Deserving Student-Athletes Recognized at Regis Athletics Awards Ceremony
2022 REGIS ATHLETICS AWARDS CEREMONY VIDEO REPLAY | ATHLETIC AWARDS CEREMONY PROGRAM
WESTON, Mass. – The Regis College athletics department gathered together Friday night, April 22, on campus at Casey Theatre to celebrate the accomplishments from the 2021-22 academic year and recognize several student-athletes for their exemplary performances during the Athletics Awards Presentation.
Three graduating seniors received the prestigious Regis-Casserly Award, the highest award given out by the Regis Department of Athletics recognizing excellence in academics, athletics, leadership, and service. Matt Ferrara (Sandown, N.H.) collected the Male Regis-Casserly Award after making significant contributions to both the volleyball and track and field programs during his collegiate career. An Academic All-GNAC honoree, he is currently carrying a 3.6 grade point average and will graduate with his nursing degree in May.
For the fourth time in the 41-year history of the award, two worthy female student-athletes received the Regis-Casserly Award. Julia Burke (Barrington, N.H.) made history at Regis both in athletics and academics. She is a three-time GNAC champion and has received multiple All-GNAC, All-New England, Academic All-GNAC and Academic All-New England honors. She is one of the first two females to complete the cybersecurity degree program at Regis. She is also majoring in criminal justice and currently carries a 3.9 GPA.
Valerie Whalen (Stoughton, Mass.) has been a significant presence for both the volleyball and basketball programs. This past fall, she earned Third Team All-GNAC recognition after leading the volleyball team with 246 kills to go along with 59 total blocks. She also assisted in the basketball team's advancement to its tournament semifinals, leading the Pride in rebounding average with 10 rebounds per game. She is a student teacher at the Regis Children's Center as she specializes in early childhood education as part of her double major of education and psychology, currently carrying a 3.2 grade point average.
Emily Fagundo (Dover, N.H.) and Arpan Kakadia (Pembroke, N.H.) received the Senior Scholar-Athlete Awards for their outstanding achievement in academics while participating on a varsity team. Fagundo, a four-year letterwinner for both the volleyball and track and field teams, became the first Regis student-athlete ever to be selected to a CoSIDA Academic All-America Team. A two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree, she is majoring in nuclear medicine with a 4.0 grade point average.
Kakadia has been a member of the lacrosse team for the past four years, appearing in 27 matches. He scored his first career goal at Emmanuel College March 26, 2019. This season, he earned two goals and one assist during the Pride's 15-0 victory over Eastern Nazarene March 7. A two-time Academic All-GNAC honoree with a 3.977 grade point average, he is on track to graduate in May with a bachelor's degree in biology and plans to attend PA school at Northeastern University.
Ashleigh Kelley (Stoneham, Mass.) and Brendan Pike (Weymouth, Mass.) were named the Outstanding Senior Student-Athletes of the Year. At the GNAC Cross Country Championships, Kelley finished third to earn First Team All-GNAC honors, and then she capped the season by finishing 31st at the NCAA Division III East Regional, the highest individual finish at the regional meet in program history and leading to All-Region honors. She won the one mile run at the GNAC Indoor Track and Field Championships and has set three new school records so far in track and field.
Pike was a team captain who, according to head swimming and diving coach Diana Matthews, "served his role with dignity, grace, and professionalism." A three-time GNAC champion in previous years, he once again earned All-GNAC and All-New England honors for his performances at the conference and NEISDA championships, including three top-three podium finishes during the two meets. Pike leaves the swimming and diving program with a spot in the Regis top-20 times list in 14 different events.
Pam Gonzalez (Revere, Mass.), Cashman Murphy (Westwood, Mass.), and Cam Wilkins (Taunton, Mass.) were named the Outstanding Junior Student-Athletes of the Year. Gonzalez received First Team All-GNAC honors after leading the women's basketball team to the semifinals of the GNAC Tournament by averaging 17.3 points per game. Murphy won the GNAC titles in both one meter diving and three meter diving as well as the NEISDA Championship in three-meter diving. Wilkins averaged 10.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.6 steals per game to help the men's basketball team qualify for the GNAC Tournament and win its first round contest.
The Outstanding Sophomore Student-Athlete of the Year awards went to Joseph Perez (Miami, Fla.) and Sam Perkins (Whitman, Mass.). Perez finished the men's volleyball season with 229 kills and 32 service aces, both fourth-most in a single season in program history, as he was selected to the GNAC All-Rookie Team. Perkins anchored the backline for the women's soccer team and has become one of the top javelin throwers in the conference after joining the track and field team for the outdoor season.
Benjamin Happenny (Woonsocket, R.I.) and Kamdyn Tenorio (Irvine, Calif.) received the Outstanding First-Year Student-Athlete of the Year awards. Happenny led the Regis cross country team in every event this past fall, highlighted by a sixth place finish at the GNAC Championships to earn First Team All-GNAC honors. Tenorio played a significant part in the success of the women's volleyball team this season, finishing second on the team in digs with 354 as well as third on the squad in kills with 204 and in service aces with 46.
With a number of graduate students competing for the Pride this year, the Outstanding Graduate Student-Athlete of the Year Award was established and given to Andrew Bienvenu (Baton Rouge, La.). Bienvenu, a three-time recipient of the GNAC Men's Tennis Player of the Week honor, has compiled a perfect 15-0 record in singles as well as a 14-1 mark in doubles, moving into a tie for fourth place in program history for most singles wins in a season.
By a slim margin over two other teams with GPAs above 3.6, the women's cross country team received the Judith W. Burling Team Award for Academic Excellence with a weighted team cumulative grade point average of 3.64 spanning the spring 2021 and fall 2021 semesters.
Morgan Mercier, assistant of athletic administration, received the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Faculty/Staff Appreciation Award for his work not just running daily operations at the front desk, but also assisting many teams throughout the past year. He provided valuable assistance to the women's soccer program as an assistant coach as well as to the softball team during its Spring Break trip to Florida.
Before the awards ceremony, graduating seniors and their families were invited to a reception where they received stoles signifying their status as student-athletes which they will wear at Commencement Saturday, May 7.
Regis College is a Division III member of the NCAA competing within the Great Northeast Athletic Conference in 20 intercollegiate sports.