Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner
18th Annual Gael Award Show Highlights SMC’s Best
5/11/2023 10:00:00 AM | Baseball, Cross Country, General, Men's Basketball, Men's Golf, Men's Soccer, Men's Tennis, Softball, Men's Track and Field, Women's Basketball, Women's Beach Volleyball, Women's Rowing, Women's Soccer, Women's Tennis, Women's Volleyball
MORAGA, Calif. — The Saint Mary's athletic department honored its student-athletes on May 10 with the 18th Annual Gael Awards Show. Taking place inside University Credit Union Pavilion, Saint Mary's honored the outstanding athletic and academic achievements by individuals and teams throughout the 2022-23 academic year.
Some of the award winners from the evening are highlighted below:
TEAM PERFORMANCES OF THE YEAR – Beach Volleyball and Men's Basketball
The Team Performance of the Year award recognizes the best male and female team victories during the 2022-23 season. This season, beach volleyball and men's basketball were voted as winners based on their performances from late in the season.
Beach volleyball beat #18 Pepperdine 3-2 in the semifinals of the West Coast Challenge on March 26. It marked just the second time in program history that Saint Mary's took down Pepperdine, with the other win coming on April 17, 2021. The first two points of the match went to Pepperdine, as the Gaels won the final three decisions to snag the win away from the Waves and move onto the title match of the West Coast Challenge. It is also the first ranked win for the Gaels since that victory against Pepperdine two seasons ago.
Men's basketball beat #12 Gonzaga 78-70 in overtime on February 4 at home. Saint Mary's trailed by as many as 11 points in the game, but tied it on their final possession to send the game into overtime. It is the second-year in a row that SMC has beaten Gonzaga in Moraga, and it kept Saint Mary's in first place in the WCC, at the time with a 10-0 record.
INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES OF THE YEAR – Nayeli Diaz and Kristian Bressum
The Individual Performance of the Year award is presented to a male and female student-athlete who had an outstanding performance in any single competition during the 2022-23 school year. This year, Nayeli Diaz of women's soccer and Kristian Bressum of golf took home hardware for big performances in the fall.
Diaz had an incredible performance against UC San Diego this season, scoring a hat trick in the Gaels 4-2 win over the Tritons. Diaz, scoring her first goal of the season in the first half, collected her hat trick by the 50th minute. Her goals came in the 14th, 47th, and 50th minute to seal a decisive 4-2 win over UCSD. Her hat trick marked the first Gaels hat trick in 15 years
Bressum finished 3rd individually at the 2022 Saint Mary's Invitational with rounds of 73, 69,67 for a four under par total. This 3rd place finish out of 92 included a win over the 5th ranked player in the country. The Randers, Denmark native was tied for the second-most birdies made at the tournament with 15
MIKE GIBBONS VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR – Kasidy Nowakowski
The Mike Gibbons Volunteer of the Year award recognizes an unpaid employee who has shown great dedication to the student-athletes of Saint Mary's College. This year's winner was Kasidy Nowakowski of the baseball staff.
Nowakowski has worked free as a field manager and Director of Operations for three years. A former SMC student, she puts in many hours organizing travel, equipment and daily needs of players. She is also an undergraduate student at University of Kansas online.
COMMON INTEREST TEAM COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD – Men's Soccer
The Common Interest Team Community Service Award recognizes the efforts of a Saint Mary's Athletic Team who has made significant contributions to the Saint Mary's College Community, as well as the surrounding community. Men's soccer volunteered with numerous organizations including the Saint Mary's Legacy Garden, Saint Vincent De Paul Homeless Shelter & Community Center, and the Blue Jean Mile in tandem with Denim Day, to name a few. They also participated in the Coaching Leadership, Equity and Respect (CLEAR) program this past semester, which included participating in weekly modules designed to educate male athletes about concepts such as respect, healthy relationships, and consent. All told, they accumulated over 300 hours of community service.
HIGHEST TEAM GPA – Women's Tennis
The Women's Tennis team recorded a 3.80 cumulative team GPA heading into the Spring 2023 semester.
