The 2008 SUNY Cortland C-Club Athletic Awards Ceremony, held in early May in the College's Alumni Arena, honored the top student-athletes from among the 600-plus who competed on Cortland's 25 men's and women's intercollegiate teams during the past academic year.

The SUNY Cortland C-Club Male Senior Athlete of the Year Award was presented to men's lacrosse attackman Ryan Heath (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) and the C-Club Female Senior Athlete of the Year was given to women's basketball forward Sara Cavanaugh (Hastings-on-Hudson/Hastings). The awards were sponsored by the C-Club and were voted upon by Cortland athletic administrators.

Heath was named the Division III Attackman of the Year this spring after recording 53 goals and 48 assists for a school single-season record 101 points. He was a repeat selection as State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Player of the Year. Cavanaugh was a four-time All-SUNYAC selection, including the SUNYAC Player of the Year as a junior, and a three-time All-ECAC honoree. She finished as Cortland's career scoring leader with 1,550 points.

Other finalists for Male Senior Athlete of the Year were football cornerback Jeff Beck (Middlehope/Marlboro), men's track and field sprinter Amaan Siddeeq (Goshen) and baseball catcher Mike Zaccardo (Rochester/Irondequoit). Other finalists for Female Senior Athlete of the Year were gymnasts Amber French (South Glens Falls) and Brittany Wiesner (Williamsville/Williamsville North) and softball outfielder Annemarie Nelson (Nassau/Columbia).

Volleyball middle hitter Alice Kahrs (Kings Park) received the M. Louise Moseley Award, which goes to a senior female athlete who has demonstrated both strong leadership skills and athletic achievement. A team co-captain, Kahrs led the Red Dragons with a .328 attack percentage and earned All-SUNYAC honors last fall. She finished her career ranked sixth at Cortland with 435 total blocks. Moseley was Cortland's Director of Women's Athletics from 1966-78. A pioneer for women's athletics, she played an integral role in the start of women's intercollegiate athletics at Cortland in the late 1960s.

Zaccardo received the Carl "Chugger" Davis Award, which is given to a senior male athlete for strong leadership skills and athletic achievement. Zaccardo was a third team All-American, SUNYAC Player of the Year and national Gold Glove winning catcher as a junior. A team captain this past spring, he batted .381 with team-highs of six homers and 47 runs batted in and earned first team all-region honors. Davis was Cortland's head football coach from 1932 to 1962 and also coached baseball, basketball and golf.
 

Davis Award winner Mike Zaccardo (left) and Moseley Award winner Alice Kahrs (right) with Cortland Director of Athletics Joan Sitterly

Women's soccer midfielder Ilona Szotyori (Saugerties) was presented with the Whitney T. Corey '43 Award. The Corey Award is given to the senior female student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average. A physical education major, Szotyori had an overall grade point average of 3.96 entering the spring semester. Corey coached men's basketball at Cortland in the 1950s and early 1960s and also served as the school's vice president for academic affairs. The main gymnasium in Cortland's Park Center bears his name.

Men's track and field athlete James Barracca (Center Moriches/Sachem North) earned the Robert J. Weber Award, which is presented to the senior male student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average.A physical education major, Barracca had a 3.81 cumulative grade point average entering the spring semester. Weber was Cortland's director of athletics for 12 years and the Chairman of the Men's Physical Education department for 15 years. He worked at Cortland from 1952-85.
 

Weber Award winner James Barracca (left) and Corey Award winner Ilona Szotyori (right) with Cortland Director of Athletics Joan Sitterly

The 12th annual C-Club Coach of the Year Award was presented to men's lacrosse coach Steve Beville. Beville has led Cortland to the NCAA Division III Championship Game in each of his first two seasons as the Red Dragons' head coach. Cortland's 18 victories this spring tied a school single-season record.

