Photo by: Paul Hokanson / UB Athletics
Student-Athletes Honored at Annual Victors Celebration
5/7/2025 3:33:00 PM | Football, General, Men's Basketball, Men's Tennis, Softball, 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 Shaun Dolac of football and Chellia Watson of women's basketball, respectively. Dolac became the program's first-ever consensus All-American and was the Mid-American Conference's Defensive Player of the Year after earning a program-record five MAC Player of the Week awards and was also a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy. Watson was earned First Team All-MAC honors for the second straight season after leading the MAC and ranking in the top 20 nationally in scoring average, total points and field goals made.
The Team of the Year Award had co-winners with men's and women's tennis sharing the title after their MAC championship titles and NCAA tournament appearances.
The Individual Moment of the Year was awarded to Ryan Sabol of men's basketball and women's swimming and diving's Marialis Kwak. Sabol became the fastest Bull in program history to reach 100 made threes in UB's game at Georgia, doing so in just 42 games. Kwak was named MAC Diver of the Year for the third straight year after taking the gold in the 1-meter and 3-meter dive at the 2025 MAC Championships.
The Newcomer of the Year was awarded to men's tennis' Faiz Nasyam and women's swimming and diving's Isabella Forsman. Nasyam led the team with 24 singles victories, including multiple match-clinching wins in conference play, while also recording 17 doubles victories, which earned him MAC Doubles Team of the Week honors. Forsman was named Freshman Swimmer of the Year and to the All-MAC First Team after winning the silver in the 400 individual medley and silver in the 800-freestyle relay at the 2025 MAC Championships.
The night also included several academic awards.
The MAC Medal of Excellence was awarded to volleyball's Maria Futey and Cole French of wrestling.
The FormidaBULL Scholar Award was given to three student-athletes - football's Jacqez Barksdale and Xavier Leonard and softball's Mia Mitchell.
Kwak was recognized for earning the Clifford C. Furnace Award.
The Chrisy Dickerson Unsung Hero Award was given to Abigail Malmstrom of swimming and diving.
Track and Field's Justin Kelppel and women's soccer's Olivia Bizzoni, respectively, were presented with the Male and Female Ideal Bull Award.
A new addition to the academic awards, the Team Academic Achievement Award, given to the team with the highest GPA in the past year, went to the women's tennis team.
The One4Mon Courageous Student-Athlete Award was presented to Kaylin Ricci of women's soccer.
The Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Award went to student-athletes Amber McDonald and Kleppel and Associate Athletic Trainer, Lauren Lawther.
A new award added this year is the Ronald Balter Behind the Scenes Champion Scholarship which is given to a student manager or practice player who works with any of UB's teams and demonstrates high character, strong work ethic and has a GPA of 2.8 or higher. The winner is selected by the athletic department based upon the input of coaches and administrators. The inaugural winner was head women's basketball manager Ella Unger.
The top award of Male and Female Athlete of the Year went to Shaun Dolac of football and Chellia Watson of women's basketball, respectively. Dolac became the program's first-ever consensus All-American and was the Mid-American Conference's Defensive Player of the Year after earning a program-record five MAC Player of the Week awards and was also a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy. Watson was earned First Team All-MAC honors for the second straight season after leading the MAC and ranking in the top 20 nationally in scoring average, total points and field goals made.
The Team of the Year Award had co-winners with men's and women's tennis sharing the title after their MAC championship titles and NCAA tournament appearances.
The Individual Moment of the Year was awarded to Ryan Sabol of men's basketball and women's swimming and diving's Marialis Kwak. Sabol became the fastest Bull in program history to reach 100 made threes in UB's game at Georgia, doing so in just 42 games. Kwak was named MAC Diver of the Year for the third straight year after taking the gold in the 1-meter and 3-meter dive at the 2025 MAC Championships.
The Newcomer of the Year was awarded to men's tennis' Faiz Nasyam and women's swimming and diving's Isabella Forsman. Nasyam led the team with 24 singles victories, including multiple match-clinching wins in conference play, while also recording 17 doubles victories, which earned him MAC Doubles Team of the Week honors. Forsman was named Freshman Swimmer of the Year and to the All-MAC First Team after winning the silver in the 400 individual medley and silver in the 800-freestyle relay at the 2025 MAC Championships.
The night also included several academic awards.
The MAC Medal of Excellence was awarded to volleyball's Maria Futey and Cole French of wrestling.
The FormidaBULL Scholar Award was given to three student-athletes - football's Jacqez Barksdale and Xavier Leonard and softball's Mia Mitchell.
Kwak was recognized for earning the Clifford C. Furnace Award.
The Chrisy Dickerson Unsung Hero Award was given to Abigail Malmstrom of swimming and diving.
Track and Field's Justin Kelppel and women's soccer's Olivia Bizzoni, respectively, were presented with the Male and Female Ideal Bull Award.
A new addition to the academic awards, the Team Academic Achievement Award, given to the team with the highest GPA in the past year, went to the women's tennis team.
The One4Mon Courageous Student-Athlete Award was presented to Kaylin Ricci of women's soccer.
The Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Award went to student-athletes Amber McDonald and Kleppel and Associate Athletic Trainer, Lauren Lawther.
A new award added this year is the Ronald Balter Behind the Scenes Champion Scholarship which is given to a student manager or practice player who works with any of UB's teams and demonstrates high character, strong work ethic and has a GPA of 2.8 or higher. The winner is selected by the athletic department based upon the input of coaches and administrators. The inaugural winner was head women's basketball manager Ella Unger.
Players Mentioned
RB
/ Football
D/M
/ Women's Soccer
LB
/ Football
/ Swimming and Diving
141
/ Wrestling
L/OH
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Swimming and Diving
S
/ Football
/ Swimming and Diving
/ Track and Field
OF
/ Softball
/ Men's Tennis
D/M
/ Women's Soccer
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
G
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