BOSTON - Twenty-two institutional nominees for the 2017 America East Man and Woman of the Year awards were announced by the conference office Tuesday afternoon. The 10 men and 12 women are up for the honor that recognizes the conference's senior male and female student-athlete who has best distinguished himself and herself throughout their collegiate career in the areas of academic achievement, athletic excellence, service and leadership.
2017 Man of the Year Nominees
| Nominee |
School |
Sport |
| Keith Traut |
Albany |
Soccer |
| Joe Miceli |
Binghamton |
Track & Field |
| David MacKinnon |
Hartford |
Soccer/Baseball |
| Jesse Orach |
Maine |
XC/Track & Field |
| Billy Heavner |
UMBC |
Soccer |
| Joe Gambardella |
UMass Lowell |
Ice Hockey |
| Wuilito Fernandes |
UMass Lowell |
Soccer |
| Chris Wingate |
New Hampshire |
Soccer |
| Lucas Woodhouse |
Stony Brook |
Basketball |
| Jackson Dayton |
Vermont |
Soccer
|
2017 Woman of the Year Nominees
| Nominee |
School |
Sport |
| Mary Adeyeye |
Albany |
XC/Track & Field |
| Laini Leindecker |
Albany |
Volleyball |
| Alana MacDonald |
Binghamton |
Track & Field |
| Katie Connolly |
Hartford |
Soccer |
| Sigi Koizar |
Maine |
Basketball |
| Emily Escobedo |
UMBC |
Swimming & Diving |
| Taylor McCarley |
UMBC |
Basketball |
| Georgia Cowderoy |
UMass Lowell |
Field Hockey |
| Jaclyn Solimine |
UMass Lowell |
XC/Track & Field |
| Laura Rose Donegan |
New Hampshire |
XC/Track & Field |
| Christina Melian |
Stony Brook |
XC/Track & Field
|
| Alex Jenkins |
Vermont |
Soccer
|
To be nominated, student-athletes must have completed intercollegiate eligibility in their primary sport by the end of the 2017 spring season or received their undergraduate degree prior to the conclusion of the summer 2017 term and have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.500 (4.000 scale).
The nominees will be narrowed down to three finalists per gender, who will be announced via a release on the conference AmericaEast.com on Monday, May 22. The 2017 America East Man and Woman of the Year will be announced and honored at the conference's annual awards dinner on Friday, June 2.
The America East Woman of the Year will then be forwarded to the NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee. The selection committee will select the top 10 winners in each NCAA division (I, II and III). From among those 30 honorees, the selection committee will determine the top three in each division. Finally, the members of the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics (CWA) will vote from among the top nine to determine the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year.
America East began honoring a Woman of the Year in 2006 and introduced the Man of the Year award in 2015.
About America East: The America East provides its member schools and their athletic programs a platform upon which student-athletes can achieve both collegiate and life success through the promotion and nurturing of athletic excellence, academic achievement and leadership, on and off the field.