DARTMOUTH, Mass. – On Monday, May 4, the UMass Dartmouth Athletics Department hosted the fifth annual awards ceremony, The Arnies at the MacLean Campus Center. Presented by Brown University Health and Saint Anne's Hospital, the event was highlighted by the Outstanding Career Award presented to
Emily Pogorelec and
Tyler Stewart. Below is a full recap of the awards with the winners and finalists in each category.
Outstanding Career Award -
WINNERS: Emily Pogorelec (Women's Volleyball) and Tyler Stewart (Men's Hockey)
Finalists from a women's team: RaeLynn Perregaux (Softball), Emily Pogorelec (Women's Volleyball), Kylie Winer (Women's Swimming & Diving)
Emily Pogorelec is the 2026 Outstanding Career Award recipient from a women's program. Pogorelec, who hails from Wayne, N.J., made history this fall as the program's first Academic All-American – earning Third Team honors and becoming the first volleyball student-athlete to garner the prestigious honor. A four-time Defensive Player of the Year, she anchored the Corsairs to their first two conference championships and earned All-American honors during the 2024 season. In addition to four straight All-LEC First Team honors, Pogorelec finished her career with over 2,000 digs – which stands atop the program records.
Finalists from a men's team: Adam Maher (Baseball), Tyler Stewart (Men's Hockey), Joseph Uwanogho (Men's Track & Field)
Tyler Stewart is the 2026 Outstanding Career Award winner from a men's program. One of Division III's most dynamic playmakers, the Pittsburgh, Pa., native powered the Corsairs offensive attack throughout his career. In 104 games, he totaled 63 goals and 70 assists. A multiple conference First Team selection, he led the nation this season in points per game, ranking second in power play goals and third in goals per game amongst Division III's best.
Athletic Performer of the Year Award -
WINNERS: RaeLynn Perregaux (Softball) and Ancil Alexander (Men's Track & Field)
Finalists from a women's team: Maddy Allen (Women's Lacrosse), Allison Pate (Women's Volleyball), RaeLynn Perregaux (Softball)
RaeLynn Perregaux was tabbed the 2026 Athletic Performer of the Year Award recipient from a women's program. A senior captain, from Torrington, Conn., Perregaux has anchored the top of the Corsairs lineup throughout the season. She currently leads the Little East in hits and doubles, while ranking second in home runs. She's hit safely in 30 of her 33 games, highlighted by a remarkable stretch of four consecutive games going 13-for-16 from the plate, a performance that earned her National Player of the Week honors.
Finalists from a men's team: Ancil Alexander (Men's Track & Field), Tyler Stewart (Men's Hockey), Mekhi Wilson (Football)
Ancil Alexander is the 2026 Athletic Performer of the Year Award winner from a men's program. One of the top throwers in the nation, the Taunton, Mass., native earned All-America honors at both the indoor and outdoor national championship meets. Alexander became the first Corsair to garner All-America honors in the discus throw as a freshman in 2025, placing sixth in the outdoor meet. Earlier this winter, he earned All-American honors in the shot put, finishing 16th. The three-time Little East Field Athlete of the Year holds the program's outdoor discus and indoor shot put records.
Coaches Award -
WINNERS: Tori Schweitzer (Women's Cross Country/Track & Field) and Lane Ruffner (Men's Hockey)
Finalists from a women's team: Melanie DeMeo (Women's Basketball), Antonella Goncalves (Women's Soccer), Tori Schweitzer (Women's Cross Country/Track & Field)
Tori Schweitzer was selected as the 2026 Coaches Award winner from a women's program. A native of Ledyard, Conn., she arrived as a freshman full of hope, running a 5K in 21:04. What followed were two of the hardest years any athlete could endure — debilitating pain on every run, legs going numb, unable to stand after workouts, and a medical community that ultimately had no answers. Coaches, doctors, and peers told her to stop. She came heartbreakingly close to listening. But she didn't quit. She changed her lifestyle, rebuilt her routine, and kept searching for answers when everyone else had stopped looking. And this fall, everything clicked. She dropped her 6K time from 27:09 to 24:37, ran as the team's fourth finisher at the Regional meet, and helped UMass Dartmouth achieve the highest finishing rank in program history. Through every painful workout and tearful moment, her teammates never saw her break. They saw someone cheering loudly, lifting others up, and finding the bright side when there wasn't one to find — which is exactly why they voted her unanimous captain for both Cross Country and Track.
Finalists from a men's team: Aidan O'Donnell (Baseball), Andrew Pacheco (Men's Soccer), Lane Ruffner (Men's Hockey)
Lane Ruffner is the 2026 Coaches Award recipient from a men's program. Ruffner, who hails from Latrobe, Pa., stands among the finest captains in UMass Dartmouth hockey history. A dominant force on both sides of the puck, he led the entire nation in blocked shots while making key contributions on the power play and penalty kill to earn a reputation across the region as one of the toughest competitors to face. Off the ice, Ruffner's excellence carried into the classroom, maintaining a 3.61 GPA that places him second in his Mechanical Engineering class. Though his play drew multiple professional hockey opportunities, he has chosen to channel his dedication into a career at an engineering firm following graduation.
