COLCHESTER, Vt. - Fourteen Saint Michael's College seniors and one coach were recognized with major awards on Friday during the Department of Athletics' 78th Annual Block 'M' Awards Banquet in the Dion Family Student Center's Roy Room. Seven departmental honors were handed out during the event, while men's ice hockey alumni Danny Divis '17 and Justin McKenzie '17, Hope Happens Here founders, delivered the keynote speech.
 
Diane C. Foster '77 Award

• Makayla Blake (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central), women's basketball
• Elani Gikas (Peabody, Mass./Bishop Fenwick), women's soccer
• Preston Hewett (Plainfield, N.H./Lebanon), baseball

George "Doc" Jacobs Award

• Alan Brzezinski (Örebro, Sweden/Western Reserve Academy), men's basketball
• Christina Cummings (Queensbury, N.Y./Queensbury), women's soccer
• Aaliyah Huihui-Martinez (Salinas, Calif./Notre Dame), women's volleyball

Victor V. LeMieux '35 Award

• Addy Fenton (Andover, Mass./Phillips Academy), field hockey/women's lacrosse
• Margrethe Frøland (Rælingen, Norway/Dønski VGS), Alpine skiing
• Thomas Kane (Sparta, N.J./Pope John XXIII Regional), men's swimming & diving

NE10 Man of the Year (Saint Michael's Institutional Selection)

• David Ciancio (Scituate, R.I./Seahawks Hockey Club), men's ice hockey

NCAA Woman of the Year (Saint Michael's Institutional Selection)

• Alexandra Báez Rentas (San Juan, Puerto Rico/New Dimensions), women's volleyball

Outstanding Senior Student-Athlete Award

• Jenna Devens (Parsippany, N.J./Parsippany), softball
• Declan Hutchinson (Duluth, Minn./Marshall School), Nordic skiing
• Helene Kristoffersen (Rælingen, Norway/Dønski VGS), Alpine skiing
• Sebastian Simonson (Spruce Grove, Alberta/Spruce Grove Composite), men's lacrosse

Purple Knight Coach of the Year

• Damian DiGiulian, men's ice hockey

 
Diane C. Foster '77 Award
 
The Diane C. Foster '77 Award is presented to student-athletes who exemplify, by their actions, true compassion, sacrifice and service to others. It was first awarded in 2001 to honor the memory of Foster, a former dual-sport Saint Michael's student-athlete who died in 1998 at the age of 44.
 
Blake's campus roles have included women's basketball captain, class president, Mobilization of Volunteer Efforts (MOVE) service trip leader, SMC Buddies leader, Residence Hall Association president, peer note taker, Random Acts of Kindness vice president, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) member, Office of Admission tour guide, social media manager and digital creator, and small business owner. She was also featured as a 2024 Commencement speaker before returning for her fifth year on the basketball court in 2024-25, when she averaged 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds from the post. A psychology and art & design double major, Blake owns a 3.27 cumulative grade-point average as a six-time Northeast-10 Conference Academic Honor Roll qualifier.
 
A women's soccer captain, Gikas is a Team IMPACT fellow and serves as Class of 2025 vice president, SAAC secretary, and on the Saint Michael's Athletic Hall of Fame Committee. She is also an Admission tour guide and even played a semester of tennis at the College. On the soccer field, Gikas appeared in 56 career games, drawing 15 starts while posting eight points, mostly from the defensive side of the ball. A business administration and accounting double major, she has been a two-time NE10 Academic Honor Roll qualifier.
 
Hewett, a baseball captain, has served as a key link to Team IMPACT while serving on executive boards for the Student Government Association (SGA), ShredMC and Mock Trial, and as a SAAC representative. Also a youth sport coach, Hewett has been a lab assistant on campus and aided the Natural Area Restoration Project. After working his way from manager as a first-year onto the active roster as a sophomore, he knocked his first two college hits and scored a run as a senior. An environmental science major holding a 3.64 GPA, Hewett has earned two Division 2 Athletics Directors Association (D2 ADA) Academic Achievement Awards and landed on the NE10 Academic Honor Roll in five semesters.
 
 
George "Doc" Jacobs Award
 
The George "Doc" Jacobs Award was first handed out in 1969, as it recognizes individuals who make a truly outstanding contribution to the athletics program, regardless of athletic ability. The accolade is named in honor of the legendary coach and athletic director, often considered the father of modern athletics at the College.
 
A men's basketball captain this season, Brzezinski has been a friendly face on campus as a resident assistant and Tarrant Recreation Center employee. On the basketball court, he turned in a career high in scoring this winter and finished his career with 146 three-pointers while averaging exactly 10.0 points and nearly five rebounds. A business administration and international relations double major, he holds a 3.42 GPA and has qualified six times for the NE10 Academic Honor Roll.
 
