Orange Celebrate 2019-20 With Virtual 'Cuse Awards
5/7/2020 8:45:00 PM | Cuse Awards
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse student-athletes' accomplishments in 2019-20 were celebrated all over the world during the 14th annual 'Cuse Awards, presented by OneGroup. For the first time, the awards were announced virtually on the department's social media accounts due to COVID-19.
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The 2020 Soladay Awards were presented to Lindsay Eastwood (ice hockey) and Stephen Rehfuss (men's lacrosse). The award is the highest honor presented to a male and female senior student-athlete each year and is named in honor of longtime athletics administrator Doris Soladay, recognizing the student-athletes for their academic success, athletic accomplishments, leadership and community engagement.
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The 2020 College Hockey America (CHA) Best Defender, Eastwood was an All-Conference First Team selection after posting 28 points on eight goals and 20 assists. The three-time team captain finished her career with 23 goals, which is a school record for goals by a defender. She also dished out 52 assists for 75 points, one shy of the program record for career points by a defender. Eastwood earned a spot on the 2019 CHA All-Tournament Team when she helped Syracuse to its first conference title and first appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Kanata, Ontario native is a two-time CHA All-Academic Team honoree and a 2018-19 American Hockey Coaches Association All-American Scholar. She was a three-year member of the Syracuse Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and an executive board member in 2019-20. She earned her master's degree in television, radio and film in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and her undergraduate degree in communication and rhetorical studies in the College of Visual and Performing Arts.
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Rehfuss is a 2020 honorable-mention All-American after posting the third-most assists per game nationally, dishing out 3.6 helpers per game. That mark also topped the ACC. Â He had two seven-assist games this year (vs. Colgate and at Johns Hopkins), which marked the second and third times that an Orange player has posted seven-or-more assists in a game in the last 20 years. The milestone has only been accomplished 20 times in the history of the program. The three-year starter earned ACC All-Academic Team honors in 2018-19. Rehfuss, who is pursuing his graduate degree in information technology management in the iSchool, earned his undergraduate degree in communication and rhetorical studies in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. He is a two-time member of the ACC Honor Roll. The Latham, N.Y. native has announced he will return to the Orange next season, taking advantage of the NCAA's ruling allowing seniors who had their seasons cut short due to COVID-19 an extra year of eligibility.
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The female nominees for the Soladay Award included Claire Webb (field hockey), Lila Nazarian (lacrosse), Georgia Allen (soccer), Miranda Ramirez (tennis), Dasia Pressley (track & field) and Liah Bowlian (volleyball). The male nominees were Sterling Hofrichter (football), Andrew Cummings (rowing) and Massimo Ferrin (soccer).
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Tiana Mangakahia, a member of the Orange women's basketball team, received the Syracuse Eight Courage Award, an honor bestowed upon an individual who has overcome a disadvantaged background, a serious injury, or has demonstrated uncommon bravery or highly principled behavior in the face of adversity. The Brisbane, Australia native missed the 2019-20 season after being diagnosed with breast cancer in June of 2019. Since then, she underwent four months of chemotherapy and multiple surgeries and was declared cancer free in November. Mangakahia plans to return to the Orange next season to complete her collegiate career.
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For its outstanding work in the Syracuse community, the women's rowing team earned its second consecutive 'Cuse Cares Award for community service, while the field hockey squad took home the 'Cuse Cup, which goes to the team that has accumulated the most points based on four categories – 'Cuse Cares, academic success, athletic success and S-Project participation.
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The Orange softball squad garnered the Team GPA award for the highest team grade point average. Simon Smith (cross country/track & field), Jenna Tivnan (women's soccer), Elizabeth Cultra (cross country/track & field), Laura Dickinson (cross country/track & field) and Amanda Vestri (cross country/track & field) all earned 'Cuse Scholar awards for the highest grade point averages among all 600 student-athletes.
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The following individuals won their team 'Cuse Award as a standout performer and teammate, as voted by the coaches and/or teammates.
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The 2020 Soladay Awards were presented to Lindsay Eastwood (ice hockey) and Stephen Rehfuss (men's lacrosse). The award is the highest honor presented to a male and female senior student-athlete each year and is named in honor of longtime athletics administrator Doris Soladay, recognizing the student-athletes for their academic success, athletic accomplishments, leadership and community engagement.
