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Tuesdsay, May 9, 2006
EASTERN HONORS STUDENT-ATHLETES FOR VAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Tignonsini and Sullivan honored with distinguished SportsPerson-of-the-Year Award
WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Eastern Connecticut State University, which hosts 17 intercollegiate athletic programs, honored student-athletes for displaying excellence both in the classroom and in the athletic arena Sunday, May 7 during the annual Athletic Awards Banquet at the Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium.
Scholar-athlete awards have been presented every year since 1981/82. It’s the sixth consecutive year that Eastern student-athletes have also been recognized with ‘major’ awards, which consiste of the Bonnie J. Edmondson
Female SportsPerson-of-the-Year, Francis E. Geissler Male SportsPerson-of-the-Year, Male and Female Athlete-of-the-Year, and Male and Female Rookie-of-the-Year, which were awarded to a total of eight student-athletes.
A total of 20 juniors and seniors were honored with an ECSU/E-Club Scholar-Athlete Award. In addition, 40 senior athletes were recognized. Twenty-six of whom were honored as four-year varsity letterwinners and presented official Eastern Connecticut State University wristwatches.
The Little Eastern Conference champion women’s volleyball program was recognized with the annual Faculty Athletic Representative Award for cumulating the highest team GPA (3.18) and containing the most student-athletes with GPAs over 3.0 (71 percent) during the spring 2005 semester through the fall 2005 semester.
FEMALE ATHLETE-OF-THE-YEAR AWARD
(co-winners)
Jenn Orme Sr. Soccer Centereach, NY
Orme closed out a four-year career last ball by becoming only the fifth player in program history to lead the team in goals (13), assists (10) and points (36) in the same season. She finished as the conference leader in points, 
assists, shots (94) and game-winning goals (6), and was second in goals. She became the second Eastern player in as many years to lead the conference in assists, shots, and game-winning goals. She led the Warriors to the conference regular-season and playoff championships and into the NCAA tournament., and or her efforts, was named to the All-New England and all-conference teams along with being selected as the conference tournament Most Outstanding Player. She was also selected to and competed in the New England Senior All-Star game.
Lindsay Savelle Sr. Softball Cheshire, CT
Savelle closed out a record-setting pitching career last week by leading the Warriors into the conference tournament as the No. 2 seed and with its most regular-season conference wins ever. In her career, Savelle finished as the program’s all-time leader in games pitched and innings, was second in starts, complete games, strikeouts and third in shutouts. This year, she won 11 and lost six after the team returned from Florida and compiled an overall 1.75 ERA with 115 strikeouts and only 27 walks.
MALE ATHLETE-OF-THE-YEAR AWARD
(co-winners)
David Nicholson Sr. Track & Field Windsor, CT
Indoor: Nicholson became the program’s first All-America in a running event by placing sixth at the national meet at 400 meters. He ran his two fastest indoor times ever at that meet. He also won the New England indoor title at 400 
meters in February, placed sixth in the New England Open and won the LEC and Alliance championships at 200 and 400 meters. He helped the Warriors to the Little East Conference and New England Alliance championships.
Outdoor: Nicholson won the New England championship again at 400 meters at the New England championship, breaking his own outdoor record for the second time in two weeks. He became the first Eastern male to win a New England outdoor championship in a running event. He helped the Warriors to their fourth straight Little East Conference title. He has been named All-New England at 400 meters in all four of his years both indoor and outdoor.
David Pavia Sr. Track & Field Stamford, CT
Perhaps the most versatile athlete in program history, this year alone Pavia has run in the 55, 60, 100, 200, 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400 relays and competed in the long jump and triple jump.
Indoor: Pavia competed at 55, 60, and 200 meters, in the long jump and triple jump in the 4x400 and 4x200 record-setting relays during the year and was named All-New England at 55 meters and with the 4x400 relay. He helped the Warriors to the Little East Conference title by winning the long jump and placing second at 55 meters and taking sixth at 200 meters and fourth in the triple jump.
Outdoor: Competed at 100 and 200 meters, with the record-setting 4x100 relay and in long jump and triple jump. Repeated as the conference’s 100-meter champion and also won the 200 meter title and was part of the winning 4x100 relay. At the New England outdoor championship, was named All-New England at 100 meters and as part of the 4x100 relay.
FEMALE ROOKIE-OF-THE-YEAR AWARD
Kate Brunet Fr. Basketball Bristol, CT
Brunet was named to the DIII News All-Freshman team as one of only two selections from New England. She was also named conference Rookie-of-the-Year and was a two-time conference Rookie-of-the-Week. Brunet, who missed the two weeks of the year with a knee injury, finished second on the team in scoring (9.1) and also averaged 4.3 points and 1.8 assists. The Warriors won 21 and lost 7 this year.
MALE ROOKIE-OF-THE-YEAR AWARD
Kyle Savage Fr. Lacrosse Southington, CT
Savage started all 16 matches for the team and led the Warriors to the Little East Conference playoff championship by making 12 saves in a 14-12 win over Keene State. Heading into the NCAA tournament, Savage led the conference with a 7.34 goals-against average and was third with a .619 save percentage. The Warriors currently hold a 12-4 record.
BONNIE J. EDMONDSON SENIOR FEMALE SPORTSPERSON-OF-THE-YEAR AWARD
Named in honor of the former Eastern All-America Track & Field athlete and Eastern Hall of Famer, who went on to win the Mobil/USA national championship in the hammer and was an alternate on the US Olympic Team.
(Criteria: A senior who best demonstrates the qualities of teamwork, dedication, leadership, integrity and spirit.)
Laura Tignonsini Sr. Track & Field Vernon, CT
This year, Tignonsini also shared the Holly E. Zimmerman Memorial Award, which honors a Health and Physical Education or Sport and Leisure Management major for loyalty and academic determination. She was a four-year member of the indoor and outdoor track programs and a four-year member of the cross country team. Tignonsini will graduate with a B.S. Degree in Health and Physical Education.
She has been singled out by track and field and cross-countryhead coach Frank Poulin as “the quintessential team player. Throughout her career, she has taken on many tasks to help her team succeed. Laura has run cross country, sprinted, hurdled, jumped and ran the relays. Off the track, Laura has shown to be a leader in her efforts to help build her team as well. She has always made herself available to anyone needing assistance as well. Teammates always knew they could turn to Laura in times of need.”
FRANCIS E. GEISSLER SENIOR MALE SPORTSPERSON-OF-THE-YEAR AWARD
Named in honor of the former Eastern baseball and basketball coach, athletic director, administrator, dean of men, and Eastern Hall of Famer, who has been associated with the University for 60 years.
(Criteria: A senior who best demonstrates the qualities of teamwork, dedication, leadership, integrity and spirit.)
Greg Sullivan Sr. Baseball Needham, MA
Sullivan is a four-year letterwinner in the baseball program, a senior captain and a recipient of a scholar-athlete award. He is also active in the Student Athlete Advisory Committee at the campus, conference and national levels. For the past three years, he was been a student-worker in the athletic department and volunteers on a daily basis and at any time for any projects that need to be completed. Sullivan will graduate with a B.S. Degree in Communication.
His Equipment Room supervisor, Scott Smith, says that “Greg’s enthusiasm for all of the athletic programs and the passion, professionalism and care that he puts into whatever task that he is performing – often time when he is not even asked – is exemplary.”