Senior Scholar-Athlete Award -
WINNERS: Adriana Adames (Women's Soccer) and Ethan Donahue (Men's Soccer)
Finalists from a women's team: Adriana Adames (Women's Soccer), Melanie DeMeo (Women's Basketball), Isabella Gerardi (Women's Swimming & Diving)
Adriana Adames is the 2026 Senior Scholar-Athlete Award winner from a women's program. Hailing from Farmingdale, N.Y., Adames has set a standard of excellence that is rarely seen in any single area, let alone all of them at once. In just three years, she graduated from UMass Dartmouth with a perfect 4.0 GPA in Economics, has been accepted into the University of Chicago's Economics master's program and was selected to participate in the prestigious Economics+ immersion program hosted by the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and the Brookings Institution. She also received the 2026 UMass Dartmouth Office of Undergraduate Research Award.
Finalists from a men's team: Ethan Donahue (Men's Soccer), Lane Ruffner (Men's Hockey), Alex Santini (Football)
Ethan Donahue is the 2026 Senior Scholar-Athlete Award recipient from a men's program. The Bioengineering major from Salem, N.H., transferred from Regis and has been a Chancellor's List recipient ever since, capping his senior year with a cumulative 3.9 GPA while earning All-LEC Academic Team and CSC Academic All-District Team recognition. As a senior captain, he helped lead the men's soccer program to the playoffs for the first time since 2013. He also gave back to his fellow students by tutoring in the engineering department, supporting both classmates and fellow athletes.
Rookie of the Year -
WINNERS: Natalie Frazier (Women's Soccer) and Kailin Chen (Men's Hockey)
Finalists from a women's team: Natalie Frazier (Women's Soccer), Brielle Kenney (Softball), Eshaya Lauder (Women's Track & Field)
Natalie Frazier is the 2026 Rookie of the Year Award winner from a women's program. The Auburn, Mass., who hails from Auburn, Mass., made history this season, becoming the first women's soccer player in 30 years to earn the Little East Conference Rookie of the Year Award. Through 17 matches, she recorded 12 goals and one assist for 25 total points, with standout two-goal performances — most recently against Western Connecticut — cementing her as one of the conference's most impactful first-year competitors.
Finalists from a men's team: Kailin Chen (Men's Hockey), Jayden Cruz (Baseball), Michael Veegh (Men's Track & Field)
Kailin Chen is the 2026 Rookie of the Year Award winner from a men's program. In his first season in a Corsair sweater, the Beijing, China native emerged as the leading rookie scorer in the Little East Conference, recording 14 goals and 18 assists for 32 total points. Among the highlights from his standout campaign was his first career hat trick at Southern Maine and three-assist performance at Salem State.
Coaching Staff of the Year Award –
WINNERS: Women's Cross Country and Men's Track & Field
Finalists from a women's team: Women's Cross Country, Women's Soccer, Women's Volleyball
The Women's Cross Country Coaching Staff is the 2026 Coaching Staff of the Year Award recipients from a women's program. Head Coach
Ryan O'Connell and his staff helped deliver the cross country program to their best finish at the NCAA Division III East Regionals, placing 13th — a testament to the growth and commitment of the entire team. They also finished third at the Little East Conference Championships, with athletes earning first and second team honors.
Finalists from a men's team: Baseball, Men's Soccer, Men's Track & Field
The Men's Track & Field Coaching Staff are the 2026 Coaching Staff of the Year Award winners from a men's program. Under the leadership of Coach
Mike Salem, the UMass Dartmouth track & field program claimed its second straight Little East Conference Championship, highlighted by six individual event titles and a standout 4x800 relay team. Salem and his staff were honored by their conference peers as Coaching Staff of the Year. Individually, athlete
Ancil Alexander continues to excel, currently ranked 4th in the discus and 20th in the shot put as he pursues another All-America distinction.
True Grit Award –
WINNERS: Isabella Gerardi and Kylie Winer (Women's Swimming & Diving) and Conner Robidoux (Football)
Finalists from a women's team: Isabella Gerardi (Women's Swimming & Diving), Grace Russell (Women's Track & Field), Kylie Winer (Women's Swimming & Diving)
Isabella Gerardi [Seekonk, Mass.] and
Kylie Winer [Derry, N.H.] are this year's recipients of the 2026 True Grit Award from a women's program. Remarks from the Strength & Conditioning Staff regarding there selection stated "This year, for the first time, we are proud to present this award to two recipients — because it was simply impossible to separate them. When Ky and Ella first stepped into the varsity weight room a couple of years ago, they were, by their own admission, a little out of their element. But from day one, they bought in completely. They showed up for every lift, embraced the process of progressive work, completed their summer program, and did exactly what we hope for every student-athlete — they got a little better every day. That commitment paid off in a big way this season, as both Ky and Ella celebrated multiple personal records and closed out their careers performing at their very best. Their journey is a testament to what trust, hard work, and consistency can accomplish. Congratulations to two remarkable student-athletes who have earned every bit of this recognition."
