; Three top-20 finishes; Top-4 team finisher in all five meets
Transferred to IUP this year, did not compete in cross country last year
Adam Morrison – Swimming & Diving
Competed in six events at PSAC Championships (4 individual, 2 relay), scoring 26 points in five of those events; Posted four best collegiate times at PSAC meet, including two lifetime bests
Scored in two of four individual events at last year’s PSAC Championship meet
Noah Shannon-Hatchett – Track & Field
Earned All-PSAC honors as anchor on 4×100 relay team with a third place finish at PSAC Outdoor Championship; also fifth place in 100 meters at outdoor meet
Previous best individual event finish at a PSAC meet was ninth
POSTSEASON PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
Women’s
Tori James – Cross Country
Team’s top runner at both PSAC and Atlantic Region Championship meets
Was 20th of 178 runners at PSAC Championships, earning second team All-PSAC
Finished 39th of 160 runners at Atlantic Region meet
Sarah Reustle – Lacrosse
Team-high 3 goals and 7 draw controls in 8-7 loss at Mercyhurst in PSAC quarterfinals
Had back-to-back goals to give IUP 7-6 lead with 3:12 to play
Joelle Snyder – Softball
Hit .545 (6-for-11) with an .818 slugging percentage in three games at the PSAC tournament
Had three doubles, one RBI, scored two runs and stole three bases
Went 2-for-5 with a double and steal in elimination game win over East Stroudsburg
Claire Mikesell – Swimming & Diving
Two-time All-American at NCAA Championships
Finished fourth in 200 breaststroke, fifth in 100 breaststroke; set IUP records in both
PSAC Champion in 200 breast; finished in top-8 in four of six events at PSAC Championships
Karolin Kirchtag – Tennis
FALL: Won singles and doubles titles at Atlantic Region and PSAC tournaments; went combined 19-0 at regional and PSAC tournaments
SPRING: Named PSAC Tournament MVP; Went combined 5-1 in PSAC and NCAA tournaments
Hailey Dodson – Track & Field
Had two top-6 finishes in the shot put at this year’s PSAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships
Finished third in shot put at PSAC Outdoor meet, earning All-PSAC honors with career-best throw of 13.99 meters (45-10.75)
Finished sixth in the same event at indoor championship meet
Men’s
Dave Morris – Basketball
Named to Atlantic Region All-Tournament Team; helped team to PSAC and region tournament championships, national semifinal appearance
Led IUP in 3-pointers made (26) and steals (22) in 8 postseason games; Second on team in scoring (13.8 pg), rebounds (6.3 pg) and assists (3.1 pg)
Tied career-high with 6 3-pointers in NCAA opening round win, had 5 3-pointers in Elite Eight win over Hillsdale
Marco Cardone – Cross Country
Was team’s second finisher at both the PSAC and Atlantic Region Championship meets
Finished 22nd out of 152 runners at conference championship, earning All-PSAC
Had 48th place finish of 157 runners at region championships in first career 10K race
Jack Buccigross – Golf
Finished fourth (of 50) at PSAC Championships, leading IUP to conference title
Shot 6-over 219 over three rounds to finish six strokes back of individual lead
Tied for eighth (of 108) at NCAA Atlantic/East Region Championships with 4-over 220, seven strokes back of leader
Luke Mikesell – Swimming & Diving
Won PSAC titles in the 500 freestyle and 1000 freestyle at conference championship meet, defending both titles from 2021
Scored team-high 79 points at PSAC Championships, including two first place and one second place individual finish that totaled 57 points
Also competed in three relays, including third place 400 freestyle relay
Evan Weaver – Track & Field
Team’s top point scorer at PSAC Indoor and Outdoor Championship meets (combined)
At PSAC Indoor Championships he finished in fifth place in both the mile and 3000 meters (career-best time)
At PSAC Outdoor Championships he finished second in 3000 meter steeplechase (career-best time) and fourth in the 5000 meters
SENIOR OF THE YEAR
Women’s
Justina Mascaro – Basketball
First team All-PSAC West guard
Led team with 13.5 PPG, 54.4 FG% and 43.5 3FG%; second with 5.1 RPG and 33 steals
Two-time All-PSAC West guard in two seasons at IUP; career 1,000-point scorer
Georgi Chiavacci – Field Hockey
Led team, tied for seventh in the PSAC with 7 assists
Second on team in both goals (6) and points (19)
Finished career tied for 13th in program history with 13 assists
Chloe Borland – Lacrosse
