Utica, NY – Utica University athletics hosted its 13th annual Pioneer Hall of Fame and Senior Student-Athlete Award ceremony Wednesday night. Eleven senior student-athletes were recognized for their dedication to Utica athletics and success on and off the field.
 
The Utica University community was in attendance as the student-athletes were honored. Women's Basketball's Sydney Przygoda (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) and Men's hockey's Justin Allen (Hilton, NY/Rochester Monarchs (USPHL-NCDC)) were awarded the Jim "Doc" Spartano Outstanding Senior Student-Athlete Award. The three recipients of the Richard "Dick" Miller Most Inspirational Student-Athletes were women's hockey's Georgiana Santullo (Woburn, MA/Boston Shamrocks/Woburn High School), men's hockey's Regen Cavanagh (Chesapeake, VA/Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)), and men's basketball's Darius Hopkins (Tampa, FL/Seffner Christian).  The eighth annual Greg Roberts Senior Athlete Awards went to two-sport athlete Lexi Scaccia (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro), field hockey's Sabrina Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich), men's golf's Josh Kienz (Newburgh, NY/Valley Central) and football's Maki Medici (Watervliet, NY/Shaker). Finally the Kiwanis Student-Athletes of the year were Sydney Scaccia (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) and Sean Dickson (San Francisco, CA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL-Premier)).
 
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 University 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 Utica. 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 78 Utica 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 University.  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.
 
Sydney Przygoda (Freehold, NJ/Freehold), Women's Basketball- Jim 'Doc' Spartano Outstanding Senior Athlete Award
Przygoda wrapped up her career ranked eighth all-time with 1,140 career points.  She averaged 16.06 points per game throughout her career, which ranks fifth all-time at Utica.  She is sixth in the program's record book with 792 rebounds in her career. Przygoda was a three-time Empire 8 All-Conference selection, and was named a WBCA Honorable Mention All-American this past season. 
 
Justin Allen (Hilton, NY/Rochester Monarchs (USPHL-NCDC)), Men's Hockey- Jim 'Doc' Spartano Outstanding Senior Athlete Award
Allen was a first team All-American after he finished fourth on the Pioneers with 40 points.  His 32 assists set a new single-season program record.  He wrapped up the season ranked third in the country with 1.14 assists per game.  He has totaled 87 points (14 goals, 73 assists) in 97 games played.  His 73 assists rank second in Utica's career record book.  Allen also led the team with a +35 plus/minus rating. He is the highest scoring defenseman in Utica men's hockey history as he has racked up 87 points (14 goals, 73 assists) in 97 career games played. 
 
Georgiana Santullo (Woburn, MA/Boston Shamrocks/Woburn High School), Women's Hockey- Richard "Dick" Miller Most Inspirational Player Award
Georgiana is the single-season record holder for goals (29), points (55), points per game (2.12), and goals per game (1.12).  She ranks fifth in program history in career goals (52), and she is sixth in career points (105).  She finished her senior season ranked first nationally in power play goals (nine), second nationally in goals per game (1.12) and third nationally in points per game (2.12).Santullo was the 2021-22 UCHC Player of the Year and a second team All-American, becoming one of just 25 players in the entire country to earn All-American status. 
 
Regen Cavanagh (Chesapeake, VA/Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)), Men's Hockey- Richard "Dick" Miller Most Inspirational Player Award
Cavanagh was also a first team All-American after he had the best season of his career. He finished the season tied for the team lead with 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists). He now ranks tied for first in Utica's single-season record book for points and he is second in goals (20). He finished the year tied for fifth nationally with 1.64 points per game.
 
Darius Hopkins (Tampa, FL/Seffner Christian), Men's Basketball- Richard "Dick" Miller Most Inspirational Player Award
Darius is ranked 10^th all-time with 1,104 career points.  He was a three-time Empire 8 All-Conference selection and was named the 2021-22 Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year.  Darius helped lead the Pioneers to their first ever Empire 8 Championship in 2021 and made a second straight appearance in the E8 title game this season.  Both years he was named to the All-Tournament team. 
 
Lexi Scaccia (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro), Field Hockey & Lacrosse- Greg Roberts Senior Athlete Award
Lexi is a two-sport athlete, competing in both field hockey and women's lacrosse.  She played in 53 games for the field hockey team and helped lead the Pioneers to two Empire 8 Conference Tournament berths and an appearance in the E8 Championship game this past fall.  Scaccia excelled on the lacrosse field where she wraps up her career ranked third in the program's record book in career points (177).  She is sixth all-time in career goals (129), and second all-time with 241 career draw controls.  Scaccia also ranks fourth in Utica's single-season record book after racking up 62 points in her junior campaign. 
 
Sabrina Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich), Field Hockey- Greg Roberts Senior Athlete Award
Sabrina ranks fourth all-time in Utica's record books with 106 career points.  Her 41 goals are sixth all-time and she is fifth in program history in career assists (24).  She is a five-time Empire 8 All-Conference selection and was named first team All-Region this year. 
 
Josh Kienz (Newburgh, NY/Valley Central), Golf- Greg Roberts Senior Athlete Award
Josh is arguably to most distinguished golfer to come through the Utica program.  He was named the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year in 2018 and the Empire 8 Player of the Year in 2021.  Josh is a three-time first team All-Conference selection.  He became the first individual Empire 8 Champion in 2021, that same year he led the Pioneers to their first ever team championship and NCAA Tournament berth. 
 
Maki Medici (Watervliet, NY/Shaker), Football- Greg Roberts Senior Athlete Award
Medici added to the long list of successful kickers at Utica as he was named a D3football.com All-American in 2019.  That same year, he was named the Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Year, and an All-East Region first team selection.  In 2018, he led the E8 with an average of 37.4 yards per punt.  He Tied the E8 single-game record with five field goals against St. John Fisher in 2017.  Medici was also a crucial member of the 2018 Pioneer football team, which captured the program's first ever ECAC Bowl victory. 
 
Sydney Scaccia (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro), Field Hockey & Lacrosse- Kiwanis Senior Student-Athlete Award
Sydney is a two-sport standout athlete, competing in both field hockey and women's lacrosse for the Pioneers. Scaccia has played in and started all 66 games since joining the women's lacrosse team as a freshman.  She ranks first in program history in games played and eighth in caused turnovers.  She is a three-time all-conference selection in both field hockey and lacrosse.  Sydney also ranks in the top 10 in Utica field hockey history in career goals and points.
 
Sean Dickson (San Francisco, CA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL-Premier)), Men's Hockey- Kiwanis Senior Student-Athlete Award
Dickson, who helped lead Utica to two NCAA Tournament berths over his career, concluded his senior season leading the country with a 1.33 goals against average.  He is the program's career record holder in goals against average (1.46) and shutouts (11) and he ranks second all-time with a .933 save percentage.  Dickson also owns the single-season record for shutouts (five), goals against average (1.33), and save percentage (.962).  Off the ice, Dickson has made an impact in the community as he is a volunteer with the New Hartford Fire Department.  In 2021, Dickson was named the William V. Kelly Emergency Medical Technician of the Year by the New Hartford Fire Department.