Senior Student-Athletes Honored at Annual Banquet
NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College Department of Athletics hosted its annual senior awards banquet on campus in the Red Barn on Wednesday, May 14. The event, which drew over 100 guests, featured a series of end of year awards, along with recognition of the senior athletes in the class of 2025 as the academic and athletic year comes to an end.
The event began with opening remarks from Director of Athletics, Matt Finlayson and Dr. Tracy Espy, President of the College. Following a short break for dinner, each head coach was given the opportunity to step to the podium to share words on their senior student-athletes. At the conclusion of each presentation, seniors from each team gathered to collect a student-athlete sash and a gift bag put together by the department. Once the coaches concluded, the evening moved into the awards category, with 11 trophies distributed in a variety of categories.
The first award given out was the Dean Roberts Distinguished Service Award, given annually to a student who can be an athlete, team manager, or intern that embodies the concepts of selflessness, commitment, and community service.
Chris Costa (Bayport, N.Y.), a junior on the men's soccer team was the recipient of this year's award. A two-year member of the men's soccer program, Costa has ingrained himself at Mitchell, both on and off the field. Aside from being a captain this upcoming season, he is an integral part of the Mitchell Athletics community, and when not on the soccer pitch can be seen working nearly every event, playing a pivotal role in the department. This spring he became the "voice of the Mariners", broadcasting nearly every home baseball and softball game, while also assisting in nearly every behind the scene aspect. From statistics to game day operations to PA and more, Costa embodies the concepts of selflessness, reliability, and commitment to Mitchell Athletics.
The next award handed out was the Mariner Excellence Award, presented annually to the male and female graduating student-athletes who have excelled athletically while also attaining an outstanding academic record (minimum 3.3 cum GPA).
There were co-recipients for the female Mariner Excellence Award, as Allison Blum (Garden Grove, Cali.) and Brooke Whitmarsh (Portsmouth, R.I.) both were recipients of the award.
Blum, a four-year member of the Mitchell women's volleyball program and team captain who majored in psychology, finished her career ranked first in program history in attack attempts, service aces, sets played, and matches played, while ranking second all-time in kills and points scored. A member of Chi Alpha Sigma, she was named to the College Sports Communicators All-District Team for 2024 and last year she was named Top Female Scholar Athlete by Mitchell College. She will graduate with a cumulative GPA of 3.96.
Whitmarsh, a four-year member of the Mitchell softball program, majored in Applied Exercise Science. During her career, she appeared in 148 games and is a career .385 hitter who ranks first all time in program history with 122 RBI, and is second all-time in program history with 177 base hits. A GNAC Third Team selection this spring, she is also a member of Chi Alpha Sigma and Phi Epsilon Kappa. She will graduate with a cumulative GPA of 3.56.
The male recipient of the Mariner Excellence Award was senior Matt Ladd (Griswold, Conn). Ladd, a four-year member and captain of the Mitchell men's soccer program, played and started in 68 career games, tied for the fourth most all-time. He is also tied for the program lead in all-time assists with 11, and ranks second all-time in assists in a single season with six. Off the soccer field, Ladd is a member of Chi Alpha Sigma and Phi Epsilon Kappa, who was also recognized with the Dean Roberts Award of Excellence for Sport Management, presented for outstanding achievement in the sport management major. He will graduate with a cumulative GPA of 3.73.
The night then transitioned to the Doug Yarnall Coaches Award, which goes to the graduating male and female student-athletes who contribute most to the varsity athletics program by promoting excellence through sportsmanship, passion for the sport, and dedication to their team and teammates.
The female recipient of the Doug Yarnall Coaches Award went to Emily Reynolds (Somers, Conn.). A four-year member of the Mitchell softball program, Reynolds ranks fourth in program history with 34 wins and her 458 innings pitched are the most in the Division III era. She recently concluded her Mitchell career with a 3.62 ERA and 188 strikeouts. A dedicated teammate and leader, Reynolds wears many hats in the Mitchell community. A one-time All Conference First Team selection and member of Chi Alpha Sigma, she was recently honored with the Eugene and Margaret Ferryman Award, given to students who have demonstrated a degree of citizenship to the College's community that goes above and beyond. Reynolds was also recognized with the Richard W. Lawrence Memorial Award, given annually to the graduate who in the opinion of faculty has done most to uphold and practice ideas of good citizenship. The President of Mitchell's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and a member of the GNAC SAAC Commissioner's Council, she has represented the College at numerous conference events over the years.