Second team All-PSAC West attacker
Second on team with 54 points and 29 assists, fourth with 25 goals
13th in IUP history with 2.84 career points/game, seventh all-time with 51 assists
Mahogany Willis – Soccer
Second team All-PSAC West forward
Second on the team with 6 goals and 13 points
Had second career hat trick, including game-winner, in 4-3 OT win at Edinboro
Jenna Rhue – Softball
Second team All-PSAC West catcher
Tied for fourth in PSAC with 10 home runs, third most in IUP history; .664 slugging is fifth in IUP history
Led team with 32 RBI, third with six doubles and fourth with .327 batting average
Claire Mikesell – Swimming & Diving
Two-time All-American at NCAA Championships; Finished fourth in 200 breaststroke, fifth in 100 breaststroke, setting IUP records in both
PSAC Champion in 200 breast; finished in top-8 in four of six events at PSAC Championships
Nine first place finishes during season, scored 286 points
Kylie Osborn – Volleyball
Started team-high 31 matches at middle blocker
Fourth on team with 249.5 points and 153 kills
Second on team with 84.0 blocks and a .292 hitting percentage
Men’s
Nick Hess – Baseball
.336 avg, 13 doubles, 35 RBI and .550 slugging pct were all third on team
Tied for second on team with 5 home runs
Career: .309 avg, .502 slugging with 15 homers and 85 RBI in 138 games
Tommy Demogerontas – Basketball
4th on team in scoring (9.7 PPG), 2nd in rebounding (5.9 RPG), 3rd in shooting (.495 pct.)
Career-game with 23 points and 15 rebounds, 8-10 field goals and 4-4 3-pt field goals in win at Bowie State
Started 17 games for PSAC West, PSAC tournament, and Atlantic Region champions
Josh Dauberman – Football
AFCA First Team All-American, D2Football Elite 100, First Team All-PSAC West
Started 10 games at right guard, led offensive line that gave up only 8 sacks
3-time All-PSAC West; 2019 all-region; named to IUP’s All-Decade Team of the 2010s
Branden Hendricks – Swimming & Diving
Qualified in three individual events for PSAC Championships
Helped 200 medley relay finish fifth
TEAM OF THE YEAR
Women’s
Basketball
21-9 overall record, fourth in PSAC West with 15-7 record
Earned NCAA tournament selection for seventh straight year
Reached as high as No. 6 in media top-25 poll
Cross Country
Finished 12th of 17 teams at PSAC Championship; one All-PSAC runner
Finished 15th of 22 teams at NCAA Atlantic Region Championship
Field Hockey
11-6 overall, fifth in PSAC with 5-5 record
Earned first PSAC tournament berth since 2016
5-0 start to season was best by program since 2008
Lacrosse
12-6 overall, third in PSAC West with 9-3 record
PSAC quarterfinalists
Most wins since 2016 (13-6); 5-0 in 1-goal games
Soccer
8-8-1 overall, fifth in PSAC West with 7-8-1 record (22 pts)
Reached No. 14 in Division II rankings, first ranking since 2014 season
Softball
17-21 overall, fifth in PSAC West with 8-8 record
Reached PSAC tournament for first time since 2018
Swimming & Diving
Finished second of 12 teams at PSAC Championships
Finished 17th of 35 at NCAA Championships
Three swimmers combined for seven All-American honors; four PSAC event champions
Tennis
18-8 overall record, first in PSAC West with 6-0 record
PSAC West champion, PSAC tournament champion, Atlantic Region champion; advanced to final 16 teams of NCAA tournament
Atlantic Region and PSAC tournament singles and doubles champions in the fall
Track & Field
MITF: 13th of 15 at PSAC Indoor Championship
MOTF: 13th of 15 at PSAC Outdoor Championship; had 400m hurdles champion
Volleyball
18-14 overall, fifth in PSAC West with 8-8 record
Had +11 win improvement from last full year; second best improvement in program history
Eighth in final NCAA Atlantic Region rankings; missed tournament due to earned access
Men’s
Baseball
27-22 overall record, tied for fourth in PSAC West at 16-12
Had +25 win improvement from last year; predicted to finish last in preseason poll
Went 5-3 against top-25 opponents; Most wins since 2013 (27)
Basketball
33-3 overall record, first in PSAC West at 20-2
PSAC West regular season, PSAC Tournament, Atlantic Region Tournament champions
Advanced to national semifinals of Elite Eight; tied program record for wins in a season (33)
Cross Country
Finished fourth of 12 teams at PSAC Championships; three All-PSAC runners
Finished eighth of 23 at NCAA Atlantic Region Championships; one all-region runner
Football
7-3 overall record, third in PSAC West at 5-2
Defeated No. 6 Slippery Rock 48-21 on the road
