MELBOURNE, Fla. – Florida Tech hosted the annual Scholars, Champions, Leaders Awards, celebrating athletic and academic successes at the Clemente Center on Thursday.
 
The evening began by recognizing the Panthers' four All-Americans and three Academic All-Americans from this past year, followed by celebrating the 287 scholar-athletes named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll.
 
GPA Award
The first award of the evening, the Team Grade Point Average Award, recognizes the highest cumulative GPA achieved by our men's and women's teams, underscoring the importance of academic excellence in sports.
 
The Women's Basketball team earned the Women's Team GPA Award with a 3.63 cumulative GPA, and the Men's Soccer team received the Men's Team GPA Award with a 3.61 cumulative GPA.
 
Martha Work and Andy Seminick Sportsmanship Awards
 
Following the GPA Awards, the Female and Male Sportsmanship Awards were announced. The awards are named in honor of former booster and team supporter Martha Work and former head baseball coach Andy Seminick. To receive this award, the scholar-athletes must exhibit respect, courtesy, and restraint in their actions and remain positive in pursuit of excellence.
 
Due to her consistently exemplifying true sportsmanship each time she steps on the field, bringing energy, encouraging teammates, and maintaining a positive attitude, Gillian Craig (Women's Lacrosse)  was named the Martha Work Sportsmanship Award winner.
 
Nominated for the Martha Work Sportsmanship Award were Gillian Craig (Women's Lacrosse), Nilsu Demiran (Women's Swimming), Rio Naganawa (Women's Soccer), Ashley Rants (Volleyball), Remi Smith (Women's Basketball).
 
Bobby Canaway (Men's Lacrosse) earned the Andy Seminick Sportsmanship Award for his exceptional leadership, earning praises from others as he remains deeply engaged in the community, volunteering, mentoring young athletes, and building genuine
connections across campus.
 
Nominated for the Andy Seminick Sportsmanship Award were Joshua Cajuste (Men's Swimming), Bobby Canaway (Men's Lacrosse), Jason Hargesheimer (Men's Track), Liam Holle (Men's Rowing), Domonic Longobardi (Cross Country), Joseph Phan (Baseball), and Sterling White III (Men's Basketball).
 
Freshman of the Year
 
The Freshman of the Year Award recognizes the female and male scholar-athletes who excelled in their first athletic season.
 
The Female Freshman of the Year went to Isabella Sarvis. Isabella made an immediate impact in her freshman season, scoring 16 points at the SSC Championships with a win in the 100 Backstroke and a second-place finish in the 200 Backstroke. She contributed to four relays, including the 400 Free Relay that set a new school record, and earned three individual event wins.
 
The nominees were the following, Izzie Bromage (Women's Soccer), Eva Del Valle (Women's Lacrosse), Ava McCormick (Softball), Isabella Sarvis (Women's Swimming).
 
After earning SSC Freshman of the Year, Ty Harpring (Men's Basketball) earned the Male Freshman of the Year. Harpring played in all 28 games with 25 starts, leading the team in three-pointers made while ranking second in scoring and third in minutes. His 77 made three were among the top in the conference and the most by a freshman in program history. Across the SSC, Ty led all freshmen in minutes, three-point percentage, and total points, solidifying his impact as one of the league's top newcomers.
 
The nominees for the men were the following Marcello Cortale (Baseball), Ty Harpring (Men's Basketball), Noah Heal (Cross Country), Max Henry (Men's Lacrosse), Lucas Mitchelmore (Men's Swimming), Mykolas Montvilla (Men's Rowing), Mikey Roberts (Men's Track), and Elias Ronning Orn (Men's Soccer).
 
Rising Star
 
The Rising Star Awards are presented to an emerging leader in their sport whose performance reflects growth in contribution to their team's success and increased levels of leadership.
 
Kate Rodel (Softball) was named the female rising star after she has emerged as a true rising star, making significant strides both offensively and defensively. She improved her batting average to .309 and increased her RBI total from 2 to 14 while stepping into the role of everyday starting catcher. 


Nominated for the Female Rising Star Award were Abby Briggs (Women's Swimming), Scarlett Kimbrell (Volleyball), Clare McGuire (Women's Lacrosse), Deidre Miller (Women's Basketball), Alice Mottershead (Women's Soccer), and Kate Rodel (Softball).
 
