2022-23 Department Award Winners
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@yorkcardinals honor and celebrate 2022-23 at The YESPYS Awards Show

York College held its annual athletics awards banquet to recognize the achievements from the 2022-23 academic year

JAMAICA, NY --- (www.YORKATHLETICS.com) York College department of athletics held its year-end awards banquet Friday evening, celebrating the 2022-23 year in Cardinal athletics with the The YESPYS, the 47th annual Athletic Awards Banquet, held inside York College Gymnasium. 

Sophomore student-athletes Melanie Guerrero (women's cross country, soccer, softball, track & field) and Glenver Stuart (men's cross country, track & field, volleyball) welcomed the crowd and recognized the outstanding athletic achievements as emcees for the night.

"To start off, I would like to say thank you for the opportunity to be one of the emcees. Also, thank you to coach Marshall, Janira Calderon, and those who helped make it a beautiful event. It was a great night as was full of enjoyable memories seeing those who deserved their awards. Truthfully, I could not have done it without Melanie Guerrero as she was really the star of it all. Overall a night to remember!" - said Stuart

"This was an enjoyable experience. I had experience speaking in public, but never at an awards ceremony. I enjoyed having a co-host to share the experience with and make me less nervous." expressed Guerrero

Interim Director of Athletics Zak Ivkovic and President Berenecea Johnson Eanes opened with welcoming remarks prior to the 2022-23 awards portion of the program.

The department of athletics gave out appreciation awards by recognizing a select group of campus personnel for their contributions to further enhance the student-athlete experience:
  • Shane Ayers of the Office of Human Resources
  • Carlos Cobo of the Department of Buildings and Grounds 
  • Jessie Desir of the Department of Health and Human Performance
  • Aaron Jackson-Kent of Athletics & Recreation
  • Keith Marshall of the Department of Printing Services
  • Marlon Medwinter of Information Technology Service Delivery
  • Brian Nelson of the Office of Public Safety
  • Grace-Ann Prescod of the Office of Admissions
  • Latchman Ramnauth of Department of Printing Services
  • Glen Roew of the Department of Buildings and Grounds
  • Dana Trimboli, Chief of Staff
CUNYAC Scholar-Athletes, CUNYAC All-Stars and CUNYAC Sportsmanship Team recipients from the 2022-23 academic year were also recognized.

The newest members of the 1,000-point club were recognized as seniors Devine Chisholm (men's basketball, 1,182 points), Mac-Dege Dessources (women's basketball, 1,377 points) and Ellma Hodzic (women's basketball, 1,051 points) were presented with commemorative basketballs.

Coaches and emcees then announced the 2022-23 Team Awards.
Men's Basketball Women's Basketball Men's Cross Country Women's Cross Country Men's Soccer Women's Soccer Softball Men's Swimming Women's Swimming Men's Tennis Women's Tennis Men's Track & Field (Indoor) Women's Track & Field (Indoor) Men's Track & Field (Outdoor) Women's Track & Field (Outdoor) Men's Volleyball Women's Volleyball
The 2022-23 senior class of 15 (listed below) were presented with Senior Awards and a tribute video for their dedication to York College Athletics. In addition to the team awards, the following department awards were presented:
Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award (Female/Male)
The Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards recognizes a student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average.  The honoree must have competed in a minimum of one season of competition and successfully completed two academic semesters of full-time enrollment with a minimum of 24 credits at York.

Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Emmaly Merced (Women's Cross Country, Indoor/Outdoor Track & Field)
Emmaly Merced, a senior and an integral part of the women's cross country and track & field programs earned the Female Scholar-Athlete Award in her first year of competition. Merced is a music major and a psychology minor with a 3.992 cumulative grade point average. During her time here at York, she has made Dean's List six times and was a member of the CUNYAC Fall 2022 Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll. Next week, she will be recognized as a CUNYAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Honorable Mention.  

Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Stanley Sanchez (Men's Soccer, Volleyball)
Stanley Sanchez, a sophomore and a standout for the men's soccer and volleyball programs, claimed the 2022-23 Male Scholar-Athlete Award. Majoring in occupational therapy, Sachez maintains a 3.943 cumulative grade point average. He is also a one-time Dean's List honoree and a member of the CUNYAC Fall 2022 Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll.

Team GPA Award
The Team GPA recognizes a team with the highest cumulative grade-point average based on our academic report prior to the start of the Spring semester.  The Team GPA Award encompasses all student-athletes rostered and/or who triggered a season of eligibility based on the average of individual cumulative GPA.  

Team GPA Award: Women's Volleyball 
Women's Volleyball earned the 2022-23 Team Academic Award as they combined for a 3.203 cumulative grade point average.

Newcomer of the Year Award
Newcomer of the Year awards are presented to our top female and male student-athlete newcomer who had the most successful first season as a Cardinal.

