MORAGA, Calif. — The Saint Mary's athletic department honored its student-athletes on May 14 with the 20th 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 2024-25 academic year, a year that saw the Gaels win total surpass 150 as a department for the second consecutive season.
Some of the award winners from the evening are highlighted below:
TEAM PERFORMANCES OF THE YEAR – Women's Basketball (20 Point Comeback vs Oregon State) and Men's Basketball (WCC Regular Season Title Clinching Win at Gonzaga)
It was Madness in Moraga the night of February 27th as the Saint Mary's women's basketball team overcame a 20-point first half deficit to defeat Oregon State 69-66, their largest comeback win of the season. The Gaels outscored the Beavers by 30 points in the second half and clamped down defensively, holding them to just 33% shooting and forcing 17 turnovers. Maia Jones led the team with 27 points while Kennedy Johnson went for 12 points and a team high nine rebounds.
The Gaels stormed into the Kennel for a 74-67 victory over Gonzaga in Spokane on the Bulldogs' Senior Night. This win secured the Gaels third straight WCC Regular Season Title. It was the first time that a team other than Gonzaga claimed a WCC Regular Season Title in Spokane. True freshman Mikey Lewis led the charge with 18 points on 5-7 shooting from three, while fifth year senior Mitchell Saxen chipped in 16 points and nine rebounds. Having already defeated the Zags in Moraga four weeks prior, this was Saint Mary's first regular season sweep of Gonzaga since the 2015-16 season, and also their first time winning three straight meetings against the Zags under Head Coach Randy Bennett.
INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES OF THE YEAR – Sam Buckley (at Idaho State/Utah State) and Eddie Madrigal (vs LMU)
Sam Buckley hit an incredible 0.846 over the Gaels four game road trip to Idaho State and Utah State. The sophomore scored 11 times and drove in 15 more runs, as six of her 11 hits on the weekend were home runs, including the first three home run game in program history, helping the Gaels to a 3-1 weekend. Buckley's average climbed 71 points on the weekend from an already solid 0.450 to a whopping 0.521. She had five home runs entering the weekend, but more than doubled that total in the span of three days and four games.
Eddie Madrigal has had himself a career season from start to finish and he put together one of the best individual performances of the year with a pair of home runs in the team's 8-3 win over LMU back in April. Madrigal recorded his first career multi-home run game which featured a solo shot in the fifth followed by a grand slam in the sixth that gave the Gaels a seven-run lead. His two homers also gave him a career high five RBI in the game to lead all players. To this day, Madrigal leads the WCC with 17 homers and 58 RBI.
MIKE GIBBONS VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR – Olivia Watson, Rowing
Olivia Watson came to all practices and races this season, helping coach walk ons, and played a large role in on campus recruiting for the rowing team this year. Watson was a four year student-athlete for the Gaels, and now gives generously of her time for her alma mater.
COMMON INTEREST TEAM COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD – Softball
Softball led the entire athletics department in community service impact this year, making it a priority to be model student-athletes on and off the court. Their presence was felt all over campus and the surrounding community through participation with numerous local organizations!
HIGHEST TEAM GPA – Women's Tennis
Women's tennis was stellar both on and off the court this year as they put together a department high 3.63 team GPA. SAAC President Stefanie Silva led the team with a 3.97 GPA while majoring in Biology at Saint Mary's. Silva was one of six student-athletes from the Gaels women's tennis team to earn WCC All-Academic honors. Also earning the distinction was Madison Weekley, Juliette Daries, Iman Khan, Olivia Rook and MiaAngelina Ruja.
NEWCOMERS OF THE YEAR – Kelly Nelson (Rowing) and Zane Jackson (Men's Cross Country/Track and Field)
Despite being just a true freshman, Kelly Nelson rowed in the two spot of the Gaels first varsity eight boat in every event this year. She played a big role in one of the most successful Gael rowing seasons to date, headlined by six wins in nine total races from the first varsity eight boat.
Zane Jackson, a transfer from Elon University, paced the Gaels in every single cross country race this season, helping lead them to a second place finish at the USF Invitational, a win at the Pacific Invitational, and a 14th place finish at Regionals, tied for their best in program history. On the track, Zane has run top-10 times in program history for the 3000m, 5000m and 10,000m races.
TODD OGORZELEC STUDENT-EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR – Bastian Toelhoej, Facilities & Events
Bastian Toelhoej scored three goals and played in 16 games for the Gaels men's soccer team this season but was also a standout with the Facilities & Events team in the Saint Mary's athletics department. Toelhoej dedicated hundreds of hours alongside Director of Events and Facilities
Victor Montez working numerous SMC athletic events throughout the year.
BRYAN VARGAS GAEL SPIRIT AWARD – Mary Volmer, Athletics Interfaith Fellow
A constant presence throughout the Saint Mary's Athletics Department and entire Saint Mary's Community, Mary Volmer serves as the Athletics Interfaith Fellow for all 16 Gael athletic programs. She provides guidance and spiritual counsel to any student-athlete seeking it out and is a true asset to the entire athletic department.
COACH OF THE YEAR – Brian Ebke (Rowing)
Under Coach Brian Ebke's tutelage, Saint Mary's Rowing has experienced one of its best seasons to date. With wins from his top varsity eight boat in six of nine races this year, including signature victories over powerhouse programs UC San Diego and University of San Diego. The Gaels head into the conference meet this weekend with loads of momentum as they look to make some noise on Lake Natoma.
ATHLETES OF THE YEAR – Sam Buckley (Softball) and Augustas Marciulionis (Men's Basketball)
Helping lead the Gaels to their second consecutive WCC Title, after having won just two conference titles in program history before her arrival, Sam Buckley has been named this year's Saint Mary's Female Student-Athlete of the Year. Just a sophomore, Buckley broke the single season home run, run scored and RBI records this year, while becoming just the fourth Gael in program history to log a batting average better than 0.400 for the entirety of a season. She also had a stellar glove at third, committing just two errors all season, good for a 0.983 fielding percentage, tied for the best of any Gael non-first baseman infielder in a single season.
Augustus Marciulionis was named back-to-back WCC Player of the Year, and, in turn, was also named the back-to-back Saint Mary's Male Student-Athlete of the Year. Guiding the Gaels to their third straight WCC Regular Season Title for the first time in program history, and their fourth straight NCAA Tournament, also a program first, Marciulionis averaged 14.2 points, 5.9 assists and 1.3 steals (all team-highs) per game, while shooting 44.6% from the field. The senior Lithuanian national broke the 1000 point mark in his Gael career on the road against Pepperdine, and became just the eighth Gael in program history to eclipse 200 assists in a single season.
GAEL CUP – Softball
For the second straight season, Saint Mary's Softball has earned the prestigious Gael Cup. The Gael Cup tallies points from not only academic, and athletic performance...but community service, sportsmanship, galloping gael games, WCC awards, as well as Shamrock Student-Athlete of the Week Awards. With 28 wins, their second straight WCC Title, 12 WCC Player of the Week honors, a conference best eight All-Academic honorees and over 1000 community service hours logged, there is no question that Softball put in the work to earn this award for back-to-back years.
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