Student-Athletes Honored at Annual Victors Celebration

Photo by: Paul Hokanson/UBBulls.com

Photo by: Ken Smith/UBBulls.com

Photo by: Paul Hokanson/UBBulls.com

Photo by: Ken Smith/UBBulls.com

Photo by: Paul Hokanson/UBBulls.com

Photo by: Ken Smith/UBBulls.com

Photo by: Paul Hokanson/UBBulls.com

Student-Athletes Honored at Annual Victors Celebration

5/9/2023 10:14:00 AM | Football, Men's Tennis, Men's Track and Field, Track and Field, Women's Basketball, Women's Soccer, Women's Tennis, Women's Volleyball, Wrestling, Swimming and Diving, Office of Student-Athlete Success

BUFFALO, NY – UB Athletics held its annual Victors award show on Monday night. The event honors the academic and athletic success of UB student-athletes.

The top award of Male and Female Athlete of the Year went to Marcus Fuqua of football and Emily Kelly of soccer, respectively. An All-MAC safety, Fuqua was named an Associated Press All-American after leading the nation in interceptions in 2022. Kelly was the Mid-American Conference Goalkeeper of the Year and a second-team All-American while finishing her career as Buffalo's all-time winningest goalkeeper with 54 wins and a school-record 35 shutouts.

The Team of the Year Award went to women's soccer for their 2022 MAC title and trip to the NCAA Tournament.

The Individual Moment of the Year was awarded to Jonathan Surdej of track and field and women's swimming's Toni Naccarella. Surdej won the shot put event at the 2023 Indoor MAC Championships. Naccarella won two gold medals at the 2023 MAC Championships.

The Newcomer of the Year was awarded to football's Cole Snyder and soccer's Ellie Simmons. Snyder started all 13 games at quarterback and became just the third quarterback in program history to throw for 3,000 yards in a season. Simmons was the MAC Defensive Player of the Year as well as an All-MAC First Team and a MAC All-Freshman Team selection.

The night also included several academic awards.

The MAC Medal of Excellence was awarded to wrestling's Giuseppe Hoose and Olivia DeBortoli of volleyball and women's basketball.

The FormidaBULL Scholar Award was given to four student-athletes - football's Jaylon Bass, men's tennis' Greg Hastings, women's basketball's Jazmine Young and women's tennis' Azra Deniz Comlek.

Christina Wende of the women's track and field team was recognized for earning the Clifford C. Furnace Award.

The Chrisy Dickerson Unsung Hero Award was given to Simon Wibler of the men's tennis team.

Football's Shaun Dolac and women's tennis' Gabriella Akopyan, respectively, were presented with the Male and Female Ideal Bull Award.

The One4Mon Courageous Student-Athlete Award was presented to football's Jovany Ruiz.

The inaugural Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Award went to Melanie Bliz of Athletic Academic Affairs and women's basketball's Emerita Mashaire.