General | 6/25/2015 2:01:00 PM
ROCHESTER, NY – What a year! In short, the 2014-15 season was arguably the most successful in the history of the RIT athletics program. Whether it was on or off the field, individually, and as teams, RIT reached unparalleled heights.
RIT placed in the top 15 percent of the Learfield Sports Directors Cup Division III rankings, which rates all 450 Division III athletics programs. In the classroom, the 600 RIT student-athletes combined for an excellent 3.26 grade-point average, with over 20 Academic All-Americans and 230 All-league academic selections. In the Spring semester, 139 student-athletes recorded a 3.90 GPA or better. Women's cross country and women's tennis had the highest team GPA's at 3.52.
In addition, Kaylin Beiter from women's cross country/track and field and swimmer Rose Rustowicz were national Fulbright scholars. The university had given out two total in the last five years. Established in 1946, the Fulbright Scholar Program administers highly competitive grants to foster international exchanges in education.
On May 4, Matt Garbowsky of men's hockey and Matt Giannino of men's track and field shared the RIT Senior Male Athlete of the Year Award, while Ali Binnington of the women's hockey program was named the RIT Senior Female Athlete of the Year. That same evening, men's lacrosse head coach
Jake Coon, men's and women's hockey student manager Joe Vicario, and RIT President Bill Destler were honored at the 66th Annual Rochester Press Radio Club Day of Champions Dinner.
Giannino earned three All-American honors and competed in five NCAA Championship events for men's cross country and track and field this season. Garbowsky was RIT's first Hobey Baker Award Finalist (college hockey's most prestigious honor) since 2008 and signed a professional contract with the hometown Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League after the season ended. Binnington was named the College Hockey America Tournament Most Valuable Player for the second straight season and became RIT's first ever three-time CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-American.
In the fall, women's cross country had their finest season as a team, earning their first national ranking in program history, while Emma Jones competed in the NCAA Championships. On the men's side, Giannino won the Liberty League Championship for the second straight season, became RIT's first winner in 18 years at the NCAA Atlantic Regional Championship, and was RIT's first All-American since 2006.
Sarah Szybist was named an American Volleyball Coaches Association Third Team All-American, leading the Tigers to their first appearance in the Liberty League Championship match since joining in 2012. Women's soccer was nationally ranked for a good portion of the season and advanced to the Liberty League Tournament for the fourth straight season.
Men's and women's hockey moved into the 4,300-seat Gene Polisseni Center in September to start the 2014-15 season and gave fans lasting memories six months later, both qualifying for the NCAA Division I Tournament. The women, seeded sixth in the CHA Tournament, used an incredible run led by its senior class to win their second straight league title and make their first appearance in the NCAA Division I Tournament.
The men also made a tremendous postseason run, winning the Atlantic Hockey Championship for the second time and knocking off No. 1 Minnesota State University in the NCAA Midwest Regional Semifinal, ultimately coming up one period shy of a berth in the NCAA Frozen Four.
Wrestlers Brad Mayville and Tory Cain capped off excellent collegiate careers by earning All-American honors at the 2015 NCAA Championship. Mayville finished third in his weight class at 149 lbs., while Cain was fifth at 174 lbs., securing RIT's second best team finish in the event in nearly 20 years.
Men's basketball qualified for the Liberty League Championships and boasted league Rookie of the Year A.J. Horde. Ashlynn Palmitesso of women's basketball set a 27-year old Clark Gym record for points in a game. In the pool, both the men and women enjoyed winning seasons, breaking several school records along the way.
Giannino earned All-American honors in the 3,000- and 5,000-meters at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships and competed in the outdoor championships in a pair of events as well, breaking four school records along the way. On the women's side, Amanda White competed in both NCAA Championships in the 800-meters, while the women were among one of the top teams in the region. Overall, 14 indoor and outdoor women's records were shattered throughout the season.
During spring break, current members and former alumni of both women's track and cross country teams completed "The Tiger Trail", a 1,400-mile- non-stop relay from Auburn, Alabama to Rochester, which raised funds and awareness for the national Tigers for Tigers (T4T) coalition. They were the first female group on campus to complete this journey.
In the spring, men's lacrosse enjoyed another unforgettable season, finishing with a program record 21 wins, while ranking as the No. 1 team in Division III, advancing to the NCAA National Semifinal for the third straight season. They won their sixth straight league championship, setting countless school records, while nine men were named All-Americans and Coon was Liberty League Coach of the Year and Matt Hossack was the Division III Player of the Year. Women's lacrosse boasted the Liberty League Rookie of the Year, Emily Livecchi and just missed a Liberty League postseason berth.
