Fordham Athletics Host 83rd Annual Block F Awards Dinner

Bronx, N.Y. - As the 2016-2017 season begins to wind down, the Fordham University Athletic Department held its 83rd annual Block F Awards Dinner in the Rose Hill Gym on Wednesday night to honor Fordham University's student-athletes for their accomplishments during the academic year.
 
Among those honored were Chase Edmonds, who was the recipient of the Vincent T. Lombardi Award as Fordham's top male student-athlete, G'mrice Davis, recipient of the Claire and Jack Hobbs Award as Fordham's top female student-athletes and head men's soccer coach Jim McElderry, and head softball coach Bridget Orchard, who were named Fordham's Co-Coaches of the Year.
 
The Vincent T. Lombardi Award is presented to the Male Athlete of the Year for distinguished athletic achievements in the winning tradition of Vince Lombardi. The award honors the memory of one of Fordham's famed Seven Blocks of Granite, who is considered to be one of football's greatest coaches.
 
A consensus All-American, Edmonds, who finished fourth in the STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year voting, was named the Lombardi Award recipient for the second consecutive year. He rushed 257 times for 1,799 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2016 and was a First Team All-Patriot League pick. Edmonds led the NCAA FCS in rushing yards/game (163.5) and was second in total rushing yards and all-purpose yards per game (194.6) as well as ranking third in rushing touchdowns. The 1,799 yards gained in 2016 was just 39 shy of Edmonds' school single season record set in 2014.
 

Against Lafayette in October, Edmonds rushed for a school and Patriot League record 359 yards and scored four touchdowns. What made that day ever more remarkable was that he gained the 359 yards (the most by an NCAA Division I player last year) on just 17 carries, averaging 21.1 yards per carry, setting an NCAA FCS record for most yards gained per rush in a game. The former mark was 19.07 set by VMI's Gene Brown in 1988.
 
Over his three-year career, Edmonds has rushed for a school record 5,285 yards, just 336 yards shy of Jordan Scott's Patriot League career record of 5,621 yards. He has 62 career rushing touchdowns and 69 overall career touchdowns, both school and Patriot League records.
 
The Claire & Jack Hobbs Memorial Award is presented to the Female Athlete of the Year who has achieved outstanding athletic accomplishments. The award is named in honor of the late Claire and Jack Hobbs.  Jack was a 1938 graduate of Fordham College and a 1941 graduate of Fordham Law, and he and his wife were avid Fordham followers. 

Davis, a First Team All-Atlantic 10 and Atlantic 10 All-Defensive Team selection this year, enjoyed a tremendous junior campaign in the Bronx and had one of the best rebounding seasons in program history. She finished the season ranked second in Division I in rebounding with 12.8 boards per game average, 10.2 defensive rebounds per contest, and 24 double-doubles, the most of any A-10 player and third most in the nation. Davis became just the second Ram to ever average double-digit rebounds in a season, the other being Hall of Famer Anne Gregory O'Connell, while her 422 total rebounds ranks fourth all-time at Fordham. The Philadelphia native bumped her career rebounding average to 8.3, which is currently third-highest in school history, while her 770 career boards rank fifth all-time.
 

Davis averaged 14.6 points and 12.8 rebounds per game across 34.0 minutes per contest, and was one of two players to start all 34 contests. She led the Atlantic 10 in every rebounding category and her 48.1% field goal percentage ranked fourth. Finishing just three points shy of becoming the tenth Ram to ever reach 500 points in a season, Davis' 497 points was the eleventh best single season total in school history.

Exceptional over the second half of the year starting with a home win over Manhattan on December 17, G'mrice put together 20 double-doubles in 23 games, while scoring in double figures in every contest. She hauled in 12 or more rebounds in 21 games on the year, including five straight to end the season. In the postseason, between two rounds of the A-10 Championship and two in the postseason WNIT, Davis averaged 16.0 points and 15.8 rebounds during a team-high 35.5 minutes per contest.