A captain of women's soccer, Cummings was named New England Women's Intercollegiate Soccer Association (NEWISA) All-New England and NE10 All-Conference as a senior while earning a NEWISA Senior Bowl selection. As an outside back, she started all 18 games last fall and tallied eight points, scoring three goals. Off the field, she has been a Class of 2025 senator, Media Creation Studio assistant, men's ice hockey co-social media director, and regular presence in the athletic community as a content creator. The digital media & communications major has qualified for the NE10 Academic Honor Roll on five occasions.
 
Huihui-Martinez collected more than 400 career digs as a defensive specialist while keying the women's volleyball team's run to the postseason last fall. Also a SAAC representative and Knight Awards co-founder, the captain works with Make-A-Wish and as a Tarrant Recreation Center employee while claiming membership in honor societies Beta Beta Beta (biology), Chi Alpha Sigma (college athlete) and Delta Epsilon Sigma (Catholic colleges). The health science major holds a 3.92 GPA and owns two D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards, two College Sports Communicators Academic All-District nods, and seven NE10 Academic Honor Roll citations.
 
 
Victor V. LeMieux '35 Award
 
The Victor V. LeMieux '35 Award, which was established in 1964 in honor of the former Saint Michael's student-athlete, is presented annually to the varsity athlete best displaying loyalty and leadership in their program, both on and off the field of competition.
 
Fenton captained both the field hockey and women's lacrosse teams as a senior, earning all-conference and National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Senior Team honors for field hockey. She tied for the national lead in defensive saves, breaking her program's career (24) and season (15) records on the way. On the lacrosse field, the versatile Fenton finished with 32 goals, 43 points, 81 draw controls, 73 ground balls and 50 caused turnovers in 52 career games. She is eighth in program history in career caused turnovers. A health science major who gained experience this year in Sports Medicine, she has landed on the NE10 Academic Honor Roll twice.
 
A two-year Alpine skiing captain, Frøland is co-founder of the College's Student Investment Fund and has been Class of 2025 president, Pi Sigma Alpha president, three-year executive board member and two-year tri-chair of Hope Happens Here, NCAA Innovation Grant Program reviewer, Orientation leader, and Purposeful Learning peer mentor. She is an economics and international relations double major who holds a 3.96 GPA, and has earned two D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards, a pair of College Sports Communicators Academic All-District accolades, and three United States Collegiate Ski Coaches Association (USCSCA) National Collegiate All-Academic Ski Team honors. Frøland holds membership in honor societies Chi Alpha Sigma (college athlete), Delta Epsilon Sigma (Catholic colleges), Omicron Delta Epsilon (economics), Phi Beta Kappa (liberal arts and sciences) and Pi Sigma Alpha (political science).
 
A men's swimming & diving captain, Kane also served the community as an Orientation leader, Pre-Orientation Weekend leader, and Class of 2025 secretary. During his senior year, he set three individual school records and played a hand in four more relay records, and will graduate with a school-record 96 event victories. Kane is also second all-time in both individual wins (49) and relay triumphs (47). The business administration major has qualified for the NE10 Academic Honor Roll.
 
 
NE10 Man of the Year
(Saint Michael's Institutional Selection)
 
In an effort to recognize top male student-athletes, the Northeast-10 Conference began sponsoring a Man of the Year program in 2013, and encourages each of its member institutions to honor an individual who represents their campus community through success in athletics, academics, community service and leadership.
 
A two-year men's ice hockey captain and two-time New England Hockey Writers Association (NEHWA) Division II/III All-Star and NE10 All-Conference selection, Ciancio was named NE10 Championship MVP as a senior after potting three points in a title-game victory. A defender, he led the NE10 in blocked shots (52) while pacing the Purple Knights in goals (13) and tying for the lead in points (25), power-play goals (4), game-winning goals (3) and +/- (+13). The SAAC president was a finalist for the 2025 Joe Concannon Award, recognizing the top American-born men's ice hockey player at a New England NCAA Division II/III institution. Ciancio earned the NE10's Co-Defensive Player of the Year and Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award accolades as a junior and Elite 24 Award as a sophomore. Ciancio has a 3.86 GPA as a business administration and accounting double major, and has earned two D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards, two NE10 Academic All-Conference laurels, a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District nod, and seven NE10 Academic Honor Roll accolades. He holds membership in honor societies Chi Alpha Sigma (college athlete), Delta Epsilon Sigma (Catholic colleges), Omicron Delta Epsilon (economics) and Sigma Beta Delta (business, management and administration).
 
 
NCAA Woman of the Year
(Saint Michael's Institutional Selection)
 
Founded in 1999, the NCAA Woman of the Year is an accolade that accounts for athletic excellence, outstanding academic performance, community service and demonstrated leadership. Each NCAA member institution is eligible to put forth a nominee for national and conference consideration.
 
