Fordham Athletics Host 85th Annual Block F Awards Dinner

Bronx, N.Y. - As the 2018-2019 season begins to wind down, the Fordham University Athletic Department held its 85th 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 Janos Loebe, who was the recipient of the Vincent T. Lombardi Award as Fordham's top male student-athlete, women's basketball's Mary Goulding, recipient of the Claire and Jack Hobbs Award as Fordham's top female student-athletes and head women's basketball coach Stephanie Gaitley, 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 one of football's greatest coaches.
 

Named the 2018 Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year, his second A-10 Offensive Player of the Year award, Loebe also earned First Team All-Region honors for the second straight season. A two-time Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Week, he led the Atlantic 10 with eleven assists during the regular season and registered 25 points on the season to tie for the league lead. Loebe scored seven goals which tied for ninth in the league, with three game-winning goals, tying for sixth.
 
Nationally, Loebe ranked fourth in total assists as well as second in assists per game, while being 34th in total points and 23rd in points per game.
 
Loebe, who selected in the first round of the MLS SuperDraft by the NY Red Bulls, graduates with 31 career assists, which is second on the all-time list at Fordham, only behind New York Red Bulls II Head Coach John Wolyniec. He is also third in games started (78), fourth in career points at Fordham (83) and games played (79), and tied for sixth in career goals (26).
 
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. 

Goulding becomes the fourth straight women's basketball student-athlete to win the Hobbs Award. She closed out her Fordham career by earning First Team All-Atlantic 10 honors, leading the Rams to their first ever regular season Atlantic 10 championship and the team's second Atlantic 10 title, earning Atlantic 10 Championship Most Outstanding Player accolades.
 

Goulding was also named Second Team All-Met and Honorable Mention All-ECAC as well as Academic All-Atlantic 10. She led the Rams in every statistical category besides scoring, averaging 12.8 points on 47.9% shooting overall and 39.8% from behind the arc, the latter mark tied for 10^th all-time in a single season. Goulding also averaged 8.4 rebounds, which ranked third in the conference, and had a team-high 94 assists, 41 steals, and nine blocks.
 
Over her three-year Fordham career, Goulding scored 749 points and grabbed 524 rebounds.
 
Gaitley, who won the Iron Major award as the Fordham Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year and for the third time overall, led the women's basketball program to its first ever regular season Atlantic 10 championship and the team's second Atlantic 10 title.
 
Overseeing one of the youngest groups in the country during the 2018-19 campaign, Gaitley led the Rams to a 25-win season, tying for third-most in the program's history, while the squad also set a new record with nine straight conference wins and tied the record for a 12-game overall win streak that stretched into and through the Atlantic 10 championship, where Fordham coasted to the title with an average margin of victory of just under 23 points in three games. After starting the year 5-5 the team went on a 20-3 run to finish with a 13-3 record in league play, a new school benchmark for victories, and a first-round bye. Fordham was named a 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament and drew an opening round game at nationally-ranked Syracuse.
 
Despite a young squad of just three upperclassmen out of 16, the Rams enjoyed their highest-ever finish in the national ranks in several categories, namely finishing the year ninth in the country in scoring defense, allowing just 54.4 points per game. Fordham was also seventh in turnovers per game (11.5) and ninth in fouls per game (13.3). The Rams were also 37^th in assist/turnover ratio (1.14) and sank the 37^th-most three-pointers in the nation (267), a new school single-season record. In regard to the former number, five players finished with at least 50 assists on the year and four recorded between 80 and 94 on the year.
 

The night opened with a special recognition of members of the Fordham Community as the Frank Aiello, GABELL '76, PAR '23 and his wife Maria Aiello, PAR '23 were presented with an honorary letter by Director of Athletics, David Roach.
 
Below is a list of the other award winners:

Patrick Kenneally Award – Tyler Rozier (Women's Basketball 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.
 
Rozier has been involved with the women's basketball program for the past two seasons, assisting with the marketing committee, and serving as a team manager. A Bronx resident, he walks to and from campus every day for practices, games, and other community service commitments. Outside of athletics, Rozier is a member of the E-board for Students of Fair Trade and Spes Nova and is a mentee through the Fordham mentors program and a member of the Pet Advocacy for Underprivileged Survivors (PAUS), USG Sustainability Committee, Fordham SEAJ, and other clubs on campus. Upon graduation in May, he will begin his career with Teach for America in Houston, Texas
 
 
Terence O'Donnell Award (Sportsmanship & Dedication) – Chelsea Skrepenak (Softball): 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.
 