McElderry, who won the Iron Major award as the Fordham Coach of the Year for the second time over the past three years and the third time overall, led the men's soccer squad to its second Atlantic 10 title over the past three years this fall. The Rams had three players named to the All-Midwest Region team and six honored by the Atlantic 10, including the league's offensive player of the year. On the year, the Rams led the Atlantic 10 in goals and points per game and were second in goal against average.
 
Orchard, who won her third Iron Major Award, led the softball team to its fourth straight Atlantic 10 championship last spring and has the Rams lined up for another title run this year as they enter the final weekend tied for first and sport a 39-14 overall record, including a season-opening win over nationally ranked Baylor.
 
Last spring the softball Rams did the unthinkable, dropping their first game at the A-10 championships only to battle back with four straight wins over a 32 hour period, including three on the final day to bring home the trophy.
 
The night opened with a special recognition of members of the Fordham Community as the Fordham Pep Band was presented with an honorary letter by Director of Athletics, David Roach.
 
Below is a list of the other award winners:

Patrick Kenneally Award – Aislinn Keenan (Football Student Manager/Operations Assistant): The Patrick Kenneally Award is presented to a Fordham student who serves the Athletic Department in capacities other than athletic participation.  The award honors the memory of Pat Kenneally, equipment and business manager for 54 years.
 
Keenan has been an invaluable member of the football staff, handling all sorts of chores from filming to assisting with practice. She also provides assistance to the Director of Football operations on road trips and assists with Fordham University's NFL Pro Day. Keenan is responsible for the management of the programs' student interns and conducts campus tours as a Football Program Ambassador for potential recruits.
 
 
Terence O'Donnell Award (Sportsmanship & Dedication) – Danielle Padovano (Women's Basketball): The O'Donnell Memorial Award is presented to the Fordham athlete who best exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship, loyalty, dedication and self-discipline.  The award is in memory of Terry O'Donnell, a 1955 graduate who died in a military plane crash shortly after graduation.
 

Padovano, a team captain and four-year member of the Fordham women's basketball program, provided the Rams with veteran leadership in 2016-2017 as Fordham won 20 games for the third time over the past four years. She led Fordham to three postseason appearances (two WNIT and one NCAA) over her four years while also serving as President of SAAC this year.
 

Jack Coffey Award – Greg Marmaros (Asst. Ath. Dir. For Football Operations):  The Jack Coffey award is presented to a Fordham administrator, alumnus or coach for outstanding contributions and dedication to the athletic program.  It is named for the late Jack Coffey, long-time baseball coach and graduate manager of Athletics.
 
Marmaros, who just completed his fourth year as the Director of Football Operations, keeps the football program running like a well-oiled machine. He is responsible for a myriad of duties, including updating coaches with student-athlete academic progress reports, handling all community service initiatives for the program and arranging all recruiting visits and recruiting weekends.
 
 
Benedict T. Harter Award – Nicole Bates (Women's Soccer): The Benedict T. Harter award is presented to the Gabelli School of Business senior athlete who has made significant academic and athletic contributions.  The award honors Ben Harter, Gabelli School of Business Class of 1939, a former dean of both Fordham's undergraduate and graduate schools of business, who was an avid follower and supporter of Fordham Athletics. 
 

Bates, a four-year member of the women's soccer team, is an Applied Accounting and Finance major who was named Academic All-America^® and to the NSCAA NCAA Division I Women's Scholar All-East Region team this fall.
 
On the pitch, Bates was a First Team All-Atlantic 10 selection as well as a NSCAA Third Team All-Mid-Atlantic Region and a First Team ECAC All-Star. She started all 20 games for the Rams in 2016, scoring a career-high three goals from her defensive position. Bates anchored a defense that allowed just 0.94 goals/game and recorded eight shutouts, which both rank as the third-best single season totals in school history. A team captain, she was named the team's Most Valuable Defensive Player and was also named a Fordham Leadership Academy Leader of Distinction.
 
