COLCHESTER, Vt. - Thirteen Saint Michael's College seniors and one coach were recognized with major awards on Friday during the Department of Athletics' 79th Annual Block 'M' Awards Banquet in the Dion Family Student Center's Roy Room. Eight departmental honors were handed out during the event, while men's basketball alumnus Will Rothermel '06, the Bates College Deputy Director of Athletics, delivered the keynote speech.
 
Diane C. Foster '77 Award

• Jacek Krol (Tolland, Conn./Tolland/Onondaga CC), baseball
• Emersynn McGillis (Ottawa, Ontario/Nepean Jr. Wildcats), women's ice hockey
• Bridget Shaw (Norwell, Mass./Norwell), women's soccer

George "Doc" Jacobs Award

• Drew Kull (Rochester, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland), men's soccer
• Dana Welch (Howell, N.J./Donovan Catholic), women's volleyball

Victor V. LeMieux '35 Award

• Braden Butler (South Berwick, Maine/Marshwood), men's cross country/outdoor track
• Annika Lavender (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata), women's ice hockey

Strength Beyond the Game Award

• Sebastian Andersson (Stockholm, Sweden/Korrespondensgymnasiet/Eastern Washington), men's basketball

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

• Nick Wracker (Columbia, S.C./Northeast Generals), men's ice hockey

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

• Abbie Whitley (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry), women's lacrosse

Outstanding Senior Student-Athlete Award

• Joelle Cameron (West Bridgewater, Mass./West Bridgewater), field hockey
• Sam Cavossa (East Falmouth, Mass./The Winchendon School), baseball
• Rafael Kowal (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Plattsburgh/Alfred State), men's swimming & diving

Purple Knight Coach of the Year

• Wendy Elles, women's soccer

 
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.
 
Krol has contributed to the baseball program as a veteran presence in the latter stages of his career, but his influence has extended well beyond the field. A team captain, he has also been Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) co-vice president for his final three semesters, a Northeast 10 Conference SAAC representative, SMC Best Buddies co-president, Mobilization of Volunteer Efforts (MOVE) volunteer, and Department of Athletics student employee. Last summer, he was hired as Upper Valley Nighthawks pitching coach before claiming the distinction of becoming the youngest manager in New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) history by season's end. Krol participated in last October's Pro Ball Prep with Major League Baseball's Miami Marlins, and will continue his education while pursuing a master's degree at Dartmouth College and coaching baseball. A three-time NE10 Academic Honor Roll qualifier, he is a double major in secondary education and history.
 
McGillis appeared in 132 career games as a stay-at-home defender while serving as a senior captain, alternate captain as a junior, and one of her team's SAAC representatives. In the local community, she is a mentor for three young refugee girls and coaches with Girls 4 Hockey. In her native Ontario, McGillis has been an educational assistant for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and worked extensively with Their Opportunity, coaching and aiding programs that expand equitable access to sports for underserved children and utilize sport as a tool for inclusion and youth development. The initiatives are supported by the National Hockey League's Ottawa Senators' community foundation. McGillis has earned two D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards, twice been named an American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) All-American Scholar, and received three New England Women's Hockey Alliance (NEWHA) All-Academic nods. She has been inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma (college athlete) and Sigma Beta Delta (business, management and administration) honor societies while majoring in business administration, and holds a 3.80 cumulative grade-point average.
 
Shaw contributed across the pitch during her tenure, appearing in a career-high 16 games during a record-setting 2025 season. Her impact has been felt throughout her local communities, as SAAC co-vice president, Class of 2026 vice president, Office of Admission ambassador, Writing Center tutor, and as a member of Random Acts of Kindness. Shaw has strengthened her team's connection with EDD Adaptive Sports, organized youth soccer activities with local elementary school children, led team visits to an assisted living home, and mentored a local high schooler. In her native Norwell, Mass., she gave back as a youth program coordinator with the local recreation department. Shaw has been named to the NE10 Academic Honor Roll every semester, landed a pair of D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards, and was inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma (college athlete) and Kappa Delta Pi (education) honor societies. A double major in English and secondary education, Shaw owns a 3.82 GPA.
 
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.
 
Kull became a starter in the backfield the moment he stepped on campus, making 57 of his 58 career appearances in the starting lineup. A captain last fall, he also served as a SAAC representative, and was an NE10 All-Rookie Team selection in 2022. Kull was a contributor to the Athletics staff, managing the Tarrant Recreation Center front desk and fitness center, and aiding game day operations in a number of roles. A five-time NE10 Academic Honor Roll selection, he is a mathematics major.
 