NEWCOMERS OF THE YEAR – Tessa Salvestrin and Aidan Mahaney
The Newcomer of the Year award is presented to a male and female freshman or transfer student-athlete who has made a tremendous first-year impact on his or her team. Tessa Salvestrin of women's soccer and Aidan Mahaney of men's basketball were chosen as this year's recipients.
Salvestrin had a freshman campaign to remember, tallying 3 goals and 6 assists across 18 games. The forward from St. Helena, California was a nuisance for defenders all season long, with her best performance coming in the season opener, where she tallied one goal and one assist. Salvestrin was also included on the WCC All-Conference Second Team and All-Freshman Team.
Mahaney was named First Team All-WCC as a freshman, which also puts him on the All-Freshman team in the conference. This puts Mahaney in rare air, joining Patty Mills as the only other Gael to be named to the All-WCC team as a freshman. He was the leading scorer for a freshman in the conference (13.9 points per game), a rank that finished top-15 in the entire NCAA. Mahaney was one of four freshmen in the NCAA averaging over 13 points per game and shooting over 40% from three-point range. Mahaney is the first Gael ever to be named to the Kyle Macy Freshman All-American team.
TODD OGORZELEC STUDENT-EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR – Fynn Allmon
The student employee award has been dedicated to SMC Alum and Athletics Staff Member, Todd Ogorzelec, who passed away in 2014. Todd worked as a student employee throughout college and then as Director of Game Operations. The Todd Ogorzelec Student Employee of the Year Award recognizes a Saint Mary's student who has shown great dedication to the student-athletes, and coaching staff of Saint Mary's College. Fynn Allmon Helps the men's soccer team and the athletics department in a variety of roles. Specific to the athletics department, helps make videos for all varsity programs, to be used on social media and plays an integral role increasing social media engagement to the Saint Mary's brand.
BRYAN VARGAS GAEL SPIRIT AWARD – Stacey Nittler
The Bryan Vargas Gael Spirit Award recognizes the efforts of a college staff, or faculty member who has made significant contributions to the Saint Mary's Athletic Department. An employee of Saint Mary's for over 20 years, Stacey is one of the most beloved members of the Gaels community. She oversees a number of functions in the athletics department and is the heart and soul of SMC Athletics.
BROTHER AGNON COACH OF THE YEAR – Randy Bennett
The Brother Agnon Coach of the Year award is given to the head coach that exceeded the expectations this season and is voted on by their peers and student-athletes. Randy Bennett was selected as this year's recipient.
Coach Bennett was named the West Coast Conference's Coach of the Year for the second-straight season, and fifth time in his career. This year, the Gaels won their first share of the WCC regular season title since 2016, earning them the top seed in the conference tournament. They returned to the NCAA Tournament as a five seed for the second year in a row and made it to the second round of the big dance in consecutive seasons for the first time in program history.
ATHLETES OF THE YEAR – Hawley Harrer and Logan Johnson
The Male and Female Athlete of the Year award is presented to a male and female student-athlete who has experience tremendous athletic success in his or her sport during the 2022-23 school year. Hawley Harrer of Gaels volleyball and Logan Johnson of men's basketball were voted winners by their peers this season.
Harrer was the best attacker on the Gaels all season long, leading the team with 304 kills and finishing with a career-best .261 hitting percentage. She also saw improved play at the net, where she recorded 55 total blocks, the most in her career. She closes out her indoor career with Second Team All-WCC honors. Hawley also was on the top flight for the beach team, holding a 21-12 record, the best on the team this season. She was named to the All-WCC team following the year, the second time she's landed postseason beach honors in her career.
Johnson was named the WCC's Defensive Player of the Year for the first time in his career, getting recognition for being one of the best defensive players in the country. Johnson 151 steals as a Gael, the fourth most in program history, and led the team with 55 this year. Those numbers helped him become a Lou Henson Award finalist, given to the best mid-major player in the country. He also has set a career-best in rebounding average at 5.0 per game. His all-around game improved in his fifth collegiate season, leading the Gaels in points per game, assists, and free throws. Johnson was als0 named a Lou Henson All-American and First Team All-District by the USBWA.
