Click Here For PDF File
Somerset, NJ -- Three student-athletes from St. Francis (PA), along with one each from Central Connecticut State, Fairleigh Dickinson, Long Island, Mount St. Mary’s, Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart comprise the 2004 Northeast Conference Spring Scholar-Athlete award winners. In addition to the Scholar-Athletes, the NEC also announced its spring academic honor roll, consisting of 335 student-athletes. All Scholar-Athlete award winners must have earned a minimum of 60 semester hours, maintained a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.20 and participated with distinction as a member of a varsity team.
Central Connecticut State senior pitcher Lewis Pappariella (Palmyra, PA/Palmyra) earns Scholar-Athlete honors for baseball. A righthander who played on three straight NEC championship teams to close out his career, Pappariella was recently named to the all-NEC second team. With a 7-2 record, he ranked third on the circuit in victories and finished with a 4.12 earned run average. Pappariella, who earned the start and went seven innings in the Blue Devils’ NCAA Tournament opener against Florida last week, also limited opposing batters to a .245 average and issued just 19 walks over 67.2 innings pitched. A Physical Education major, Pappariella has registered a 3.51 grade point average.
St. Francis (PA) senior Martin Pettigrew (Rimouski, Quebec/Academie Les Estacades) claims men’s golf honors. Pettigrew finished 15th at the 2004 NEC Men’s Golf Championships in May with a two-day score of 158 (74-84). Off the course, he served as a student-athlete mentor at St. Francis (PA). Pettigrew, who majors in Management, maintains a 3.21 grade point average.
St. Francis (PA) senior Katie Thorne (Bracebridge, Ontario/Bracebridge & Muskoka Lakes) becomes just the fifth three-time Scholar-Athlete winner in NEC history and the first in the sport of women’s golf. A four-time all-conference performer, Thorne fired a 171 (88-83) to finish in tenth place at the NEC Championships in April as the Red Flash won their third straight league crown and fifth in the last six years. She also earned top-ten finishes at the Youngstown State Fall Invitational, Hofstra Fall Invitational and Bucknell Spring Invitational. Thorne, who is a candidate for national Academic All-American honors, was also honored as St. Francis (PA)’s National Student-Athlete day award winner for women’s golf. Thorne, who carries a 3.85 grade point average, is a Biology (Pre-Professional) major.
Mount St. Mary’s senior Naomi Campano (Schnecksville, PA/Allentown Central Catholic) is the recipient of the women’s lacrosse award. Campano, a goalkeeper, was tabbed NEC Player of the Year and NEC Tournament Most Valuable Player after leading the Mount to their first conference regular season and tournament titles in 2004. She led the league and ranked third nationally in save percentage (.562) and finished second in the NEC in saves per game (11.25) and third in goals against average (9.07). Her strong play between the pipes also catapulted Mount St. Mary’s to a 12-7 win over Manhattan in an NCAA Play-In match and the program’s first berth in the NCAA Tournament. A two-time all-league performer, she concluded her career as the Mount’s all-time leader in saves (595), minutes (3,288) and wins (31). She has posted a near-perfect 3.98 grade point average - the highest of any NEC Scholar-Athlete award winner in 2003-04 - majoring in Political Science.
Long Island senior outfielder Sayde Marzolf (Sumner, WA/Sumner) collects Scholar-Athlete plaudits for softball. A former NEC Rookie of the Year award winner who played on three NEC Championship teams, she was named first team all-conference in 2004 after she led the circuit with a .365 batting average, 61 hits and 30 runs scored. Marzolf went on to hit .438 (7-16) in the NEC Tournament as the Blackbirds won three straight games on the final day of play to earn the league’s automatic NCAA bid. She finished second on the Long Island career chart with 190 hits and 65 stolen bases. A native of Sumner, WA, who still remains active in her local church when returning home, Marzolf is a three-time member of the NEC Academic Honor Roll and has earned a spot on the Dean’s List in all four of her years at Long Island. A 2004 selection to Who’s Who Among Students In American Colleges and Universities and a member of Long Island’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Marzolf has pursued a double major in English and Education. Her grade point average is 3.76.
