HIGHLIGHT VIDEO | SLIDESHOW – After a banner year that saw a record number of Championships set by Dolphins’ teams, the College of Staten Island celebrated their athletics year at The Vanderbilt at South Beach in Staten Island, New York. The annual event recognized the top performers and other distinguished award winners spanning CSI’s intercollegiate programs, with Female and Male Athlete of the Year honors collected by basketball standouts Christina Pasaturo and Frank Schettino.
After greetings from Associate Athletic Director David Pizzuto, Director of Athletics Charles Gomes and President Dr. William J. Fritz, awards were given for each sport in chronological order beginning with teams last fall, and ending with women’s softball, which finalized its season with a CUNYAC title and remains the only sport left with games still on its schedule as part of the NCAA Division III National Championship.
Pasaturo, a junior, decimated the school’s all-time single season scoring and three-point records this past season, winning CUNYAC and ECAC Metro Most Valuable Player honors while celebrating the school’s first title in women’s basketball in 12 years. The Tournament MVP as well posted 629 points this season for 21.7 per game, adding 7.3 rebounds while leading the team with 126 assists and 84 steals. Schettino’s season was rather unparalleled in the annals of men’s basketball history. The senior led the nation in assists, free-throws, and an unprecedented five triple-doubles, the highest total among all NCAA Divisions by far. The Dolphins completed an undefeated CUNYAC, as Schettino scored CUNYAC, ECAC Metro, and Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association Player of the Year while earning HeroSports and NABC All-America honors.
Provost Dr. Gary Reichard was on hand to present CSI Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors, given to swimming standout and senior Naomi Gaggi. The CUNYAC Sportsmanship Player of the Year boasts a 3.90 GPA and was recently announced as the school’s Salutatorian to Commencement later this month. The Psychology major focuses in Neuroscience and is involved in multiple research projects that concentrates on the Autism spectrum among children and adults. Alongside her efforts in the classroom, Gaggi is a part of four College records in the pool. Dr. Reichard then helped the department in honoring the entire CSI Women’s Swimming & Diving team for posting CSI Athletics’ highest Team GPA, at 3.38. It was their third-straight award win, lifting their GPA from last year’s 3.34.
Chris Moran, a senior on the Baseball team, was awarded the 12th Annual Bill Cali/John Scrivani Sportsmanship Award, named after CSI’s former baseball skippers who earned similar honors from the Staten Island Advance in 2005. The captain who has played minimally through four years was cited as an extended arm of the coaching staff. The four-time CSI Coach’s Award winner was a consistent force who has become a face of the program through unquestioned leadership-by-example, a fixture for community service events and an unwavering willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty.
CSI’s 3rd Annual Sports Medicine Award honored women’s basketball junior Victoria Crea. The award featured a video tribute by former CSI Athletic Trainer Joe Abruzzo, and was presented by current Athletic Trainer Alyson Ocasio. The award is given to an outstanding athlete who displays courage and resiliency through injury and/or rehabilitation. Crea’s entire 2015-16 season was wiped out due to a knee injury, and worked aggressively to get back on the court and in top form this past season.
Right after that, Assistant Athletic Director and Men’s Soccer coach John Tardy helped honor Vice-President for Finance & Administration Ira Persky, who was awarded the department’s Distinguished Service Award. Persky is retiring from the College after 26 years of service, with a majority of that time supporting CSI Athletics through facility upgrade projects and support to fund-raising initiatives such as the Hall of Fame Committee and annual Golf Outing.
Midway through the ceremony, CSI Student-Athlete Advisory Committee President Victoria Wong from the women’s volleyball team presented their 7th Annual G.L.O.V.E. Award to the CSI Swimming & Diving teams for their model of Giving, Leading, Organizing, Volunteering, and Encouraging. The team spent countless hours in the community, teaming with organizations such as the Special Olympics while leading the way as supporters for other CSI teams.