Welch finished her career with more than 600 kills, 200 digs and 125 blocks, reaching a high in blocks as a senior. She was also Hope Happens Here social media coordinator, an accounting and psychology peer tutor, Martin Luther King Jr. Society treasurer, and Tarrant Recreation Center employee for three years. This past spring, she completed an accounting and assurance internship at Gallagher, Flynn & Company. A Sigma Beta Delta (business, management and administration) honor society inductee, Welch landed on the NE10 Academic Honor Roll every semester, earned a pair of D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards, and was twice named College Sports Communicators Academic All-District. She holds a 3.68 GPA as an accounting and psychology double major.
 
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.
 
Butler was a two-sport captain as a senior, leading not only men's cross country but the inaugural varsity men's outdoor track outfit. He earned U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) East Regional All-Region and NE10 All-Conference first team accolades in the fall during his second season as a cross country captain, claiming four top-10 finishes, including winning the Purple Knights' Equality Invitational. Behind his 13th-place performance, Saint Michael's captured a program-record fourth place at the NCAA East Regional Championship. He added seven top-six finishes during the track season. Butler was SAAC co-vice president and earned NE10 Academic Honor Roll accolades five times as an economics major.
 
Lavender will graduate 17th in NCAA National Collegiate women's ice hockey history with 3,392 career saves, becoming the first NEWHA netminder to pass the 3,000-save barrier. She also owns a school record for minutes (4,740:24) and the top two season save figures in program history, and was the team's alternate captain this winter. In her other roles, Lavender is the SAAC Diversity, Equity and Inclusion chair, a Writing Center coach, and a youth hockey coach in her native Minnesota. She owns three American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) All-American Scholar and NEWHA All-Academic laurels each, and has twice been recognized with D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards, College Sports Communicators Academic All-District nods, and NEWHA Co-Student-Athlete of the Year honors. Lavender claims membership in five honor societies: Chi Alpha Sigma (college athlete), Omicron Delta Epsilon (economics), Phi Alpha Theta (history), Phi Beta Kappa (liberal arts & sciences), and Pi Sigma Alpha (political science). A history and political science double major, she carries a 3.99 GPA.
 
Strength Beyond the Game Award
The Strength Beyond the Game Award, which debuted this year and is chosen by the Sports Medicine staff, recognizes a student-athlete who has demonstrated unwavering fortitude through hardship, approaching their recovery with bravery, grace, and a commitment to positively influence team culture.
 
The Sports Medicine staff said of Andersson, "Sebastian has faced every challenge with determination, resilience, and a team-first mentality. Through countless hours of hard work in the Athletic Training Room, he has not only elevated himself as an athlete but has also made a lasting positive impact on the culture and success of the team. His commitment, perseverance, and leadership embody the true spirit of this award." Andersson appeared in 36 games over three years but made a major impact during the 2024 NCAA East Regional Championship, despite not scoring any points. The defensive stopper averaged 6.3 rebounds and 3.0 offensive boards in 15.0 minutes per night over three games, including rejecting four shots in a regional semifinal win over Daemen University. He returned for his most extensive action in 14 months during this year's regional semifinal at Daemen after playing only two minutes in the regular season. The two-time NE10 Academic Honor Roll qualifier is a sociology major.
 
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.
 
While serving as an assistant captain, Wracker tied career highs in goals and points as a senior, even centering a line for the first time and winning nearly 46% of his faceoffs. He seemed to find the net in some of his team's biggest games, as five of his final seven career goals came against rival Saint Anselm College. Away from the ice, his impact was felt throughout campus. Wracker was Hope Happens Here tri-chair for his final three years, also serving as a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) executive board member during that time, as secretary of finance as a sophomore and junior and secretary of athletics as a senior. He was an Edmundite Campus Ministry liturgical minister, MOVE leader, Founders Society tour guide, Be Well ambassador, resident assistant, Office of Admission ambassador, Special Events coordinator, peer tutor, and heavily involved in numerous roles in the Office of Purposeful Learning. As a first-year, his immediate impact was recognized with the Student Government Association's (SGA) Jennifer Cernosia Exceptional Student Leader Award. Wracker landed on the NE10 Academic Honor Roll every semester and twice claimed D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards and College Sports Communicators Academic All-District. He helped the Purple Knights secure the NE10 Championship as a junior, earning academic all-conference and winning the NE10 Elite 24 Award as the top scholar-athlete competing in the championship game. Wracker has been inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma (college athlete), Delta Epsilon Sigma (Catholic universities) and Omicron Delta Epsilon (economics) honor societies. He is a double major in environmental science and economics with a chemistry minor, and holds a 3.99 cumulative GPA. On Thursday, Wracker was also recognized with the Department of Athletics' Roger F. Keleher '15 Award as the top male scholar-athlete in the graduating class.
 
