Orange Gather to Celebrate 2017-18 Accomplishments at 'Cuse Awards
5/1/2018 10:43:00 PM | Cuse Awards
The Syracuse women's tennis team, which is in the midst of a historic season, took home four awards at the 12th annual 'Cuse Awards on Tuesday night. The event celebrated Orange student-athletes' athletic achievements as well as academic honors and community engagement. Orange fans are invited to watch the 'Cuse Awards show in its entirety on Cuse TV at Cuse.com.
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ORANGE CARPET PHOTOS | CUSE AWARDS PHOTOSÂ | VIDEOS
Tennis earned the Women's Team of the Year honors after posting the biggest turnaround in program history. The Orange are currently 17-7 this season, marking just the second time in five years that Syracuse has posted double-digit wins in a season. The team has three victories over ranked opponents, including the biggest win in program history over No. 3 Georgia Tech. In addition, Younes Limam was named Women's Coach of the Year, while junior Gabriela Knutson earned Female Athlete of the Year and Female Performance of the Year accolades.
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The highlight of the evening came when Stephanie Grossi (women's ice hockey) and Colin Bennie (men's cross country) were presented with the 2018 Soladay Awards. The Soladay Award, which is named in honor of long-time athletics administrator Doris Soladay, is the highest honor presented to a male and female student-athlete each year.
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Grossi is Syracuse's all-time leader in points (117) and assists (72) and second in career goals (45). She earned the 2017-18 CHA Defensive Forward of the Year and Most Sportsmanlike Awards. Grossi has served as a team captain and is a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). In addition, she has been active in the community, including volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club and the Ronald McDonald House. Bennie has earned All-America honors in cross country and indoor and outdoor track. He helped the Orange claim the 2015 NCAA men's cross country title. Bennie has also been a member of SAAC.
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The female candidates for the Soladay Award were Nicole Mitchell (tennis), Dana Lussier (cheer), Laura Hurff (field hockey), Taylor Gait (lacrosse), Rachel Caldwell (rowing), Courtney Brosnan (soccer), Sammy Fernandez (softball), Danielle Delgado (cross country), and Belle Sand (volleyball). The male candidates for the Soladay Award were Zaire Franklin (football), Matthew Lane (lacrosse), Dominic Santoro (rowing), Patrick Castle (soccer) and Michael Lehr (spirit).
The men's basketball team earned Men's Team of the Year honors for its Cinderella story Sweet 16 run, which marked the 39th NCAA Tournament appearance in Syracuse history. The Orange were hindered by injuries and were down to seven scholarship players at the end of the season, but still managed to produce dramatic postseason results.
Justyn Knight took home Male Athlete of the Year for the third consecutive year. Knight became the first NCAA Cross Country champion in program history this season and won the 5000m at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship. He also finished second in the 3000m, earning 18 points at the meet, which was enough for Syracuse to finish 10th as a team. Knight also won the Northeast Region and ACC cross country titles. He was honored as the USTFCCCA National Performer of the Year and ACC Performer of the Year, and earned multiple USTFCCCA honors. So far in 2018, he has set the world-leading 5k time at the Iowa State Classic and has three top-four times nationally in the mile, 3k, 5k for indoor track.
Knutson won Female Athlete of the Year accolades as she leads the Orange with a 19-3 singles record and a 12-2 mark in ACC play. She remains the highest-ranked Syracuse player in program history, checking in at No. 4 and is tied for eighth in program history for career wins (136). She has defeated six top-50 opponents this season including No. 8 Alle Sanford of North Carolina, and was part of a duo that knocked off the top doubles team in the nation (Georgia Tech's Paige Hourigan and Kenya Jones). Knutson was honored with ACC Player of the Week twice this season and won the singles title at the ITA Northeast Regionals, marking the third consecutive year that an Orange has brought home the hardware.
Basketball players Digna Strautmane and Oshae Brissett earned Female and Male Rookie of the Year honors, respectively. Strautmane led the Orange in blocks (58) and ranked third in the ACC with 1.9 blocks/game. She was a three-time ACC Rookie of the Week, which made her the first player in program history to win back-to-back Rookie of the Week honors since Syracuse joined the ACC. Strautmane was named to ACC All-Freshman Team by league coaches and the Blue Ribbon Panel. Brissett ranked fifth among Division I players in minutes-played average and made the ACC All-Freshman Team. He led the team in rebounding (8.8 rpg) and was second in scoring (14.9 ppg).
