Photo by: Charles Wainwright
Syracuse Football Hands Out Team Awards
12/9/2019 9:27:00 AM | Football
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Members of the 2019 Orange football team came together one final time Sunday night in the Grand Ballroom at Drumlins Country Club for the Syracuse Football Senior Recognition and Honors Banquet.
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Players, coaches, supporters of the football program, and Syracuse Athletics staff gathered to toast a 2019 class that was integral to the Orange's 2018 Camping World Bowl Championship. This year's seniors closed their careers with two wins in the last three games of 2019, including a thrilling 39-30 overtime victory against Wake Forest in the season finale.
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The 23-player group was the first four-year class to come through the program under head coach Dino Babers.
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"I think about our word faith – belief without evidence," Babers said leading up the Wake Forest game. "These guys came when there was no evidence, and they had tremendous faith in what we were going to get done here. They've had some good times and they've had some bad times, but I think they'll always be Orange and I don't think they'd have it any other way."
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Fourteen individual awards were presented during the two-hour celebration. The night's biggest honor went to defensive end Kendall Coleman, who was the recipient of the Bill Horr Most Valuable Player Award. Coleman also won the Coach "Mac" Award for intensity, focus, effort and attitude.
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For the second time, the Jim DaRin Award for Courage was presented to a player who showed extraordinary courage in the face of adversity. Named after DaRin, an Orange offensive lineman who endured 12 surgeries on his spinal cord and a ruptured artery near his heart as the result of an accident at the Miller Brewing plant where he worked, this year's award went to Nolan Cooney.
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A three-sport standout out at East Greenwich (R.I.) High School, Cooney was diagnosed with testicular cancer as a junior in December 2013. He underwent surgery and nine weeks of chemotherapy before rejoining the basketball team in time for its Division III semifinal playoff game.
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In 2016, Cooney walked on to the Syracuse football team. He became the Orange's primary holder prior to the start of last season. With Cooney spotting the ball, kickers Andre Szmyt and Sterling Hofrichter have converted 48-of-55 (.873) field goals and 100 out of 101 (.990) point-after attempts the last two years.
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Once all the awards were presented, Babers closed the evening with one last message to the seniors.
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"Good luck to you guys. Good luck in your endeavors. You guys are always welcome to spring football," Babers said. "I know you say that you're not going to come, but you turned around and saw all those other seniors hanging out with nothing to do and nowhere to go. When you don't know where to go – come home to family. La Familia. 'Ohana. Thank you so much for 2019."
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2019 Syracuse Team Award Winners
Joe Szombathy Award (Outstanding Special Teams Player) – Tyrell Richards
Ray Martino Award (Loyalty, Enthusiasm, and Perseverance) – Kenneth Ruff
Pat Miller Award (Outstanding Athlete, Student, and Citizen) – Andrew Armstrong
Thomas S. Pirro Award (Character and Coachability) – Evan Foster
Joe Alexander Award (Excellence in Football, Scholarship, and Citizenship) – Sterling Hofrichter
Tim Green Award (Outstanding Defensive Lineman) – Alton Robinson
Coach "Mac" Award (Intensity, Focus, Effort, and Attitude) – Kendall Coleman
Duffy Daugherty Award (Consummate Teammate) – Lakiem Williams
Ben Schwartzwalder Award (Exemplary Football Player) – Airon Servais
Mark Hoffman Award (Outstanding Back) – Moe Neal
Bill Maxwell Award (Most Improved Offensive Player) – Aaron Hackett
Ted Dailey Award (Most Improved Defensive Player) – Brandon Berry
Bill Horr Award (Most Valuable Player) – Kendall Coleman
Jim DaRin Award for Courage – Nolan Cooney
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For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).
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Players, coaches, supporters of the football program, and Syracuse Athletics staff gathered to toast a 2019 class that was integral to the Orange's 2018 Camping World Bowl Championship. This year's seniors closed their careers with two wins in the last three games of 2019, including a thrilling 39-30 overtime victory against Wake Forest in the season finale.
Â
The 23-player group was the first four-year class to come through the program under head coach Dino Babers.
Â
"I think about our word faith – belief without evidence," Babers said leading up the Wake Forest game. "These guys came when there was no evidence, and they had tremendous faith in what we were going to get done here. They've had some good times and they've had some bad times, but I think they'll always be Orange and I don't think they'd have it any other way."
Â
Fourteen individual awards were presented during the two-hour celebration. The night's biggest honor went to defensive end Kendall Coleman, who was the recipient of the Bill Horr Most Valuable Player Award. Coleman also won the Coach "Mac" Award for intensity, focus, effort and attitude.
Â
For the second time, the Jim DaRin Award for Courage was presented to a player who showed extraordinary courage in the face of adversity. Named after DaRin, an Orange offensive lineman who endured 12 surgeries on his spinal cord and a ruptured artery near his heart as the result of an accident at the Miller Brewing plant where he worked, this year's award went to Nolan Cooney.
Â
A three-sport standout out at East Greenwich (R.I.) High School, Cooney was diagnosed with testicular cancer as a junior in December 2013. He underwent surgery and nine weeks of chemotherapy before rejoining the basketball team in time for its Division III semifinal playoff game.
Â
In 2016, Cooney walked on to the Syracuse football team. He became the Orange's primary holder prior to the start of last season. With Cooney spotting the ball, kickers Andre Szmyt and Sterling Hofrichter have converted 48-of-55 (.873) field goals and 100 out of 101 (.990) point-after attempts the last two years.
Â
Once all the awards were presented, Babers closed the evening with one last message to the seniors.
Â
"Good luck to you guys. Good luck in your endeavors. You guys are always welcome to spring football," Babers said. "I know you say that you're not going to come, but you turned around and saw all those other seniors hanging out with nothing to do and nowhere to go. When you don't know where to go – come home to family. La Familia. 'Ohana. Thank you so much for 2019."
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2019 Syracuse Team Award Winners
Joe Szombathy Award (Outstanding Special Teams Player) – Tyrell Richards
Ray Martino Award (Loyalty, Enthusiasm, and Perseverance) – Kenneth Ruff
Pat Miller Award (Outstanding Athlete, Student, and Citizen) – Andrew Armstrong
Thomas S. Pirro Award (Character and Coachability) – Evan Foster
Joe Alexander Award (Excellence in Football, Scholarship, and Citizenship) – Sterling Hofrichter
Tim Green Award (Outstanding Defensive Lineman) – Alton Robinson
Coach "Mac" Award (Intensity, Focus, Effort, and Attitude) – Kendall Coleman
Duffy Daugherty Award (Consummate Teammate) – Lakiem Williams
Ben Schwartzwalder Award (Exemplary Football Player) – Airon Servais
Mark Hoffman Award (Outstanding Back) – Moe Neal
Bill Maxwell Award (Most Improved Offensive Player) – Aaron Hackett
Ted Dailey Award (Most Improved Defensive Player) – Brandon Berry
Bill Horr Award (Most Valuable Player) – Kendall Coleman
Jim DaRin Award for Courage – Nolan Cooney
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For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).
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