Fordham Athletics Host 84th Annual Block F Awards Dinner

Bronx, N.Y. - As the 2017-2018 season begins to wind down, the Fordham University Athletic Department held its 84th 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 men's soccer's Jannik Loebe, who was the recipient of the Vincent T. Lombardi Award as Fordham's top male student-athlete, women's basketball's 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, who received the Iron Major Award as Fordham's Coach 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 third team All-Midwest region and first team All-Atlantic 10 selection for the second straight year, Loebe appeared in all 23 games for the Rams in 2017, starting 22. He led the squad with nine goals, with two game-winners, and was second on the team in assists (4), and points (22). Loebe tied for fifth in the Atlantic 10 in goals/game and was eighth in total points and led the Rams to a program-best 14 wins last fall.
 

Loebe saved his best for the postseason as he became only the second player in Atlantic 10 history to be named to the Atlantic 10 All-Championship Team four years in a row. He helped Fordham to one of its best seasons ever as the Rams advanced to the final eight at the NCAA Championship. Loebe was Fordham's top scorer in the NCAA Championship with three goals and an assist in four games.
 
Loebe graduates among the Fordham all-time leaders in games played (82 – 2nd), games started (80 – 2nd), points (63 – 6th), goals (25 – 7th), and assists (13 – 11th).
 
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 becomes the first Ram to win back-to-back Hobbs Awards since Kerstin Greene received the honor in 2006 and 2007. She closed out her Fordham career by earning Named Honorable Mention All-America honors and was named the 2018 Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year as well as first team All-Atlantic 10.
 
On the year, Davis averaged 16.5 ppg, second best on team, and a team-high 13.4 rpg. She finished her senior campaign ranked second in the country with 10.2 defensive rebounds per contest, third with 13.4 rebounds per game and 27 double-doubles, and fourth with 429 total boards. She was also tied for most career double-doubles (57) among all active players and was second with 1,199 career rebounds. Her 13.4 rebounding average in 2017-2018 ranks third-most in a single campaign in Fordham history while her 429 rebounds rank fifth and her 208 field goals rank eighth.
 
Davis wrapped up her four-year collegiate career by becoming just the second player in school history to record over 1,000 career points and rebounds, finishing with 1,497 career points and 1,199 rebounds, ranked fourth and second, respectively. She also finishes her career fourth with 589 field goals and fourth with 319 free throws, while her 9.6 rebounding average sits second-highest and 12.0 career scoring average ranks 11^th.
 

McElderry, who won the Iron Major award as the Fordham Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year and for the third time over the past four years, led the men's soccer squad to unprecedented success in 2017 as the Rams not only received the school's first at-large bid to the NCAA Championship but advanced to the final eight of the tournament, the furthest a Fordham men's team has advanced in the NCAAs. Along the way he had eight players earn All-Atlantic 10 honors while the squad finished the year ranked in the top 12 teams in the nation and won a program-record 14 games.
 
The night opened with a special recognition of members of the Fordham Community as the Fr. Leo J. Daly, S.J. and Fr. Paul J. Dugan, S.J. were presented with an honorary letter by Director of Athletics, David Roach.
 
Below is a list of the other award winners:

Patrick Kenneally Award – David Bernard Santana (Sports Information Student 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.
 
Bernard Santana has been an integral part of the Fordham Sports Information Office the past four years. He took served as the producer/director of most of the department's athletic streaming, taking the production of the streams to a new level with his dedication and expertise.
 
 
Terence O'Donnell Award (Sportsmanship & Dedication) – Chris Bazzini (Men's Soccer): 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.
 

Bazzini, a team captain and four-year member of the Fordham men's soccer program, led the Rams to one of the best seasons ever as the Rams advanced to the final eight of the 2017 NCAA Championship. He helped the Fordham defense rank 17th in the NCAA in shutout percentage and 25th in goals against average and was a member of two Atlantic 10 Championship teams and three NCAA Championship squads.
 
Named a Leader of Merit from the Fordham Athletics Leadership Academy in 2017, Bazzini is Fordham's nominee for the Atlantic 10 postgraduate scholarship.
 
According to head coach Jim McElderry: "Chris has been an integral part of our success at Fordham from the minute he stepped on campus in 2014. He arrived as a non-scholarship student-athlete but by the end of that preseason he earned the starting position and has gone on to appear in 74 games. Chris leads by example, plays the game with intensity, competes at all times and is willing to do whatever the team needs of him. He has always sacrificed individual accolades in order for our team to have the chemistry needed to beat teams with more soccer ability. Chris exemplifies what I see as the perfect student-athlete. He leads his peers on the field, in the classroom and in social environments."
 