Rowing coach Dave Reischman was honored with the Men's Coach of the Year award. He guided the Orange to an eighth-place finish at the 2017 IRA Championship. Under his guidance, Syracuse has won the Stagg Trophy against Cornell and Navy this season. It marks the seventh time in program history, and the first time since 2011, that the Orange have won the Stagg Trophy.
Ice hockey's Lindsay Eastwood received the Syracuse 8 Courage Award, which is presented to a student-athlete who has overcome challenges and demonstrated bravery in the face of adversity. Eastwood recovered from a rare autoimmune disease which kept her from competing in her first year at Syracuse to become a two year starter. She earned a spot on the 2016-17 CHA All-Rookie team in her first year back on the ice and this past season was named All-CHA Second Team.
Knutson and Knight also earned the Female and Male Performance of the Year awards. Knutson led the Orange against Georgia Tech, knocking off the No. 1 doubles pair in the nation at first doubles with a 6-2 victory. She faced the No. 22 singles player in the nation in singles. After losing the first set, Knutson rallied to win the next two sets for the victory. Knight was recognized for claiming Syracuse's first NCAA individual championship in cross country.
The Game of the Year award went to the football team for its remarkable victory against the undefeated, second-ranked Clemson Tigers. The Orange beat the Tigers, 27-24, in the Loud House, which marked the highest-ranked opponent Syracuse has defeated since upsetting No. 1 Nebraska in 1984. The defense held Clemson to 113 yards rushing, more than 120 yards below its average entering the game. Syracuse was the only team to beat Clemson during the regular season.
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The Play of the Year was awarded to the men's lacrosse team for Dom Madonna's triple overtime full-field pass to Ryan Simmons, who scored the game-winning goal to defeat No. 9 Army.
In addition, women's rowing took home the 'Cuse Cares award for community service. In addition, the women's soccer team was honored with the Team GPA award for the second year in the row, while Hendrik Hilpert (soccer) and Madeline Davison (cross country) earned 'Cuse Scholar awards.
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ORANGE CARPET PHOTOS | CUSE AWARDS PHOTOSÂ | VIDEOS
Tennis earned the Women's Team of the Year honors after posting the biggest turnaround in program history. The Orange are currently 17-7 this season, marking just the second time in five years that Syracuse has posted double-digit wins in a season. The team has three victories over ranked opponents, including the biggest win in program history over No. 3 Georgia Tech. In addition, Younes Limam was named Women's Coach of the Year, while junior Gabriela Knutson earned Female Athlete of the Year and Female Performance of the Year accolades.
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The highlight of the evening came when Stephanie Grossi (women's ice hockey) and Colin Bennie (men's cross country) were presented with the 2018 Soladay Awards. The Soladay Award, which is named in honor of long-time athletics administrator Doris Soladay, is the highest honor presented to a male and female student-athlete each year.
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Grossi is Syracuse's all-time leader in points (117) and assists (72) and second in career goals (45). She earned the 2017-18 CHA Defensive Forward of the Year and Most Sportsmanlike Awards. Grossi has served as a team captain and is a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). In addition, she has been active in the community, including volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club and the Ronald McDonald House. Bennie has earned All-America honors in cross country and indoor and outdoor track. He helped the Orange claim the 2015 NCAA men's cross country title. Bennie has also been a member of SAAC.
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The female candidates for the Soladay Award were Nicole Mitchell (tennis), Dana Lussier (cheer), Laura Hurff (field hockey), Taylor Gait (lacrosse), Rachel Caldwell (rowing), Courtney Brosnan (soccer), Sammy Fernandez (softball), Danielle Delgado (cross country), and Belle Sand (volleyball). The male candidates for the Soladay Award were Zaire Franklin (football), Matthew Lane (lacrosse), Dominic Santoro (rowing), Patrick Castle (soccer) and Michael Lehr (spirit).
The men's basketball team earned Men's Team of the Year honors for its Cinderella story Sweet 16 run, which marked the 39th NCAA Tournament appearance in Syracuse history. The Orange were hindered by injuries and were down to seven scholarship players at the end of the season, but still managed to produce dramatic postseason results.
