ERIE, Pa. -- The Mercyhurst University Athletic Department announced the finalists for the Male & Female Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year Awards. 

Female Finalists 

Meghan Komendarek (Basketball) was a leader for the Lakers on and off the court. She carries a 3.99 GPA as an Early Childhood/Special Education major. She was a key contributor as a starter in her senior season averaging 10.5 points per game, second best mark on the team and a team-best 7.1 rebounds per contest. Off the court Komendarek serves as the Vice President for the Council for Exceptional Children. Through this organization she has worked with the Polar Plunge, Beast on the Bay, Special Olympics and ESO Dances.  

Claire Orr (Golf) has maintained a 4.0 GPA as a Graphic Design major while also being a four-year starter and letter winner for the women's golf team. She is a two-time team captain. She serves as the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Secretary and the Outreach Coordinator and Graphic Designer for 2021 Senior Class Gift Committee. On the course Claire has been honored as an All-PSAC Second-Team performer twice. She has also won back-to-back PSAC Women's Golf Champion Scholar Awards. 

Torie Sullivan (Lacrosse) is a team captain and a member of the SAAC and the Diversity and Inclusion Student Athlete Initiative Group. She carries a 3.97 GPA as a Sports Medicine major. She has been a solid contributor since her freshman year continuing to climb the Mercyhurst all-time draw control list despite a shortened 2020 season. Sullivan also volunteers off-campus at the Pennsylvania Soldiers and Sailors home and experience she has had since her sophomore year. 

K.K. Thiessen (Hockey) carries a 3.95 GPA as a Business & Competitive Intelligence and Business Economics major. She serves as a team captain and has been a stalwart on the blue line for the Lakers playing in every game over four years at Mercyhurst. Thiessen has served as peer tutor in economics and as mentor with the Autism Initiative at Mercyhurst. She has also volunteered with Gliding with the Stars adaptive ice-skating program. 

Athina Tsagkaraki (Tennis) holds a 3.94 GPA as an Athletic Training major. On the court she has ran up a record of 58-25 in singles play. She has volunteered at Erie Soup Kitchen, with the Gliding Stars and at the Mercyhurst University CoVID-19 vaccination clinics. She is a three-time team captain and has earned multiple PSAC and ITA Scholar-Athlete honors. 

Male Finalists 

Jacob Emerson (Lacrosse) has a 3.6 GPA as a biology major. He serves as a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. On the field, Emerson has been a contributor for the Lakers with 28 points on 18 goals and 10 assists. He has also earned G-MAC All-Academic honors. 

Unai Amiletta Gonzalez (Tennis) has been highly successful on the court with a 61-17 singles record and in the classroom with a 3.64 GPA as a biochemistry major. A PSAC First-Team All-Conference selection in both singles and doubles, Gonzalez has not lost a singles match in 2021 a current 11-match winning streak. He has earned PSAC and ITA Scholar-Athlete honors on multiple occasions. 

Reid Marlow (Rowing) maintains a 3.76 GPA as an Intelligence Studies major. Marlow is a member of the Laker Asset Management Club and volunteers on a weekly basis at the Bethany Outreach Food Pantry. He was a member of the 4+ boat the claimed a 2019 Dad Vails Championship. He is a volunteer coach in Houston when he is not at Mercyhurst. 

Maxx Palisin (Cross Country) carries a 3.76 GPA as an Intelligence Studies major. As a team-leader, Palisin organized a team 3K race after the cancellation of fall competition in 2020 to help the team gain a sense of normalcy. Filled with school spirit Palisin has also served as Luke the Laker the University's mascot. He has a career best 11th place finish at the Race in the Park in 2019. 

Josh Surowiec (Baseball) the Business & Competitive Intelligence and Cyber Risk Management major maintains a 3.73 GPA. Surowiec was a key member of the Lakers 2019 run to the Division II World Series being named a member of the NCAA All-Tournament Team. A team captain, Surowiec is currently batting .299 with three home runs and eight doubles. A member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Surowiec was involved in the groups Make-A-Wish efforts at the Perreco Pride of Erie game in 2020.