PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – The Pace University Department of Athletics and Recreation held its annual T-Bone Setter Awards ceremony on Friday afternoon inside the Goldstein Fitness Center. It was the first time the event took place in person since 2019.
The award winners and the senior student-athlete Class of 2022 were all honored by coaches, fellow student-athletes, administrators, and staff.
After opening remarks by Director of Athletics Mark Brown, an end-of-year senior highlight reel was shown, showcasing some of the most memorable moments of 2021-22.
Following the video presentation, Pace softball alumna Tara Bernstein ('18) gave a stirring speech on what the future holds after your Setter career comes to an end. Bernstein was recently featured in Pace Alumni's Women in Sports piece.
Graduate swimmer and SAAC President
Annabel Keppel-Palmer (Kent, England/Maidstone Grammar School) then took to the podium and offered a few words from the student-athlete perspective, following which the presentation of awards commenced.
11 awards were handed out in total this year, with the department honoring the winners of the Female and Male Academic Achievement Awards, the Female and Male Athletes of the Year, the Female and Male Scholar Athletes of the Year, the Honorary Letterwinnner Award, and the Darrell Halloran Memorial Award.
The Moriarty Medal of Perseverance Award, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Faculty Award and the Golden Megaphone Award rounded out the recognitions.
- Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Faculty Award
Peggy FitzGerald, Associate Professor
Honoring an institutional faculty member who demonstrated dedication, support and guidance to student-athletes and the institution's athletics program, the SAAC Faculty Award was presented to Associate Professor Peggy FitzGerald.
A consistent supporter of Pace student-athletes, FitzGerald has selflessly, and admirably served as the faculty athletic representative for 11 years, helping Pace to launch three new sports during her tenure as our FAR, including field hockey, women's lacrosse and just this past season esports.
FitzGerald will also be the Setters' nominee for the NE10 Conference SAAC Faculty Mentor Award.
- Moriarty Medal of Perseverance Award
Luke Jacobi (Edison, N.J./JP Stevens), Baseball
Presented to the student-athlete who has overcome an injury or disability and gave a superb extra effort to perform higher than expectations, the Moriarty Medal of Perseverance Award went to
Luke Jacobi (Edison, N.J./JP Stevens) of the Pace baseball team.
Jacobi missed nearly the entirety of last season following a collision at home plate in just the second game of the year, which resulted in a seriously injured throwing shoulder.
However, through hard work, extreme discipline, and a hunger to return to the field, Jacobi overcame the injury and was one of just two Setters to start every game this season, and he did so in spectacular fashion, being named to the NE10's All-Conference First Team for his stellar batting and his efforts in the outfield.
Jacobi led Pace in hits, RBIs, doubles, and stolen bases, while batting an efficient .356.
- Female Academic Achievement Award
Grace Henderson (Kingswood, South Australia/Unley), Field Hockey
Recognizing the highest level of achievement possible in the classroom, the Setters' Academic Achievement Awards go to the graduating senior female and male student-athletes with the highest cumulative GPAs.
The female Academic Achievement Award went to
Grace Henderson (Kingswood, South Australia/Unley) of the Pace field hockey team. A health science major with a minor in biology, Henderson finished her time in a Pace classroom with a wildly impressive perfect cumulative 4.0 GPA through eight semesters of diligent studies.
- Male Academic Achievement Award
Joshua Comia (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by-the-Sea), Swimming & Diving
The male Academic Achievement Award was presented to Josh Comia. A computer science major with a minor in mathematics, Comia graduated in just three years with a cumulative GPA of 3.974.
He was recognized this winter by the NE10 as the conference's Elite 24 Award winner for the highest GPA of all competitors at this year's men's swimming and diving championships.
Bryan Powell (Middletown, N.Y./Canterbury School), Men's Basketball
Bryan Powell (Middletown, N.Y./Canterbury School) was named the Male Athlete of the Year after leading the men's basketball team to one of the best seasons in program history.
The Setters were crowned NE10 regular-season champions, earned an NCAA Tournament berth for the first time since 2007, as well as the program's first NCAA win since 2002.
Powell was subsequently named to both the NE10's All-Conference and All-Met First Teams after leading Pace in both scoring and rebounding with averages 14.9 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.
The forward also ranked fifth in the NE10 in both field-goal percentage and blocks.
Male Athlete of the Year finalists:
Dustin Huseinovic (Harrison, N.J./Harrison), Football
Louis Ragusa (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown), Men's Lacrosse
- Female Athlete of the Year
Lauren Schetter (Beacon, N.Y./Beacon High School), Women's Basketball
It was a season for the ages for graduate student
Lauren Schetter (Beacon, N.Y./Beacon High School), as she drove the Pace women's basketball team to the NE10 regular-season championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament, where the team won the East Regional, and reached the program's first Elite Eight since 2001 in Birmingham, Alabama.
She led the squad in points and rebounds, earning herself an NE10 All-Conference First Team selection, an All-American Honorable Mention, and the All-Met Player of the Year award. She was also named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA East Regional.
