Moravian Announces 2026 Award Winners at Fourth Annual All-Athlete Awards Show
BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- Moravian University honored its 2025-26 student-athletes with its Fourth Annual All-Athlete Awards Show in the Haupert Union Building Monday evening sponsored by the Greyhounds’ Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- Moravian University honored its 2025-26 student-athletes with its Fourth Annual All-Athlete Awards Show in the Haupert Union Building Monday evening sponsored by the Greyhounds' Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
The Greyhounds handed out their annual Senior Awards as women's cross country and track & field runner Tara Smurla was selected as the Outstanding Senior Female Athlete while men's basketball forward Marquis Ratcliff was honored with the Outstanding Senior Male Athlete. The Blue & Grey Scholar Athlete awards were presented to women's cross country and track & field student-athlete Meghan Myers, who has a 4.0 GPA and is majoring in nursing and men's lacrosse player Mike Sickler, who maintains a 3.92 GPA and is majoring in nursing.
The H.T.D. Gillespie Award for outstanding service to Moravian's athletics program was presented posthumously to Mary Beth Spirk, the Greyhounds' Head Women's Basketball Coach since 1987-88 and Director of Athletics for the last nine years. Spirk passed away on April 10.
With the Greyhounds' spring teams still in competition, the awards window was the Spring 2025 season, the Fall 2025 campaign and the Winter 2025-26 season. The evening also included photo opportunities at the entrance for all student-athletes with all student-athletes making a donation to Mo's Cupboard food pantry.
SAAC presented individual awards for Male Newcomer of the Year to men's track & field student-athlete Jayden Walls, Female Newcomer of the Year to women's lacrosse player Kathryn Hunsinger, Coach Spirk Award (formerly Moravian Athletics Spirit Award) to men's lacrosse goalie Liam Kelly, Male Athlete of the Year to Ratcliff and Female Athlete of the Year to softball student-athlete Sarah DeStefano.
St. Luke's Sports Medicine presented the Comeback Athlete of the Year to women's basketball student-athlete Grace Steffen.
SAAC also had team awards for the Highest GPA going to Men's Cross Country and Softball, Most Decorated Team going to Softball, Most Community Service Hours going to the Women's Basketball squad and Play of the Year going to the women's team for a last second shot from Juliana Vassallo for a 75-74 victory over Drew University in Johnston Hall in the final second to cap a 20-point comeback win.
The Iron Hounds Sports Performance Awards were given to the Baseball and Softball teams.
Moravian concluded the night with a roll call of the 86 graduating senior student-athletes, presenting them with their framed varsity letter and a student-athlete stole for commencement. The Greyhounds also inducted 69 members into the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society. Chi Alpha Sigma is the first national scholar-athlete society to honor collegiate student-athletes who have excelled in both the classroom and in athletic competition. Greyhounds who have a cumulative grade point average over a 3.5 after the fall of their junior year are inducted into the honor society and both seniors and juniors who maintain a cumulative 3.5 grade point average are honored yearly.
The archive of the show is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPHTNEfkQek.
2026 Chi Alpha Sigma
Baseball – Jack DiCesare, Ross Huffman, Nate McBride, Matt Snyder, Sean Superka, Caden Ward
Women's Basketball – Lizzie Lustig, Grace Steffen
Men's Cross Country – Alexander DiMatteo (also MT&F), Jordan Gagner (also MT&F), Gavin Hefferan (also MT&F), Bryan Kerchner (also MT&F), Adam Plummer (also MT&F), Jackson Royds (also MT&F)
Women's Cross Country – Tori Champagne (also WT&F), Alexis Hockenberry (also WT&F), Alyssa Hockenberry (also WT&F), Meghan Myers (also WT&F), Kayla O'Neil (also WT&F), Sarah Rice (also WT&F), Tara Smurla (also WT&F)
Field Hockey – Megan Felmly, Jessica Knox
Football – Josh Ruela
Men's Golf – Robbie McNelly
Men's Lacrosse – Liam Kelly, Ryan Kokoszka, Nick Mancini, Finn McGovern, James Panico, Mike Sickler, Peter Zaninelli
Women's Lacrosse – Bailey Leatherman, Gianna Lotito, Victoria Salica,
Men's Soccer – Ryan Goldberg, Ryan Latchford, Nick Milonas, Max Teneza
Women's Soccer – Reagan Bleiler, Grace Blenis, Sara Hopkins, Ava Hull, Amanda McNesby, Caitlin Philips, Elliot Rupp, Casey Sabolsky
Softball – Madison Berning, Madelin Cooper, Samantha Derickson, Sarah DeStefano, Kyra Holtje, Shayla Morgan, Natalie Otto, Emma Grace Pachkowski, Kendall Szor, Emma Wariwanchik
Men's Tennis – Shayaan Farhad, Matthew Labosky
Women's Tennis – Sydney Shifman, Leah Zolotareva
Men's Track & Field – Mael Tshiyonga
Women's Track & Field – Heather Adams, Rachele Grigoli, Kara Vashey
Women's Volleyball – Molly Hughes, Caroline Melillo (also WT&F), Ally Plitnick, Payton Reuber
