Utica, NY – Utica College athletics hosted its 12^th annual Pioneer Hall of Fame and Senior Student-Athlete Award ceremony Thursday night. Ten 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. Field hockey's Rylee Meelan and baseball's Tim Quinlan were awarded the Jim "Doc" Spartano Outstanding Senior Student-Athlete Award. The two recipients of the Richard "Dick" Miller Most Inspirational Student-Athletes were softball's Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) and men's hockey's Gregg Burmaster. The sixth annual Greg Roberts Senior Athlete Awards went to three-sport star Nicole Herringshaw, water polo's Michalyn Winkler, men's tennis/football's Paul Litvak and cross country/track standout Tyler Wright. Finally the Kiwanis Student-Athletes of the year were Jenna Mazza and Malcolm Stowe.
 
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 73 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.

Rylee Meelan, Field Hockey - Jim 'Doc' Spartano Outstanding Senior Athlete Award
Meelan was a four-time Empire 8 All-Conference selection, including two first team all-conference picks. She wrapped up her UC career ranked fifth in program history with 97 career points and 43 career goals and she had a career-high 39 points in her senior season. She was a two-time National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-Region selection, including a first team selection in 2018.  She was also chosen to play in the NFHCA Senior All-Star game alongside the top student-athletes in the Division III field hockey.

Tim Quinlan, Baseball - Jim 'Doc' Spartano Outstanding Senior Athlete Award
Quinlan played in 128 career games and set the new program standards for hits (176), RBI's (125) and doubles (47).  He scored 95 career runs (2^nd all-time) and added 14 home runs (T-3^rd all-time). He capped his career with a .369 batting average. He was a four time Empire 8 All-Conference selection and a 2018 D3baseball.com All-Region pick.

Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South), Softball - Richard "Dick" Miller Most Inspirational Player Award
Rice played in 150 career games and was just the third player in program-history to eclipse 200 career hits as she finished third all-time with 202. She is also the third player in program-history to finish her career with a batting average above .400. She went 202-for-496 in 150 career games for a batting average of .407. Her 38 career doubles are tied for second all-time. She was a four time Empire 8 All-Conference selection and she was named the Empire 8 Co-Player of the Year in 2018. She was also an NFCA All-Region and ECAC All-Star selection in 2018.  She helped guide the Pioneers to two Empire 8 Conference Tournament appearances.

Gregg Burmaster, Men's Hockey - Richard "Dick" Miller Most Inspirational Player Award
Burrmaster capped his career at Utica with 72 points in two seasons (30 goals and 42 assists) after transferring in from Division I Colorado College. He was the 2018-19 Team Captain and a 2019 First Team All-UCHC Selection. He tied program record for total points in a season with 46. He guided Utica to its first UCHC Tournament Championship in 2018 and was a two-time UCHC All-Tournament selection, including a 2018 Tournament MVP nod. Burmaster was part of the most wins in any two year period in the program's history (41).

Michalyn Winkler, Water Polo & Swimming - Greg Roberts Senior Athlete Award
Winkler was a 2018 Collegiate Water Polo Association All-American Honorable Mention. Following her senior season she was named CWPA First Team All-Region. She will graduate as the College's all-time leader with 695 career saves.  Winkler also stood out in the classroom as she was named a CWPA Scholar-Athlete and an Empire 8 Conference President's List honoree.

Nicole Herringshaw - Volleyball, Basketball, Track & Field - Greg Roberts Senior Athlete Award
Herringshaw played three sports in her final two years. She is a two-time Empire 8 Champion and first team all-conference honoree in the javelin and also holds the school-record in the event.  On the volleyball court she was a 2018 all-conference honorable mention and graduated ranked second all-time with 882 career kills and fourth all-time with 149 blocks. She was also a center on the women's basketball team for two season.

Tyler Wright - Cross Country & Track - Greg Roberts Senior Athlete Award
Wright will graduate as a multiple time Empire 8 All-Conference selection. He was the 2015 Empire 8 Conference Cross Country Rookie of the Year and helped guide the team to a 2018 Empire 8 Cross Country Team Championship. He placed in the top 20 at the Empire 8 cross country championships all four years and was also a two-time Empire 8 3,000 meter steeplechase champion. He was a six-time Empire 8 Cross Country Runner of the Week, a two-time Empire 8 Outdoor Track Team Champion and an Empire 8 President's List honoree for his accomplishments in the classroom.

Paul Litvak, Men's Tennis & Football -  Greg Roberts Senior Athlete Award
Litvak was a three-time Empire 8 Sportsmanship Award Winner for the men's tennis and he led Utica tennis in singles and doubles victories over the course of the last two seasons. He was a backup quarterback for the Utica football team.  He was a part of the 2018 ECAC Scotty Whitelaw Bowl Championship football team and he helped guide the Pioneers to two bowls games in four seasons. Litvak was also a Utica College admissions student ambassador.

Malcolm Stowe, Football - Kiwanis Senior Student-Athlete Award
Stowe will graduate as the program's all-time leading rusher with 1,963 yards in four years. In his senior season he set a new single-season rushing standard with 1,075 yards, making him the first player in program-history to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards in a single season. He was a part of the 2018 ECAC Scotty Whitelaw Bowl Championship football team and he helped guide the Pioneers to two bowls games in four seasons. Stowe was a 2018 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Nominee and a Second Team All-Empire 8 pick in 2018.

Jenna Mazza, Women's Soccer - Kiwanis Senior Student-Athlete Award
Mazza helped lead UC to 2018 conference championship match. She was a two-time Empire 8 Conference honorable mention all-conference selection. She recorded 22 career points on the pitch including 16 career goals and six career assists. Recorded at least eight points in four consecutive seasons and netted a career-high five goals in her freshman campaign. She was also an Empire 8 President's list selection for her efforts in the classroom.