Jack Coffey Award – Erin Cameron (Asst. Ath. Trainer):  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.
 
Cameron, who just completed her fifth year as an Assistant Athletic Trainer for the Rams, has assisted in the success of two of Fordham's most prosperous sports, Softball and Men's Soccer. She did a tremendous job this year keeping the men's soccer student-athletes healthy on their magical NCAA run and has an amazing work ethic that is deserving of praise.
 
 
Benedict T. Harter Award – Carolina Sa (Women's Tennis): 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. 
 
Sa, a four-year member of the women's tennis team, is a finance major with a concentration in value investment while also minoring in philosophy and economics. She will be a four-year member of the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll.
 
 
Kieran Award – Kat Napoli (Rowing): 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.
 
Napoli, a four-year member of the women's rowing squad, is a communication and culture major with a minor in psychology. She is a member of the Fordham Varsity 8 boat and a four-year member of the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll who was named Academic All-Atlantic 10 in 2017.
 
 
Kiwanis Community Service – Merissa Wright (Women's Track & Field): 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.
 

Wright, a senior with the track and field squad, has been active in a plethora of community service projects over the past four years including:
 
Fordham Dance Marathon Committee volunteer – served as the Athletics Outreach Chair (2016-2018)
A Habitat for Humanity leader (2015-2018)
Founder/Leader of Fordham's GoGirlsGo!
A New Student Orientation Leader (2015-2017)
A Residence Hall Association programmer (2015-2016)
Project Sunshine volunteer (2014-2016)
Special Olympics Club volunteer (2015-2016)
A Dorothy Day Center tutor (2017)
Campus Ministry Leadership team (2015-2016)
Little Scholars After-School Enrichment Teacher (2016-2018)
A Music in Therapy Leader at the Institute for Music and Neurological Function (2018)
 
 
Marty Glickman Award – Matt Murphy: 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
Nele Albers, Women's Swimming and Diving
Michael Campbell, Men's Track and Field
Tommy Christensen, Men's Swimming and Diving
Lauren Conlon, Cheerleading
Katie Dillon, Rowing
Emily Fronk, Volleyball
Brynna Harum, Women's Track and Field
Fritz Heinrich, Men's Track and Field
Hana Kurihara, Rowing
Matthew Lewis, Men's Soccer
Grace Muller, Volleyball
Kat Napoli, Rowing
Eric Ohlendorf, Men's Soccer
Liam Semple, Men's Swimming and Diving
Kristen Shuman, Rowing
Alex Tunaru, Men's Swimming and Diving
Clayton Welsh, Football
Carlie Wagner, Women's Soccer
Estelle Wong, Women's Tennis
 
 
Gabelli School of Business
Christopher Bazzini, Men's Soccer
Jake Bernardo, Baseball
Jordan Black, Men's Soccer
Rachel Collage, Women's Soccer
Jonathan Dimon, Football
Harris Durkovic, Men's Tennis
Joseph Kavaloski, Men's Tennis
John Lennon, Squash
Zachary Miklos, Men's Swimming & Diving
James Mongey, Golf
Carolina Sa, Women's Tennis
Matt Schiller, Golf

Team MVPs
 
Baseball: Ben Greenberg
Men's Basketball: Prokop Slanina
Women's Basketball: G'mrice Davis
Cheerleading: Melanie Taylor
Men's Cross Country: Thomas Slattery
Women's Cross Country: Angelina Grebe
Football: Dylan Mabin
Golf: Joseph Trim
Rowing: Kristen Shuman
Men's Soccer: Jannik Loebe
Women's Soccer: Brooke Salmon
Softball: Madie Aughinbaugh
Squash: Griffin Fitzgerald
Men's Swimming & Diving: Joe Mercurio
Women's Swimming & Diving: Amelia Bullock
Men's Tennis: Max Green
Women's Tennis: Gianna Insogna
Men's Indoor Track & Field: Thomas Slattery
Women's Indoor Track & Field: Mary Kate Kenny
Volleyball: Morgan Williams
Water Polo: Jake Miller-Tolt
 
Note:  Men's and women's outdoor track have not yet named an MVP