University of New England

Athletics Department honors outstanding 2005-2006 athletes

Athletes of the Year, Rookies of the Year and Athlete-scholars of the Year were named at the University of New England Department of Athletics annual awards ceremony Sunday, May 7, 2006.

Athletes of the Year
Essie McKinnon '06 and Matt McManus '06 were voted UNE Female and Male Athletes of the Year. 

McKinnon, co-captain of the women's basketball team, was chosen second team all-Commonwealth Coast Conference after averaging 12.8 points and 8.1 rebounds.  She became the 16th player in UNE women's basketball history to score more than 1,000 career points.  McKinnon was chosen to participate in the New England Senior All-Star Classic.  McKinnon, whose hometown is South Portland, Maine, graduated May 13th with a B.S. in medical biology/pre-physician assistant. She will be a graduate student next fall in UNE's  Physician Assistant Program on the Westbrook College Campus.

McManus, co-captain of the men's basketball team, finished his career at UNE seventh all-time in points scored with 1,506.  This season, he averaged 15.4 points per game and was selected second team all-Commonwealth Coast Conference.  As a member of the golf team, he received the Coach's Award. McManus, whose home town is Cumberland, Rhode Island, graduated May 13th with a B.S. in business administration. This past semester he has been doing a media and public relations internship with the Portland Pirates,  the American Hockey League affiliate to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.

Rookies of the Year
Jess Silvio '09 and Sam Powell '08 were chosen UNE Female and Male Rookies of the Year.  Silvio, a pitcher on the women's softball team, had an 8-6 pitching record with a 1.78 earned run average.  She held opponents to a .229 batting average and issued just 18 walks in 86.1 innings of work.  Silvio hurled a no-hitter versus Eastern Nazarene College on April 1 and had a stretch of 30 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. Silvio, an applied exercise science major, is from Beverly, Mass.

Powell, who ran cross country, competed in seven of his team's eight events and was the first UNE runner to finish in five of his seven starts.  His best showing of the season was a 10th-place effort at the Fitchburg State College Invitational.  Powell placed 12th at the Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship. The medical biology major is from China, Maine.

Senior Athlete-Scholars of the Year
McManus and Kayla Hinkley '06 were named Senior Athlete-Scholars of the Year.

Hinkley, a member of the Women's Lacrosse team, graduated May 13 with a B.S. in Health Sciences. She will be a fifth-year student in the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy Program next year. She is from Berlin, N.H.

UNE All-Academic Team

Members of the UNE All-Academic Team must be a sophomore, junior or senior with a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher.

Jess Beisswanger*, Basketball (3.75)
Alyssa Bergeron*,  Field Hockey (3.88)
Whitney Blais*, Lacrosse (3.82)
Scott Bottomley*, Soccer/Lacrosse (3.75)
Tom Button*, Golf/Basketball (3.55)
Meri Chaffee*, Lacrosse (3.52)
Amanda Chase*, Field Hockey/Lacrosse (3.57)
Angela Cicia*, Volleyball (3.98)
Chelsea Cummings*, Softball (3.68)
Jon Ebert*, Lacrosse (3.63)
Alissa Ehmke*, Volleyball (3.65)
Marissa Hesketh*, Basketball (3.77)
Jennie Holmes*, Cross Country (3.62)
Kristen Kelly*, Cross Country (3.51)
Shaina Kraus, Swimming (3.64)
Dustin Lea*,  Soccer (3.73)
Caitlin Mason*, Soccer (3.68)
Sarah McKay, Swimming (3.59)
Matt McManus*, Golf/Basketball (3.66)
Craig North*, Cross Country (3.64)
Michaela O’Rourke*, Softball (3.92)
Ashley Pellerin*, Lacrosse (3.57)
Tyler Rioux * Cross Country 3.87
Sam Robbins*, Basketball (3.66)
Andrea Rotz*, Cross Country (3.85)
Megan Sevey*, Field Hockey (3.71)
Isaac Stickney*, Golf/Basketball (3.95)
Megan Trusselle*, Lacrosse (3.60)
Amy Young*, Cross Country/Swimming (3.81)

* denotes member of CCC Academic All-Conference Team

Other Awards
Click for a complete listing of award winners for each of the 13 varsity sports.

(Press release issued May 18, 2006)