League-best 17 All-PSAC selections
Golf
Won PSAC Championship in the fall; three golfers finished in top-8
Earned selection to 25th straight NCAA regional tournament
Finished tied for eighth of 20 at NCAA regionals; top golfer tied for eighth
Swimming & Diving
Finished fifth of seven at PSAC Championships
Two PSAC individual champions
Track & Field
MITF: 10th of 12 at PSAC Indoor Championship; Had 800m champion
MOTF: Ninth of 13 at PSAC Outdoor Championship
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Women’s
Justina Mascaro – Basketball
First team All-PSAC West guard
Led team with 13.5 PPG, 54.4 FG% and 43.5 3FG%; second with 5.1 RPG and 33 steals
Scored in double-figures team-best 23 times in 30 games; three 20-point games
Reached career 1,000-point milestone in NCAA tournament first round game
Blaise Cugini – Field Hockey
Second team All-PSAC
Ranked ninth in the PSAC in points (23) and goals (10), fifth in shots on goal (41)
Tied IUP record with four goals in 5-1 win at Slippery Rock
Scored points in seven of IUP’s 17 games – IUP went 7-0 in those games
Sarah Reustle – Lacrosse
Second team All-Atlantic Region, first team All-PSAC West midfielder
Two-time PSAC West Athlete of the Week during season
Led team, among PSAC leaders in caused turnovers and ground balls
Fourth on team with 33 points; 21 goals and 25 points over final six games
Cassidy Zandier – Soccer
First team All-PSAC West defender
Only IUP defender to start all 17 matches
Lock-down defender, led a defensive unit that tallied five shutouts and gave up 1.35 goals per match (fourth in division)
Joelle Snyder – Softball
Second team All-PSAC West shortstop
Led IUP in seven major stat categories, including BAvg (.346), runs (26), hits (44), doubles (9), triples (2), and steals (20) from leadoff spot
Also led IUP with 13 multi-hit games
Hit .545 (6-for-11) with .818 slugging percentage in PSAC tournament
Rachel Johnson – Swimming & Diving
Two-time All-American at NCAA Championships, competed in three events
Finished ninth in 100 breast, 15th in 200 breast, 34th in 400 IM at NCAA Championships
Two-time PSAC champion at conference meet – 100 breast and IUP record-breaking 800 free relay
Led team with 378 total points; 19 top-3 finishes, including 10 first place finishes; Team MVP
Karolin Kirchtag – Tennis
PSAC West Athlete of the Year; first team All-PSAC West in singles and doubles
Atlantic Region and PSAC tournament singles and doubles champion in the fall; PSAC Tournament MVP in the spring
Set IUP record with 31 singles victories; started year with 21 straight combined wins
Reached as high as No. 13 singles ranking, No. 8 doubles ranking in Division II
Cassidy Kline – Track & Field
PSAC Outdoor Champion in the 400 meter hurdles; time of 1:01.55 was second fastest in region and 28th in Division II
Anchored seventh place 4×400 relay at PSAC Indoor Championships; competed in three events at conference outdoor meet, three at indoor meet
Combined three second place finishes, one third place finish during indoor and outdoor seasons
Caroline Walsh – Volleyball
Honorable mention All-Atlantic Region, first team All-PSAC West middle blocker
Led team, finished second in PSAC with a .314 hitting percentage; best hitting pct by an IUP player since 2017
Led team, finished 13th in PSAC with 91 total blocks
Third on team with 206 kills, fourth with 1.82 kills per set
Men’s
Harrison Pontoli – Baseball
Second team All-PSAC West at second base
Led team with 6 home runs, 42 RBI, 45 runs, 4 triples, and 14 stolen bases, 8.94 at-bat/strikeout ratio from his No. 1 or No. 2 spot in the lineup
Second on team with .349 avg, 1.068 OPS, 53 hits, 16 doubles
Also led team with 17 multi-hit and 12 multi-RBI games
Armoni Foster – Basketball
All-American and NABC National Player of the Year finalist; PSAC West Athlete of the Year
Averaged 17.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game; Led NCAA with 2 triple-doubles, second in Division II in total assists and fifth in free throws made
Broke IUP record for assists in a season (234); third-most points (642) in a single season
Led IUP to PSAC West, PSAC tournament, and Atlantic Region titles, national semifinal game
Joel Beckwith – Cross Country
All-Atlantic Region selection after finishing 25th of 157 runners at regional meet
Second team All-PSAC selection after finishing 17th of 152 runners at conference meet