Fairleigh Dickinson senior Alex Sarria (Cali, Colombia/C.I.L.A.) captures NEC Scholar-Athlete honors in men’s tennis for the second time in his career. Sarria was named the NEC Player of the Year in 2004 after compiling a 16-10 record (5-1 vs. NEC competition) at the #1 singles flight. A three-time all-conference pick in singles, he also collected second team all-NEC #1 doubles accolades this year along with partner Daniel Wynne. Sarria was a three-time NEC Player of the Week winner in 2003-04 and concluded his career with a league record nine weekly honors. In his four years, Sarria amassed a 70-34 mark in singles, including a remarkable 33-1 ledger against NEC opponents. Sarria is a Management major who carries a 3.41 grade point average.
Quinnipiac senior Kim Piazza (North Haven, CT/North Haven) is the winner of the women’s tennis Scholar-Athlete award. Piazza put the finishing touches on a terrific senior campaign by being named NEC Player of the Year following the Bobcats’ first-ever NEC Tournament Championship and subsequent NCAA appearance. She tallied a 19-11 record at #1 singles, including a 4-0 mark within the conference. A four-time NEC Player of the Week winner in 2003-04, Piazza was also tabbed a first team all-star at #1 doubles along with teammate Gabby Pasternak. At year’s end, she was chosen Quinnipiac’s Female Athlete of the Year. Twice named all-NEC in her career, Piazza finished with a 57-38 all-time mark in singles, and ranks sixth all-time at Quinnipiac with 121 combined singles and doubles victories. A 2004 Academic All-America candidate, Piazza has recorded a 3.63 grade point average majoring in Marketing.
St. Francis (PA) junior Ryan Sheehan (Pittsburgh, PA/Baldwin) caps off a terrific 2003-04 year that saw him earn Scholar-Athlete honors in cross country, indoor and now outdoor track and field. Sheehan joins former teammate Kevin Doyle and Red Flash alum Kate Wallace as the only three student-athletes in league history to accomplish this rare feat. The Pittsburgh, PA native claimed Most Outstanding Performer honors at the NEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in May after winning both the 5,000 meters (14:45.91) and 10,000 meters (31:26.12). He also took second in the 1,500 meters (3:56.43). Sheehan became an automatic NCAA qualifier in the 10,000 meters when he broke the school record in the event with a time of 28:54.54 - the ninth best performance in the nation this season - at the Mount SAC Relays in April. An Academic All-American candidate, Sheehan is a Biology major who maintains a 3.37 grade point average.
Sacred Heart senior Katherine Wrinkle (Medford, NY/Patchogue-Medford) takes home her first outdoor track and field honor after collecting Scholar-Athlete accolades in cross country in each of the past two seasons. A three-time NEC Athlete of the Week winner, Wrinkle was voted the Outstanding Track Performer at the 2004 conference championships following individual victories in the 5,000 meters (18:04.75) and 3,000 meter steeplechase (11:05.13), an event she won by over 43 seconds. She was also a member of the Pioneers’ gold medal winning 4x800 meter relay team. Wrinkle went on to break the school record in the steeplechase at the New England Championships, finishing second in a time of 10:29.37. By claiming all-New England honors in the 4x800 relay and steeplechase, she upped her career total to ten at the prestigious regional meet. She also competed at the NCAA East Regionals for a second straight year. A Psychology major, Wrinkle’s grade point average currently stands at 3.70.
Northeast Conference 2004 Spring Scholar-Athletes
Sport Name School GPA Major
Baseball Lewis Pappariella Central Conn. St. 3.51 Physical Education
Men’s Golf Martin Pettigrew St. Francis (PA) 3.21 Management
Women’s Golf Katie Thorne St. Francis (PA) 3.85 Biology (Pre-Professional)
Women’s Lacrosse Naomi Campano Mount St. Mary’s 3.98 Political Science
Softball Sayde Marzolf Long Island 3.76 English & Education
Men’s Tennis Alex Sarria Fairleigh Dickinson 3.41 Management
Women’s Tennis Kim Piazza Quinnipiac 3.63 Marketing
Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Ryan Sheehan St. Francis (PA) 3.37 Biology
Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Katherine Wrinkle Sacred Heart 3.70 Psychology