Filippo Bessi (Men's Track) claimed the Male Rising Star Award as he has proven himself at the conference level, ranking among the top competitors in the 400m hurdles while holding school records in the 600m, indoor 4x4, and outdoor 4x4. He has grown into a leader who sets the standard through his work ethic, consistency, and team-first mindset.
 
Nominated for the Male Rising Star Award were Filippo Bessi (Men's Track), Marshall Burke (Baseball), Logan Collins (Men's Soccer), Tyler Herrera (Cross Country), Carson Mann (Men's Lacrosse), and Zachary Reese (Men's Swimming).
 
Sports Performance Awards
 
The Sports Performance Awards were given by the Sports Performance Department to the athlete whose athletic accomplishments reflect their dedication to strength and conditioning.
 
The Female Sports Performance Award was given to Mandy Schwartz (Softball) for exemplifying what it means to be a scholar-athlete. Her record-breaking senior season highlighted a career defined by hard work, leadership, and a relentless mentality in both the weight room and on the field.
 
The Male Sports Performance Award went to Carter Batt (Men's Lacrosse), who leads by example with his strong work ethic and disciplined approach. He brings energy, accountability, and leadership to every lift and competition, consistently elevating his teammates and embodying the true spirit of a scholar-athlete.
 
Panther Award
 
An individual outside of athletics who has shown continuous support and has made an impact within our programs was eligible for the Panther Award.
 
Norm Cole received the Panther Award as is fully committed to Florida Tech Athletics and consistently demonstrates his support for our programs. He has cultivated strong, meaningful relationships with scholar-athletes and coaches, providing guidance, encouragement, and advocacy that positively influence both their athletic and personal development.
 
Nominees for the Panther Award consisted of Brian Andes (BTM Bus Driver), Stephanie Bacon (Senior Director of Philanthropy), Norm Cole (Assistant Director of Residence Life), Tim Muth (Professor, College of Business), Paul Costintino (Professor, Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering), Willie Gibson (Panther Dining), Evan Olsen (Director of Campus Dining), and JB Smith (Swim Meet Official).
 
Performance of the Year
 
The Performance of the Year Awards recognize an individual athlete's best and most significant performance in a single contest.
 
Tai Roberts claimed the Female Performance of the Year Award. In the win against nationally ranked #17 Embry-Riddle, Tai Roberts delivered an outstanding performance, recording 27 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists, earning her SSC Player of the Week honors.
 
Nominated female performances were Abby Cudzilo's (Women's Lacrosse) four point performance and game-winner against #2 Adelphi, Cordelia Kearns's (Volleyball) 29 kills and 17 digs in the win against Embry-Riddle, Sammy Murphy's (Softball) career-high nine strikeouts against #6 North Georgia, Corinne Roberts (Women's Swimming) record-breaking performance at the SSC Championships, Tai Roberts (Women's Basketball) 27 points in the victory against #17 Embry-Riddle, and Rebecca Storrs (Women's Soccer) two-goal comeback win at Rollins.

In an elite performance against Palm Beach Atlantic, Marcello Cortale (Baseball) blasted three home runs, driving in 6 RBI in the victory. Remarkably, he hit all three home runs in three consecutive at-bats over four innings, His dominant performance earned him SSC Player of the Week and NCBWA South Region Player of the Week. 

Nominated male performances were Men's Swimming's 200 Free Relay taking 12^th place at NCAA's, Men's Rowing Varsity 4+ third place finish at the Head of the Charles, Marcello Cortale's (Baseball) 3-homerun and six RBI night against PBA, Alessandro Fossati's (Men's Soccer) game-winner against #13 North Georgia, Jason Hargesheimer's (Men's Track) 7^th place finish at the Jimmy Carnes invite, Men's Lacrosse defeating #4 Wingate in overtime, Ben Peck's (Cross Country) record time at the NCAA South Regionals, and Greyson Williams (Men's Basketball) double-double against Albany State.
 
Champions Award
 
The Champion's Award is based on his/her athletic performance and accomplishments during the 2025-26 athletic year.
 
Lauryn Wood (Women's Soccer) claimed the Female Champions Award after becoming the programs first ever Post-Season National MVP, she helped lead the program to it's first ever NCAA National Championship. Wood totaled 8 goals, and 8 assists, including 4 game winners, leading the team with 24 points. Her decorated season led her to earn numerous postseason awards.
  