Justyn Knight took home Male Athlete of the Year for the third consecutive year. Knight became the first NCAA Cross Country champion in program history this season and won the 5000m at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship. He also finished second in the 3000m, earning 18 points at the meet, which was enough for Syracuse to finish 10th as a team. Knight also won the Northeast Region and ACC cross country titles. He was honored as the USTFCCCA National Performer of the Year and ACC Performer of the Year, and earned multiple USTFCCCA honors. So far in 2018, he has set the world-leading 5k time at the Iowa State Classic and has three top-four times nationally in the mile, 3k, 5k for indoor track.
Knutson won Female Athlete of the Year accolades as she leads the Orange with a 19-3 singles record and a 12-2 mark in ACC play. She remains the highest-ranked Syracuse player in program history, checking in at No. 4 and is tied for eighth in program history for career wins (136). She has defeated six top-50 opponents this season including No. 8 Alle Sanford of North Carolina, and was part of a duo that knocked off the top doubles team in the nation (Georgia Tech's Paige Hourigan and Kenya Jones). Knutson was honored with ACC Player of the Week twice this season and won the singles title at the ITA Northeast Regionals, marking the third consecutive year that an Orange has brought home the hardware.
Basketball players Digna Strautmane and Oshae Brissett earned Female and Male Rookie of the Year honors, respectively. Strautmane led the Orange in blocks (58) and ranked third in the ACC with 1.9 blocks/game. She was a three-time ACC Rookie of the Week, which made her the first player in program history to win back-to-back Rookie of the Week honors since Syracuse joined the ACC. Strautmane was named to ACC All-Freshman Team by league coaches and the Blue Ribbon Panel. Brissett ranked fifth among Division I players in minutes-played average and made the ACC All-Freshman Team. He led the team in rebounding (8.8 rpg) and was second in scoring (14.9 ppg).
Rowing coach Dave Reischman was honored with the Men's Coach of the Year award. He guided the Orange to an eighth-place finish at the 2017 IRA Championship. Under his guidance, Syracuse has won the Stagg Trophy against Cornell and Navy this season. It marks the seventh time in program history, and the first time since 2011, that the Orange have won the Stagg Trophy.
Ice hockey's Lindsay Eastwood received the Syracuse 8 Courage Award, which is presented to a student-athlete who has overcome challenges and demonstrated bravery in the face of adversity. Eastwood recovered from a rare autoimmune disease which kept her from competing in her first year at Syracuse to become a two year starter. She earned a spot on the 2016-17 CHA All-Rookie team in her first year back on the ice and this past season was named All-CHA Second Team.
Knutson and Knight also earned the Female and Male Performance of the Year awards. Knutson led the Orange against Georgia Tech, knocking off the No. 1 doubles pair in the nation at first doubles with a 6-2 victory. She faced the No. 22 singles player in the nation in singles. After losing the first set, Knutson rallied to win the next two sets for the victory. Knight was recognized for claiming Syracuse's first NCAA individual championship in cross country.
The Game of the Year award went to the football team for its remarkable victory against the undefeated, second-ranked Clemson Tigers. The Orange beat the Tigers, 27-24, in the Loud House, which marked the highest-ranked opponent Syracuse has defeated since upsetting No. 1 Nebraska in 1984. The defense held Clemson to 113 yards rushing, more than 120 yards below its average entering the game. Syracuse was the only team to beat Clemson during the regular season.
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The Play of the Year was awarded to the men's lacrosse team for Dom Madonna's triple overtime full-field pass to Ryan Simmons, who scored the game-winning goal to defeat No. 9 Army.
In addition, women's rowing took home the 'Cuse Cares award for community service. In addition, the women's soccer team was honored with the Team GPA award for the second year in the row, while Hendrik Hilpert (soccer) and Madeline Davison (cross country) earned 'Cuse Scholar awards.
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Players Mentioned
D
/ Track and Field
F
/ Men's Basketball
GK
/ Women's Soccer
H
/ Women's Track & Field
D
/ Ice Hockey
INF
/ Softball
LB
/ Football
M
/ Women's Lacrosse
F
/ Ice Hockey
GK
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Women's Lacrosse
D
/ Track and Field
/ Tennis
/ Cheer
G
/ Men's Lacrosse
/ Tennis
DS
/ Volleyball
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
F
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