Skrepenak, a four-year member of the softball squad, won three Atlantic 10 titles over her first three years with the Rams. She has served with the Fordham ROTC for the past three seasons and, last year, was sworn into the United States Army prior to a game. Skrepenak
will graduate this year as 2nd Lieutenant and hopes to become a JAG officer.
 
According to head softball coach Melissa Inouye: "Chelsea is one of the most passionate and competitive players I've had the pleasure of coaching. She is well respected by her teammates, coaches and peers for her work ethic, loyalty to Fordham Softball all while balancing her obligations as a cadet in Fordham's ROTC program."
 

Jack Coffey Award – Kim Mallow (Athletic Department Executive Secretary):  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.
 
Mallow, has been a mainstay in the athletic department and is the first face you see when you walk in the office. She is always ready to assist with any project and is a large part of the success of Block F Awards dinner.
 
 
Benedict T. Harter Award – Clara Gastaldi (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. 
 
Gastaldi is a three-year member and two-year starter with the women's soccer program.  A Business Administration major with a concentration in Marketing, she is a two-time Academic All-Atlantic 10 honoree and last fall was named to the Google Cloud/CoSIDA) Academic All-District^® women's soccer team.
 
 
Kieran Award – Justin Esposito (Squash): 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.
 
Esposito is a three-year member of the squash program. An Integrative Neuroscience major with a concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience, he helped the team to the CSA Chaffee Cup championship this year, tying for the team-lead with 20 wins.
 
 
Kiwanis Community Service – Maria Trivelpiece (Softball): 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.
 
Trivelpiece, a senior with the softball squad, has been active in a plethora of community service projects over the past four years. Her projects include serving as a Murray-Weigel volunteer, working as a Fordham Center for Psychological Services Outreach intern and assisting POTS, Part of the Solution, to help feed the homeless. POTS was Fordham Kiwanis' theme service project this year as they raised over $15,000 for new refrigeration units.
 
 
Marty Glickman Award – Emmanuel Berbari and Dominic Capone: 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
Will Beatrez, Squash
Jacqueline Dominger, Women's Swimming & Diving
Justin Esposito, Squash
Mary Goulding, Women's Basketball
Angelina Grebe, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Gianna Insogna, Women's Tennis
Daniel Miklos, Men's Soccer
Matt Miller, Men's Soccer
Emma Spoldi, Rowing
Maria Trivelpiece, Softball
Whitney Weisberg, Women's Tennis
Julia Wiseman, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
 
Gabelli School of Business
Tara Brunner, Women's Swimming & Diving
Gabrielle Celia, Women's Swimming & Diving
Mike Cowell, Baseball
Ethan D'Arcangelo, Men's Swimming & Diving
Neve Devine, Women's Track & Field
Chris Downing, Men's Basketball
Blake Elwood, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Clara Gastaldi, Women's Soccer
Thomas Hayes, Golf
Colleen Hickey, Women's Soccer
Amie Ko, Women's Swimming & Diving
Owen Lawrence, Men's Soccer
Josh Madarang, Golf
Morgan Menzzasalma, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Erin Parker, Rowing
Bryce Petty, Football
Caroline Roncinske, Rowing
Erin Stepka, Rowing
Anthony Zimmerman, Baseball
 
Team MVPs
 
Baseball: Jake MacKenzie
Men's Basketball: Antwon Portley
Women's Basketball: Mary Goulding
Cheerleading: Gabby DiVerita
Men's Cross Country: Ryan Kutch
Women's Cross Country: Angelina Grebe
Football: Isaiah Searight
Golf: Josh Madarang
Rowing: Erin Parker
Men's Soccer: Janos Loebe
Women's Soccer: Brooke Salmon
Softball: Jordy Storm
Squash: Justin Deckoff
Men's Swimming & Diving: Greg Lombana
Women's Swimming & Diving: Tara Brunner
Men's Tennis: Max Green
Women's Tennis: Arina Taluyenko
Men's Indoor Track & Field: Ryan Kutch
Women's Indoor Track & Field: Kathryn Kelly
Volleyball: Kaitlin Morley
Water Polo: Jake Miller-Tolt
 
Note:  Men's and women's outdoor track have not yet named an MVP