Student Athletes Honored at Awards Dinner

Lehman College President Ricardo Fernández with President's Award recipient Sally Nnamani of the women's basketball team.

Lehman's Athletics Department paid tribute to all student athletes at its annual awards dinner May 11 in the East Dining Room of the College's Music Building.

Vice President of Student Affairs Jose Magdaleno congratulated the men's basketball, men's and women's indoor track and field team, and men's swimming and diving squads for their outstanding performances. Athletic Director Dr. Martin L. Zwiren then presented rings to several teams that captured championships during 2008-2009. Here are highlights of the evening:

• Pete Charles of the men's cross country/track and field team and Dorothy Jean-Pierre of the women's cross country/track and field team won the awards for Male and Female Athletes of the Year. For Jean-Pierre, it was the third consecutive time she had won the award.

  Charles helped lead the men's indoor track and field team to the 2009 CUNYAC championship. During that meet, he was named Most Valuable Performer after earning 24 points. He also was named CUNYAC Athlete of the Year before reaching All-American status at nationals in the triple jump event with a leap of 14.35 meters.

  Jean-Pierre was instrumental in the success this season of the cross country and track and field teams. At the CUNYAC championship meet in the fall, she finished eighth with a time of just over 27 minutes. At the indoor track and field championship meet, she played a key role in helping the team earn its second straight conference crown—its third in the past four years—when she won the 1500-meter dash.

• Lehman President Ricardo R. Fernández presented the dinner's highest recognition—the prestigious President's Award—to Sally Nnamani of the women's basketball team. This past season, she eclipsed the 2,000-point mark for her career and led her squad to both the CUNYAC and ECAC championship games. In addition, she was honored as an All-Metropolitan Division III First Team All-Star and an ECAC First Team All-Star. She leaves the team as Lehman's all-time leading scorer with 2,113 points, while also placing first on its list of blocks and three-point baskets made.
• Other awards included the Male and Female Scholar Athlete awards, which were presented to Emmanuel Vera of the baseball team and Sylvia Churchill of the women's cross country and track and field teams.

Student athletes display the rings they received at the Athletic Awards Dinner for their outstanding performances.

Following is a complete list of all award winners:

Women's Basketball: MVP, Sally Nnamani; Most Improved Player, Kelsey Ash
Men's Basketball: MVP, Duane Rhoden; Newcomer of the Year, Alen Redzic

Cheerleading: Cheerleader of the Year, Monique Bragg; Most Improved, Katherine De La Torre

Women's Volleyball: MVP, Gerri-Ann Martin; Rookie of the Year, Lisa Jagdeo
Men's Volleyball: MVP, Jonathan Cruz; Most Improved Player, Horace Morris

Women's Tennis: MVP, Evauna Neville; Rookie of the Year, Gabriella Harewood
Men's Tennis: MVP, Raul Santana; Rookie of the Year, Joseph Veras

Women's Cross Country: MVP, Dorothy Jean-Pierre; Most Improved Runner, Rhonda Davis
Men's Cross Country: MVP, Irfan Anwar; Most Improved Runner, James Mulligan

Women's Indoor Track: MVP, Lauren Lourick; Rookie of the Year, Chianne Ashman
Men's Indoor Track: MVP, Pete Charles; Rookie of the Year, Andre Gouldbourne

Baseball: MVP, Gilbert Garcia; Rookie of the Year, Bobby Villante
Softball: MVP, Natalie Martinez; Rookie of the Year, Vania Cadet

Women's Outdoor Track: MVP, Dorothy Jean-Pierre; Rookie of the Year, Chianne Ashman
Men's Outdoor Track: MVP, Pete Charles; Most Improved Runner, Andre Gouldbourne

Soccer: Player of the Year, Daniel Brentuo; Rookie of the Year, Junior Galeas; Special Award Winner, Jordan Salhoobi

Men's Swimming: MVP, Orlando Urena; Rookie of the Year, Diorvic Gonzalez
Men's Diving: Most Diver of the Year, Johan Lopez; Rookie Diver of the Year, Rafael Abreu
Women's Swimming: MVP, Luisa Garcia; Rookie of the Year, Basilisa Alonso

Special Award Winners
Male Scholar Athlete: Emmanuel Vera
Female Scholar Athlete: Sylvia Churchill
Ed Kramer: Jonathan DeJesus
Charlie Greenberg: Kelsey Ash
Male Athlete of the Year: Pete Charles
Female Athlete of the Year: Dorothy Jean-Pierre
President's Award: Sally Nnamani
Paula Soto Award: Stacy-Ann Letford
Pedro Vialet Award: Duane Rhoden
Special Service Award: Steve Santos and Fausto Ramirez