UTICA, NY- Utica College athletics announced its senior student-athlete award winners in a virtual ceremony on Monday.  12 senior student-athletes were recognized for their dedication to UC athletics and their success on and off the field.

Women's basketball standout Nicolette Conkin (Los Altos, CA/Homestead), women's soccer player Mikayla Blumenstock (Poland, NY/Poland), and men's hockey players Daniel Fritz (Harwood, MD/Canisius College (Atlantic Hockey)) and Gianluca Baggetta (Maple, Ontario/North York (OJHL)) were awarded the Jim "Doc" Spartano Outstanding Senior Student-Athlete Award. The recipients of the Richard "Dick" Miller Most Inspirational Student-Athletes were women's soccer's Allison Wagner (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy), women's cross country and track and field athlete Kaitlyn Stinson (South Kortright, NY/South Kortright Central School), and men's track and field's Ka'Sean Watlington (Bayport, NY/Bayport-Bluepoint). The seventh annual Greg Roberts Senior Athlete Awards went to women's lacrosse goalie Hali Vandermeulen (Walden, NY/Valley Central), football's Peyton Miller (Chemung, NY/Waverly) and men's track and field's Kyle Swiecki (Boonville, NY/Adirondack). Finally the Kiwanis Student-Athletes of the year were Katlyn Scarpinella (South Setauket, NY/Ward Melville) and Ryan Oliver (Vernon Center, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill).
 
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 75 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.

Nicolette Conkin (Los Altos, CA/Homestead), Women's Basketball - Jim 'Doc' Spartano Outstanding Senior Athlete Award
Conkin was named the 2020 Empire 8 Conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. She ranked fourth in the nation this season with 177 assists and she averaged 18.1 points per game.  She was a first team All-Region selection and helped lead the Pioneers back to the Empire 8 Tournament for the first time since 2011. She wraps up her career with 945 points and her 372 career assists rank third all-time at UC.
 
Mikayla Blumenstock (Poland, NY/Poland), Women's Soccer - Jim 'Doc' Spartano Outstanding Senior Athlete Award
Mikayla is a two-time Empire 8 All-Conference selection and the 2019 Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Year. She is the program's single season record holder in goals (22) and points (47) and she ranks second in the career record books for goals (34) and points (74), despite playing just two seasons in the Orange and Blue.  She led Utica to two straight Empire 8 finals appearances and helped the Pioneers capture their first ever Empire 8 Championship and NCAA Tournament berth in 2019.
 
Daniel Fritz (Harwood, MD/Canisius College (Atlantic Hockey)), Men's Hockey, Golf - Jim 'Doc' Spartano Outstanding Senior Athlete Award
Fritz helped guide the Pioneers to two UCHC Conference titles and the program's second NCAA Tournament appearance. He was a 2020 AHCA first team All-American and the UCHC Defensive Player of the Year. He is tied for first all-time at UC in points by a defenseman (82) and this past season he led the nation in scoring by a defenseman, averaging 1.34 points per game. He was also on the men's golf team that won the 2019 Empire 8 fall championship.
 
Gianluca Baggetta (Maple, Ontario/North York (OJHL)), Men's Ice Hockey, Men's Tennis - Jim 'Doc' Spartano Outstanding Senior Athlete Award
Baggetta helped lead the Pioneers to four conference regular season titles and two UCHC Championships. He is a two-time All-Conference selection and was named the UCHC Goaltender of the Year as a junior. He holds the best career winning percentage, save percentage, and goals against average in school history.  This past season, he was the NCAA statistical champion in goalie winning percentage. He also exceled in the classroom as he was the 2019 Utica College Salutatorian and he is a two-time Academic All-American.
 
Allison Wagner (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy), Women's Soccer - Richard "Dick" Miller Most Inspirational Player Award
Wagner helped lead Utica to its first ever Empire 8 Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2019, posting back-to-back shutouts in the E8 Tournament. She holds the program record for career shutouts and she is the conference record holder with 560 career saves. She also holds the program's single-season shutout record and she is second all-time with 25 victories under her belt. She is a two-time All-Conference selection and has been named to the Empire 8 President's List on multiple occasions.
 
Kaitlyn Stinson (South Kortright, NY/South Kortright Central School), Women's Cross Country, Track & Field - Richard "Dick" Miller Most Inspirational Player Award
Stinson is the first two-time NCAA qualifier in the history of the Utica College cross country program. She won the 2017 Empire 8 individual title and was named the Empire 8 Runner of the Year in three consecutive seasons (2017-2019). She was a member of two Empire 8 cross country team championships and one Empire 8 outdoor track & field title. She is a three-time All-Region selection and has earned multiple All-Academic awards, including academic All-District honors this year.
 
Ka'Sean Watlington (Bayport, NY/Bayport-Bluepoint), Men's Track and Field - Richard "Dick" Miller Most Inspirational Player Award
Watlington is a four-time NCAA qualifier and two-time All-American. He placed third at the 2019 NCAA Indoor Championships in the triple jump. He captured four individual Empire 8 Championships and helped the Pioneers to one Empire 8 team title. He currently holds four school records.  
 
Hali Vandermeulen (Walden, NY/Valley Central), Women's Lacrosse - Greg Roberts Senior Athlete Award
Vandermeulen owns the program record for wins in a season (12) and career wins (29). She helped backstop the Pioneers to back-to-back Empire 8 Tournament appearances and a new single-season record of 13 wins in 2019. She ranks second all-time with 368 career saves and she set a new single-season record for save percentage in 2019 en route to earning All-Region accolades. 
 
Peyton Miller (Chemung, NY/Waverly), Football - Greg Roberts Senior Athlete Award
Miller ranks fourth in school history in receiving yards and he is tied for third all-time with 15 receiving touchdowns. He was a two-time Empire 8 All-Conference selection and was a member of the 2018 ECAC Bowl Championship team.  He ranks second in the school's single season record book for receiving yards (987) and catches (79), which he accomplished in 2018. 
 
Kyle Swiecki (Boonville, NY/Adirondack), Men's Track and Field - Greg Roberts Senior Athlete Award
Swiecki is a Wellness & Adventure Education major. He was a 2019 NCAA qualifier in the heptathlon. He holds both the school and region records for the heptathlon and is a two-time All-Region selection. He had eight total podium appearances in the last two Empire 8 indoor championship meets and he also helped lead the Pioneers to back-to-back Empire 8 outdoor track & field titles. 
 
Katlyn Scarpinella (South Setauket, NY/Ward Melville), Women's Lacrosse - Kiwanis Senior Student-Athlete Award
Scarpinella helped guide UC to back-to-back Empire 8 Conference Tournament appearances for the first time ever.  She was a two-time Empire 8 All-Conference selection and a three-time captain.  She helped Utica to a school-record 13 wins in 2019. She totaled 130 points in 54 career games played and she is tied for fifth in school history with 43 career assists.  Katlyn is a Health Studies – Physical Therapy major and has been recognized as an Empire 8 President's List honoree for her efforts in the classroom. 
 
Ryan Oliver (Vernon Center, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill), Football - Kiwanis Senior Student-Athlete Award
Oliver helped lead the Pioneers to 26 wins in his career, totaling 77 tackles.  He was a member of the 2018 ECAC Scotty Whitelaw Bowl Championship team. He was an Allstate Good Works Team Honoree for his work providing medical rehabilitation services in Haiti, just one of 22 players nationally across Division I, II, and III to receive the honor.  Ryan is currently pursuing his Doctorate Degree in Physical Therapy.