CAA Announces 2022-23 Leadership And Sport Excellence Award Winners
Rob Washburn
RICHMOND, Va. (June 21, 2023)
– The CAA has announced the 21 recipients of the prestigious Leadership and Sport Excellence Award for the 2022-23 academic year.
The award mimics the Chuck Boone Leadership Award in football and the Dean Ehlers Leadership Award in men’s and women’s basketball. One student-athlete, who represents the highest standards of teamwork, integrity, leadership and sportsmanship in his or her academic and athletic achievements, was selected in each of the other 21 sports sponsored by the Conference.
After evaluating the nominees, the CAA’s Faculty Athletic Representatives voted on the winners.
The 2022-23 CAA Leadership and Sport Excellence Award winners are as follows:
Baseball:
Kevin Pitarra, UNCW - Pitarra achieved a 3.83 GPA while majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in supply chain management. A team captain and a two-year member of the UNCW Leadership Council, he has organized ministry-focused service events to engage students in fellowship while creating a safe environment for them to ask difficult questions regarding faith. He has also served as a UNCW Baseball Camp leader. On the field, Pittara made 24 starts for a Seahawks’ baseball team that captured the CAA regular-season and tournament titles. He batted .337 with a homer and 22 RBI’s and committed only four errors defensively at the catcher position.
Men’s Cross Country:
Louis DiLaurenzio, Monmouth – DiLaurenzio is pursuing a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice (intelligence analysis) after completing his undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice with a 3.845 GPA. A three-year team captain, he is a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma Athletics Honor Society and has served as a volunteer with Special Olympics and the annual beach clean-up project. DiLaurenzio earned All-CAA honors in cross country after a 13
th-place individual finish at the 2022 conference championship with a time of 25:20. He added all-conference accolades in indoor track after winning the mile race at the CAA Championship (4:06.15) and outdoor track following a third-place effort in the 1500 meters.
Women’s Cross Country:
Jessica Pidgeon, Delaware – Pidgeon has compiled a 3.988 GPA while majoring in Elementary Teacher Education with a concentration in ESL and a minor in disability studies. A Dean’s List member during every semester, she was an Eagleson Award recipient from the Honors College and twice earned the College of Education and Human Development Excellence in Academic Achievement Award given to the student with the top GPA. Pidgeon serves as Chief of the Delaware SAAC group and has worked as a HENS mentor for incoming freshmen student-athletes for three years. In 2021-22, she received the 302 Award, given to the student-athlete who most embodies the definition of a Blue Hen on their team. Pidgeon earned All-CAA accolades in 2021 after a 10
th-place individual finish at the CAA Women’s Cross Country Championship.
Field Hockey:
Lizzie Gaebel, Delaware – Gaebel is working on a Master’s degree in Business Analytics and Info Management after completing an undergraduate degree in Science Operations Management with a 3.77 GPA. A two-year team captain, she is a member of the Delaware SAAC group and has volunteered at the Soup Kitchen at Friendship House and with UDance, an organization that helps combat childhood cancer. Gaebel made the Dean’s List in each semester and is a four-time member of the NFHCA National Academic Squad. Gaebel has played a key role at goalkeeper for a Blue Hens’ field hockey squad that captured four straight CAA championships. She was named to the CAA All-Tournament team in 2020 and 2021.
Men’s Golf:
Matthew Feinstein, William & Mary – Feinstein is pursuing a Master’s degree in Business Administration after completing his undergraduate degree in finance and history with a 3.94 GPA. A three-year team captain, he was recognized as a Monroe Scholar at William & Mary and was inducted into Beta Sigma Gamma for being in the top 10 percent by GPA of his graduate business class. Feinstein earned second-team All-CAA honors in 2023 and was recognized as a GCAA All-America Scholar in 2021 and 2022. He posted the third-best single-season scoring average in school history in 2022-23, tied the W&M record for low 18 and 36-hole scores, and broke the 54-hole scoring record at 15-under.
Women’s Golf:
Mallory Fobes, UNCW – Fobes compiled a 3.526 GPA while majoring in Tourism, Recreation and Sport with a concentration in sports and recreation. A team captain and member of the UNCW SAAC group, she has volunteered with First Tee of Greater Wilmington and assisted with the Miracle League game. Fobes had another outstanding season on the golf course, earning first-team All-CAA honors for the third year in a row. She had a team-best 73.33 stroke average this season with three top 10 finishes. Fobes capped her season by becoming the only CAA player to receive an individual entry into the NCAA Regionals, where she placed 30
th out of 66 competitors.
