BOSTON – Two of America East’s top student-athletes, UAlbany’s Adrian Mitchell and Stony Brook’s Chelsie DePonte, have earned the conference’s highest honors as the duo was named 2020-21 America East Man and Woman of the Year, respectively on Tuesday morning. The winners were selected by the conference's Senior Woman Administrators.
These Man and Woman of the Year awards honor the conference's top male and female senior student-athletes who have best distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate career in the areas of academic achievement, athletic excellence, service and leadership.
2020-21 America East Man of the Year
Adrian Mitchell, UAlbany – Track & Field
- Second Great Dane to be named Man of Year.
- Earned undergraduate degree in economics and is pursuing master’s in business administration.
- USTFCCCA Academic All-American.
- All-American in javelin and two-time America East champion in the event.
- Three-time America East champion.
- Co-President of UAlbany SAAC and member of America East SAAC.
- Volunteered at The Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless.
- Played integral role in furthering America East’s Spread Respect, Better Together and Food Frenzy initiatives in the UAlbany community and his native country of Jamaica.
2020-21 America East Woman of the Year
Chelsie DePonte, Stony Brook – Women’s Soccer
- Fourth Seawolf to earn the honor.
- Graduated summa cum laude with a 3.96 GPA in business management.
- America East Presidential Scholar Athlete and Scholar All-American.
- Two-time America East All-Academic honoree.
- Two-time All-America East performer, including a first-team selection this year.
- Three-time America East champion.
- President of Stony Brook PAWS, its student-athlete mental health awareness group on campus.
- Volunteered at Stony Brook’s poll center assisting students to facilitate voting in the fall, 2020.
The winners were chosen from the three finalists who were announced on June 16. Cameron Avery and UMBC’s Andrew Haberman joined Mitchell as the three Man of the Year finalists while DePonte, UMBC’s Catherine Evans and Hartford’s Elizabeth Lodge were the three finalists selected from the 11 women's nominees. Finalist Release
The nominees were named on June 10. Nominee Release
To be nominated, student-athletes must have completed intercollegiate eligibility in their primary sport by the end of the 2021 spring season, with the exception of spring sport athletes, and have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.50 (4.00 scale).
America East began honoring a Woman of the Year in 2006 and introduced the Man of the Year award in 2015.
DePonte will be forwarded to the NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee, which will choose the top 10 honorees in each division. From among those 30 honorees, the selection committee will determine the three finalists in each division. Finally, the members of the Committee on Women’s Athletics will vote from among the top nine finalists to determine the 2021 NCAA Woman of the Year. The top 30 honorees will be honored, and the 2021 NCAA Woman of the Year winner will be announced this fall.
All-Time America East Man & Woman of the Year Award Listing
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.
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