GAEL CUP – Men's Basketball
This year the Gael Cup returns to the awards lineup, with a revamped criteria...an award which encompasses not only academic, and athletic performance, but community service, sportsmanship, Galloping Gael games, WCC awards, as well as Bay Alarm Student-Athlete of the Week Awards. Men's basketball posted their best-ever team GPA during the fall semester, while volunteering in a number of different service events, including the Special Olympics field day and a Ronald McDonald House visit in Fort Worth.
Some of the award winners from the evening are highlighted below:
TEAM PERFORMANCES OF THE YEAR – Beach Volleyball and Men's Basketball
The Team Performance of the Year award recognizes the best male and female team victories during the 2022-23 season. This season, beach volleyball and men's basketball were voted as winners based on their performances from late in the season.
Beach volleyball beat #18 Pepperdine 3-2 in the semifinals of the West Coast Challenge on March 26. It marked just the second time in program history that Saint Mary's took down Pepperdine, with the other win coming on April 17, 2021. The first two points of the match went to Pepperdine, as the Gaels won the final three decisions to snag the win away from the Waves and move onto the title match of the West Coast Challenge. It is also the first ranked win for the Gaels since that victory against Pepperdine two seasons ago.
Men's basketball beat #12 Gonzaga 78-70 in overtime on February 4 at home. Saint Mary's trailed by as many as 11 points in the game, but tied it on their final possession to send the game into overtime. It is the second-year in a row that SMC has beaten Gonzaga in Moraga, and it kept Saint Mary's in first place in the WCC, at the time with a 10-0 record.
INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES OF THE YEAR – Nayeli Diaz and Kristian Bressum
The Individual Performance of the Year award is presented to a male and female student-athlete who had an outstanding performance in any single competition during the 2022-23 school year. This year, Nayeli Diaz of women's soccer and Kristian Bressum of golf took home hardware for big performances in the fall.
Diaz had an incredible performance against UC San Diego this season, scoring a hat trick in the Gaels 4-2 win over the Tritons. Diaz, scoring her first goal of the season in the first half, collected her hat trick by the 50th minute. Her goals came in the 14th, 47th, and 50th minute to seal a decisive 4-2 win over UCSD. Her hat trick marked the first Gaels hat trick in 15 years
Bressum finished 3rd individually at the 2022 Saint Mary's Invitational with rounds of 73, 69,67 for a four under par total. This 3rd place finish out of 92 included a win over the 5th ranked player in the country. The Randers, Denmark native was tied for the second-most birdies made at the tournament with 15
MIKE GIBBONS VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR – Kasidy Nowakowski
The Mike Gibbons Volunteer of the Year award recognizes an unpaid employee who has shown great dedication to the student-athletes of Saint Mary's College. This year's winner was Kasidy Nowakowski of the baseball staff.
Nowakowski has worked free as a field manager and Director of Operations for three years. A former SMC student, she puts in many hours organizing travel, equipment and daily needs of players. She is also an undergraduate student at University of Kansas online.
COMMON INTEREST TEAM COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD – Men's Soccer
The Common Interest Team Community Service Award recognizes the efforts of a Saint Mary's Athletic Team who has made significant contributions to the Saint Mary's College Community, as well as the surrounding community. Men's soccer volunteered with numerous organizations including the Saint Mary's Legacy Garden, Saint Vincent De Paul Homeless Shelter & Community Center, and the Blue Jean Mile in tandem with Denim Day, to name a few. They also participated in the Coaching Leadership, Equity and Respect (CLEAR) program this past semester, which included participating in weekly modules designed to educate male athletes about concepts such as respect, healthy relationships, and consent. All told, they accumulated over 300 hours of community service.
HIGHEST TEAM GPA – Women's Tennis
The Women's Tennis team recorded a 3.80 cumulative team GPA heading into the Spring 2023 semester.
NEWCOMERS OF THE YEAR – Tessa Salvestrin and Aidan Mahaney
The Newcomer of the Year award is presented to a male and female freshman or transfer student-athlete who has made a tremendous first-year impact on his or her team. Tessa Salvestrin of women's soccer and Aidan Mahaney of men's basketball were chosen as this year's recipients.