Men’s Lacrosse:
Lonnie Jones, Hampton – Jones is pursuing a graduate degree in Sport Administration after completing his undergraduate degree in criminal justice. He is a member of the Hampton SAAC group and participated in a clothing drive initiative that provided donations to Salvation Army. Jones is a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma Athletics Honor Society, earned a Big South Presidential Honor Roll Silver Award in 2019-20 and received the HU Athletics Sportsmanship Award in 2022. A two-year team captain and three-year starter for the Pirates, Jones contributed 10 goals and four assists as a midfielder this season.
Women’s Lacrosse:
Margo McCormack, Hofstra – McCormack has achieved a 3.93 GPA while majoring in Mathematical Business Economics. A Provost’s List student, she was recognized on the IWLCA Division I Academic Honor Roll. McCormack is a Morgan’s Message Ambassador, where she was heavily involved in organizing games and activities with all of the Pride teams to raise awareness for Morgan’s Message. She is also a member of the Pride Leadership Academy. After suffering multiple season-ending injuries, McCormack saw her first career game action this season and tallied two ground balls while appearing in five games for the Hofstra women’s lacrosse team.
Women’s Rowing:
Charlotte Kershaw, Northeastern – Kershaw has compiled a 3.53 GPA while majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Her Capstone project won the award for Outstanding Design Project in Mechanical Engineering. A member of the Northeastern SAAC group. Kershaw has volunteered with the Boston Teachers Union and Cradle to Crayons, which organizes donations into backpacks for elementary school students. She received All-CAA honors in 2023 after helping lead the Huskies to their ninth consecutive conference championship. A team captain, Kershaw was voted Most Inspirational Athlete by her peers.
Men’s Soccer:
Jeppe Jordoson, Elon – Jordoson is working on a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership after completing his undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in German Studies with a 3.785 GPA. A President’s List student, he made a presentation at Elon’s Spring Undergraduate Research Forum and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. He volunteered with the Elon Soccer Camps as well as Special Olympics. Jordoson made 45 career starts in the midfield for the Phoenix soccer team and contributed four goals and five assists. He made the All-CAA second team in 2021 and was part of an Elon squad that claimed the CAA regular-season title and earned a NCAA Tournament berth in 2022.
Women’s Soccer:
A’Liah Moore, Monmouth – Moore is pursuing a Master’s degree in Communications - Interactive Digital Media after achieving a 3.65 GPA while completing an undergraduate degree in Communications with a concentration in media studies and production. A member of the CAA’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, she has spent countless hours working for the NAACP Youth & College Division organizing food drives, toy drives and scholarship fundraisers. Moore has conducted her own Diversity, Equity and Inclusion workshop to help advance social change at Monmouth and in the community. She started 14 games and tallied five goals and three assists in 2022 for a Hawks’ women’s soccer team that captured the CAA regular-season title. The two-year team captain also won three tournament titles in the MAAC.
Softball:
Hanna Garber, Delaware – Garber compiled a 3.77 GPA while majoring in Mathematics Education. She was recognized as an Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete in 2019. A two-year member of softball’s leadership council, Garber spearheaded an athletics department initiative called the Hens Cup, which was centered on building department cohesion. She was also involved in UDance, a fundraiser for childhood cancer. Garber excelled on the field, earning NFCA All-Northeast Region first team honors in 2021 and 2022. She earned All-CAA accolades four times, making the first team in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and the second team in 2019. The infielder batted a team-best .360 this season.
Men’s Swimming and Diving:
Conor Sokolowsky, William & Mary – Sokolowsky achieved a 3.958 GPA while majoring in Economics and minoring in Data Science. A four-time member of the Provost’s List, he received the 1693 Award and was the 2022 Dudley Jensen Men’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Sokolowsky was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa and Mortar Board, and was a Rhodes Scholar finalist. He volunteered with a variety of activities, including working with the City of Williamsburg Planning Commissioner and Public Arts Committee. In the pool, Sokolowsky earned W&M’s Most Valuable Award. He finished fourth in the 200 IM and 200 Back at the CAA Championship and achieved a NCAA B-cut time.
Women’s Swimming and Diving:
Lauren DiCamillo, Drexel – DiCamillo majored in Biological Sciences and achieved a 3.71 GPA. A five-member of the Dean’s List, she received the Scholar-Athlete Award. A two-year Drexel SAAC President, DiCamillo was very active in community service, participating in Play Day at Vidas for local elementary school students, a canned food drive, the MLK Day clean up and the Drexel Dance Marathon that raised money for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. In the pool, DeCamillo posted the Dragons’ fourth-best times in the 50, 100 and 200 back. She was a two-year team captain.
