By Rob Potter
LOCH SHELDRAKE — Dozens of student-athletes were honored last Tuesday evening when Sullivan County Community College held its annual Athletic Banquet in the Paul Grossinger Dining Room.
“Once again, this has been a great year for Sullivan athletics,” said SCCC Athletic Director Chris DePew as he welcomed everyone to the event.
DePew noted the accomplishments of all of the school’s sports teams: Men’s Cross Country, Women’s Cross Country, Men’s Golf, Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball, Men’s Outdoor Track and Field, Women’s Outdoor Track and Field and Baseball.
“I’m very proud to lead this department,” said DePew, who added that he is completing his 10th year as the Director of Athletics at SCCC.
DePew thanked the SCCC Administration, all of the coaches and assistant coaches for the teams, Rob Barrese, who is the SCCC Strength and Conditioning Coach, Athletic Department Secretary Georgia Lyons, Rhea DeMaria, Jennifer Bonelli and the SCCC Buildings and Grounds Department.
SCCC President Dr. Mamie Howard Golladay, Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Robert Schultz and SCCC Board Chair Phyllis Coombe all offered their congratulations to the Generals and Lady Generals.
“Your coaches and athletic director have been very good role models for you,” Golladay said.
“I extend congratulations to all of you for your accomplishments on the playing fields, courts and in the classroom,” Coombe said.
“I hope to read in the near future about all of you,” Schultz said. “Nurture the friendships you have made here. Congratulations to all of you.”
Each of the coaches then thanked the members of their respective teams and recognized three team members with special awards.
Those awards were as follows:
Men’s Basketball (Coach Kevin DeVantier, Assistant Coach Gregg Semenetz Jr., Assistant Coach Dan DeVantier): Coaches Award: Dustin VanLieu, Most Improved: Frankie Drayton, MVP: Jordan Thorpe
Women’s Basketball (Coach Sara Thompson Tweedy, Assistant Coach Diana Traugot, Assistant Coach Carl Graham): Leadership Award: Nyoki Tate, Very Important Player (VIP): Luna Jefferson, MVP: Taisha Sherman
Men’s Cross Country (Coach Bob Harris): Coaches Award: Siwon Coleman, Most Improved: Matthew Fortin, MVP: Matthew Gill
Men’s Track and Field (Coach Bob Harris): Coaches Award: Matthew Gill, Most Improved: Terelle Vaughn, MVP: Matthew Fortin
Women’s Track and Field (Coach Bob Harris): Coaches Award: Erin Lane, Most Improved: Danielle Darby, MVP: Tehnyat Khan
Cheerleading (Coach Janna Comando): Coaches Award: Crystal Salgado, Most Improved: Reason Bennett, MVP: Christopher Torres
Men’s Golf (Coach Gregg Semenetz Jr.): Coaches Award: Eric Brown
Baseball (Coach Ryan Snair, Assistant Coach Jared Carrier, Assistant Coach Tom Mattice, Assistant Coach Everett Saul): Coaches Award: Jose Castellanos, Most Improved: Efrain Bautista, MVP: Jossue Delgado
Athletes who received awards from the Mid-Hudson Conference and/or National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XV were as follows:
Mid-Hudson Conference All-Academic Team: Jose Castellanos, Eugenio Mesa, Idaury Peralta, Siwon Coleman, Alyssa Corbett, Constance Fripp, Ashara Morris, Tehnyat Khan, Erin Lane, Terrelle Vaughn, Frankie Drayton, Stephen Sunday, Danielle Darby
Mid-Hudson Conference Team: Taisha Sherman, Nyoki Tate, Frankie Drayton, Marvin Jean, Luna Jefferson
Mid-Hudson Conference MVP: Cleanthony Early
Mid-Hudson Conference Player of the Week: Luna Jefferson (week ending Dec. 7, 2010), Cleanthony Early (week ending Dec. 21, 2010 and Feb. 1, 2011)
All Region XV Academic Team: Ramon Antonio, Jose Castellanos, Eugenio Mesa, Idaury Peralta, Constance Fripp, Ashara Morris, Tehnyat Khan, Terrelle Vaughn, Frankie Drayton, Stephen Sunday
2010-2011 Region XV Scholar Athlete of the Year: Tehnyat Khan
Cheerleading team members with a 3.0 or better GPA: Jazzmine Wierzbicki-McMickle, Olivia Robinson, Crystal Salgado, Leeann Mitchell
Region XV Team Awards: Jordan Thorpe, Frankie Drayton, Marvin Jean, Luna Jefferson, Cleanthony Early
Basketball Coaches Association of New York (BCANY): Marvin Jean (Honorable Mention), Cleanthony Early (First Team, Player of the Year)
NJCAA Awards for placing at NJCAA Division III Track and Field championships: Erin Lane, Tehnyat Khan
SUNY Chancellor Scholar Athlete Award: Frankie Drayton, Marisela Acevedo
NJCAA First Team All-American: Cleanthony Early
NJCAA Division III Basketball Player of the Year: Cleanthony Early
The final award presented was the 2010-2011 SCCC Athlete of the Year. The three finalists were: Tehnyat Khan, nominated by Women’s Track and Field Coach Bob Harris, Crystal Salgado, nominated by Cheerleading Coach Janna Comando, and Cleanthony Early, nominated by Men’s Basketball Coach Kevin DeVantier.
Early was chosen as the SCCC Athlete of the Year.