Dr. Elizabeth Davis-Russell, Cortland's Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, was chosen as the Fraser Stokes Award winner for her dedication and service to Cortland athletics. The Judson and Elise Taylor Team GPA Awards, named after the former SUNY Cortland president and his wife, were presented to the men's and women's athletic teams with the highest cumulative grade point averages. The men's cross country (3.03 GPA) claimed the men's award and the gymnastics team (3.23 GPA) was the women's winner. The award was first given in 2003.
 

C-Club Coach of the Year Steve Beville (right) with C-Club President Jim Codispoti '63

Each year, the Cortland head coaches select a Red Letter Award winner in their respective sports.  The Red Letter may be given for outstanding athletic skills, team leadership, personal development as a player, or for any combination of reasons.  The 2007-08 Red Letter Award winners, by sport, are as follows:

Baseball:    Joey Russo, Sr. (Inwood/Lawrence)
Men's Basketball:    Mike Lewis, So. (Central Square)
Women's Basketball:    Sara Cavanaugh, Sr. (Hastings-on-Hudson/Hastings)
Men's Cross Country:    Shamus Nally, Jr. (Burnt Hills/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake)
Women's Cross Country:    Lisa Holt, So. (Phoenix/John C. Birdlebough)
Field Hockey:    Kristin Courtney, Sr. (Hyde Park/F.D. Roosevelt)
Football:    Kyle Pierce, Sr. (Cortlandt Manor/Walter Panas)
Women's Golf:    Rebecca Infante, So. (Carmel/Mahopac)
Women's Gymnastics:    ** Amber French, Sr. (South Glens Falls)
Men's Ice Hockey:    Gerard Heinz, So. (Kings Park)
Women's Ice Hockey:    Janie Byrd, Sr. (Auburn)
Women's Tennis:    Meg Cole, Jr. (Homer)
Men's Indoor Track and Field:    Kevin Ma, Sr. (Cornwall)
Women's Indoor Track and Field:    Kristen Serikstad, So. (Oyster Bay)
Men's Outdoor Track and Field:    Amaan Siddeeq, Sr. (Goshen)
Women's Outdoor Track and Field:    Alanna Hollborn, Jr. (Islip Terrace/East Islip)
Men's Lacrosse:    Adam Hyde, Sr. (West Seneca/West Seneca East)
Women's Lacrosse:    Rachel Cornwell, Sr. (Fairport)
Men's Soccer:    Bryan Patterson, Sr. (Farmingdale)
Women's Soccer:    Ilona Szotyori, Sr. (Saugerties)
Softball:    Amanda Barnett, Sr. (Syracuse/Jamesville-DeWitt)
Men's Swimming and Diving:    Brett Humphreys, Sr. (Amsterdam)
Women's Swimming and Diving:    Taylor Houseman, So. (Wellsville)
Women's Volleyball:    Alice Kahrs, Sr. (Kings Park)
Wrestling:    Treavor LeBlanc, Jr. (Morrisville/Morrisville-Eaton)

  ** also won award in 2005-06

Banquet Award Winners (since 1988)

 

2007-08 SUNY Cortland Red Letter Award Winners (left to right): Front Row: Treavor LeBlanc (wrestling), Kristen Serikstad (women's indoor track and field), Lisa Holt (women's cross country), Shamus Nally (men's cross country), Kevin Ma (men's indoor track and field), Amber French (women's gymnastics), Adam Hyde (men's lacrosse), Ilona Szotyori (women's soccer). Middle Row: Joey Russo (baseball), Kyle Pierce (football), Kristin Courtney (field hockey), Amaan Siddeeq (men's outdoor track and field), Alice Kahrs (women's volleyball), Janie Byrd (women's ice hockey), Rachel Cornwell (women's lacrosse). Back Row: Amanda Barnett (softball), Sara Cavanaugh (women's basketball), Brett Humphreys (men's swimming and diving), Meg Cole (women's tennis), Taylor Houseman (women's swimming and diving), Mike Lewis (men's basketball), Gerard Heinz (men's ice hockey). Not in photo: Bryan Patterson (men's soccer), Alanna Hollborn (women's outdoor track and field) and Rebecca Infante (women's golf).

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