The male recipient of the Doug Yarnall Coaches Award was given to Keeano Gonzalez (New London, Conn.). A three-year member of the Mitchell men's lacrosse program and a two-year member of the men's soccer program, Gonzalez was a teammate always willing to go above and beyond to help his team. He left a legacy on the lacrosse field and is the program's all-time leader in ground balls with 261, and was an All-Conference First Team selection as a sophomore. A recipient of multiple Academic All-Conference Awards, he is a member of Chi Alpha Sigma, Phi Epsilon Kappa, and SAAC. Additionally, Gonzalez previously served in the College's First Year Mentoring Program, helping new students access relevant support services, increasing new student engagement, and promotion of academic success.
Next up was the Newcomer of the Year Award, presented to the male and female student-athlete that overall has had most prolific first year as a varsity athlete.
The female Newcomer of the Year went to freshman Genna Hyde (Cypress, TX). An impact freshman on the women's volleyball team, Hyde put together one of the most impressive first-year debuts in Mitchell volleyball history. She racked up 283 kills, good for second most in a single season in program history, while her 3.11 kills per set and 342 points each also ranked second in a single season in the Division III era. Her 283 kills were good for eighth in the GNAC, and Hyde also ranked within the top 10 conference wide in kills per set, total attacks, points, and points per set.
The male Newcomer of the Year was presented to freshman Ryan Dennis (Enfield, Conn.). Dennis, a centerfielder, emerged as one of the most dangerous all around baseball players in the GNAC during his freshman season, batting .376 with 56 hits, 47 runs scored, 23 RBI, 20 walks, and 31 stolen bases. Dennis earned First Team All-Conference honors and tied for first on the team in hits, while ranking first in runs, stolen bases, and on base percentage. He ranked within the top-10 conference wide in batting average, on base percentage, hits, runs, and led the conference in steals. His numbers only got stronger across 16 GNAC games, as in conference play he was first in batting average, on base percentage, hits, runs, total bases, and stolen bases.
The night then concluded with the presentation of the Athlete of the Year award, presented to the male and female student-athlete considered to be the most accomplished athlete in the varsity sports program.
The female Athlete of the Year was presented to senior Gemma Landry (Lewiston, ME). Among the most, if not the most accomplished female athletes in the Division III era of Mitchell College, Landry was a multi-sport athlete who earned GNAC Second Team All-Conference honors as a soccer goalie and led the conference with 173 saves, which was also good for eighth most in the nation at the DIII level. Her 14.42 saves per game was second most in the nation, and she turned away double-digit shots in eight out of 12 games, highlighted by a 27 save performance against Johnson & Wales, good for the most saves in a single-game in program history. Landry finishes her Mitchell career as the program's all-time leader in saves and saves per game, and is second all-time in shutouts and third in save percentage. Landry also excelled on the softball diamond, twice making an All-Conference Team and winning Player of the Year as a freshman. This season she batted .319 to help lead the Mariners into the GNAC Tournament. With a stellar glove at shortstop, Landry ranked third on the team with 38 hits, second on the team with 24 runs, and has 191 career base hits, the most in program history.
This year there were co-recipiants of the male Athlete of the Year, as seniors Shamus McLean (Groton, Conn.) and Eddie Kaftan (Old Lyme, Conn.) were both recognized.
McLean was a four-time All-Conference selection who is the most accomplished golfer in the history of the program. He rewrote the record book during his time at Mitchell and capped it off with a dominant senior season, which saw him shoot an average round of score of 73.6, good for the lowest season scoring average in program history. McLean twice shot a 68 this fall, which is the lowest round in program history and he finished third overall at the GNAC Championship, earning First Team All-Conference honors. For his career, McLean has shot an average round of 76.7, nearly four strokes better than the holder of second place. This fall he was a three time GNAC Golfer of the Week who earned medalist honors in six of nine events the team competed in.
Kaftan was among the most dominant pitchers in the GNAC this spring, going 8-3 in 12 appearances with a 2.33 ERA. The wins and the ERA both ranked second in the conference, while his 87 strikeouts were also good for second most. Kaftan surrendered just 16 walks in 77.1 innings pitched, tossing one complete game, while allowing two or fewer earned runs in 10 of the 12 games he towed the mound in. In six conference games, his numbers only got stronger, as he posted a 5-0 record with 1.29 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 35 innings, ranking second in ERA and wins, helping guide the Mariners to the second seed in the GNAC Tournament. A First Team All-Conference selection this spring, Kaftan concludes his Mitchell career fourth all-time in wins with 22 and is sixth all-time with 178 strikeouts.