Central Islip, N.Y. - Saint-Jacob Diodonet (West Milford, N.J.) of St. Thomas Aquinas has been named the ECC Men's Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year, while Chelsea Hayward (Litchfield, Conn.) of Roberts Wesleyan and Simone Grant (Bronx, N.Y.) of University of the District of Columbia share the Women's Athlete of the Year honor. The awards were voted on by the conference’s coaches.
Diodonet, a six-time ECC Track Athlete of the Week, had an outstanding debut season for the Spartans. A sprinter, Diodonet mainly competed in the 60m dash, 200m dash, and 400m dash, excelling in all three events. He earned All-Region honors in all three events, ranking first in the East Region in both the 200m and 400m. His top 400m time of 47.77 seconds was also ranked 12th in all of Division II to earn a spot in the upcoming NCAA Division II Championship.
Diodonet also earned the coaches' vote as the Most Oustanding Men's Athlete of the ECC Championship award. He was a First Team All-Conference finisher in the 60m, 200m, 400m and added a third place finish in the 4x400m relay to score 34 points on the day. He was first across the line in both the 200m (6.96) and 400m (48.71) dash.
Hayward and Grant share the top honor of ECC Women's Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year. Hayward, a sophomore who earned ECC Track Athlete of the Week three times during the season, broke multiple school records throughout the year. Her name now sits atop the Redhawks' leader board in the 60m, 200m, and 400m. In addition, Hayward did not lose once in the 200m throughout the season, including the ECC Championship in which she set new meet record. Hayward, who was also the ECC Champion in the 60m, has qualified for the NCAA Division II Championship in the 200m, entering the meet seeded 16th with a time of 24.53.
Grant earns the second major conference honor of her career after being voted the ECC Women's Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year honor in 2015. Grant's 2016 indoor season saw her earn All-Region honors with the fourth best marks in the long jump and 200m. The one-time ECC Indoor Track Athlete of the Week also ranked seventh in the region in the 60m.
Grant's best day of the season came in the ECC Championship meet, earning her Most Outstanding Athlete of the Championship meet honors, as well. Grant competed in five events and earned All-Conference recognition in all of them, earning the Firebirds 36 points towards their runner-up total. She earned First-Team All-Conference honors for winning the long jump (5.64m) and 4x400m relay (3:58.85) and for finishing second in the 200m (24.98). In addition, she earned Second Team recognition for her fourth place finishes in the 60m (7.91) and the triple jump (11.02m).
Merl McGinnis of Roberts Wesleyan earned the ECC Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year honors for both genders after leading his teams to the titles at the championship meet for the second straight season.
The ECC also announces the All-Conference finishers from the championship meet. The top two finishers in each event were named First Team All-Conference, while the third and fourth place finishers earned Second Team All-Conference distinction. A list of all winners can be found below.
2016 ECC Indoor Track and Field All-Conference Awards
Women’s First Team
60m dash: Chelsea Hayward, Roberts Wesleyan & Kathleen Amstad, Roberts Wesleyan
200m dash: Chelsea Hayward, Roberts Wesleyan & Simone Grant, Dist. Columbia
400m dash: Jerily Benjamin, Dist. Columbia & Gabriela Sloezen, St. Thomas Aquinas
500m dah: Marlena Wright, Dist. Columbia & Francesca Dee, Georgian Court
800m run: Jessica Handsaker, Georgian Court & Diana Cruz, Queens
1,000m run: Kristen Borriello, St. Thomas Aquinas & Rachel Prutsman, Roberts Wesleyan
1 mile: Rachel Hutchinson, Roberts Wesleyan & Meaghan Ventarola, St. Thomas Aquinas
3,000m run: Mackenzie Donahue, Daemen & Meaghan Ventarola, St. Thomas Aquinas
5,000m run: Mackenzie Donahue, Daemen & Amy Trabert, Daemen
60m hurdles: Damira Banks, Queens & Octivia Booker, Georgian Court
4 x 400m relay: Jerily Benjamin, Marlena Wright, Jasmine Walker, & Simone Grant - Dist. Columbia
Distance Medley Relay: Patricia Nersten, Marissa Connolly, Amber Lubaszka, & Kristen Borriello - St. Thomas Aquinas
High Jump: Saida Burns-Moore, Dist. Columbia & Kristina Button, Roberts Wesleyan
