Photo by Michael Dames
As the athletics season winds down, the Fordham University Department of Athletics held its 73rd annual Block F Awards dinner at the Villa Barone Manor on May 2 to honor the University’s student-athletes for their accomplishments in the 2006-2007 academic year.
Among those honored was Marcus Taylor, a 6’1″, 244-pound linebacker, who received the Vincent T. Lombardi Award as Fordham’s top male student-athlete, as well as being named Most Valuable Player of the football squad; and Kerstin Greene, who received the Claire and Jack Hobbs Award as Fordham’s top female student-athlete. Greene was also named Most Valuable Player of the women’s indoor track and field squad.
The Vincent T. Lombardi Award is presented to the Male Athlete of the Year for distinguished athletic achievements in the winning tradition of Vince Lombardi. The award honors the memory of one of Fordham’s famed “seven blocks of granite,” who is considered to be one of football’s greatest coaches.
Taylor, the 2007 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, was named a First Team Football Gazette Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) All-American and a Third Team All-American by the Sports Network. He was also named the Football Gazette FCS Northeast Linebacker of the Year.
The Claire and Jack Hobbs Memorial Award is presented to the Female Athlete of the Year for distinguished athletic achievements while displaying outstanding sportsmanship, citizenship, leadership and dedication. The award honors the memory of Claire and Jack Hobbs, who were both avid Fordham Ram fans.
Photo by Michael Dames
Greene, who also won the Hobbs Award last year, has accomplished much in her time at Fordham. This season she garnered Atlantic 10 Indoor Field Performer of the Year honors at the 2007 conference championship. She also earned Second Team All-Atlantic 10 honors in the long jump and high jump events. She successfully defended her ECAC pentathlon title, and went on to finish fourth in the event at the NCAA championships, earning All-America honors.
This spring, Greene has continued her assault on the Fordham record book, earning 2007 Atlantic 10 Outdoor Field Performer of the Year honors after shattering the conference record in the heptathlon with 5,088 points. Altogether, she currently holds 11 school records.
The full list of Block F award winners is:
Iron Major Award (Coach of the Year): Ness Selmani, Women’s Soccer
Terence O’Donnell Award (Sportsmanship and Dedication): Leah Jerome, Women’s Soccer
Jack Coffey Award: Josephine Finamore, Coordinator of Ticket Operations
Patrick Kenneally Award: Deirdre Corrigan, Student Assistant
Benedict T. Harter Award: Stacia Kroetz, Rowing
Kieran Award: Doina Sandor, Women’s Tennis
Kiwanis Community Service: Leah Jerome, Women’s Soccer
Marty Glickman Award: Dan Flanagan
Athlete Academic Achievement Awards:
Jonathan Almy, Water Polo
Chris Baracewicz, Men’s Swimming
Lisa Carrol, Women’s Basketball
Candice Drinkwater, Women’s Track and Field
Mike Holtz, Men’s Swimming
Peter Jannen, Football
Leah Jerome, Women’s Soccer
Stacia Kroetz, Women’s Rowing
Haley Lentsch, Women’s Soccer
Ben Marzolf, Men’s Swimming
Pat Misciagna, Men’s Soccer
Michael Rosado, Men’s Tennis
Jennifer Roussil, Women’s Rowing
Doina Sandor, Women’s Tennis
Peter Zipf, Men’s Tennis
Team MVPs:
Men’s Basketball: Marcus Stout
Women’s Basketball: Lisa Carrol
Cheerleading: Elise Sabatino
Men’s Cross Country: Frank Corrigan
Women’s Cross Country: Danica Dupuy
Football: Marcus Taylor
Golf: Michael Finocchi
Rowing: Sheila Taylor
Men’s Soccer: John Pardini
Women’s Soccer: Leah Jerome
Softball: Allison Twarowski
Squash: Sebastian Cahill
Men’s Swimming: Ryan Coombs
Women’s Swimming: Caitlin Napoli
Men’s Tennis: Michael Rosado
Women’s Tennis: Dominique Liguori
Men’s Indoor Track and Field: Matt Lowenthal
Women’s Indoor Track and Field: Kerstin Greene
Volleyball: Tasha Johnston
Water Polo: Todd Conway