With average of 19.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game this past season, Schetter ended her Pace career with the 4th most points in school history.
Female Athlete of the Year finalists:
Krista Dietz (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac), Field Hockey
Gisselle Garcia (Lemon Grove, Calif. /Mater Dei Catholic), Softball
Alerie Tirsch, Interim Associate Dean for Students
Presented to a person that has gone above and beyond when attending Pace athletic events in support of the student-athletes, Alerie Tirsch won the Golden Megaphone Award.
Tirsch could routinely be found sitting in the stands at the Goldstein Fitness Center, proudly wearing Pace gear, and vociferously rooting on the Setters.
She co-hosted the student watch party for the Elite Eight women's basketball appearance and has always been more than ready to engage with good ideas with a positive go-getter attitude.
- Male Scholar Athlete Award
Mitchell McCabe (Chelmsford, Mass./Chelmsford/ Bridgton Academy), Baseball
The Scholar-Athlete Awards go to student-athletes who combined excellence in competition with outstanding achievement in the classroom.
Mitchell McCabe (Chelmsford, Mass./Chelmsford/ Bridgton Academy) won the Male Scholar Athlete Award. The graduate student boasted a 3.57 GPA inside the highly competitive Lubin School of Business after finishing his undergraduate degree with a near 4.0.
He complimented those classroom-highs with another monster year on the diamond.
McCabe was named to the NE10's All-Conference First Team after ranking second in the league with 11 home runs, and leading the Setters with a .359 batting average, 41 runs scored and a .719 slugging percentage.
He also tied for the team lead with 27 walks to near a .500 on-base percentage for the season.
Male Scholar Athlete Award finalists:
Timothy January (Peabody, Mass./Peabody Veterans Memorial), Men's Lacrosse
Bryan Powell (Middletown, N.Y./Canterbury School), Men's Basketball
- Female Scholar Athlete Award
Grace Henderson (Kingswood, South Australia/Unley), Field Hockey
This was Henderson's second award victory of the ceremony. The Australian's aforementioned 4.0 GPA was brilliantly matched by her terrific performance on the field.
A three-year team captain and four-year starting goalkeeper, she was named to the NE10's All-Conference Second Team this past season after posting a 1.09 goals-against average for a Pace team that went 14-5.
She also earned the Elite 24 Award last year for the highest GPA in all of NE10 Field Hockey.
Additionally, Grace was selected as the NE10's Rookie of the Year in 2018 as the starting goalkeeper for a Setter team that made it all the way to the NCAA Final Four and went an undefeated 13-0 in conference play during the regular season.
Female Scholar Athlete Award nominees:
Kayla Conway (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh), Women's Lacrosse
Naya Rivera (Pomona, N.Y./North Rockland), Women's Basketball
- Honorary Letterwinnner Award
Peggy FitzGerald, Associate Professor
FitzGerald was awarded the Pace Honorary Letterwinner Award to go alone with her SAAC Faculty Award.
The award is presented to an individual outside the athletics department who contributed to the Pace Athletics department in an exemplary manner.
FitzGerald is retiring after 42 years of model service as a proud Pace Setter.
- Darrell Halloran Memorial Award
Chloe Mayhew (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck), Field Hockey
Awarded to the senior student-athlete who has contributed the most to Pace University and the Athletics Department through athletic and scholastic achievement, leadership, and team spirit throughout the course of their time here at Pace, the prestigious Darrell Halloran Memorial Award, named after the former men's basketball coach from 1983-1998 who tragically passed away at halftime of a basketball game.
A team captain, Mayhew had a remarkable career both on and off the field at Pace. An electric midfielder with unmatched speed, Mayhew helped the Setters reach the NE10 semifinals this past season and an NCAA Final Four appearance as a freshman.
A model ambassador during her Setters career, Mayhew is a four-time member of the National Field Hockey Coaches Association DII National Academic Squad and a three-time scholar-of distinction by the NFHCA.
She has served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee since 2019, representing Pace as the female SAAC Rep to the NE10 for the past year.
Her numerous list of accomplishments include an award for Outstanding Contributions to the Department of Political Science and Global Studies, serving as host of a panel during Social Justice Week, serving as Vice President of the Lambda Sigma Honor Society, working with the Harris Project, Millennium Fellowship, Millennium Campus Network and United Nations Academic Impact Program.
Mayhew was also selected to speak at Monday's commencement as the winner of the Dyson College Scholastic Achievement Award.
Darrell Halloran Memorial Letterwinner of the Year Award finalists:
Austin Gilbertson (Etters, Pa./Trinity), Men's Basketball
Naya Rivera (Pomona, N.Y./North Rockland), Women's Basketball
Taylor Rossi (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh), Women's Lacrosse
Following the presentation of awards, the Department individually recognized all of the graduating seniors who were called upon to receive their graduation student-athlete stoles and take team pictures with their head coaches by their side.
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