Pole Vault: Kasey Smith, Roberts Wesleyan & Kyra Kress, Daemen
Long Jump: Simone Grant, Dist. Columbia & Katharine Dovi, Roberts Wesleyan
Triple Jump: Octivia Booker, Georgian Court & Saralee Martelly, Queens
Shot Put: Tajah Franklin, Dist. Columbia & Katherine Mollahan, St. Thomas Aquinas
Weight Throw: Brittany Sepe, Molloy & Danely Rodriguez, Queens
Women's Second Team
60m dash: Damira Banks, Queens & Simone Grant, Dist. Columbia
200m dash: Kathleen Amstad, Roberts Wesleyan & Jerily Benjamin, Dist. Columbia
400m dash: Kristina Button, Roberts Wesleyan & Danielle Budd, Roberts Wesleyan
500m dash: Brianna Calderon, Roberts Wesleyan & Madison Gosch, Roberts Wesleyan
800m run: Nicole Hubert, Molloy & Emilee Durso, Roberts Wesleyan
1,000m run: Rachel Hutchinson, Roberts Wesleyan & Brittany Denton, Daemen
1 mile: Rachel Prutsman, Roberts Wesleyan & Talya Williams, LIU Post
3,000m run: Amy Trabert, Daemen & Ashley Cheff, Daemen
5,000m run: April Sablan, Roberts Wesleyan & Kaitlin O'Grady, St. Thomas Aquinas
60m hurdles: Saralee Martelly, Queens & Brianna Calderon, Roberts Wesleyan
4 x 400m relay: Damira Banks, Terrilyn Britton, Diana Cruz, & Ronsheica Trotman - Queens
Distance Medley Relay: Brittany Denton, Brooke Nolan, Lindsay Wood, & Ashley Cheff - Daemen
High Jump: Malawi Allen, Georgian Court & Savannah Forte, Georgian Court
Pole Vault: Sarah Zollner, Georgian Court & Nicole Natland, Molloy
Long Jump: Octivia Booker, Georgian Court & Saida Burns-Moore, Dist. Columbia
Triple Jump: Saida Burns-Moore, Dist. Columbia & Simone Grant, Dist. Columbia
Shot Put: Brittany Sepe, Molloy & Ellyn Byrnes, Molloy
Weight Throw: Ellyn Byrnes, Molloy & Tara Byrnes, Molloy
Men’s First Team
60m dash: Winslow Dorsainvil, St. Thomas Aquinas & Saint -Jacob Diodonet, St. Thomas Aquinas
200m dash: Saint-Jacob Diodonet, St. Thomas Aquinas & David Donovan, Roberts Wesleyan
400m dash: Saint-Jacob Diodonet, St. Thomas Aquinas & Stefan Adams, LIU Post
500m dash: Michael Rogers, Georgian Court & Nicholas Claudeo, Georgian Court
800m run: Conor Gallagher, Molloy & Thomas Rodger, Roberts Wesleyan
1,000m run: Keith Pease, Roberts Wesleyan & Vincent Vazquez, St. Thomas Aquinas
1 mile: Conor Gallagher, Molloy & Aaron Bellomo, Roberts Wesleyan
3,000m run: Michael Scott, LIU Post & Matt Watson, Roberts Wesleyan
5,000m run: Justin Bender, Roberts Wesleyan & Jeremy Rushok, Daemen
60m hurdles: Nicholas Claudeo, Georgian Court & Kevin Drumond, Molloy
4 x 400m relay: Kyle Ward, Kasim Thomas, Wayne Harris, & Stefan Adams - LIU Post
Distance Medley Relay: Ryan Gasser, Christian Diaz, Dylan Bestler, & Vincent Vazquez - St. Thomas Aquinas
High Jump: Tristan Holmgren, St. Thomas Aquinas & Jordan Fagan, Georgian Court
Pole Vault: Evan Boyce, Georgian Court & Frankie Schiavone, St. Thomas Aquinas
Long Jump: Aaron McGinnis, Roberts Wesleyan & David Donovan, Roberts Wesleyan
Triple Jump: Aaron McGinnis, Roberts Wesleyan & Desmond Guidroz, Molloy
Shot Put: Joseph Kaas, Georgian Court & Peter Collins, Georgian Court
Weight Throw: Peter Collins, Georgian Court & Angel Alers-Rosario, Queens
Men's Second Team
60m dash: David Donovan, Roberts Wesleyan & Niko Jemmison, Daemen
200m dash: John Martinez, Queens & Yanni Agrotis, Molloy
400m dash: John Martinez, Queens & Parris Strickland, Roberts Wesleyan
500m dash: Michael Coatsworth, Roberts Wesleyan & Dylan Bestler, St. Thomas Aquinas
800m run: Aaron Bellomo, Roberts Wesleyan & Thomas Natoli, Georgian Court
1,000m run: Luke Jackson, Roberts Wesleyan & Ryan Gasser, St. Thomas Aquinas
1 mile: Thomas Rodger, Roberts Wesleyan & Brian Michels, Molloy
3,000m run: Justin Bender, Roberts Wesleyan & Anthony Casullo, Roberts Wesleyan
5,000m run: Uriah St. Lewis, Georgian Court & Kevin Roginson, Daemen
60m hurdles: Jonas Gage, Roberts Wesleyan & Tristan Holmgren, St. Thomas Aquinas
4 x 400m relay: Skandal Delince, Michael Camacho, Jacob Lascano, & John Martinez - Queens
Distance Medley Relay: John Stewart, Robbie Schrenker, Justin Shaffer, & Luke Jackson - Roberts Wesleyan
High Jump: Aaron McGinnis, Roberts Wesleyan & Nathan Gill, Georgian Court
Pole Vault: Aaron McGinnis, Roberts Wesleyan & Brian Michels, Molloy
Long Jump: Justin Brown, St. Thomas Aquinas & Kyle Ward, LIU Post
Triple Jump: Elias Guardado, St. Thomas Aquinas & Justin Brown, St. Thomas Aquinas
Shot Put: Liam O'Connor, Queens & Alaa Al-Shrouf, Georgian Court
Weight Throw: Liam O'Connor, Queens & Hayden Jurius, Roberts Wesleyan
