UTICA, NY – 10 members from the class of 2016 earned Utica College senior student-athlete awards at the College's Pioneer Hall of Fame and Senior Athlete Recognition dinner on Thursday night. Seniors Sarah Wiatr, Shane Ruffing, Morgan Reed, Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville), Rob Tutein, Christy Traglia (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk), Kells Casey, Nick Woodman, Abby Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown), and Thomas Woodburn all earned Utica College student-athlete awards.
 
The student-athletes were honored at the senior recognition dinner in front of the Utica College community. Wiatr and Ruffing were named the fifth annual recipients of the Jim "Doc" Spartano Outstanding Senior Student-Athlete Award, while Reed, Russell, and Tutein were named the 29^th annual Richard "Dick" Miller Most Inspirational Student-Athletes. Traglia, Casey, and Woodman were winners of the third annual Greg Roberts Senior Athlete Award, while Monroe and Woodburn were named the Kiwanis Student-Athletes of the Year. 
 
The Jim Spartano award, which is voted on by a panel of coaches and administrators, honors athletes who have fulfilled the educational goals of the Utica College Athletic Department to the highest degree. The educational goals include: teamwork, leadership, loyalty, perseverance and sportsmanship.  The award is named after Jim "Doc" Spartano, who retired in December 2011 after a 38-year career as a coach and Athletic Director at UC. He truly embodied the mission of the department by ensuring that a positive student experience remained paramount at all times, and his ability to connect with students, faculty and staff has undoubtedly left an impression on the College that will live on for years to come.
 
The Dick Miller Award, which has recognized 69 UC student-athletes since 1987, honors dedication to physical fitness, athletic competition and a commitment to excellence.  It is awarded annually to deserving male and female senior student-athletes who have exhibited excellence, determination, hard work and outstanding athletic achievement over the course of their time spent at Utica College.  The history of the Dick Miller Award, which is voted on by a panel of coaches and administrators, can be found in the Harold T. Clark Athletic Center trophy case. 
 
The Greg Roberts Senior Athlete Award is given out annually to a male and female student-athlete that best exemplifies what Greg Roberts stood for: hard work, unselfishness, loyalty, and passion for Utica College athletics. 
 
The Kiwanis Student-Athlete Award is given annually to the most outstanding male and female student-athletes based on performance in the classroom, community involvement and athletic accomplishments. A panel of coaches and administrators from vote and select the best suitable male and female.
 
Sarah Wiatr-Track &Field- Jim Spartano Award Winner
Wiatr is a five-time NCAA qualifier and a two-time All-American. At the 2016 NCAA Indoor Championships she had a fourth place finish in the triple jump. She currently holds the indoor (12.01m) and outdoor (12.05m) school records for the triple jump. She is a USTFCCCA All-Region selection and a four-time All-Conference selection.
 
Shane Ruffing- Men's Soccer/Track & Field- Jim Spartano Award Winner
Ruffing is the men's soccer all-time leading point scorer with 78 and is also the all-time leading goal scorer in with 34. In 2014, he was an Empire 8 All-Conference first team selection, a NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA Division III Men's All-East Region Second Team, and a ECAC Division III Upstate Men's Soccer All-Star Team selection. He was a 2015 Empire 8 All-Conference first team pick and made the 2016 Empire 8 President's List. In track and field, he was an all-conference selection and a 2014 Empire 8 Conference Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year selection.
 
Morgan Reed- Women's Ice Hockey – Dick Miller Award Winner
Reed played in every single game in her four-year career on the women's hockey team (109). She capped her career ranked fourth all-time at UC with 111 points and tied for third in program history with 54 goals. She was a three-time ECAC West All-Academic team member while being named an American Hockey Coaches Association CCM Division III Second Team All-American for the 2015-16 season. As a senior she helped guide the Pioneers to a program-best 19 wins and an appearance in the ECAC Women's West Conference Tournament title game while being named to the All-USCHO third team and second team All-Region.
 
Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville)- Softball- Dick Miller Award Winner
Russell is the school-record holder in runs scored, total bases, steals and triples as well as being second all-time in home runs. She is the single-season record holder in slugging percentage, on base percentage, stolen bases, runs scored. As a freshman she earned the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year award. She is a three-time Empire 8 All-Conference selection as well as a three-time All-Region selection.
 
Rob Tutein- Men's Basketball/Track & Field- Dick Miller Award Winner
 Tutein is the school-record holder in the high jump (2.08m) and is currently ranked nationally in DIII. He was a 2015 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-American in the high jump and placed fourth at nationals (outdoor). He is a three-time Empire 8 All-Conference selection in track and field. In basketball, he had 785 points and added 170 rebounds in 84 career games played. He finished his career ranked fifth all-time at UC with 143 3-pointers. Tutein was a 2015 Empire 8 All-Conference Honorable Mention selection.
 
Christy Traglia (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk) – Women's Basketball/Softball- Greg Roberts Award Winner
Traglia is a five-time Empire 8 Presidents List honoree. In softball, she ranks second all-time with 47 stolen bases. In 2013 she helped the Pioneers earn the program's first Empire 8 Conference regular season title and conference tournament hosting rights as well as helping the team earn the program's first NCAA Tournament at-large bid. In 2013 she was also named to the NFCA First Team All-Region. In basketball, she played in 89 career games scoring 380 points. She was named Empire 8 Sportswoman of the Year in the 2015-16 season.
 
Kells Casey –Field Hockey/Women's Lacrosse- Greg Roberts Award Winner
Casey holds the field hockey program records in career wins (45) and saves (390) as well as the school's single season wins record (17). She is a two-time Empire 8 Conference selection as well as a two-time All-Region selection. She is a three-time Empire 8 Conference Champion and backstopped Utica to two NCAA "Sweet 16" appearances. In lacrosse, she ranks second all-time in career wins as a goalie.
 
Nick Woodman –Football- Greg Roberts Award Winner
Woodman is first all-time in sacks (29.5) and second all-time in career forced fumbles (six) while owning the single season school record for sacks (13.0). In 2015 he ranked first in the conference and fifth in DIII in sacks per game (1.30). He was a three-time All-Conference selection. In 2014 he was a D3football.com All-Region second team selection and a ECAC North All-Star. In 2015 he was a D3football.com All-Region first team and a D3football.com All-American third team selection. Woodman was a finalist for the Cliff Harris Award presented to the top defensive player in small college football in 2015 and was selected to play in the 4th Annual National Bowl Game. He is the first student-athlete in program-history invited to attend an NFL Rookie Minicamp.

Abby Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) –Softball- Kiwanis Student-Athlete Award Winner
Monroe is only the fourth player in program history to record 100+ strikeouts in a single season. She is tied with Pioneer Hall of Famer Bobbie McMail for first in wins in a season (19) while holding school records in wins, shutouts and strikeouts. She is a five-time Empire 8 President's List honoree. In 2013 she was All-Conference second team and an All-Region honorable mention.

Thomas Woodburn –Football- Kiwanis Student-Athlete Award Winner
Woodburn is the Utica College Football team's all-time leading scorer with 232 career points. His 90 points in 2015 were a program best as he led Division III with 2.2 field goals per game. In 2012 he was a Empire 8 All-Conference honorable mention selection. In 2015 he was the Empire 8 Conference Special Teams Player of the Year, Empire 8 All-Conference first team selection, Associated Press Little All-American, AFCA All-American and a D3football.com All-American second team specialist. Woodburn was also named one of ten finalists for the 2015 Fred Mitchell Award as the nations top kicker.