 
Kieran Award – Turner Block (Women's Soccer): The Kieran Award, presented to the Fordham College senior athlete who has made significant academic and athletic contributions.  The award honors the memory of John Kieran, Fordham College Class of 1912, and a famous radio broadcaster, sports editor of the New York Times and a member of Baseball's Hall of Fame.
 
Block, a four-year member of the women's soccer squad, is a Psychology major who was a four-year member of the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll and was named a Fordham Athletics Leadership Academy Leader of Merit. She will continue her education on a Fulbright scholarship which she will use to study in Australia at the University of Queensland.
 
 
Kiwanis Community Service – Manny Adeyeye (Football): Fordham Kiwanis is part of a worldwide service organization that is committed to improving the quality of life through volunteer action.  The members of Fordham Kiwanis, comprised of university faculty, staff, and administrators, wish to recognize student-athletes who not only excel in academics and in their respective sports, but who are also committed to working in community service activities.
 

Adeyeye has found a way to get more than 24 hours out of a day, fulfilling his academic and athlete responsibilities while also finding time to perform countless community service projects. These projects include visiting with students at the Eagle Academy as part of the football program's ongoing partnership with the school. The players help the Eagle Academy students with their homework and serve as role models for the young men who attend the school.
 
Adeyeye also volunteers for the overnight work shift at a local homeless shelter and has assisted with soup kitchen meal preparation at Crestor Avenue Baptist Church. He was also active with Fordham football's "Be the Match" Bone Marrow Registry drive as well as with the Special Olympics Fashion Show, the Asili fashion show and Fashion for Philanthropy.
 
 
Marty Glickman Award – Drew Casey: Presented to the WFUV student play-by-play announcer who best follows the examples taught by Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Glickman.  The award honors the memory of Marty Glickman, who was the broadcast coach at WFUV from 1987-99.
 
Athlete Academic Achievement Awards: (Presented to senior student-athletes who have been selected for outstanding athletic and academic achievement with a 3.5 GPA or better):
 
Fordham College
Luke Arlotto, Football
Turner Block, Soccer
Ally Doyle, Soccer
Destiny Grunin, Tennis
Shanna Heaney, Track & Field
Hugh Lagrotteria, Golf
Kalena Laurent, Swimming & Diving
Nicole Natale, Soccer
Maura O'Donnell, Rowing
Neil Patel, Squash
Brianne Roche, Track & Field
Gerard Roche, Football
Meaghan Roszyk, Track & Field
Mayu Sato, Tennis
James Shinnick, Squash
Christina Ulto, Track & Field
Sydney White, Soccer
 
Gabelli School of Business
Sahil Bahri, Squash
Nicole Bates, Soccer
Sydney Canessa, Softball
Megan Fitzgerald, Soccer
Samantha Foulston, Rowing
Leslie Fung, Rowing
Matt Kozuch, Baseball
Katerina Lisitsin, Swimming & Diving
Jason Lundy, Baseball
Nicole Malicki, Swimming & Diving
Miguel Mattox, Swimming & Diving
Shane McDonald, Baseball
Ryan McGann, Track & Field
Rachel Myers, Soccer
Lauren Quense, Softball
Nicholas Regan, Track & Field
Anthony Salerno, Squash

Team MVPs
 
Baseball: Jimmy Murphy
Men's Basketball: Antwoine Anderson
Women's Basketball: G'mrice Davis
Cheerleading: Anna Palmer
Men's Cross Country: Brian Cook
Women's Cross Country: Angelina Grebe
Football: Chase Edmonds
Golf: Joseph Trim
Rowing: Kara Ramsey
Men's Soccer: Matthew Lewis
Women's Soccer: Nicole Bates
Softball: Sydney Canessa
Squash: Peter Yuen
Men's Swimming & Diving: Joseph Vizza
Women's Swimming & Diving: Megan Polaha
Men's Tennis: Fabian Mauritzson
Women's Tennis: Estelle Wong
Men's Indoor Track & Field: Brian Cook
Women's Indoor Track & Field: Merissa Wright
Volleyball: Olivia Fairchild
Water Polo: R.J. Simmons 
 
Note:  Men's and women's outdoor track have not yet named an MVP