(Canton, N.Y.)- Seniors Julie Vander Wiel (Malone, N.Y.) and Mark Talamo (Oswego, N.Y.) received the Nicole Fleury Memorial Leadership Award and Alden Chadwick Memorial Leadership Award respectively at the Roos’ year-end student-athlete picnic.
The awards are named in honor of Nicole Fleury, a former standout basketball and soccer player who tragically lost her life in a car accident during her senior season, and Alden Chadwick, who spent 30 years at SUNY Canton, the last 15 as athletic director. The awards are given to a female and male student-athlete each year who inspire others and who exemplify strong leadership qualities and sound character.
Vander Wiel was a four-year member of the women's basketball team and this past fall ran on the women's cross country team. On the court she played in 91 career games and scored 515 points, grabbed 304 rebounds, made 48 steals and handed out 38 assists. The legal studies major has received an academic achievement award from the athletic department for four straight years. She was a three-time Sunrise Conference scholar-athlete and an Outstanding Scholar Athlete award winner during her junior year for achieving the highest grade-point average among all women's basketball players in the conference. Vander Wiel earned a place on the President’s Honor List in four semesters and the Dean’s List in another and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. In 2009 she received the Make a Difference Award for her outstanding effort and commitment to all of the athletic department’s community service projects. This year Vander Wiel received the prestigious Chancellor’s Award for Excellence and a Chancellor’s Scholar-Athlete Award from New York State.
“Without a doubt Julie has made an incredible positive stamp on our department, the women’s basketball program and the college,” said athletic director Diane Para. “Anyone looking for the true meaning of a student-athlete and all the desirable attributes one would want associated with the term only needs to look as far as Julie.”
Talamo, who received the award for a second time, was a four-year member of the men’s ice hockey team. During his tenure he has been a Region 3 all-star, a Region 3 Scholar-Athlete, an NJCAA Academic All-American, an ACHA Academic All-American, and an Eastern Collegiate Hockey League academic all-star. The business administration major has made the Dean’s List in each of his past seven semesters, has received an academic achievement award from SUNY Canton for four years and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. He joined the 100-point club this season and finished his career with 40 goals and 70 assists while being whistled for just 14 total penalties during his career. This season Talamo, and teammate Scott Zaryski, were two of 40 players chosen to compete in the ACHA Division-1 all-star game.
“What was said about Mark when he first won the award two years ago holds true even more today,” said Para. “He is absolutely the kind of young man that Al would have loved and bragged about time and time again. Mark is a model of maturity and politeness and has the type of behavior we want all of our student-athletes to be known for. “
“We have been blessed to have both Julie and Mark in our athletic family for four years and we will miss them dearly,” added Para.
Former athletic staff assistant Jerry Sawyer, who went back to a management position in the physical plant, was named the Athletic Staff Member of the Year by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Senior
Dominic Creazzo (Massena, N.Y.) of the baseball team and freshman
Abbey Shoen (Waddington, N.Y.) of the women’s basketball team received this year’s Make a Difference Awards for their outstanding contributions to the department.
In addition, 26 student-athletes received academic achievement awards for earning a grade-point average of 3.35 or higher.
Those winners are
Katelyn Anthony (Spencerport, N.Y.),
Lorraine Conover (Oneida, N.Y.) and
Kristie Melven (Attica, N.Y.) of women’s cross country,
Byron Danis (Rensselaer Falls, N.Y.),
Brad Hamilton (Salem, N.Y.),
Tyler Morse (North Creek, N.Y.), and
Justin Richardson (Pavilion, N.Y.) of men’s cross country,
Chris Cumella (Webster, N.Y.),
Nick LeBoeuf (Gansevoort, N.Y.),
Justin Martin (Lowville, N.Y.),
Brett Nortz (Watertown, N.Y.), and
Darren Ross (New York, N.Y.)of men’s soccer,
Emily Bush (Heuvelton, N.Y.) (women’s basketball),
Katelyn Horton (Roscoe, N.Y.) and
Angie Waryasz (Beaver Falls, N.Y.) of women’s soccer, Vander Wiel and
Heather Lottie (Canton, N.Y.) (softball) of women’s basketball,
Tony Valentin (Perth Amboy, N.J.) and
Tony Parker (Sodus, N.Y.) of men’s basketball, Talamo,
Chris Giczewski (Fountain Valley, Calif.) and
John Payne (Port Moody, B.C.) of men’s ice hockey and
Matt Myers (Brandon, Vt.) and
Michael Zelyez (Brasher Falls, N.Y. )of baseball.