FARMINGDALE, N.Y. | The Farmingdale State Department of Athletics is proud to announce its 2022-23 year-end award winners, honoring student-athletes and teams for their effort in the past academic year.
The All-Farmingdale State Team highlights some of the top student-athlete performances in competition; the George LaRosa Leadership Award is given to one student-athlete annually; and the Academic Achievement Award is given to the team that earned the highest grade-point average this academic year.
All-Farmingdale State Team
As is an annual tradition, the athletics staff has selected its All-Farmingdale State Team. This year's outfit features 12 student-athletes based on their accomplishments during the past academic year, who boast an array of accolades in their respective sports. Those student-athletes are showcased below, in alphabetical order:
Mark Baker, Men's Tennis (Baldwin, N.Y.)
Baker was named Skyline Conference Player of the Year for the third time in 2023 leading his team to a Championship and spot in the NCAA Tournament. He finished with a school-record 45th career singles victory in the championship, moving him into sole possession of the top singles wins mark all-time at FSC. Baker went 14-1 overall in singles at No. 1 during the regular season, including 7-0 in Skyline play. He also teamed for a 14-1 overall doubles record at the No. 1 flight, going a perfect 7-0 in conference doubles. Baker will leave Farmingdale State as the program's record holder in total singles wins, singles winning percentage, doubles wins and doubles winning percentage. He won all of his singles matches in Skyline play during his career on his way to four first team all-conference selections. Also this season, Baker was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Skyline Championship for the second time in his career (2019), becoming just the fourth student-athlete in conference history to earn the distinction twice.
Anastasia Hoffman, Women's Tennis (Massapequa, N.Y.)
Hoffman, a three-time Skyline Conference champion, earned her fourth consecutive First Team All-Conference selection in the fall. As FSC's #1 player, she posted a 10-5 record in singles and was 13-3 in doubles matches, including a perfect 6-0 in conference play. Hoffman ranks fourth in program history for both doubles and singles victories, with 42 and 41, respectively. In the fall, she was tabbed the Most Outstanding Player of the Skyline Conference Championship after leading her team to the victory.
Nick Hurowitz, Men's Basketball (Mount Sinai, N.Y.)
Hurowitz was the leading scorer for the Farmingdale State men's basketball team, guiding the team to the Skyline Conference Championship. He was named First Team All-Skyline Conference and Second Team All-Met after leading the team in scoring (14.4/gm.), rebounding (7.4/gm.) and free-throw percentage (.840), while ranking second in steals (31) and 3-point field goals made (31). He finished No. 66 nationally in free-throw percentage, while also holding Skyline ranks in scoring (eighth) and rebounding (eighth).
Chris Iguchi, Golf (Centereach, N.Y.)
Iguchi led the Rams with a team-best 73.52 scoring average this season, the second-lowest mark in program history. He helped the Rams capture their third straight Skyline Conference Championship with a First Team All-Conference score of 149. Iguchi posted five top-5 finishes this year, including a pair of victories at the FSC Skyline Invitational and the MSMC Spring Invitational. At Riverview Country Club in The Melee on October 15-16, Iguchi opened with a 77 and followed with a school-record round of 66 (-5) in the final round to earn a runner-up finish. At the Shoals Collegiate hosted by Emory University (April 10-11), Iguchi led the team with rounds of 75, 73 and 74. He closed out the season with an impressive showing at the NCAA Championship after posting scores of 75 and 72. Iguchi registered four rounds in the 60's during the 2022-23 season.
Alexxis McNeil, Women's Soccer, Indoor Track & Outdoor Track (Valley Stream, N.Y.)
McNeil was a First Team All-Conference defender as the soccer team's starting center back. She started 22 games and led a defense that posted a 1.29 goals against average this season. On the track, McNeil was the team's best sprinter, earning her a Track Athlete of the Year award at the Skyline Conference Championship in April. This year, she set seven marks that rank top-10 in program history. For Indoor, she ranks second in the 60m (8.03), fourth for 200m (26.14) and is fifth in 4x200m relay (1:50.76). For Outdoor, she set program marks of seventh for both the 100m (12.73) and 4x400m relay (4:20.74) and eighth for 200m (26.15) and 400m (63.05).
Bobby Pollock, Baseball (Manorville, N.Y.)
Pollock, a First Team All-Skyline Conference choice, posted the best offensive season in program history. He was the NCAA Division III leader for slugging percentage with a 1.011, ranked ninth for triples (7), and was 40th for home runs (12). He led the Skyline in slugging percentage and OPS (1.511), ranked second for both home runs and triples, was fifth in batting average (.400), sixth for on-base percentage (.500) and 12th for walks (20). Pollock set single-season school records for slugging percentage, 12 home runs and total bases, with 96. Pollock is now the career home run leader in program history with 17, and the single-game home run leader, as he hit three against John Jay on March 23. Of Pollock's 38 hits in 2023, 27 went for extra bases.
Corey Powell, Men's Basketball (Valley Stream, N.Y.)
Powell was named Second Team All-Conference and Third Team All-Met, as well as earning Most Outstanding Player of the Skyline Conference Championship. He was the only FSC player to start in all 28 contests and ranked second on the team in scoring (11.9/gm.), assists (51, tied) and free throws made (74). Powell was the team's best defender, consistently guarding the oppositions best scorer, including in the NCAA Championship against No. 2 Christopher Newport.
Kalena Ricketts, Women's Volleyball (Cambria Heights, N.Y.)
Ricketts is now a two-time First Team All-Skyline Conference selection after leading the Rams in the fall. The nursing major also earned Academic All-District by College Sports Communicators. The 2021 Skyline Co-Rookie of the Year, she led the team with 37 total blocks (13 solo) and a .274 hitting percentage. Ricketts finished the season with conference rankings in hitting percentage (third), kills per set (eighth, 2.64) and points per set (10th, 3.04), and hit .400-plus in nine of the Rams' last 10 matches.
