Reflections Magazine Issue #87 - Fall 2018 | Page 12

Athletics News
saints highlights
Siena Heights a NAIA
Five-Star Institution Crawford Named New
Men’s Soccer Coach
Siena Heights University was named a
Five-Star Institution by the NAIA. Each
year, NAIA schools use the Champions
of Character scorecard to measure the
pursuit of character-driven athletics.
Schools scoring a minimum of 60 out of
100 points earn the Five-Star Institution
Award. Based on points, there are three
distinction levels including gold (90-100
points), silver (75-89 points), and bronze
(60-74 points). Siena Heights earned a
silver designation in 2016-17. Andrew Crawford was
hired as its new men's
soccer head coach on
Feb. 1. The former Saint
All-American who had
a standout professional
playing career brings
more than 25 years of coaching experi-
ence. A 1989 Siena Heights graduate,
Crawford ranks second on the Saints' all-
time scoring list with 169 points, includ-
ing second in career goals with 70. A
two-time NAIA All-American and four-
time All-District performer, he was named
MVP of the 1989 NAIA Senior Bowl.
After his collegiate career, Crawford had
a 10-year professional career, including
two seasons as a National Premier Soccer
League All-Star. He played for several
teams, including the Detroit Thunder,
Arizona Sandsharks, Detroit Rockers,
Buffalo Blizzard and Detroit Ignition.
His coaching career also includes a
stint as the head coach for Hilbert (N.Y.)
College from 1996-2001, and coaching
various high school and club teams
around the country. He also coached
the Buffalo Premier Soccer Club, and is
currently the head coach for the Canton
(Mich.) Soccer Club.
Student-Athletes Excel in
the Classroom
In the fall 2017 semester, 586 Siena
Heights student-athletes had a cumulative
3.05 grade point average. The women's
golf team led the way with a 3.69 team
gpa, with the softball team right behind
with a 3.47. Ten of the 11 women's
teams earned better than a 3.0 gpa,
while soccer was one of four men's teams
better than a 3.0, leading with a 3.21.
In the winter 2017 semester, 562 SHU
student-athletes earned a 3.07 GPA in the
winter semester of 2017. Leading the way
was the women's golf team with a 3.69
GPA, followed by the softball team with
a 3.61 GPA. Every women's team once
again achieved a 3.0 or higher, with an
aggregate GPA of 3.30. The men's teams
were lead by the men's soccer team with
a 3.19 GPA; following was the baseball
team with a 3.11 GPA. The men's
aggregate GPA was a 2.91.
Watson Plays Professional
Basketball in Spain
Former SHU All-American April Watson
became the first player in Siena Heights
women's basketball program to sign a
professional basketball contract. Watson,
a 6 foot, 3 inch forward/center, signed
with TGN Spain in Tarragona, Spain. She
averaged 19.4 points and 11.3 rebounds
per game to earn first team NAIA
All-American honors in 2016-17.
12 | Reflections Fall ’18
Martin Signs Pro Contract
in Argentina
2017 Saints Highlights
Baseball
Five Saints earned a spot on the Wolver-
ine-Hoosier Athletic Conference all-
academic team. Seniors Kyle Kuhr, Alex
Robbins and Ty Schafer, junior Carson
Wlad and sophomore Jesse Stires each
made the list. Bradley Connochie was
the recipient of the team's Champions
of Character Award. Stires and Wlad
were also named NAIA Scholar Athletes.
The Saints were also honored as an
American Baseball Coaches Association
Scholar-Team for the 2016-17 season.
SHU was one of four NAIA schools
honored two consecutive years. The
Saints had a team 3.05 grade point
average. The Saints finished the season
16-32 overall, 12-17 in the WHAC.
Cross Country
Women: The Saints placed fifth at the
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
Championships in Grand Rapids. Ashley
Russo was the top finisher for SHU,
placing seventh overall in a time of 18
minutes, 32 seconds to earn first team
all-conference honors. Russo, competing
in her fourth consecutive women's race
at the NAIA Cross Country National
Championships, was 43rd overall in a
time of 18 minutes, 27 seconds.
Men: The Saints finished fifth as a
team and Esrom Woldemichael earned
Former SHU standout Jerrell Martin played first team all-conference honors at the
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
professional basketball with Deportivo
Championships. Woldemichael was
Norte de Armstrong in Argentina. The
6-foot-8 forward average 13.4 points and seventh overall in a time of 25 minutes,
52 seconds. Woldemichael represented
7.2 rebounds in earning second team
the Saints at the NAIA Cross Country
all-conference honors for the Saints in
National Championships in Vancouver,
2016-17.
Wash., finishing 227th overall. Anthony
Kolasinski Named to
Vermilye was named a NAIA Scholar
Athlete.
ABCA Board
SHU head baseball coach John Kolasinski
was named the first vice president of the
American Baseball Coaches Association.
Kolasinski will take over as the ABCA
president in January 2019.
Football
Senior cornerback Darius Price was
named the Mid-States Football Associa-
tion Mideast Division Defensive Player
of the Year. Price is a four-time All-MSFA
Mideast selection. He had 41 tackles
and nine pass break-ups this season.
He was also named a first team NAIA
All-American by the American Football
Coaches Association, and was also the
top vote recipient in the NAIA for the
Cliff Harris Award, which is given to the
top defensive players in NCAA Division
II, Division III and the NAIA. Price is the
first Saint to receive this award. Junior
defensive lineman Malik Edwards was
also named first team All-MSFA Mideast
after leading SHU with eight tackles for
loss and five quarterback sacks. Junior
wide receiver Damon Wright, junior guard
Colton Pfaendtner and junior placekicker
Brady Tanguay were each named to the
second team, while linebacker Logan
Smith, defensive lineman DeVonte Collins
Anderson and senior center D.J. Haskins
received honorable mention. Redshirt
junior safety Zachary Flack was named to
the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team.
Four Saints earned NAIA Scholar Athlete
recognition. Seniors Braelen Bader and
Ronnie Giles Jr. and juniors Izayah
Newsom and Brady Tanguay received
the honor. The MSFA all-academic team
included honorees included Bader, Lucas
Barner, Flack, Adam Glanders, Newsom,
Brock Quinlan, Tanguay, Kris Grodi,
Andrew Loria, Mitchell Meger, Jarrad
Whited, Justin Carrabino, Nick Pagano
and Jerrold King. The Saints finished 5-5
overall, 3-3 in the MFSA Mideast.
Lacrosse
Women: Seniors Aliisa Mason and
Tabitha Ferguson and juniors Kayla Parks
and Marissa Cirino were each named
second team All-Wolverine-Hoosier
Athletic Conference. Ferguson is a three-
time all-conference honoree and a goal-
tender. Parks had a team-leading 61
goals, with Cirino adding 46 and Mason
45. Earning all-conference academic
and NAIA Scholar Athlete honors were
Ferguson, Mason and Parks. Sophomore
Megan Byers was the recipient of the
team's Champions of Character Award.
The Saints finished 11-7 overall, 7-7 in
the conference.