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The 2020 College Hockey America (CHA) Best Defender, Eastwood was an All-Conference First Team selection after posting 28 points on eight goals and 20 assists. The three-time team captain finished her career with 23 goals, which is a school record for goals by a defender. She also dished out 52 assists for 75 points, one shy of the program record for career points by a defender. Eastwood earned a spot on the 2019 CHA All-Tournament Team when she helped Syracuse to its first conference title and first appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Kanata, Ontario native is a two-time CHA All-Academic Team honoree and a 2018-19 American Hockey Coaches Association All-American Scholar. She was a three-year member of the Syracuse Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and an executive board member in 2019-20. She earned her master's degree in television, radio and film in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and her undergraduate degree in communication and rhetorical studies in the College of Visual and Performing Arts.
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Rehfuss is a 2020 honorable-mention All-American after posting the third-most assists per game nationally, dishing out 3.6 helpers per game. That mark also topped the ACC. Â He had two seven-assist games this year (vs. Colgate and at Johns Hopkins), which marked the second and third times that an Orange player has posted seven-or-more assists in a game in the last 20 years. The milestone has only been accomplished 20 times in the history of the program. The three-year starter earned ACC All-Academic Team honors in 2018-19. Rehfuss, who is pursuing his graduate degree in information technology management in the iSchool, earned his undergraduate degree in communication and rhetorical studies in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. He is a two-time member of the ACC Honor Roll. The Latham, N.Y. native has announced he will return to the Orange next season, taking advantage of the NCAA's ruling allowing seniors who had their seasons cut short due to COVID-19 an extra year of eligibility.
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The female nominees for the Soladay Award included Claire Webb (field hockey), Lila Nazarian (lacrosse), Georgia Allen (soccer), Miranda Ramirez (tennis), Dasia Pressley (track & field) and Liah Bowlian (volleyball). The male nominees were Sterling Hofrichter (football), Andrew Cummings (rowing) and Massimo Ferrin (soccer).
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Tiana Mangakahia, a member of the Orange women's basketball team, received the Syracuse Eight Courage Award, an honor bestowed upon an individual who has overcome a disadvantaged background, a serious injury, or has demonstrated uncommon bravery or highly principled behavior in the face of adversity. The Brisbane, Australia native missed the 2019-20 season after being diagnosed with breast cancer in June of 2019. Since then, she underwent four months of chemotherapy and multiple surgeries and was declared cancer free in November. Mangakahia plans to return to the Orange next season to complete her collegiate career.
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For its outstanding work in the Syracuse community, the women's rowing team earned its second consecutive 'Cuse Cares Award for community service, while the field hockey squad took home the 'Cuse Cup, which goes to the team that has accumulated the most points based on four categories – 'Cuse Cares, academic success, athletic success and S-Project participation.
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The Orange softball squad garnered the Team GPA award for the highest team grade point average. Simon Smith (cross country/track & field), Jenna Tivnan (women's soccer), Elizabeth Cultra (cross country/track & field), Laura Dickinson (cross country/track & field) and Amanda Vestri (cross country/track & field) all earned 'Cuse Scholar awards for the highest grade point averages among all 600 student-athletes.
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The following individuals won their team 'Cuse Award as a standout performer and teammate, as voted by the coaches and/or teammates.
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| Men's Basketball | Elijah Hughes |
| Women's Basketball | Kiara Lewis |
| Cheer | Caitlin Harley, Noelle Semrau |
| Men's Cross Country | Nathan Henderson |
| Women's Cross Country | Amanda Vestri |
| Dance | Karli Swenson |
| Field Hockey | Claire Webb |
| Football | Kendall Coleman |
| Ice Hockey | Lindsay Eastwood |
| Men's Lacrosse | Jamie Trimboli |
| Women's Lacrosse | Emily Hawryschuk |
| Mascot | Ellen Durkin |
| Men's Rowing | Andrew Cummings, Ken Hubbard |
| Women's Rowing | Meg Varcoe |
| Men's Soccer | Ryan Raposo |
| Women's Soccer | Meghan Root |
| Men's Track | Joe Dragon |
| Tennis | Kim Hansen |
| Women's Track | Annie Heffernan |
| Volleyball | Polina Shemanova |
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