West Babylon, N.Y. - The East Coast Conference released its annual end of year award winners this morning, highlighted by Molloy University winning both its second-straight Commissioner's Cup and Community Cup Awards. The Lions also took home the ECC Cares Award for the fifth time, had three student-athletes recognized as sport-specific scholar athletes, and one honored with the John Smilie Jr. Award.
The Commissioner's Cup is emblematic of the league's top program across its 18 championship sports. In 2022-23, Molloy advanced to postseason play in 15 of the 17 sports it sponsors, won at least a share of four Regular Season Championships (men's soccer, women's lacrosse, softball, baseball) and had six teams finish as runner-ups in the ECC Championships (men's soccer, women's soccer, volleyball, women's bowling, softball, baseball). In total, the Lions scored 89 points in the scoring system, nearly a full nine points above second-place Roberts Wesleyan.
"It is very rewarding to win the ECC Commissioner's Cup for the second consecutive year," stated Director of Athletics Susan Cassidy-Lyke. "It recognizes the hard work and determination of all our student-athletes and coaches. I have so much respect and appreciation for everyone that contributes to what we achieve."
Molloy was also awarded the ECC Community Cup for the second-straight year. The Community Cup is awarded to the institution that records the greatest number of community service and community engagement hours per student-athlete. This year, Molloy student-athletes worked with the Molloy Opportunity for Successful Transition (MOST) program on campus designed for college-aged individuals with developmental disabilities with a number of clinics, participated in Midnight Runs to supply meals to New York City's homeless populations, and participated in cause-specific awareness initiatives such as Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, Autism Speaks, and suicide prevention among others.
In total, student-athletes logged over 3000 hours of community service, averaging out to 8.33 hours per student-athlete.
Molloy also raised over $7300 for charitable causes, totaling $19.85 per student-athlete, helping the Lions win the ECC Cares Award for the fifth year. Recipients of the efforts included Shootout for Soldiers, the DezyStrong Foundation, and a number of cancer-fighting organizations.
In the classroom, the ECC also recognizes Scholar-Athletes of the Year for each of its championship sports. The recipients each hold at least a 3.30 GPA, have reached at least sophomore academic and athletic standing, and are a starter or key reserve for their respective team. Molloy's award winners are: sophomore Aiden Watson (men's cross country, environmental studies major and All-ECC Second Team selection), junior Joanna Mauceri (women's lacrosse, childhood education-English/special education major and two-sport All-Conference selection), and graduate student Nick Conklu (men's soccer, criminal justice major and ECC Goalkeeper of the Year).
Each year, the league also recognizes student-athletes who have overcome personal or physical challenges and hardships to pursue their intercollegiate athletic careers with the John Smilie Jr. Award.
After transferring to Molloy from NYIT in 2021, Ryan O'Neill made an immediate impact on the Molloy men's lacrosse program. He started and played in the first 10 games of the season before sustaining a knee injury. O'Neill endured extensive injury to the structures in his knee, including a full rupture of the ACL and would miss the remainder of the season. He underwent reconstructive surgery, recovered, and rehabbed all summer. After sitting out for the Fall 2022 season, O'Neill was cleared and ready to return. Unfortunately, after a few practices back, he suffered another knee injury, which ended up resulting in another tear of his ACL in the same knee he worked so hard to come back from.
With the help of a great deal of functional testing, consults with the team's physician, and plenty of conversations with the sports medicine staff, O'Neill opted to return to lacrosse without surgery, meaning he would be playing competitive collegiate lacrosse without an ACL, a feat that not many have done. He returned for the last playoff game of the season in 2022 and this past year, without an ACL, O'Neill never sat out of a practice or game and was a key component and valuable member of a strong Molloy defense.
For a full breakdown of the ECC Annual Awards, click here.