MORAGA, Calif. -- The Saint Mary's athletic department honored its student-athletes at the 13th annual Gael Awards Show this week at the LeFevre Theater on campus. The event honors SMC student-athletes, top performers and noteworthy performances athletically and academically from the past year.

The Saint Mary's volleyball team earned the department's award for the highest team grade point average with a cumulative GPA of 3.36. The sand volleyball team earned the Gael Cup, awarded to the team with the highest winning percentage, after posting an 11-2 record and achieving a national top 10 ranking during the season.

Women's basketball received the Lasallian Service Award, presented to the team that demonstrates commitment to the Saint Mary's College mission and dedication to helping the local community. The program conducted more than 20 CYO basketball practices and clinics, adopted a local Girl Scout troop and and made a significant impact to the SMC and Lamorinda communities.

Men's soccer forward Justin Howard and volleyball outside hitter Kristina Graven were honored with the George R. McKeon Award, which is presented to a male and female graduating student-athlete who has achieved noteworthy success in the classroom, on the playing field and in extracurricular activities.

Men's basketball senior guard Stephen Holt and tennis senior Jenny Jullien were named the Male and Female Athletes of the Year. A native of Portland, Ore., Holt was named all-West Coast Conference, NABC All-DIstrict and twice was the WCC Player of the Week. He set a career-high with 35 points at Santa Clara and scored in double figures 25 times. Jullien, a native of France, concluded her SMC career as the nation's 7^th ranked player, became the first-ever Gael to reach the final of an ITA Regional event and earned a top 16 seed at the NCAA Championships.

Men's soccer defender Alex Braman and women's tennis transfer Jamie Pawid were named the Male and Female Newcomers of the Year. Braman earned honorable mention all-West Coast Conference honors and was on the league's all-freshman team. Pawid earned a national ranking, defeated the nation's 16^th-ranked player and was a first-team all-WCC selection.

Freshman pitcher Cameron Neff's 4-hit shutout at 9^th-ranked CSU Fullerton earned him the Male Individual Performance of the Year. Sophomore softball pitcher Sarah Lira's 5-hit, complete game victory over 23^rd-ranked California was honored as the Female Individual Performance of the Year.

The SMC baseball team's impressive early-season weekend at 9^th-ranked CSU Fullerton earned it the Male Team Performance of the Year Award. After a tough extra innings loss the evening before, the Gaels responded with a victory over the Titans in front of nearly 2,000 fans. The volleyball team's thrilling come-from-behind victory over 19^th-ranked BYU was honored as the Female Team Performance of the Year. SMC was down 0-2 after the first two sets, but roared back to earn the WCC victory.

The Brother Agnon Coach of the Year Award was delivered to women's basketball coach Paul Thomas. He led the Gaels to a second-straight 23-2in season, had the 4^th-most wins among Division I programs in the state of California and led his team to wins over Washington, Butler, Alabama, USC, Gonzaga, BYU and San Diego.

The department also honors several individuals who make a significant impact on the overall athletics program and the experience of its student-athletes. The Bryan Vargas Spirit Award, which recognizes the efforts of a College staff or faculty member who makes a significant contribution to SMC athletics, honored Sister Dolores Montini, who received a standing ovation – one of the few in Gael Awards Show history.

The Student Employee of the Year award was presented to Amanda Collins, a senior who showed tremendous dedication and initiative in the department's event operations unit. Baseball volunteer director of operations Daniel Costanza was honored with the Mike Gibbons Volunteer of the Year Award.

Athletic Director Mark Orr honored 10 student-athletes with the department's highest cumulative GPAs: Haley Adams (rowing), Sam Bloore (tennis), Danica Mendivil (volleyball), Alexis Konstantinopoulos (softball), Lukas Isaacson (soccer), Kristina Graven (volleyball), Carina Novell (cross country/track), Nathalie Lambrecht (rowing), Erica Musgrave (softball) and Katie Wahl (rowing).

Orr also recognized the accomplishment of the men's club rugby team, which won the program's first-ever national championship recently. The Gaels defeated Life University 21-6 in the national title game last weekend at Stanford.