A three-year women's volleyball captain, two-time NE10 All-Conference setter, and the lone member of her program's 2,000-assist/1,000-dig club, Báez Rentas has also been heavily involved on campus as SAAC vice president, an NE10 SAAC representative, MOVE core leader, peer tutor, Athletics employee, and Knight Awards co-founder. She has been inducted into honor societies Chi Alpha Sigma (college athlete), Delta Epsilon Sigma (Catholic colleges) and Sigma Beta Delta (business, management and administration), and will graduate fifth in program annals in both assists (2,095) and digs (1,057). The accounting and business administration double major holds a 3.79 GPA and has earned three College Sports Communicators Academic All-District nods, two D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards, two NE10 Academic All-Conference selections, and seven NE10 Academic Honor Roll laurels.
 
 
Outstanding Senior Student-Athlete Award
 
The newest senior honor after being established in 2024, this award recognizes outstanding athletic performance and excellence at the highest level.
 
The 2025 NE10 Player of the Year, Devens is the only softball player in College history to land either four NE10 All-Conference or three National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-East Region accolades. She landed on the all-league first team three times, at different positions each year, and was an all-region first team pick as a senior. A two-year captain, Devens holds school records for career hits (184), doubles (39), home runs (29), RBI (113) and walks (74) and season home runs (12), RBI (33) and walks (28). She stands 13th in NE10 history in career home runs. Devens is a digital media & communications major holding a 3.73 GPA, and has earned two D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards, two College Sports Communicators Academic All-District nods, one NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete and NE10 Academic All-Conference laurel apiece, and seven NE10 Academic Honor Roll citations. She was inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society.
 
Hutchinson, a second-year Nordic skiing captain, capped his career with an Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association (EISA) All-East second team selection this winter behind eight individual top-10 performances while representing Saint Michael's at the NCAA Championship in New Hampshire. Among many season highlights, his fifth-place showing in the mass-start 20K freestyle at the Dartmouth College Carnival aided a historic second-place team performance, and he led off for the third-place 3x5K classic relay during the Purple Knights' home carnival. Hutchinson is also Cycling Club vice president, a lab teaching assistant, and peer tutor at Saint Michael's. The biochemistry major has a 3.67 GPA and earned three USCSCA National Collegiate All-Academic Ski Team honors and a pair of D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards.
 
A three-time Alpine skiing captain, Kristoffersen is the only woman in College history to qualify four times for the NCAA Championship, twice earning All-America recognition. The 2023 and 2025 EISA giant slalom points champion and two-time EISA All-East selection put together one of the greatest streaks in program history when she reached the podium in four consecutive GS races this season. That run included wins at the Saint Michael's Carnival and Dartmouth Carnival during back-to-back weekends. Kristoffersen is also involved on campus as an Adventure Sports Center instructor, Student Wellness ambassador and teaching assistant. The biochemistry major holds a 3.48 GPA and has earned two USCSCA National Collegiate All-Academic Ski Team nods and a 2023-24 D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award. Kristoffersen was inducted into Beta Beta Beta, the National Biological Honor Society.
 
Simonson earned United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-America and USA Lacrosse All-America accolades last spring before turning in a historic 2025, landing NE10 Offensive Player of the Year honors after setting school records for career goals (134) and points (213) and season points (68) and assists (36). The captain stands top 15 in NE10 history in career goals and points, twice landed on the NE10 All-Conference first team, and earned New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (NEILA) All-New England honors in 2023 and 2024 in addition to posting USILA All-North Region honors as a junior. The two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-America pick, one of just six Saint Michael's student-athletes ever chosen multiple times, Simonson owns a 3.90 GPA as a biochemistry major. He has also earned two College Sports Communicators Academic All-District nods, two D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards, two NE10 Academic All-Conference accolades, and seven NE10 Academic Honor Roll qualifications. Simonson holds membership in honor societies Chi Alpha Sigma (college athlete), Delta Epsilon Sigma (Catholic colleges) and Phi Beta Kappa (liberal arts and sciences).
 
 
Purple Knight Coach of the Year
 
Founded in 2002, this award honors a coach who has made an impact on the field of play and/or in the Department of Athletics.
 
DiGiulian and his staff led the Purple Knights to their sixth NE10 Championship final during his 13-year tenure, capturing the league crown with a decisive 5-1 win at Saint Anselm College. At 18-11-1 overall, Saint Michael's posted the second-highest win total in program history while setting records with league-leading goals-against average (2.40) and save percentage (.929) figures. At year's end, four Purple Knights earned NE10 All-Conference honors, and DiGiulian was named NE10 Lance "Duke" Brady Coach of the Year.