CASTINE, Maine – The Maine Maritime Academy Athletic Department held the Mariners Athletics Awards Ceremony and Celebration on Tuesday, April 18 to celebrate the accomplishments in the department this past year.
 
This event is held to celebrate the accomplishments of Maine Maritime student-athletes throughout the year, both academically and athletically. Awards such as, All-Conference and All-Academic are recognized, as well as Elite 8, Athlete of the Year, Leader of the Year, and Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year are announced.
 
Here are the 2022-23 recipients for each award:
 
Elite 8:

 
This award recognizes two student-athletes, one individual on a men's team and one individual on a women's team, with the highest cumulative grade point average in each eligibility class.
 
First-years: Jacob Hintermaier (Macon, Ga.) men's lacrosse, William Sherrill (Nobleboro, Maine) men's cross country, Lydia Lancina (Milwaukee, Wis.) women's soccer, Sam Urch (Duck, N.C.) volleyball, and Grace Huntwork (Gretna, Neb.) women's basketball.
 
Sophomores: Joshua Hanson (Tilton, N.H.) men's cross country, Erin Kinser (Cashmere, Wash.) women's cross country, and Natasha Kopeck (Manchester Center, Vt.) women's swimming & diving.
 
Juniors: Evan Allen (Avon, Maine) men's soccer and Noelle Tavares (Falmouth, Mass.) women's soccer.
 
Seniors: Benjamin Butterfield (Phillips, Maine) men's cross country and Amber Card (Bowdoin, Maine) women's lacrosse.
 
2022-23 Athletes of the Year:
 
This award serves to recognize the athletic achievements of two individuals each year. The student-athletes must display a high level of athletic ability, teamwork, leadership, and sportsmanship. The recipients have also displayed excellence in the classroom and been positive member of the Maine Maritime and Castine community.
 
Women's Athlete of the Year – Lauren Plissey (Hermon, Maine) Women's Basketball

 
Plissey, a graduate student International Logistics Management major, led the Mariners to their first North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Championship since 2005 and first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2007. The graduate student was named to the NAC Championship All-Tournament team, as well as earning NAC Senior Scholar Athlete, NAC First Team All-Conference, and Maine Women's Basketball Coaches Association (MWBCA) Second Team All-State honors this season.
 
Over the course of the year, Plissey averaged 11.6 points for a total of 336, shooting 55% from the floor, which is the second highest career field goal percentage in program history, while tallying 204 rebounds, 68 assists, 52 blocks, and 25 steals. She also surpassed 1,000 career points this season, becoming the tenth women's basketball player to do so.
 
Men's Athlete of the Year – Jayden Wilson (Lewiston, Maine) Men's Lacrosse

 
Wilson, a senior Power Engineering Technology major, led the Maine Maritime men's lacrosse program to their first NAC Championship in the 2021 season. The senior was named the NAC Championship Tournament MVP and to the NAC First Team All-Conference last season.
 
This season, Wilson continues to rewrite the men's lacrosse record book by surpassing 200 career points, becoming the fourth men's lacrosse player to do so, and 100 career goals, becoming the fifth men's lacrosse player to reach that milestone. Eleven games in, Wilson leads the team with 63 points on 39 goals and 24 assists, along with picking up 28 ground balls and causing five turnovers to stay undefeated in conference action.
 
2022-23 Leaders of the Year:
 
The Mariners Leadership Award is intended to honor two individuals that most embraced the principles of leadership. In Mariners Athletics, we believe that everyone can lead. We also know that some leaders embrace leadership as part of who they are. It is that mentality and way of life that infuses all they do. For their efforts, everyone is made stronger and better.
 
Women's Leader of the Year – Bess MacArthur (Castine, Maine) Women's Soccer

 
MacArthur, a senior International Business & Logistics major, is a four-year member  and two-year captain of the women's soccer program. She is the President of Mariners Athletics Student Athlete Advisory Committee and is active in the community with volunteering at a local middle school as well as advocating for Breast Cancer Awareness along with the entire women's soccer program. MacArthur is also enlisted the Coast Guard.  
 
On the field, MacArthur was the starting goalkeeper for the Mariners during their 2021 NAC Championship run. This season, she recorded six shutouts in net for the Mariners. She tallied 57 saves on the year, earning a spot on the NAC Third Team All-Conference.
 
Men's Leader of the Year – Eli Moulton (Hiram, Maine) Men's Soccer

 
Moulton, a graduate student International Logistics Management major, is a five-year member and captain of the men's soccer program. He also is a member of the United States Marine Crops Reserves and attended the 2022 U.S. Naval Academy National Leadership Conference.
 
On the field, Moulton saw action in only seven games this season due to injury. He started two of those games and helped lead the Mariners to the quarterfinals of the NAC Tournament. Moulton has also earned a spot on the NAC All-Academic Team for two straight seasons.
 
2022-23 Senior Scholar Athletes of the Year:
 
The senior scholar athlete displays academic and athletic excellence during their time at Maine Maritime Academy. They are team and community leaders and display the highest level of integrity, dedication, and commitment.
 
Women's Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year – Kelsey Bern (Castle Rock, Wash.) Women's Soccer

 
Bern, a senior Power Engineering Technology major, boasts a 3.95 GPA, while being a four-year member and captain of the women's soccer program. She has completed two internships at Renu Energy Solutions and NextEra Energy Resources. Bern is also a tutor for multiple subjects and volunteers at the local middle school in Castine.
 
On the field, Bern helped led the Mariners to a NAC Championship in 2021. This season, she tallied three goals and earned a spot on the NAC Second Team All-Conference for the second consecutive season. She has been named to the NAC All-Academic Team for three years straight.
 
Men's Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year – Benjamin Butterfield (Phillips, Maine) Men's Cross Country

 
Butterfield, a senior Marine Systems Engineering major, boasts a 3.92 GPA and has been a four-year member of the men's cross country program. He has led his team in multiple races this season, including an individual first place finish at the Ron Ouellette Invitational with a time of 27:56.6 for the 8K race.
 
Through his athletic and academic accomplishments, Butterfield has been recognized by the NAC as the 2022 Men's Cross Country Senior Scholar Athlete and by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as an NCAA DIII All-Academic Scholar.