Nominated for the women were Emma Chisholm (Softball),  Cordelia Kearns (Volleyball), Tai Roberts (Women's Basketball), Sophia Scichilone (Women's Lacrosse), Lauryn Wood (Women's Soccer), and Melissa Zucco (Women's Swimming).
 
Akos Hajagos (Men's Swimming) earned the Male Champions Award following an outstanding All-American season. He led the team with 53 conference points, earned SSC First-Team honors, and qualified for the NCAA Championships in four individual events while contributing to record-setting relay teams. Hajagos placed 2nd in the 400 IM and 3rd in the 200 IM at SSCs, and at NCAAs, he finished 4th in the 200 Fly, earning All-American honors and setting school records in the 200 IM, 400 IM, and 200 Fly.
 
Nominees for the men were Omer Bayram (Men's Rowing), Filppo Bessi (Men's Track), Xavier Ford-Belton (Men's Basketball), Jax Francisco (Men's Lacrosse), Akos Hajagos (Men's Swimming), Ben Peck (Cross Country), Jacob Pino (Baseball), and Alvaro Ivorra Ronda (Men's Soccer).
 
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
 
The Scholar-Athlete of the Year award is presented to a scholar-athlete who has demonstrated a combination of academic and athletic excellence and years of service to the team.
 
Kari Voelstad Bogen (Volleyball) was named the Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year with a 3.93 cumulative GPA in Computer Engineering. Voelstad is a 4× SSC Honor Roll, 3× Athletic Director's Honor Roll. She played in every match, tallying 131 assists, 14 aces, and 456 digs, while earning 2nd Team All-SSC
 
Nominated for the women were Abby Briggs (Women's Swimming), Ella Niles (Softball), Abbie Ogren (Women's Lacrosse), Tai Roberts (Women's Basketball), Rebecca Storr (Women's Soccer), and Kari Voelstad Bogen (Volleyball).
 
Sandro Gardella (Men's Rowing) earned the men's Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, holding a perfect 4.0 in Aerospace Engineering, while simultaneously excelling on the water. Leading the men's varsity 8+ to numerous first-place finishes this season, he also competing internationally for his home country of Peru.
 
Nominated for the men were Alvaro Cameo (Cross Country), Jaxon Clampitt (Baseball), Sjur Drechsler (Men's Soccer), Sandro Gardella (Men's Rowing), Jason Hargesheimer (Men's Track), and Steve Ulrichs (Men's Lacrosse).
 
Leadership Award
 
The Leadership Award goes to a scholar-athlete who exemplifies leadership and commitment.
 
The Female Leadership Award went to Kaitlin Sinkler (Women's Soccer) who exemplifies leadership both on and off the field. As team captain, SAAC president, and a 4.0 master's student, she balances her responsibilities with excellence, humility, and integrity. Kaitlin leads by example, pushing teammates to maintain high standards while fostering a positive, supportive team environment. This fall, she set a school record with 94 saves, 0.72 GAA, 11 shutouts. Her maturity, professionalism, and dedication make her an indispensable leader.
 
Gillian Craig (Women's Lacrosse), Kenzie Delacher (Volleyball), Miranda Olhasso (Women's Swimming), Kaitlin Sinkler (Women's Soccer), and Mckenzie Winder (Women's Basketball)  were nominated for the female award.
 
The Male Leadership Award went to Brooks van Esselstyn (Men's Lacrosse). Van Esselstyn leads by example, consistently being the first to team meetings and on the field. He excels academically as an Aerospace Engineering student, working tirelessly in the classroom while preparing for his future as a Naval Officer Candidate. His dedication, work ethic, and team-first mindset set a standard for everyone around him.
 
Brycen Haner (Cross Country), Matthew Heaphy (Men's Swimming), Thomas Matt (Men's Rowing), Ese Oguma (Men's Track), Jacob Pino (Baseball), and Broos van Esselstyn (Men's Lacrosse) were nominated for the male award.
 
Team of the Year
 
The final award of the evening was the Team of the Year Award, which is presented to the team that has achieved the most notable performance during the 2025-26 season.
 
Taking home the Team of the Year Award was Women's Soccer. It was a record year for the women's soccer program, as they finished the season with a 17-3-6 overall record, earned their first-ever National Championship, and received numerous National Awards. 
 
The evening closed out with senior speeches from Courtney Capar of the Volleyball team and Sandro Gardella from Men's Rowing.