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 record setter on the field and a top scholar off of it, Whitley finished her career with a school record for games played (61) as a starting defender while taking fourth in program history in caused turnovers (82). She earned NE10 All-Conference third team accolades as a junior while serving for two years as a captain. Whitley's community and academic endeavors have also been plentiful, as a Hope Happens Here event coordinator, SAAC representative, Class of 2026 treasurer, tutor, and contributor to Dr. Ruth Fabian-Fine's Alzheimer's research project. She has been inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma (college athlete), Delta Epsilon Sigma (Catholic universities) and Psi Chi (psychology) honor societies, and earned the SGA's Jennifer Cernosia Exceptional Student Leader Award as a sophomore. Whitley qualified for the NE10 Academic Honor Roll every term while claiming two D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards and College Sports Communicators Academic All-District nods each, as well as one Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Academic Honor Roll citation and an NE10 Academic All-Conference selection apiece. As a neuroscience major, Whitley carries a 3.95 GPA.
 
Outstanding Senior Student-Athlete Award
This award, established in 2024, recognizes outstanding athletic performance and excellence at the highest level.
 
Cameron etched her name in numerous record books during a historic season last fall, landing National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-America second team and NE10 Goalkeeper of the Year accolades while recording an NCAA Division II-record 429 saves, the most by any NCAA goalkeeper since 1997. The captain also surpassed long-standing NE10 (2003) and program (1988) records for season saves and finished with 604 career stops, another school mark and good for 10th in league history. She led goalkeepers across all three divisions in both saves and saves per game (25.2), but Cameron was also the Division II leader in save percentage (.835), and will graduate tied for ninth in program history in career save percentage (.830). Her 48 saves against defending national champion Saint Anselm College on Sept. 17 were a Division II record, coming just 10 days after tying the prior 33-year-old national mark. Cameron added NFHCA All-East Region first team, NFHCA Senior Team, and NE10 All-Conference first team accolades to her résumé and was previously an assistant captain as a junior. Her involvement stretched beyond the field, as she served as a SAAC representative and SGA Secretary of Academics, and was an active member of Saint Michael's Fire & Rescue. Cameron was an NE10 Academic Honor Roll selection and majors in health science.
 
Cavossa keyed the best season the baseball program has had in more than a century of existence while developing into one of the greatest ballplayers the College has seen. After landing on the NE10 All-Rookie Team in 2023, Cavossa earned NE10 All-Conference second team nods as a junior and senior, becoming the first two-time NE10 all-league selection in program history. A second-year captain who split his time between catcher and the outfield, he set a program record for hits (64) and tied a mark for runs (37) this spring, and owns career records for hits (185) and runs (105), with the highest batting average ever by a Purple Knight who solely played in the program's NE10 era (.335). Cavossa is also top 10 at the College in career triples, RBI, walks and stolen bases, one year after the local fan favorite set the Vermont Lake Monsters' record for hits in a season and earned the team's George Commo Top Vermonter award. A three-time NE10 Academic Honor Roll qualifier, Cavossa majors in business administration.
 
During a three-year career as a Purple Knight, Kowal established himself as one of the most dominant swimmers in College history. He twice earned NE10 All-Conference second team accolades in the 500-yard freestyle while holding school records in that event, the 1,650 free, 200-yard backstroke, and 200- and 400-yard individual medleys, adding four more as part of relays. As a senior, he tied a school record with 23 solo event wins en route to breaking the program mark for career individual wins (63) in just his third season on the squad. Also a standout in the classroom, Kowal has landed on the NE10 Academic Honor Roll every semester, was twice recognized with D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards and College Sports Communicators Academic All-District nods, and claimed NE10 Academic All-Conference once. He has been inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma (college athlete), Mu Sigma Rho (statistics) and Pi Mu Epsilon (mathematics) honor societies. A double major in data science and mathematics, Kowal holds a 3.70 GPA.
 
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.
 
Elles guided women's soccer to the greatest season in program history, continuing an ascension for a team on the rise. The Purple Knights set a school record for wins while going 16-3-1, at one point broke a 36-year-old mark with eight straight victories, and notched additional program records for points (146), assists (60) and shutouts (13) while tying the goals standard (43). Saint Michael's knocked off Bentley University, 1-0, in the first round of the NE10 Championship for the first postseason win in program history before advancing to its first league semifinal since 1989. Under her tutelage, Purple Knights earned 12 all-region, six all-conference and 11 academic awards last fall alone. Sophomore Scarlett Brookes (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Knolls) became the program's first All-America selection while landing three major regional and conference honors, and first-year Chloe Laizer (West Springfield, Mass./West Springfield) earned NE10 Goalkeeper of the Year. In its last two seasons under Elles, the Purple and Gold was 27-7-5, one of the top marks in the region, while becoming a postseason regular. The Purple Knights also continue giving back to their community, regularly working with Team IMPACT and EDD Adaptive Sports.