Salvestrin had a freshman campaign to remember, tallying 3 goals and 6 assists across 18 games. The forward from St. Helena, California was a nuisance for defenders all season long, with her best performance coming in the season opener, where she tallied one goal and one assist. Salvestrin was also included on the WCC All-Conference Second Team and All-Freshman Team.
Mahaney was named First Team All-WCC as a freshman, which also puts him on the All-Freshman team in the conference. This puts Mahaney in rare air, joining Patty Mills as the only other Gael to be named to the All-WCC team as a freshman. He was the leading scorer for a freshman in the conference (13.9 points per game), a rank that finished top-15 in the entire NCAA. Mahaney was one of four freshmen in the NCAA averaging over 13 points per game and shooting over 40% from three-point range. Mahaney is the first Gael ever to be named to the Kyle Macy Freshman All-American team.
TODD OGORZELEC STUDENT-EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR – Fynn Allmon
The student employee award has been dedicated to SMC Alum and Athletics Staff Member, Todd Ogorzelec, who passed away in 2014. Todd worked as a student employee throughout college and then as Director of Game Operations. The Todd Ogorzelec Student Employee of the Year Award recognizes a Saint Mary's student who has shown great dedication to the student-athletes, and coaching staff of Saint Mary's College. Fynn Allmon Helps the men's soccer team and the athletics department in a variety of roles. Specific to the athletics department, helps make videos for all varsity programs, to be used on social media and plays an integral role increasing social media engagement to the Saint Mary's brand.
BRYAN VARGAS GAEL SPIRIT AWARD – Stacey Nittler
The Bryan Vargas Gael Spirit Award recognizes the efforts of a college staff, or faculty member who has made significant contributions to the Saint Mary's Athletic Department. An employee of Saint Mary's for over 20 years, Stacey is one of the most beloved members of the Gaels community. She oversees a number of functions in the athletics department and is the heart and soul of SMC Athletics.
BROTHER AGNON COACH OF THE YEAR – Randy Bennett
The Brother Agnon Coach of the Year award is given to the head coach that exceeded the expectations this season and is voted on by their peers and student-athletes. Randy Bennett was selected as this year's recipient.
Coach Bennett was named the West Coast Conference's Coach of the Year for the second-straight season, and fifth time in his career. This year, the Gaels won their first share of the WCC regular season title since 2016, earning them the top seed in the conference tournament. They returned to the NCAA Tournament as a five seed for the second year in a row and made it to the second round of the big dance in consecutive seasons for the first time in program history.
ATHLETES OF THE YEAR – Hawley Harrer and Logan Johnson
The Male and Female Athlete of the Year award is presented to a male and female student-athlete who has experience tremendous athletic success in his or her sport during the 2022-23 school year. Hawley Harrer of Gaels volleyball and Logan Johnson of men's basketball were voted winners by their peers this season.
Harrer was the best attacker on the Gaels all season long, leading the team with 304 kills and finishing with a career-best .261 hitting percentage. She also saw improved play at the net, where she recorded 55 total blocks, the most in her career. She closes out her indoor career with Second Team All-WCC honors. Hawley also was on the top flight for the beach team, holding a 21-12 record, the best on the team this season. She was named to the All-WCC team following the year, the second time she's landed postseason beach honors in her career.
Johnson was named the WCC's Defensive Player of the Year for the first time in his career, getting recognition for being one of the best defensive players in the country. Johnson 151 steals as a Gael, the fourth most in program history, and led the team with 55 this year. Those numbers helped him become a Lou Henson Award finalist, given to the best mid-major player in the country. He also has set a career-best in rebounding average at 5.0 per game. His all-around game improved in his fifth collegiate season, leading the Gaels in points per game, assists, and free throws. Johnson was als0 named a Lou Henson All-American and First Team All-District by the USBWA.
GAEL CUP – Men's Basketball
This year the Gael Cup returns to the awards lineup, with a revamped criteria...an award which encompasses not only academic, and athletic performance, but community service, sportsmanship, Galloping Gael games, WCC awards, as well as Bay Alarm Student-Athlete of the Week Awards. Men's basketball posted their best-ever team GPA during the fall semester, while volunteering in a number of different service events, including the Special Olympics field day and a Ronald McDonald House visit in Fort Worth.
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Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Soccer/ Women's Beach Volleyball
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