April 30, 2007

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Providence College honored its top athletes at the 46th annual Athletic Awards Banquet on Monday, April 30, 2007. The social hour and awards ceremony were held at the Smith Center for Performing Arts on the campus of Providence College in Providence, R.I.

Graduate student Aine Hoban (Wakefield, England), who earned All-BIG EAST and All-America honors this year, was named the College's Female Athlete of the Year for Individual Sports. Senior All-America cross country and track star Martin Fagan (Mullingar, Ireland), earned Male Athlete of the Year for Individual Sports for the third-consecutive year. Fagan and former Friar Ryan Gomes are the only Providence student-athletes to have won Athlete of the Year honors three times in their careers. Senior Lauren Sickel (Plaistow, N.H.), an All-America selection and member of the Friars' nationally ranked field hockey team, was selected as the school's Female Athlete of the Year for Team Sports. Junior Ryan Maduro (Bristol, R.I.), who was named an All-American in men's soccer, was honored as the school's Male Athlete of the Year for Team Sports.

Along with the Athlete of the Year Awards, five other major awards were presented at the banquet. Senior Sonny Watrous (Albuquerque, N.M.), a member of the Friar women's ice hockey team, was the winner of the Paul Connolly Award as the female athlete who has distinguished herself among her peers through sportsmanship, courage and honor. Men's basketball player Herbert Hill (Kinston, N.C.), was named the winner of the Mal Brown Award. The Mal Brown Award is given annually to the male athlete whose career of intercollegiate competition portrayed sportsmanship, courage and honor.

The Sine Qua Non Awards, given annually to the male and female athletes who have distinguished themselves among their peers without receiving proper recognition, were presented to senior men's ice hockey player Tony Zancanaro (Trenton, Mich.) and senior women's swim team member Annie Nemeth (Pittsburgh, Pa.). Senior Colleen Walsh (South Easton, Mass.), a member of the Friar field hockey team, was the recipient of the Jane Thompson Award, which is presented to the male or female senior student-athlete who personifies all that is good about being a student-athlete at Providence College and exhibits selflessness, dedication, loyalty, courage and perseverance under the most extreme personal circumstances.

During the 2006 cross country season, Hoban earned All-America honors for the first time in her career with a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Hoban's effort helped Providence to its highest team finish (seventh) at the NCAAs since placing third in 2004. It also marked the 16th time in program history that the Friars placed in the top-10 as a team at the NCAAs. Hoban also paced the women's team at the 2006 BIG EAST Cross Country Championship and earned All-BIG EAST recognition with a second-place finish overall. Her performance at the BIG EAST Championships helped the women's squad capture its fifth BIG EAST team title overall and first since 2004. During the indoor track season, Hoban earned her second straight nod to the All-America Team after being named in the fall to the cross country All-America team. Aine won four of the seven races she entered this season. Hoban completed the season with a fifth place finish in the 5,000 meter run at the NCAA Championships. She led the Friars at the BIG EAST Indoor Track Championships with a first place finish in the 5,000 meters and a second place finish in the 3,000 meters. Hoban followed her strong efforts at the BIG EAST Championship with an even greater performance at the New England Championships. She won the 3,000 meter race finishing in a time of 9:24.49, making her New England Champion. Thus far through the outdoor track season, Hoban captured the 5,000 meters at the Penn relays. She also has had a second place finish in the 10,000 meters at the Stanford Invitational. With this time, Hoban has automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Fagan earned All-America honors for the second-straight year in cross country after leading the Friars to a ninth-place team finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Fagan placed fifth at the NCAAs with a time of 31:01. He also captured the BIG EAST individual cross country title, en route to guiding the Friars to their 15th team title overall and first since 2000. His time of 23:09 at the BIG EAST Championship set a BIG EAST course record at Franklin Park (Boston, Mass.), eclipsing the previous mark of 23:21, set by former Friar Keith Kelly `01. During the indoor track season, Fagan was named to his fourth All-America Team in the past two years. Fagan was named to the 2005 and 2006 cross country All-America team, the 2006 outdoor track All-America team, and now the 2007 indoor track All-America team. He also garnered the USTFCCCA Northeast Region Male Athlete of the Year on November 17 for his performance in the 2006 season. Fagan wrapped up this year's indoor track season with a sixth-place finish in the 3,000 meter run at the NCAA Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. At the New England Championships, Fagan took first in the 5,000 meters registering a New England Meet Record time of 13:55.02. He led the Friars at the BIG EAST Indoor Track Championships with an individual title winning the 3,000 meter race.

