Trio of seniors, sports information staff and dean honored at Wheaton's annual year-end athletics banquet

NORTON, MA - The Department of Athletics held its annual awards ceremony at Emerson Dining Hall on Tuesday night. Highlighting the evening was the announcement of the five major awards, including two that went to senior Erin Davis (Easton, CT/Joel Barlow), and acknowledgment of Dean of Students Sue Alexander and her 21 years of support for Wheaton athletics.

Seniors Brent DiGiovanna (Hanover, MA/Hanover) and Chris McDonough (Weymouth, MA/Weymouth) alongside Wheaton's sports information staff were the recipients of three major awards, while the department recognized Alexander by officially renaming two awards in her honor. (Pictured: Chris McDonough and Erin Davis.)

Changing the Senior Athlete Awards to the Dean Sue Alexander Senior Athlete Awards, honors presented to a male and female member of the graduating class who has made a significant contribution to the success of the Wheaton athletic program, including participating in intercollegiate athletics or intramural programs, displaying leadership ability, and providing commitment and relevant committee work, the athletic department voted Davis and DiGiovanna as first-time honorees under the new auspices.

Davis, who was also selected as the Debi Field Athlete Award winner, honoring the school's top female athlete each year, became the first student in 20 years to garner both accolades and just the second since 1984, the first year both laurels were offered simultaneously. A two-time National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-American and the 2007 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Player of the Year, the two-time captain led the women's soccer team to four NCAA Tournaments, four regular season conference titles and a trio of tournament crowns.

Anchoring a defense that surrendered a mere nine goals in 24 games and posted a 0.37 goals against average with 16 shutouts, Davis led Wheaton to a 22-1-1 record and a perfect 9-0 conference mark. She also made an impact on the offensive end of the field, tallying four goals and a team-leading 14 assists, which was the second-highest total in the league and tied for third in program history. Davis, who has played a huge part in the nation's longest active conference unbeaten streak at 88 games, will graduate seventh at Wheaton in career assists.

Despite battling through injuries during the basketball season, DiGiovanna brought exceptional leadership to the Wheaton lineup as the team's lone captain. The NEWMAC's top free throw shooter at 87.5 percent finished 25th in all of Division III this past winter. Leading the Lyons to a 13-12 season and ninth NEWMAC Tournament semifinal appearance in the league's 10-year history, DiGiovanna fell just 87 points shy of becoming the 12th member of the program's 1,000-point club. He completed his career second in school history in free throw percentage, third in field goal shooting, tied for third in games, ninth in free throws and 15th in points.

McDonough, who is baseball's all-time strikeouts leader, drew the Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year Award. Becoming just the fourth Lyon to draw three all-conference laurels, McDonough recently led the Blue and White to its fourth straight NEWMAC Tournament crown, thus earning Wheaton an automatic bid into May's NCAA Tournament for the fourth successive spring. The southpaw is among the conference leaders in several categories, including ranking in a tie for second in starts, third in strikeouts, tied for third in wins and fifth in earned run average. Tying a program record with two shutouts this season, McDonough is just the second player to record a pair of two-shutout campaigns. For his career, he is first in complete games, tied for second in shutouts and third in wins and innings.

Wheaton's sports information staff, consisting of director Scott Dietz and assistant director Josh Kessler, received the Claudia Friese Special Recognition Award, which recognizes behind-the-scenes dedication to the athletic program. Dietz and Kessler are charged with the publicity efforts for Wheaton's athletic department and its 21 varsity programs. Dietz, who began his tenure at the school as an assistant in 1999, is in his eighth year as director, while Kessler is finishing up his third as assistant.