Female Newcomer of the Year: Zaria Neptune (Women's Indoor/Outdoor Track & Field)
Neptune starred in both indoor and outdoor track & field seasons. In the indoor campaign, she owns the top time in the 200-meter event at 28.61 according to the 2022-23 CUNYAC Indoor Performance List and claimed Rookie of the Week in February. Additionally, Neptune tore up the CUNYAC Indoor Championships, claiming a fourth-place finish in the 60-meter dash and a second-place result in the 200-meter category. Extending her success into the outdoor season, the Queens native owns a fourth-best CUNYAC time (13.70) and a second-place CUNYAC result (28.61) in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes respectively. Her 100-meter score is a personal record. Neptune won a CUNYAC Track Athlete of the Week Award in April, and competing in the CUNYAC Outdoor Championships, she finished second in the 100-meter and fifth in the 200-meter event, producing 10 points. 

Male Newcomer of the Year: Stanley Sanchez (Men's Soccer)
An influential figure of the men's soccer team in his first campaign, Stanley Sanchez started all of York's 13 games, scoring three goals from midfield and was tied for the team lead in assists. Sanchez scored his first career goal at home to Hunter and collected his first-career assist in a home showdown with Sarah Lawrence. An industrious worker in the middle of the park, the Queens native also finished second on the team in shots and shots on target, catapulting him to the CUNYAC Men's Soccer All-Star (Second Team).

Career Award
Career Awards are given to a female and male student-athlete who were deemed to have the most impactful career with a minimum of three years played at York.  The honoree must have exhausted eligibility in their primary sport, if applicable, or be a graduating student-athlete. 

Female Career Award: Mac-Dege Dessources (Women's Basketball)
Playing in 91 games as a Cardinal, Dessources, a 3-time CUNYAC All-Star, has career averages of 15.1 points, 14.3 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per contest while shooting 48.7 percent from the floor. In 2019 she was the NCAA Division III Statistical Champion for Rebounds Per Game at 16.1, helping her take home five CUNYAC Rookie of the Week awards. Dominating in the paint, her inside presence helped the Cardinals advance to the CUNYAC Playoffs the past three campaigns, reaching the semifinals two of the past three seasons. A historically great player, Dessources is York's lone member of the 1,000-point 1,000 rebound club and finished her career as the program leader with 1,377 points and 1,298 rebounds. 

Male Career Award: Devine Chisholm (Men's Basketball)
Playing 99 career games, Devine Chisholm averaged 11.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists as a Cardinal. A two-time CUNYAC All-Star (Second Team) member. Chisholm won the CUNYAC Rookie of the Year in 2019 and claimed the CUNYAC Sportsmanship Award this past season. This season, the guard reached the 1,000-point plateau at home versus Baruch in January, finishing his career with 1,182 points. The Brooklyn native saved his best for last, netting a career-high 29 points in his final regular season game at Brooklyn, helping him garner a Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association Divisions II-III Honorable Mention selection. 

'I Am Cardinal' Award
The 'I am a Cardinal' Award is given to a student-athlete who most embodies the team-first principles of sportsmanship, mutual respect, commitment and discipline. In 2022-23, we recognize many student-athletes who have demonstrated these values. These student-athletes stepped up to display the leadership that each team needed. 
'I Am A Cardinal' Award: Coach of the Year Award
The Coach of the Year award honors a coach who has demonstrated an exemplary ability to develop and improve individual and team performance on and off the court.   

Coach of the Year: Branislav Grujic (Men's Tennis)
Working with a group of many first-time players, men's tennis head coach Branislav Grujic developed York into a team that competes and challenges its opponents. In their third match of the season, the Cardinals earned wins against Lehman College at No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles, the most since taking two points from Lehman on April 13, 2019. York came narrowly close to its first victory since triumphing over St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) on April 21, 2018, falling 5-4 against Saint Elizabeth University (Apr. 7) from a super tiebreaker. Buoyed by four doubles victories from the duo of Shavar Rowe and Abimael Deliska, and three singles triumphs from Abubakar Khamis, the 11 points throughout the campaign is more than double the amount won in 2019.

Team of the Year Award
The Team of the Year award recognizes a team that was deemed to have had the best overall season and with not only success on the field of play, but also consistently representing the school with character and integrity.

