The banquet last Friday in the Sullivan Athletic Center had Perry Chong of the golf team and women's soccer's Bina Saipi as the emcees while Pantelis Xidias of men's basketball and volleyball standout Avarie Evans-Allen delivered speeches thanking coaches and staff members.
Captains' Council added a category for Major Awards while continuing to celebrate student-workers, managers, student-athletes and an athletics staff member for their elite level of work.
It is quite a noteworthy accomplishment to be celebrated among the best at a university with such a strong commitment towards excellence in the classroom, in athletic completion and in the community serving others. Here is the rundown of the 2020-21 honorees.
Major Awards
Male Athlete of the Year: Vito Tonejc, Men's Tennis
Tonejc had a year to remember as the BIG EAST Player of the Year led the Blue Demons to their first BIG EAST title in program history and advancing to their first NCAA Championship. Tonejc was 13-5 in singles including 11-5 in the most challenging position at No. 1. The All-BIG EAST First Team selection was at his best in a 6-1, 2-6, 7-6(7-4) road victory over Vanderbilt's nationally ranked George Harwell.
Tonejc made history on March 10 when he became the first DePaul men's tennis player to ever win the coveted Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) National Player of the Week award. The junior from Zagreb, Croatia is also the first men's tennis player in the BIG EAST to receive the coveted honor. He was also the BIG EAST Athlete of the Week on March 17, and including the postseason, notched five singles wins over conference opponents.
Female Athlete of the Year: Aspasia Avgeri, Women's Tennis
The graduate student from Athens, Greece was honored as the BIG EAST Player of the Year after leading DePaul to a runner-up finish at the April 26 BIG EAST Championship in Cayce, S.C. Avgeri was a unanimous pick by conference coaches for All-BIG EAST First Team after going 11-3 at No. 1 singles and racking up 10 wins in a row while going undefeated for 11 weeks.
Her most notable singles win came on April 9 in Cincinnati with a 6-4, 7-6(7-5) triumph over Xavier's nationally ranked Ahmeir Kyle at No. 1. Overall, Avgeri finished with a 5-1 record against BIG EAST opponents including the postseason.
Male Newcomer of the Year: Omar Ramadan, Men's Soccer
Ramadan played in all nine games, totaling three assists and provided game-winning assist in DePaul's first-ever win over Creighton. He was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week after tallying assists in back-to-back wins versus Xavier and Creighton. Ramadan logged 765 minutes on the pitch.
Female Newcomer of the Year: Nicole Sullivan, Softball
Sullivan made an immediate impact as a freshman on the softball squad. The third baseman was one of two freshmen to earn All-BIG EAST Second Team honors. Sullivan earned BIG EAST Freshman of the Week honors twice in 2021 and was named the Player of the Week on one occasion. Sullivan ranked second on the squad in batting average during BIG EAST games (.387) while leading the team in slugging (.677).
Comeback Athlete of the Year: Angela Scalzitti, Softball
Scalzitti returned for her seventh season with DePaul in 2020-21. She started every game of the 2021 season and was a mainstay at the leadoff spot and in center field. The graduate student led the team with seven doubles and three triples on the season. Scalzitti also drew a team-high 22 walks and crossed the plate on 25 occasions.
Comeback Athlete of the Year: Adrian Walker, Women's Soccer
Walker played in eight matches as a key piece of the DePaul backline after missing the 2019 season due to an ACL injury. The team captain and defensive stalwart helped the Blue Demons pitch a 1-0 shutout over Butler. She started all 19 matches in 2018 prior to sustaining the injury in 2019
Comeback Athlete of the Year: Luuk Wassenaar, Men's Tennis
No one who wears DePaul across their chest faced greater odds than Wassenaar as he somehow rallied from quadruple match point to win the final set and launch the Blue Demons onto their first BIG EAST title in program history. The BIG EAST Championship Most Outstanding Player dug deep to produce four consecutive un-returnable serves in a 4-3 triumph over St. John's April 26 at Cayce, S.C. That stirring comeback secured DePaul's first bid to the NCAA Championship. Wassenaar was selected All-BIG EAST Second Team in voting by the league's coaches.
Community Service Awards
Community service is of the utmost importance to DePaul student-athletes, and the BIG EAST champion men's tennis team earned the award for the second year in a row while Tripp Tuff also repeated with the individual award. The "Band of Brothers" finished first in the Athletics Academic Advising Community Service Cup standings.
"This wasn't a normal year as we couldn't gather as a team for service projects," said coach Matt Brothers. "Our individual tennis players took it upon themselves to volunteer. I'm even more proud this year how they took all this upon themselves."
The tennis student-athletes made blankets for underserved children at the St. Vincent DePaul Center and wrote letters to the elderly at senior citizen organizations during St. Vincent de Paul Service Day. They volunteered at the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Sandwich Kitchen at St. Vincent DePaul Parish, handing out meals and writing inspirational notes and messages included with the lunches. The Blue Demons volunteered weekly at various food pantries.
Tuff logged weekly hours working with the Global Brigades international student volunteer organization, taking on more of an organizational role. He helped teammate Phasu Sirinit become more involved with Global Brigades and organized a service trip to South America that was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Michael Hie Memorial Award
The Michael Hie Memorial Award is given to four-year student workers who have exemplified the Vincentian service mission in their time at DePaul working in various departments throughout the athletic department.
Michael Hie was a student worker who passed away at the age of 21 and worked in the athletics department managing one of the women's sports teams. He was an avid Blue Demon basketball fan.
This year's recipients are Julia Drozdz, Ivy Witczak, Jack O'Brien, Steven Cieniawa and Kezjahree Wingate.
Outstanding Student Award
This award from the Office of Student Involvement recognizes students for exemplary leadership, service and commitment to the university community. This award highlights outstanding initiative and motivation and continued student leadership on campus by a student to the DePaul University community. Kiersten Walker of women's track and field won the Excellence in Leadership Award.
Captains' Council Blue Demon Award
Michael Sommer of Sports Medicine who works with the men's basketball team was recognized for an outstanding job this season along with embracing more responsibilities and a leadership role helping the Sports Medicine staff navigate around the immense health challenges presented by a global pandemic.
June 04, 2021 at 12:22AM
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Athletics Banquet Unveils New Major Awards Category - DePaul Blue Demons
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