Right after, CSI distributed its very first Strength & Conditioning Award, given by Strength and Conditioning Coach Michael Wilson, to women’s soccer freshman Stephanie LaPointe. The award honors a single individual dedicated to the program and off-season commitment to the cause, as well as leadership for other student-athletes within the program.
At the conclusion of the ceremony CSI honored its four-year seniors, 28 in total, with commemorative time pieces, issued to them by CSI President Dr. William J. Fritz and Gomes.
All told, the rousing event was a great success, according to the Athletic Director.
“Having the opportunity to highlight the achievements of our student-athletes, this is always my favorite night of the year.,” said Gomes. “Our students work incredibly hard both on and off the field, so I take a great deal of pride in celebrating what can only be described as an amazing year for CSI Athletics.”
An end-of-year highlight video, prepared by CSI Events Manager Anthony Avena was the highlight of the evening. The video will be posted below. The CSI academic year will come to a close in the coming weeks, when Commencement will take place on May 30.
A full list of award winners is below:
Baseball
MVP: Frank Sconzo
Rookie: Jett Nouvertne
Coaches: Chris Moran
Cheerleading
MVP: Khadijah Johnson
Coaches: Natalie Marroush
Rookie: Chelsea Ortiz
Men’s Basketball
MVP: Frank Schettino
Rookie: Jade Spencer
Coaches: Robert Rossiter
Men’s Cross-Country
MVP: Liam McMunn
Rookie: Luke Jackson
Coaches: Kenneth Morella
Men’s Soccer
MVP: Jacob Szumanski
Rookie: Jake Foeldes
Coaches: Ruben Diaz
Men’s Swimming
MVP: Tim Sweeney
Rookie: Omar Zaky
Coaches: Brandon Lei
Diver: Ayman El Haddad
Men’s Tennis
MVP: Matthew Vesci
Rookie: Akaki Dundua
Coaches: Alex Tsui
Men’s Volleyball
MVP: Mark Palencia
Rookie: Anthony Vigilante
Coaches: Justice Stoute
Softball
MVP: Jacqueline Cautela
Pitcher: Jacqueline Cautela
Rookie: Patricia Riches
Coaches: Alexandra Conanan
Women’s Basketball
MVP: Christina Pasaturo
Rookie: Lina Bitar
Coaches: Samantha Flecker
Women’s Cross-Country
MVP: Tristiana Adragna
Rookie: Veronica Lorenzo
Coaches: Rebecca Vidal
Women’s Soccer
MVP: Catherine Mulligan
Rookie: Nicole Mignone
Coaches: Jennifer Cosenza
Women’s Swimming
MVP: Ewa Wojciechowska
Rookie: Alicia Defonte
Coaches: Naomi Gaggi
Diver: Nouram Abualam
Women’s Tennis
MVP: Michelle Kushnir
Rookie: Tristiana Adragna
Coaches: Dana Friedman
Women’s Volleyball
MVP: Victoria Wong
Rookie: Alexandra Boachie-Ansah
Coaches: Siobhan Granich
Distinguished Service Award
Ira Persky
SAAC G.L.O.V.E. Award
Swimming & Diving
Team G.P.A. Award
Women’s Swimming, 3.378 GPA
Bill Cali/John Scrivani Sportsmanship Award
Chris Moran, Baseball
Sports Medicine Award
Victoria Crea, Women’s Basketball
Strength & Conditioning Award
Stephanie LaPointe, Women’s Soccer
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Naomi Gaggi, Women’s Swimming
Male Athlete of the Year
Frank Schettino, Men’s Basketball
Female Athlete of the Year
Christina Pasaturo, Women’s Basketball
CSI Commencement Awards (given separately)
Male Student-Athlete of the Year
Timothy Sweeney, Men’s Swimming
Female Student-Athlete of the Year
Jacqueline Cautela, Softball
Melvin Baumel Memorial Basketball Award
Vincent Dacunto
