JERSEY CITY, N.J. - The Saint Peter's University Athletics Department celebrated the 2020-21 academic year on Tuesday, May 18 with a virtual rendition of The SP's, the annual awards banquet that recognizes teams and individuals for athletic, academic and community achievement.
The third installment of the annual celebration after debuting in May of 2019, the SP's bring an awards-show style format to celebrate the vast accomplishments in the classroom, around the community and on the respective playing surfaces of the many Saint Peter's University student-athletes. Despite not being able to hold the event on campus for the second consecutive academic year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all award winners were honored and announced via the department's social media channels over the course of the afternoon with special appearances by administrators, coaches and staff to help celebrate another highly successful academic year. In spite of the extraordinary challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, Peacock student-athletes managed a successful return to play, and the future continues to be brighter than ever with eyes set on a return to a traditional athletics calendar in 2021-22.
Bill Stein Peacock Pride Award
Saint Peter's Director of Athletics
Rachelle Paul awarded the
Bill Stein Peacock Pride Award to the department's sports medicine staff comprised of Athletic Trainers
Erik Lindstrom and
Tanasia DeJesus. Both were instrumental in assuring the health and safety of Saint Peter's student-athletes during their return to play this past academic year while navigating the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. The
Bill Stein Peacock Pride Award goes to the individual or group that demonstrates excellence in leadership and has made significant contributions to the university and community.
Iron Peacock Awards
Assistant Athletic Director for Performance and Head Strength and Conditioning Coach,
Mike Vasalani, presented the Iron Peacock Awards to
Alyssa Adams (Softball) and
Andrew Connor (Baseball) for their tireless efforts in the weight room. Adams receives the award after playing in all 30 games for the softball team this season, making 28 appearances in the starting lineup. Baseball team captain Connor, meanwhile, started every game for the team in center field, leading the team or ranking second in 14 different offensive statistical categories. The Iron Peacock Awards are presented to a male and female student-athlete for their tireless efforts in the weight room and those whose athletic accomplishments reflect their dedication to strength training and conditioning. These athletes are also recognized for their academic and personal accomplishments and their integrity as student-athletes.
Comeback Players of the Year
Athletic Trainer
Tanasia DeJesus presented male Comeback Player of the Year to
Dominic Laws (Men's Soccer) and Athletic Trainer
Erik Lindstrom presented female Comeback Player of the Year to
Nazae Craw (Women's Soccer), for working their way back onto the soccer pitch after injuries. Laws overcame multiple dislocated ankle injuries in the fall and a separated shoulder from the end of the 2019 season, returning to full form this year, claiming his second straight MAAC Offensive Player of the Year award after leading the conference in goals, goals per game, and shots on goal per game. Craw had to undergo surgery to repair articular cartilage and bounced back this season to play in all but one game for the women's soccer team, logging action in every minute of all three games on the squad's backline. Comeback Players of the Year are presented by the Sports Medicine Department to one male and one female student-athlete for working their way back from injuries and back onto the field.
Scholar-Athletes of the Year
Athletics Academic Coordinator
Raven Cordner announced
Alina Geck (Women's Swimming & Diving),
Anton Moore (Men's Soccer) and Martin le Pays Du Teilleul (Men's Swimming & Diving) as the Scholar-Athletes of the Year. Scholar-Athletes of the Year are awarded to the male and female student-athletes that have recorded the highest cumulative grade point average over their four-year careers. Geck, a communications major, competed in all nine meets in 2019-20 and posted three of the team's top finishes in the Peacocks' dual meet against Manhattan, was also part of the quartet that won the 200 yard medley relay at the US Merchant Marine Academy Invitational and also posted a trio of top-three finishes in a dual meet against Pace. Moore started in all seven games during the 2020-21 season, playing on the team's backline and being one of four lads to play in every minute of the season, logging 659 minutes of action. The finance and economics major scored one goal during the campaign, a game-winner, against Quinnipiac on 3/29. Le Pays du Teilleul competed in all nine meets last season and will earn his degree in international business. He had two victories at the Highlander Invitational and placed first in all three races he competed in against Manhattan. At the US Merchant Marine Academy Invitational, Le Pays du Teilleul won two events and he was also victorious in one event against Pace. Le Pays du Teilleul earned two individual medals at the MAAC Championships after placing fifth in the 400 yard IM and fifth in the 200 yard IM and he contributed to two broken team records in the 400 yard freestyle relay and 800 yard freestyle relay races at the MAAC Championships. All three honorees posted perfect 4.0 GPAs.
Academic Team of Champions
The award for Academic Team of Champions was also presented by Cordner and it was given to the women's volleyball team for being the program with the highest team-wide GPA through fall semester. The squad posted a department-leading 3.71 combined grade point average. Women's volleyball boasted the league's fourth highest quantity of honorees placed onto the 2020 MAAC All-Academic team with its eight selections.
Individual Performance of the Year -
Ian Concevitch vs. Niagara (4/10/21)
Starting ace, right-handed pitcher
Ian Concevitch pitched a complete game shutout win that propelled the baseball team past Niagara in the season opener. The win was his first complete game shutout in a Peacock uniform, putting in 7.0 innings of work, with six strikeouts, four hits, and one walk.
Team Performance of the Year - Women's Basketball run to MAAC Championship title game
Women's basketball had a magical postseason run as the No. 3 seed to the 2021 MAAC Championship title game, the team's first appearance in the MAAC Final in nearly two decades. The team claimed a dominating 61-50 victory over No. 6 Iona in the quarterfinals, followed by a 72-67 win over No. 7 Rider in the semifinals, before falling to eventual champion, No. 1 Marist in the title game.
Male Student-Athlete of the Year
Male Student-Athlete of the Year was awarded to men's soccer star
Dominic Laws. Laws ended his career as the first Peacock in program history to earn back-to-back MAAC Player of the Year honors, having received the awards 2019 and 2020-21. He wrapped up the season, tied for first in the MAAC in goals scored with five, as well as finishing tied for first in goals per game at .714. Laws also paced the MAAC in shots on goal per game, finishing the year as the most efficient striker in the league with 1.71 shots on goal per game. Laws finished the year with 11 points, and ranked second among all MAAC players in points per game with 1.56.
Female Student-Athlete of the Year
Women's basketball senior guard
Taiah Thornton was named Female Student-Athlete of the Year. An All-MAAC First Team and All-MET second team selection, Thornton wrapped up her run with the Peacocks establishing herself as one of the program's elite scorers despite only having two years to make her mark. Thornton did all that and more, leading the team in scoring (13.9 ppg) and assists (134) while ranking fourth in the league in both categories. She started her senior year with a triple-double and never looked back while helping the team reach the MAAC Championship Finals for the first time in nearly two decades.
