Utica, NY – Utica College athletics hosted its annual Hall of Fame and Senior Student-Athlete Award Ceremony Thursday night. Eight senior student-athletes were recognized for their dedication to UC athletics and success on and off the field.
 
The Utica College community was in attendance as the student-athletes were honored. Ammirato and Cooley were awarded the Jim "Doc" Spartano Outstanding Senior Student-Athlete Award. The two recipients of the Richard "Dick" Miller Most Inspirational Student-Athletes were King and Gambill. The fifth annual Greg Roberts Senior Athlete Award went to Iton and Whitehouse. Finally the Kiwanis Student-Athletes of the year were Tabone and Carter.
 
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 71 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 vote and select the best suitable male and female.
 
Roman Ammirato (Williamstown, NJ/Union College (ECAC)), Men's Hockey – Jim "Doc" Spartano Award
Roman helped guide the Utica College men's hockey team to a UCHC Championship in 2018. He was named an All-American First Team East, All-USCHO Second Team, 2018 UCHC Player of the Year and is a two-time First Team All-Conference Selection. During his senior campaign he rewrote the history books by setting a new program record with 22 goals in the season. His season total of 43 points ranks second on the College's all-time single season points list. Ammirato held a 3.43 GPA as a health studies major and is playing professional hockey in the ECHL.
 
Makenna Cooley (Remsen, NY/Remsen), Cross Country/Track & Field – Jim "Doc" Spartano Award
Cooley is a two-time Cross Country All-Conference selection (1 First Team, 1 Second Team) and earned Second Team All-Conference once for Indoor Track & Field. At the 2017 Empire 8 Cross Country Championships, she placed second individually to help lead UC to win its first E8 Cross Country Championship in program history. She is a member of the Empire 8 President's List and was chosen to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team for maintaining a GPA of 3.30 or higher and placing in the top 25% at the Cross Country Regional meet.
 
Nicodemus Gambill (Rochester, NY/East High), Track & Field/Football – Dick Miller Award
Gambill is a four-time NCAA DIII Track and Field All-American, and an eight-time national qualifier during his career at UC. He is a 12-time Empire 8 Conference Champion, a seven-time NYSCTC Champion, and a four-time ECAC DIII Champion. Nicodemus played a vital role in Utica's back-to-back Empire 8 Outdoor Track & Field Championships. On the football field he was a D3football.com All-East Region Third Team selection as a kick returner in 2016. Gambill was an E8 All-Conference Second Team pick in 2016 and was UC's representative on the 2017 Empire 8 Sportsman of the Year Team.
 
Phoebe King (New Bedford, MA/GNB Voc Tech), Women's Swimming – Dick Miller Award
King is a two-time E8 All-Conference selection, earning one First Team and one Second Team pick. In the 200-yard freestyle event, she is the reigning Empire 8 Champion and the school-record holder. Phoebe is also the school-record holder in the 200-yard Individual Medley event and was also named to the Empire 8 Sportswomen of the Year Team during her career.
 
Ivan Iton (Ossining, NY/Ossining), Men's Basketball – Greg Roberts Award
Iton is the reigning, two-time Empire 8 Conference Defensive Player of the Year and earned an NABC All-District East Second Team selection in his career. He was a two-time D3hoops.com All-Region pick and a two-time E8 All-Conference First Team selection. Throughout his time on the court he recorded 1,286 career points, ranking fifth on the College's all-time career scoring list. Ivan also ranks second all-time with 160 blocks and is third in program history with 804 career rebounds. He has helped lead the Pioneers to two consecutive Empire 8 Tournament appearances and guided the team to its first E8 Championship Game appearance since the 2005-06 season.
 
Samantha Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich), Field Hockey/Softball – Greg Roberts Award
Whitehouse has made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament in field hockey, and won an Empire 8 Championship in field hockey during her career. As the goalie she is second all-time with 384 career saves, fourth all-time with a .789 saves percentage, and has the fourth most wins all-time with 19 in her career. With eight shutouts during her time at UC, she is tied for third in the all-time career shutout rankings. Samantha made the Empire 8 President's List in 2015 and is a captain of the softball team that will be playing in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament this weekend.
 
Dalton Carter (Toledo, OH/Northern Cyclones (EHL)), Men's Hockey – Kiwanis Student-Athlete Award
Carter became the first defensemen in program history to earn an All-American First Team East selection. He is also a two-time All-Conference selection (One First Team, One Second Team) and an All-USCHO Second Team pick. Dalton finished his senior campaign ranked 12th in the nation with an average of 1.50 points per game. His 59 career assists ranks third on the College's all-time list and secured him as the top scoring defensemen in program history with 82 points (23 goals, 59 assists) in 106 career games played.
 
Maggie Tabone (Rochester, NY/Churchville-Chili), Women's Basketball – Kiwanis Student Athlete Award
Maggie is the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee President (SAAC) and an Empire 8 President's List All-Academic Award winner. She is heavily dedicated to the Utica College community, working as a Utica College Peer Tutor, Utica College Admissions Student Ambassador, and is involved in the UC Student Government. Tabone was also chosen as a member of the Empire 8 Sportswomen of the Year Team.
 
Congratulations to the award winners and all the senior student-athletes for your accomplishments and thank you for demonstrating the virtuous qualities of a true Pioneer.