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