Baseball enjoyed a record-breaking season, advancing to the Liberty League Championship game for the first time in program history, coming one win shy of its inaugural NCAA Tournament berth. Head coach
Rob Grow won his 400th game and numerous players garnered All-League honors. Softball standout Sarah Wolcott was named RIT's Mark Ellingson Award Winner for Academic Excellence and finished her career with a handful of program records.
Both the men's and women's crew were honored for excellence in the both the fall and spring seasons while their coaching staff led by
Jim Bodenstedt were named Liberty League Staff of the Year in both sports. The women's varsity eight was the Liberty League Boat of the Year, while the league honored the men's novice eight as well.
Competed in NCAA Tournament/NCAA All-AmericansKyle Aquin * Men's Lacrosse
Tory Cain * Wrestling
Matt Garbowsky * Men's Hockey
Matt Giannino * Men's Cross Country
Matt Giannino * Men's Track and Field (2)
Brad Gillies * Men's Lacrosse
Pat Hannigan * Men's Lacrosse
Matt Hossack * Men's Lacrosse
Pat Johnston * Men's Lacrosse
Emma Jones Women's Cross Country
Eddie Kiesa * Men's Lacrosse
Jay Krzyston * Men's Lacrosse
Ryan Lee * Men's Lacrosse
Brad Mayville * Wrestling
Sarah Szybist * Volleyball
Allister Warren * Men's Lacrosse
Amanda White Women's Track and Field (2)
- All-American or Honorable Mention All-American
Academic All-AmericansKyle Aquin * Men's Lacrosse
Kaylin Beiter * Women's Cross Country
Andrew Bernardo * Men's Cross Country
Ali Binnington *^ Women's Hockey (At Large)
Hailey Burkhart *^ Women's Track and Field
Tory Cain * Wrestling
Nii DoDoo Men's Track and Field
Matt Giannino *^ Men's Cross Country/Track and Field
Brad Gillies * Men's Lacrosse
Becky Greiner * Women's Cross Country
Nicholas Greenquist * Wrestling
Ethan Humbert Baseball
Alexander Kuqali Men's Hockey
Brad Mayville * Wrestling
Amanda Murray * Women's Soccer
Kristine Reed * Women's Cross Country
Jordan Sellers * Men's Track and Field
Sarah Szybist * Volleyball
Sierra Valentine Softball
Allister Warren * Men's Lacrosse
Kayla Wheeler * Volleyball
Sarah Wolcott Softball
Alpha Sigma Lambda ScholarsAli Binnington Women's Hockey
Kiana Richards Women's Soccer
Morgan Scoyne Women's Hockey
Outstanding Undergraduate ScholarsAli Binnington Women's Hockey
Amanda Cook Softball
Luke Dorsey Men's Soccer
Nicholas Flumerfeldt Men's Track and Field
Miguel Lopez Men's Basketball
Alicia Piscitelli Women's Track and Field
Liz Pieri Women's Track and Field
Chris Schwab Men's Cross Country
Morgan Scoyne Women's Hockey
Natalie Snyder Women's Diving
Gabrielle Villar Women's Track and Field
Complete List of 2014-15 RIT Athletics Banquet Award Winners: SAAC Appreciation Award – Bill St. Jean, RIT Associate Director for Campus Programs
Tiger Power Den Male Athlete of the Year – Danny Conway, Men's Track and Field
Tiger Power Den Female Athlete of the Year – Kelly Rogers, Women's Soccer
Comeback Athlete Awards – Tory Cain, Wrestling
Team Academic Excellence Award (co) – Women's Basketball
Team Academic Excellence Award (co) – Women's Cross Country
A. Stephen Walls Leadership Award - Kiana Richards, Women's Soccer
Coaches Appreciation Award – Dr. William Destler, RIT President
Jan Strine Award - Skip Flanagan, Baseball
Ellingson Award (Academic Excellence) – Sarah Wolcott, Women's Basketball/Softball
Female Senior Athlete of the Year – Ali Binnington, Women's Hockey
Male Senior Athlete of the Year (co) – Matt Garbowsky, Men's Hockey
Male Senior Athlete of the Year (co) – Matt Giannino, Cross Country/Track and Field
J. Roger Dykes Award – Kayleigh Greiser, Women's Soccer