Team of the Year: Women's Basketball
The York College women's basketball team posted their highest win percentage since the 2009-10 campaign, producing a 12-12 overall record, and went 7-7 in conference to return to CUNYAC Championship play for the third straight season. Earning the No. 5 seed, the Cardinals orchestrated a 13-point comeback to defeat the Baruch College Bearcats to advance to the semifinals. With second-year coach Kimani Jackson on the sidelines, the Cardinals led the league in scoring defense, allowing 55.9 points per contest, finished second in rebounds per game and field goal percentage, and placed third in three-point shooting and free-throw percentage. Per the final NCAA Division III Statistical Rankings Summary, York finished 17th in field goal percentage defense and 56th in rebounds per game. The program was recognized with two CUNYAC all-star nods in Mac-Dege Dessources and Ellma Hodzic, one Sportsmanship Team honoree in Imani Gibson, one CUNYAC Rookie of the Week distinction, multiple conference Player of the Week awards, and acknowledgment from the Met Basketball Writers Association and D3hoops.com. 

Student-Athlete of the Year Award
The Student-Athlete of the Year awards recognize our top female and male student-athletes who had the most successful season of competition in 2022-23.

Female Student-Athlete of the Year: Mac-Dege Dessources (Women's Basketball)
Mac-Dege Dessources averaged 18.1 points, 13.1 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game on a career-best 51.5 percent shooting, spearheading York to the CUNYAC Championship semifinals play for the second time in three seasons. In addition to leading the CUNYAC in double-doubles, rebounding, and field goal percentage, Dessources was third in blocked shots, fourth in free throw percentage, and fifth in scoring. According to the NCAA Division III Statistical Rankings Summary, the center ranked sixth in rebounds per game, eighth in double-doubles, and 44th in field goal percentage. In terms of weekly awards, Dessources was a 2x Conference Player of the Week, a 4x Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association (MBWA) Divisions II-III Honorable Mention selection, and made the D3hoops.com Team of the Week once. These performances landed the Harlem native on the CUNYAC All-Star First Team and the All-Met Women's Basketball Division III Third Team. 

Male Student-Athlete of the Year: Terrell Fullerton (Men's Basketball)
In 25 contests, Terrell Fullerton averaged 18.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. Among CUNYAC leaders, he ranked second in points per game, third in assists per game, fourth in field goal percentage, fifth in free-throw percentage, and eighth in steals per game. Per the final NCAA Division III Statistical Rankings Summary, Fullerton placed 48th in dimes and was tied for 93rd in points per contest. Adding onto his end-of-the-season awards, the Brooklyn native received many honors during the 2022-23 campaign. The Brooklyn native was a 2x CUNYAC Player of the Week, a 4x Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association Divisions II-III Honorable Mention selection, and claimed one MBWA Divisions II-III Player of the Week. 
 
Gallery: (5-12-2023) The YESPYS 2022-23 Awards

Gallery: (5-12-2023) The YESPYS 2022-23

For the latest news on the Cardinals, log on to www.yorkathletics.com – the official site of York College athletics. Also, become a follower of the Cardinals on Instagram (@yorkcardinals), Twitter (@yorkcardinals) and YouTube (@yorkathletics), and "LIKE" Us on Facebook (York Athletics).
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Players Mentioned

Matthew Smiley

#11 Matthew Smiley

F
6' 4"
Junior
Taylor Bellmon

Taylor Bellmon

5' 4"
Freshman
Doston Abdigaffarov

#8 Doston Abdigaffarov

M
5' 10"
Senior
Djelili Okoro

#3 Djelili Okoro

D/M
5' 7"
Graduate Student
Emelin Cajamarca

#8 Emelin Cajamarca

M/F
5' 2"
Sophomore
Mary Meshanski

#14 Mary Meshanski

D/M
5' 7"
Senior
Nadaysia Nivar

#14 Nadaysia Nivar

M
5' 7"
Junior
Alex Conde

#2 Alex Conde

D
6' 1"
Junior
Cherub Autar

#3 Cherub Autar

OH
5' 6"
Junior
Jamelia Jordan

Jamelia Jordan

5' 4"
Sophomore
Maryam Khan

#19 Maryam Khan

DS
5' 0"
Junior
Jaden Brown

#5 Jaden Brown

D
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Matthew Smiley

#11 Matthew Smiley

6' 4"
Junior
F
Taylor Bellmon

Taylor Bellmon

5' 4"
Freshman
Doston Abdigaffarov

#8 Doston Abdigaffarov

5' 10"
Senior
M
Djelili Okoro

#3 Djelili Okoro

5' 7"
Graduate Student
D/M
Emelin Cajamarca

#8 Emelin Cajamarca

5' 2"
Sophomore
M/F
Mary Meshanski

#14 Mary Meshanski

5' 7"
Senior
D/M
Nadaysia Nivar

#14 Nadaysia Nivar

5' 7"
Junior
M
Alex Conde

#2 Alex Conde

6' 1"
Junior
D
Cherub Autar

#3 Cherub Autar

5' 6"
Junior
OH
Jamelia Jordan

Jamelia Jordan

5' 4"
Sophomore
Maryam Khan

#19 Maryam Khan

5' 0"
Junior
DS
Jaden Brown

#5 Jaden Brown

Freshman
D