Celina Schenk, Women's Soccer & Women's Lacrosse (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.)
Schenk, a defender, was named First Team All-Conference and Second Team All-ECAC for soccer, as well as Second Team All-Conference for lacrosse. For soccer, she started all 23 games for Farmingdale State, just one of four student-athletes to do so, and dished out five assists on the season. She ranked third on the team for assists and was tied for 14th in the Skyline, while helping the Rams to nine shutouts on defense. In lacrosse, she also started all 18 games and posted career-bests with 27 caused turnovers and 28 ground balls to lead FSC. She ranked seventh in the Skyline for caused turnovers and 12th with her per-game average (1.5). Schenk tallied two-plus takeaways on seven occasions, and recorded five in a contest twice.
Ava Shorr, Softball (North Babylon, N.Y.)
Shorr was named First Team All-Conference as a pitcher and Third Team All-Region as a Utility/Pitcher. Now a two-time All-Region player, she led the team with 13 wins, 121.1 innings pitched, a 2.65 earned run average and 16 complete games in the circle. She also hit .295 with 16 RBI and 11 runs scored at the plate. Shorr finished third in the Skyline for wins, fourth with a .228 opposing batting average, five shutouts (No. 42 nationally) and 1.19 WHIP, fifth in ERA and sixth in strikeouts (86). In Conference play, she tossed two no-hitters, ranked second in opposing BA and was third in ERA. She currently is second on the FSC all-time list for opponents' batting average with a career .227 against, sitting only behind Farmingdale State Hall of Famer, Hope Zino (.197 - 2009-12).
Justin Silva, Men's Soccer (Bellerose, N.Y.)
Silva earned First Team All-Skyline Conference as the league's best goalkeeper. He also earned Third Team All-Region by United Soccer Coaches, just the fourth Farmingdale State men's soccer student-athlete to garner all-region kudos in program history. Silva posted eight shutouts in the FSC net in 2022, which was tied for the 17th-most in Division III. He backstopped the Rams to a 9-6-2 record overall, as well as a 7-2-2 record in Skyline play that led to Farmingdale State's first bye to the semifinals round of the Skyline Conference Championship since 2010. He finished with a 1.05 goals-against average, and led the Rams defense to a scoreless streak of more than 600 minutes towards the end of the campaign. Silva's 18 career shutouts rank second all-time in Farmingdale State program history.
Rob Varello, Men's Lacrosse (Smithtown, N.Y.)
Varello was named the Skyline Conference's Co-Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference. He finished the regular season as the Skyline's leader in conference play with 5.17 points per game. In just 15 games played, he tied a career-high with eight man-up goals – tied for tops in the Skyline – and ranked 36th nationally. Varello averaged 8.33 points per game over the final three games of the season, and ranked Nos. 84 and 90 nationally in goals and points per game, respectively.
George LaRosa Leadership Award
Farmingdale State College senior Jake Wandle (Rocky Point, N.Y.) has been selected as the 2022-23 winner of the George LaRosa Leadership Award.
The winner of this annual award exemplifies great leadership qualities for their team, both on and off the playing fields. The LaRosa Leadership Award winner demonstrates integrity, inspiration and humility, and represents what it truly means to be a student-athlete at Farmingdale State College.
Wandle started every game for the men's lacrosse team this season and was named Second Team All-Conference. On April 8 against Merchant Marine, he became the program leader for most points in school history, finishing his career with 208 on 127 goals (2nd all-time) and 81 assists (3rd all-time).
In addition to his performance on the field, Jake was a team captain and clear leader for the program in its community service efforts.
At the Long Island Parkinson's Moving Day this past October, Wandle and his family started the 'Wandle's Warriors" team, and with the support of his teammates and coaches, was the top donor after raising over $6,000.
In addition, Wandle has volunteered, provided gifts and spread holiday cheer to the children at the Suffolk AHRC Center in Bohemia, N.Y. each year since 2019.
Wandle has also volunteered and taught the sport with both the Inclusive Lacrosse and Wheel Chair Lacrosse initiatives. He has also assisted with a Safe Halloween event, participated in the St. Baldrick's Skyline Conference Shave Off, and volunteered and raised money for the Ann Asparro Run and #DezyStrong Foundation.
"Jake truly showed what it takes to be a great leader and student-athlete at Farmingdale State" said Head Coach Sean Chamberlain. "His passion for the game of lacrosse and willingness to help those in the community are unmatched. Jake took part in 17 different community service initiatives in his time at FSC and matched his efforts in the community with his play on the field. I believe Jake is one of the very best student-athletes ever to come through the FSC Athletics Department. He left this school and team better than he found it."
Academic Achievement Award
The National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division III Philosophy Statement says that the academic performance of its student-athletes should be, "at a minimum, consistent with that of the general student body." As such, it is with great pride that the department announces that 13 of the 18 FSC teams registered a combined 3.0-plus grade-point average on the 4.0 scale during the 2022-23 academic year.
The team with the highest GPA, and earning the Academic Achievement Award is the Men's Tennis team, which compiled an outstanding 3.48 grade-point average.
The following is the complete list of those 13 teams who hold a 3.0-plus GPA:
- Baseball
- Women's Basketball
- Men's Cross Country
- Women's Cross Country
- Men's Golf
- Women's Indoor Track & Field
- Women's Lacrosse
- Softball
- Men's Tennis
- Women's Tennis
- Men's Outdoor Track & Field
- Women's Outdoor Track & Field
- Women's Volleyball
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