Albright, Gover, Claim Top Honors at Athletics Department Annual Banquet
NORTH ADAMS, Mass.—For the second straight year Brigh Cote and Jaxen Potter hosted the MCLA Athletics Department banquet Tuesday evening in the Amsler Campus Center. With nearly 200 people in attendance, student-athletes, coaches, faculty members and contributors were recognized for their performances and achievements over the past academic year.
Headlining the evening were Ezmeralda Albright (Volleyball, Softball) and Mat Gover (Golf, Men's Ice Hockey) who took home the Sue Getchell Award and Louis Parisien Memorial Award, respectively. Gover was also named as the Parisien winner in 2024.
Named as the 2024 MASCAC Volleyball Defensive Player of the Year and selected to the MASCAC All-Conference First Team, Albright edged out fellow nominees Elizabeth Brown (Volleyball), Carlen Bertrand (Women's Hockey) and Ella Staffier (Softball) to earn the coveted Getchel Award.
Albright was named as the league's Defensive Player of the Week on four occasions as the senior libero led the MASCAC in total digs (477) and digs per set (4.72). The Loves Park, Illinois native is also a catcher on the MCLA softball team, a member of the Dean's List, the MASCAC Fall/Winter All-Academic team and the CSC Academic All-District team.
It was an evening of déjà vu for Gover as the sophomore from Atkinson, New Hampshire went back-to-back as the Golf Most Valuable Player, as well as claiming his second straight Parisien, which Don Dagnoli, nephew of Louis Parisien, announced in a previously recorded video message. Gover's fellow Parisien nominees were Hayden Morris-Gray (Men's Basketball), Traizen Griffith (Men's Soccer) and hockey teammate Cade Herrera.
As a golfer Gover won the MASCAC Championship earning Player of the Year honors and a spot on the All-Conference First Team. As a hockey goalie, he was named to the MASCAC All-Conference Second Team after leading all of Division III in total saves. As a student, Gover is a member of the Dean's List and the MASCAC Fall/Winter All-Academic Team.
Gover was also recognized as the Men's Hockey Most Valuable Player as was Joshua Santway for ESPORTS, Michael Smith for Men's Soccer, Kaylee Strayer for Women's Soccer, Elizabeth Brown for Volleyball, Carlen Bertrand for Women's Hockey, Quentin Gittens for Men's Basketball, Cameron LaFerriere for Men's Lacrosse, Ella Staffier for Softball and Joshua Bissaillon for Baseball.
Women's Soccer and Men's Hockey earned the department's top team GPA awards while Sue Getchell Award winner Ezmeralda Albright from Volleyball and Softball as well as Ryan Taylor from Men's Soccer were the recipients of the Senior Academic Awards.
Fan favorite Boden Dock made his MCLA return to receive the Outstanding Student Service Award presented annually to the student employee or intern who performs their duties with passion and dedication and demonstrates a commitment to the success of the college's athletics department.
Business Administration professor Amy Shapiro was presented with the Steve Green Award which is annually given to the individual who has demonstrated continued support and allegiance to the intercollegiate program at the college.
Both the first-and second-year classes of Chi Alpha Sigma were also inducted.
2025 Athletics Award Recipients
Top Team GPA
Men's Ice Hockey
Women's Soccer
Senior Academic Awards
Ezmeralda Albright
Ryan Taylor
Team MVP's
Esports - Joshua Santway
Golf - Mat Gover
Volleyball - Elizabeth Brown
Men's Soccer - Michael Smith
Women's Soccer - Kaylee Strayer
Men's Hockey - Mat Gover
Women's Hockey - Carlen Bertrand
Men's Basketball - Quentin Gittens
Men's Lacrosse - Cameron LaFerriere
Baseball - Joshua Bissaillon
Softball - Ella Staffier
Chi Alpha Sigma Inductees
First Year Recipients
Eva Bassallo
Jacob Bluestein
Jack Bortle
Kaia Borski Caruso
Maggie Closinski
Eva Eberwein
Alexandra Espel
Alexander Ferris
Michael Harris
Thomas Hickey
Laura Kimball
Jacob Morren
Bradley Perry
Ethan Smith
Second Year Recipients
Ezmeralda Albright
Juliette Barney
Allie Bayer
Elizabeth Brown
Matthew Castillo
Ronan Connors
Brigh Cote
Matthew Damon
Chloie Garber
Elyjah Garneau
Liam Gibeny
Julia Graham
James Julian
David Kankam
Marcos Lopez
Audrey Melson
Connor Nagy
Jaxen Potter
Jacob Richardson
Kaylee Strayer
Outstanding Student Service Award
Boden Dock
Steve Green Award
Amy Shapiro
Sue Getchell Award
Ezmeralda Albright
Louis Parisien Award
Mat Gover