Men’s Tennis:
Daniel Martin, Elon – Martin has achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA while majoring in Psychology. He was honored as Elon’s Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, was the school’s nominee for CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year and has been recognized as an ITA Scholar Student-Athlete multiple times. He served as a volunteer at a tennis clinic for children with disabilities and worked with Habitat for Humanity. On the court, Martin was selected as the CAA Player of the Year and received first-team all-conference honors in singles and doubles. He was also the Most Outstanding Player at the CAA Men’s Tennis Championship after leading the Phoenix to the finals with an unbeaten record at the No. 1 spot.
Women’s Tennis:
Olivia Archer, Elon – Archer earned a Master’s degree in Interactive Media after receiving an undergraduate degree in Strategic Communications with a 3.936 GPA. She is a Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi member, received the Elon Presidential Scholarship and is a five-time ITA Scholar-Athlete. Archer serves as Vice President of Elon’s SAAC group and the Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity. Among her volunteer activities was a visit to the Dominican Republic’s Dove Youth Development, where she filmed media and marketing materials for the organization. On the court, Archer is the all-time winningest singles player in Elon history with 73 victories and earned all-conference honors for the third time in 2023 after making the third team in singles and doubles. The two-time team MVP has twice received the Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award.
Men’s Indoor Track and Field:
Daniel Layton, William & Mary – Layton compiled a 3.691 GPA while majoring in Biology with a minor in Biochemistry. A three-time member of the Provost’s List, he received the Tribe Athletics President’s Award in 2022-23 for leadership, citizenship and sportsmanship. He is a member of the William & Mary SAAC group and served on the Executive Board as well as serving as the Health & Wellness Committee chair. On the track, Layton was the heptathlon champion at the 2023 CAA Indoor Track Championship and claimed the decathlon championship at the 2022 and 2023 CAA Outdoor Track Championships to earn all-conference honors.
Women’s Indoor Track and Field:
Sydney Squier, Monmouth – Squier is pursuing a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice Intelligence after completing her undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice and Psychology with a 3.95 GPA. She served as President of the Monmouth Psychology Club, Vice President of the Guardian’s Club and has worked as an Orientation Leader and Peer Transition Leader. An ACL injury stopped Squier from competing during the 2022-23 season, but she played a key role on the Hawks’ MAAC championship teams in 2021 and 2022. She ran the 200 and 400 meters for Monmouth as well as participating on several relay teams. Squier was Monmouth’s NJAIAW Woman of the Year nominee in 2023.
Men’s Outdoor Track and Field:
Dalton Yeust, Monmouth – Yeust is working on a Master’s degree in Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship after completing his undergraduate degree in Marketing Management with a 3.53 GPA. A team captain, he has volunteered his time to coach club pole vault and also works as a teacher’s assistant in a ceramic studio. Yeust had an outstanding season, earning CAA Men’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Year after capturing the pole vault at league championship with a school-record mark of 5.10m (16-08.75). He was also the CAA champion in the pole vault at the Outdoor Championship with a mark of 5.11m (16-09.25) to post the top performance at the meet since 2016.
Women’s Outdoor Track and Field:
Madison George, Elon – George completed her degree in Engineering with a Biomedical concentration with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Recognized as the 2022-23 CAA Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, she plans to pursue a PhD in bioengineering at Stanford University. George is a two-time winner of the A.L. Hook Scholar-Athlete Award for achieving the highest GPA among upper class student-athletes, was a recipient of the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship and won the Elon Lumen Prize for making the first 3D printed pole vault spikes for women. A team captain and vice president of the Elon SAAC group, she created a 3-prong grabbing tool for a wheelchair-bound girl as part of a service learning engineering project. George was part of Elon track & field teams that captured three straight CAA outdoor titles and the inaugural indoor championship. She placed fourth in the pole vault indoors and fifth in the pole vault outdoors in 2023.
Volleyball:
Katie Lanz, UNCW – Lanz achieved a 3.99 GPA while completing her degree in Public Health with minors in Neuroscience and Biology. A member of Chi Alpha Sigma Student-Athlete Honor Society, she was chosen to the CSC Academic All-District team. Lanz has volunteered at the New Hanover Regional Medical Center on the disease specialist team and also worked with Seeds of Healing, which supports underserved women who are HIV positive. She received UNCW’s Unsung Hero award in 2022, recognizing a student-athlete who helped their team achieve success in ways not measured by statistics. On the court, the Seahawks’ team captain ranked ninth in the CAA in kills per set (2.84) and points per set (3.33) this season. Lanz led UNCW in kills for the past three seasons.