Finalists from a men's team: Brett Baker (Baseball), Conner Robidoux (Football), Lane Ruffner (Men's Hockey)
Conner Robidoux is the 2026 True Grit Award winner from a men's program. A native of East Longmeadow, Mass., he was selected by the Strength & Conditioning Staff who had this to say about his honor. "There are athletes who lead when the lights are on. And then there are athletes who lead when no one is watching — in the grind of rehabilitation, in the quiet moments between sets, in the hardest stretches of a long season. The first time I [
Greg Homol] spoke with Conner after his injury, I told him — you can still lead with crutches. But I didn't need to say it. That was already exactly what he was going to do." "Conner treated his ACL injury as merely a flesh wound. He never once complained. Never missed an exercise, a set, or a rep. And when he wasn't pushing himself to get stronger, you could always hear his voice — leading, cheering, and lifting his teammates to get Better Every Day. This entire year has been an exhibition of True Grit." [
Brandon Williams].
Strength and Conditioning Armada Award –
WINNERS: Softball and Football
Finalists from a women's team: Women's Lacrosse, Women's Soccer, Softball
Finalists from a men's team: Baseball, Football, Men's Hockey
The Armada Award is presented to the best women's and men's programs in the strength and conditioning program. Both the softball and baseball programs this year excelled in the five key areas that exemplify the Armada Award – Teamwork, Effort, Accountability, Consistency and Attention to Detail.
Team GPA Award –
WINNERS: Softball and Men's Ice Hockey
Finalists from a women's team: Women's Lacrosse, Softball, Women's Tennis
For the third consecutive year, the Softball team has earned the Team GPA Award, continuing an impressive tradition of academic excellence. Under the direction of
Rachael Powers, the team achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.62. Three student-athletes recorded a perfect 4.0, and 13 of the 14 players earned Dean's or Chancellor's List honors. That's the definition of excellence, and we are incredibly proud of all you've accomplished.
Finalists from a men's team: Men's Cross Country, Men's Ice Hockey, Men's Soccer
For the second consecutive year, the HOCKEY team earned the Team GPA Award, continued to set the standard for academic excellence. Under the leadership of
Erik Noack, the team achieved an outstanding cumulative GPA of 3.53. Seven student-athletes recorded a perfect 4.0, while 24 of the 32 players earned Dean's or Chancellor's List honors.
Corsairs Department Member of the Year Award –
WINNER: Greg Homol, Associate Director of Athletics for Recreation & Sports Performance
Greg Homol is the 2026 Department Member of the Year Award winner. He is responsible for managing the daily operations of the Fitness Center and overseeing the strength and conditioning program for our varsity student-athletes. He creates an environment in the weight room that is structured, demanding, and positive — one that challenges athletes to reach their full potential while feeling supported every step of the way. Beyond his technical expertise, Greg takes the time to build meaningful relationships with student-athletes rooted in collaboration, communication, and genuine care. He is equally valued as a trusted colleague and teammate within the Athletics Department, approaching every aspect of his work with professionalism and humility.
Student-Worker of the Year Award -
WINNER: AJ Rourke (Athletic Communications)
Finalists: Elikem Ablordeppey (Sports Medicine),
Olivia Ali (Game Management),
AJ Rourke (Athletic Communications)
AJ Rourke is the 2026 Student Worker of the Year Award winner. As the primary ice hockey inputter over the past three seasons, AJ demonstrated an exceptional ability to process statistical information quickly and accurately, entering data into the statistical platform without discrepancy — a truly remarkable achievement given the speed and intensity of the college game. His reliability and precision were an invaluable asset to the staff, and his contributions helped ensure the integrity of our communications operation across a number of sports, including ice hockey.
John C. Frye Service Award –
Presented to Drs. Chad Beattie and Matthew Kippe & Staffs – Hawthorn Orthopedics
This year's John C. Frye Award is proudly presented to our Team Physicians and their staffs at Hawthorn Orthopedics in recognition of the dedication, expertise, and compassionate they provide for Corsair Athletics. Through countless hours on Cressy Field, at Hetland Arena, in the Athletic Training Room and squeezing in last minute appointments into their busy schedules, they have gone above and beyond for the health and safety of our student athletes. Their commitment and genuine investment in the well-being of every individual on our teams exemplifies the true spirit of service. They are a critical part of the Sports Medicine team, and tonight, we want to acknowledge their efforts with our sincerest thank you.
