ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst University Athletic Department hosted its second annual Varsity Celebration on Monday, May 9, at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center. The winners of the Senior Male and Female Scholars of the Year and Male and Female Sathletes of the Year were announced as well as the presentation of the Sister Damien Spirit Award Winners and the Male and Female Athletes of the Year from each class.

Award winners were as follows:

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Emily Janiga, ice hockey
Janiga was captain of the College Hockey America regular-season and tournament champions. The forward was part of three NCAA Tournament teams, including two which reached the Frozen Four. Janiga was the 2015 CHA Player of the Year -- also claiming the scoring championship. She was a two-time All-CHA First Team player. Through her career, she registered 72 goals and 79 assists for a total of 151 points.
(Other finalists: Courtney Brothers, softball; Kristina Roberti, soccer/lacrosse)

MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Colin McKee, baseball
McKee was named 2016 PSAC West Division Pitcher of the Year -- and should challenge for other postseason awards, including All-Region and All-American accolades. He is the No. 1 pitcher in the Lakers' rotation. The two-time All-PSAC First Team performer currently boasts a 9-1 record with a 1.52 earned-run average. In 77 innings, McKee has 122 strikeouts and 24 walks while holding opposing hitters to a .153 batting average. The Lakers qualified for the NCAA World Series for the first time ever in 2015 and won the PSAC West Division championship in 2016.
(Other finalists: Kayode Ajenifuja, basketball; Jeremy Landowski, wrestling)

FEMALE SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Emily Koestler, field hockey/lacrosse
A two-sport player who was named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association National Academic Squad, Koestler is finishing out her athletic career with the the women's lacrosse team, which finished in a tie for first place in the PSAC regular season. She is a two-time All-PSAC performer on the lacrosse pitch
(Other finalists: Andrea Goldbach, field hockey; Maggie Switzer, rowing; Jessica Sworden, water polo)

MALE SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Andy Hoying, basketball
Hoying claimed the PSAC Champion Scholar Award for men's basketball -- an honor bestowed upon the athlete with the highest grade-point average among the four teams to qualify for the conference tournament semifinals. Hoying was part of the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament team in 2014-15 and first-ever PSAC Tournament champion in 2015-16.
(Other finalists: Austin Alonge, baseball; Dylan D'Urso, wrestling)

JUNIOR FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Rachel DiBartolomeo, softball
DiBartolomeo was named to the All-PSAC West First Team, Conference Commissioners Association All-Atlantic Region First Team and the National Fast-Pitch Coaches Association All-Atlantic Region First Team. She played in all 36 games as the Lakers' center fielder. She led the team in batting average, hits, doubles, home runs, RBI, slugging percentage, on-base percentage. and stolen bases. She ranked among the Top 10 in each of those categories within the PSAC.
(Other finalists: Angela Heintz, basketball; Hanna Schumacher, rowing; Janelle Williams, lacrosse)

JUNIOR MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Willie Bohince, wrestling
Bohince is now a three-time All-American after placing runner-up in the 125-pound weight class at the 2016 NCAA Championships. He was also runner-up at the Super One Regional. Bohince added a third-place individual finish for the Lakers at the PSAC Championships. He was a key part of a team that tied for ninth at Nationals and place third at both Regionals and PSACs. Bohince had a 27-3 record on the mat and was also named to the NCAA Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic First Team.
(Other finalists: Cameron Balego, baseball; Chris Kupniewski, golf; Ross Molinaro IV, tennis)

SOPHOMORE FEMALE ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
Kristin Anderson, lacrosse
Anderson was named to the All-PSAC Second Team and is in the mix for both All-Region and All-America honors. She was a key player for the Mercyhurst women's lacrosse program's first-ever PSAC Tournament championship. The Lakers also finished in a tie atop the PSAC regular-season standings. Heading into Nationals, Anderson leads the Lakers in goals (48) and draw controls (96) while tying for the team lead in points (59); her draw control total also leads all of NCAA Division II
Saioa Gomez de Segura, tennis
Gomez de Segura won the USTA/ITA Atlantic Region Singles Championship and the PSAC Singles Championship in the fall. Then, in the spring, she was honored as the PSAC West Player of the Year while being named to the All-PSAC First Team. Gomez de Segura finished the year with a 25-2 record in singles play, including wins in each of her last 16 decisions.
(Other finalist: Kennedy Watson, water polo)

SOPHOMORE MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Nenad Terzic, tennis
Terzic was named to the All-PSAC First Team as both a singles and doubles player. He had a 16-9 record in singles play and 17-8 slate in doubles action. Terzic was the Lakers' No. 1 singles player and part of the Lakers' No. 1 doubels pair. He also was a semifinalist in the PSAC Singles Tournament during the fall.
(Other finalists: Daniel Elliott, baseball; Greg Weyl, lacrosse)

FRESHMAN FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Sarah McDonnell, women's ice hockey
McDonnell claimed the College Hockey America Goaltender Trophy, which is awarded to the goalie in the conference with the lowest goals-against average. She was also named to the CHA All-Rookie Team and CHA All-Tournament Team, helping the Lakers to first place in the CHA regular season and a CHA Tournament championship. McDonnell finished with a 17-6-5 record, 1.75 GAA and .919 save percentage.
(Other finalists: Jessica Brandon, field hockey; Kayla Frost, tennis)

FRESHMAN MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Lester Lancaster, men's ice hockey
Lancaster was named to the All-Atlantic Hockey Association First Team -- one of the first two freshmen to do so in conference history. He was also the AHA Rookie of the Year while being named to the AHA All-Rookie Team. He recorded nine goals, 20 assists and 29 points. Lancaster tied for second on the team in assists and ranked second in points.
(Other finalists: Matt Bachler, water polo; Chris Vallimont, baseball)

SISTER DAMIEN SPIRIT AWARD
Sheila Richter (primary)
Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Off-Ice Officials (honorary)