Sickel led the Providence College field hockey team to an impressive 18-4 overall record and a 5-1 mark in the BIG EAST Conference. The Friars captured the BIG EAST Regular-Season title and were ranked in the NFHCA Division I National Coaches' Poll for nine-consecutive weeks, including seven-straight weeks in the top-15. The midfielder was a unanimous First-Team All-BIG EAST selection - earning her All-BIG EAST honors for the third-straight season. Sickel also earned NFHCA Division I All-Northeast Region recognition and became the first Friar since 1996 to earn All-America honors as a member of the NFHCA Division I All-America Third-Team. Sickel is just one of eight players in program history to be named All-American. She finished the 2006 season with 12 points on four goals and four assists.

Maduro enjoyed a strong season as the men's soccer team made its second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. He was one of 12 players to be named to the All-America First Team, marking the second time in the 39-year history of the PC soccer program that a PC player garnered First Team All-America accolades. In all, Maduro is the third Friar all-time to be named All-American. Maduro, who also became the first PC player to be named to the All-BIG EAST First Team and garnered NSCAA All-Northeast Region First Team honors, was instrumental in leading the Friars to their best record (13-7) since 1984 and reach BIG EAST Championship Semifinals for the third time in the last four seasons. In addition, the Friars made school history when they earned their second consecutive NCAA Tournament berth for the first time ever. PC also set a school record with seven BIG EAST Conference wins. In 20 matches, Maduro recorded three goals and four assists for 10 points, which ranked fourth on the team.

Watrous led the Friars to a second place finish at the HOCKEY EAST Tournament in her senior season. Over the course of her career she became one of the Friars' most prolific scorers of all-time. In 137 games played she totaled 137 points on 67 goals and 70 assists. Her 137 points rank her 16th best all-time, while her 137 games played ranks as the fifth highest total in Friar history. She was named HOCKEY EAST Player of the Week five times in her career, including once this past season following a personal best six point performance versus Vermont on January 6. In 2003, she was the HOCKEY EAST Rookie of the Year, and in 2006 she was an All-HOCKEY EAST Second Team selection.

Hill, led the team in scoring (18.1 ppg), was second in rebounding (8.8 rpg) and recorded 14 double-doubles. He became just the third Friar ever to lead the BIG EAST in scoring as he averaged 19.9 ppg in league action. He shot 240-375 from the field and finished with a 64.0 field goals percentage, which is the third highest single season average ever at Providence College. He was named BIG EAST Most Improved Player and also received First Team All-BIG EAST honors. In addition to the BIG EAST accolades, Hill also was named First Team USBWA All-District I, First Team NABC All-District I and Rhode Island Division I Player of the Year. Hill was named BIG EAST Player of the Week twice in 2007. He also earned the team's Jimmy Walker Most Valuable Player Award and the Marvin Barnes Defensive Player Award. Hill finished his career ranked fourth all-time at PC in blocked shots with 189.

Zancanaro, who never missed a game in a Friar uniform, was one of the top leaders on the men's hockey team over the last four seasons. A two-year captain, Zancanaro played in all 146 games at Providence College, including 36 this season. He ranks tied for eighth all-time in games played. In addition, he finished tied for fifth on the team in scoring this season with 13 points on five goals and eight assists.

Nemeth, a 2006-07 team captain, helped lead the women's team to a 4-4 record this season. Nemeth qualified for the BIG EAST Championships in three events, the 200 yard medley relay, the 200 yard freestyle relay, and the 200 yard individual medley. The 200 yard medley relay team finished 12th in a time of 1:54.65 and the 200 yard freestyle relay team placed 12th as well, in a time of 1:43.25. Nemeth placed 37th in the 200-yard individual medley in a time of 2:13.74. At this year's end of the year banquet, Nemeth was awarded the David Hardy Coach's Award for her loyalty, dedication, good sportsmanship and outstanding effort, in both academics and athletics. She was also the 2005 recipient of the Cindi Luciani Award, which honors the women's most valuable student-athlete in dual and championship meet competition.

Walsh, a forward on the Friars' nationally ranked field hockey team, appeared in 14 games for Providence during the 2006 season. Walsh overcame a host of injuries during her first three seasons with the program, but remained committed to the team and played an injury-free senior season. Walsh is very active in the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, and in doing so, she is involved with many community service and outreach projects. She also is a role model in the classroom, having earned NFHCA Division I National Academic Squad and BIG EAST Academic All-Star honors during each of her four years with the program.

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