CASTINE, Maine – The Maine Maritime Academy Athletic Department held the 2023-24 Mariners Athletics Awards and Celebration on Thursday, April 25. 
 
This event celebrates the accomplishments of Maine Maritime's student-athletes over the past year, both academically and athletically. All-Conference and All-Academic awards are recognized, along with the five Mariners championships that were won over the past year.  Elite 8 honors are also honored, in addition to our four-year athletes. Major awards such as Athlete of the Year, Leader of the Year, and Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year, which are voted on by the athletics staff, are also awarded during this event. 
 
Here are the 2023-2024 recipients for each award:
Elite 8:

First-years: Hunter Crea (men's soccer), Sophie Sabet (women's lacrosse), Bethany Ives (women's soccer), and Mallory Erickson (women's lacrosse).
Sophomores: Ronnie Morgan (men's soccer) and Lydia Lancina (women's soccer).
Juniors: Owen Tyler (men's cross country) and Natasha Kopeck (women's swimming & diving).
Seniors: Evan Allen (men's soccer) and Sierra Hoops (women's soccer).
 
Four-year Seniors:
 
Men's Lacrosse: Oliver Bird, Alex Stevens, Garrett Ruszkowski, Riley Morin, Noah Caramihalis, Danny Stash, Zach McCarthy
Men's Soccer: Evan Allen, Mickey Calderwood, Daniel Chizmar, Xander Fortuna-Ramos, Reuben Harrison, Landon Nichols, Ryan Smith, Eli Yeaton
Men's Swimming & Diving: John Markillie, John Gilpin, and Kyle Smit
Sailing: Nalu Ho, Zach York, Pierson Deloe, Griffin Horne
Football: David Dingley, Robbie Dick, Zachary Mercier, Dakota Page, Tyler Pelletier
Women's Basketball: Holly Reeder-Morning
Women's Lacrosse: Meaghan Wimpfheimer and Aubrey Mitchell
Women's Soccer: Olivia Pye, Josephine Teuten, Kaitlyn Anair, Sierra Hoops, Noelle Tavares 
Women's Wrestling: Jenna Willard
 
2023-24 Athletes of the Year:
Women's Athlete of the Year – Erianna Moore (Fitchburg, Mass.) Women's Basketball

Moore, an International Business & Logistics major, led the Mariners to back-to-back North Atlantic Conference (NAC) championships this season and to their second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The junior guard was named to the NAC First Team All-Conference and to the Maine Women's Basketball Coaches Association (MWBCA) First Team All-State this season. She was also awarded the NAC championship MVP for her performance in the tournament. Along with her athletic success, Moore was named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team.
 
Over the course of the year, Moore led the Mariners by averaging 13.3 points, shooting 45% from the floor, 6.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. She totaled 351 points, 187 rebounds, 111 assists, 42 blocks, and 41 steals this the season. Moore finished the season ranked 9^th in the country in assist to turnover ratio (2.78).
 
Men's Athlete of the Year – Curt Heinz (Stuttgart, Germany) Men's Basketball 

Heinz, an International Business & Logistics major, collected an array of postseason honors after an impressive junior campaign. The junior center was named the NAC Defensive Player of the Year and earned a spot of the NAC First Team All-Conference. He was also selected as the Maine Men's Basketball Coaches and Writers Association (MMBCWA) Co-Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-State, and All-Defensive Team. To wrap up his accomplishments this season, Heinz was named to the D3 Hoops Region 1 Third Team.
 
On the court, Heinz put up 491 points, on 52% shooting, pulled down 385 rebounds, and dished out 127 assists, in addition to 62 blocks and 30 steals. He was a repeat NCAA statistical champion in rebounds per game and defensive rebounds per game. Heinz also surpassed the 1,000-point milestone against UMaine-Presque this season on February 3.
 
2023-24 Leader of the Year: 
Women's Leader of the Year – Liza Zhukov (Barrington, R.I.) Women's Swimming & Diving
 
Zhukov, an International Business & Logistics major, is a three-year member of the women's swimming & diving program and served her first year as a junior team captain this season. In her junior campaign, Zhukov helped guide the Mariners to a 2^nd place finish at the NAC championship and earned a spot of the NAC First Team All-Conference for the second consecutive season. Along with her athletic, Zhukov was named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team.
 
Zhukov has her name in the Maine Maritime swimming & diving record books seven times, including a record breaking 1:45.81 time in the 200 Free Relay this season along with three teammates. She also holds the Bok Pool individual record for the 50 Back (29.42), 100 Back (1:04.63), and 200 Back (2:25.56), in addition to the 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay, and 400 Free Relay. 
 
"Liza is a very talented swimmer that is super reliable and works very hard, but it is her role outside of the pool that makes her special", Tony DeMuro, Head Women's Swimming & Diving Coach.
 
Men's Leader of the Year – Sam Nichol (Concord, N.H.) Men's Lacrosse
 
Nichol, a Marine Systems Engineering major, is a two-time NAC championship with the men's lacrosse program and is looking to compete for a third this season. Voted on by his peers, Nichol was named a team captain this year and has consistently proven himself as a vocal leader on the field. In his sophomore campaign, Nichol was named to the NAC First Team All-Conference and surpassed the 100 career-point milestone. Nichol was also named a NAC Spring All-Academic and CSC Academic All-District selection for his efforts in the classroom.
 
To date, the junior midfielder has tallied 30 goals and 18 assists, in addition to scooping up 14 ground balls and causing six turnovers. Against SUNY Cobleskill, Nichol surpassed the 100 career-goal milestone, becoming the 15^th men's lacrosse player in program history to reach the milestone. 
 
"Sam has dedicated countless hours of his own time helping his younger teammates, in the fieldhouse and on the field outside of practice, helping them improve their game and confidence. Off the field, Sam has gone above and beyond, volunteering his time as a team tutor, while maintaining a 3.87 GPA," Brandon Melville, Head Men's Lacrosse Coach
 
2023-24 Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year:
Women's Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year – Makenna Middleton (Peoria, Ill.) Volleyball

Middleton, a Marine Biology / Small Vessel Operations major, boasts a 3.77 GPA and was named the Women's Volleyball Team Leader of the Year. The defensive specialist has been a part of two NAC championship teams at Maine Maritime and was named the NAC Senior Scholar Athlete during the 2023 campaign. She was also named a NAC Fall All-Academic and CSC Academic All-District selection for her efforts in the classroom.
 
Middleton has completed summer internships in each of her summers between academic semesters. These internships include a Scientific Diver in-training at Rosario Beach Marine Lab in Anacortes, Washington, Crocodile Research Coalition intern in Placencia, Belize and Veterinary Assistant at the Prairie Animal Hospital in Peoria, Illinois.
 
On the court, Middleton tallied 159 digs this season, along with 38 service aces and 13 assists.
 
Men's Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year – Evan Allen (Avon, Maine) Men's Soccer
 
Allen, a Marine Systems Engineering major, boasts a 3.99 GPA, while being a four-year member and team captain of the men's soccer program. The senior defender was named Men's Soccer Leader of the Year and the NAC Senior Scholar Athlete during this past season. Allen is also a four-time Elite 8 recipient for having the highest GPA in his class.
 
Allen has completed internships with Bath Iron Works of Bath, Maine, where he was assigned to their Hull Engineering Department and the Noise Shock & Vibration team, as well as Performance Contracting Inc. of San Diego, CA, where he worked as an Associate Project Engineer.  
 
On the field, Evan played in 13 contests this season, starting two of them, and tallied two assists for the Mariners.