The team’s top runner as a freshman; first IUP finisher in all five meets
Won collegiate debut meet, three top-20 finishes
Irvin Charles – Football
Honorable mention All-America; second team All-PSAC West
Second on team with 39 catches and 792 yards; led team with 12 TDs and 20.3 yards per catch
12 receiving touchdowns are tied for fifth most in IUP history
Signed with New York Jets as undrafted free agent on April 30
Jack Buccigross – Golf
All-Atlantic Region, All-PSAC selection; 11th-ranked golfer in region
Led team with 74.0 average; Finished in top-10 in six of nine events during season
Won West Chester’s invitational with 1-over 143, tied for second lowest score in tournament history; first collegiate win
Finished fourth at PSAC Championships, tied for eighth at Atlantic/East Region Championship tournament
Ryan Hartman – Swimming & Diving
Scored team-best 277 individual/relay points; Team MVP
Had 14 top-3 finishes, including six first place finishes during season
Part of All-PSAC 400 freestyle relay team (third place); competed in seven events (four individual, three relay) at PSAC Championships
Scored 50 points (35 individual, 15 relay) at PSAC meet; Finished sixth in 100 freestyle and 200 IM, ninth in 200 breast, and scored in two of three relays
Evan Weaver – Track & Field
All-PSAC in the 3000 meter steeplechase at PSAC Outdoor Championships
Finished second in 3000m steeplechase, fourth in 5000 meters at PSAC outdoor meet; finished fifth in both mile and 3000 meters at PSAC indoor meet
IUP’s top combined point scorer at PSAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships
Won 5000 meters at Shippensburg’s Paul Kaiser Classic
Definition of Awards
Below is a list of the 11 awards selected to be given for the 2021-22 year, along with the eligibility definitions.
Awards to be voted on
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Presented to men’s and women’s upperclassmen who have displayed a combination of success both on the playing field and in the classroom.
Coach of the Year: Presented to the men’s and women’s head coaches who did the most outstanding job leading his or her team.
Performance of the Year: Presented to the student-athletes who had the most significant or extraordinary performance in a single game, event, or outing.
Freshman of the Year: Presented to a true freshman or redshirt freshman men’s and women’s student-athlete who put together the best all-around season for a first-year college player.
Breakthrough Athlete of the Year: Presented to a first-year starter or first-time key contributor who has improved their season performance dramatically over the last year.
Postseason Performer of the Year: Presented to the men’s and women’s student-athletes who put together the most significant combined performances in a PSAC or NCAA championship tournament/event.
Senior of the Year: Presented to senior eligible men’s and women’s student-athletes (in their final playing season) who had the most successful individual seasons.
Team of the Year: Presented to the men’s and women’s teams who had the most outstanding seasons.
Athlete of the Year: Presented to the men’s and women’s student-athletes, regardless of class eligibility, who had the best individual seasons.
Additional awards
Crimson Teammate of the Year: Presented to a student-athlete from each sport who inspires his or her teammates with the five pillars of the IUP Athletics vision: Experience, Leadership, Community, Excellence and Integrity. Each team is represented with student-athlete chosen by the head coach.
Academic Team of the Year: Presented to a men’s and women’s teams with the highest cumulative grade point average for the academic year.
History of IUP’s year-end awards
The Crimson & Gray Awards were announced in April 2017 and first awarded for the 2016-17 season. 2020-21 marks the fifth year of the awards.
Prior to the current format, year-end athletic awards consisted of the Athletes of the Year and Scholar-Athletes of the Year. A singular Athlete of the Year honoree was first announced after the 2012-13 season and was determined by fan voting. For the 2013-14 season, both men’s and women’s Athletes of the Year were named, with fan voting eliminated, with that format running for three years.
Scholar-Athletes of the Year were announced in April at the President’s annual All-American Banquet, with varying selection qualifications each year.
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