CASTINE--The Maine Maritime Academy Athletic Department, in conjunction with the Student-Athletic Advisory Committee, held the 2024-25 Mariners Athletics Awards and Celebration on Thursday evening in the on-campus dining hall.
 
This event celebrates the accomplishments of Maine Maritime's student-athletes over the past academic year, both scholarly and athletically. All-conference and academic all-conference awards are recognized. Elite 8 recipients are also honored. Major awards such as athlete, leader and senior scholar-athlete of the year, which are voted on by the athletics staff, are also announced during this event. 

Athlete of the Year: Senior Erianna Moore, Women's Basketball Guard
While averaging 12.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.4 assists, Moore achieved numerous postseason accolades including NAC Defensive Player of the Year, All-NAC First Team and Maine Women's Basketball Coaches Association First Team. She helped the team to its fifth straight 20-win full season (23-5) and a 13-0 conference record, while MMA was nationally-ranked as high as 48th in the NCAA Power Index. A 1,000-point career scorer (1,213), she was nationally ranked in assists and assist to turnover ratio. The international business and logistics major was the only representative from a Maine-based institution on the College Sports Communicators Academic All-America® Division III ballot. Also a 2024 Mariners Athlete of the Year, she was a two-time D3hoops.com National Team of the Week honoree and twice named for NAC weekly awards.

Athlete of the Year: Senior Curt Heinz, Men's Basketball Center
A repeat honoree for this departmental award, Heinz was the 2025 Defensive Player of the Year by both the North Atlantic Conference and Maine Men's Basketball Coaches and Writers Association for a second-straight season and he became the first Mariner ever in any sport to be tabbed an Eastern College Athletic Conference Player of the Year. He twice placed on the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Player of the Week and D3hoops.com Team of the Week (Jan. 14). The three-time NAC Player of the Week and five-time conference defensive player of the week, as well as a MMBCA Player of the Week honoree on three occasions, he was the only NAC player named the United States Basketball Writers' Association in 2024-25.
 
Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Natasha Kopeck, Women's Swimming & Diving
A coastal and marine environmental science major, Kopeck is arguably the most decorated female diver in MMA history. She became the first woman in program history to achieve a podium finish at the ECAC Championships in 1-meter diving, earning eighth place. The three-time CSC Academic All-District® honoree placed on the 2025 Little East Conference Honor Roll and All-Academic Team, and was on the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. Kopeck, who this season achieved six wins each in diving and swimming events, helped the Mariners to their best-ever finish at the ECAC meet. Owner of six school records, she has been an integral part of the program over the last four seasons. The team captain has dedicated her time to assisting professors with their projects and advancing scientific research, served as a chemistry tutor, helped with community swim lessons, and been a member of the Environmental Action Club.

Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Sam Nichol, Men's Lacrosse
Nichol exemplifies the ideal candidate for this major award through his remarkable achievements in academics, athletics and leadership. A marine systems engineering major, he has earned multiple Dean's List honors while managing one of the most rigorous academic programs at Maine Maritime. He has been a Teaching Assistant and tutor for thermodynamics, mathematics and physics students. On the field, he is a two-time team captain and a three-time all-conference selection, earning first team honors in 2023 and 2024. He ranks third all-time in career goals (153) and points (226) and fourth in assists (73) for the Mariners. The midfielder currently has 39 goals and 46 points this spring.

Leader of the Year: Kirra Magana, Women's Soccer
Along with being a very successful two-sport student-athlete at MMA, Magana has worked her way through college and has served the nation as a member of the Maine Army National Guard, with the rank of E4 Specialist. At MMA, she is an integral member of the student body. She has demonstrated her leadership skills by working as a resident assistant, student tutor, equipment room assistant and gameday event staff. She has also served a two-year term on MMA's Student Government Board and is a two-year member of MMA's SAAC. She leads on the field by action and results, in the locker room with her voice and supporting teammates, and in the classroom helping others. The forward's impact on MMA Soccer has been recognized with NAC Player and Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year, All-ECAC and CSC Academic All-America® ballot laurels.

Leader of the Year: Heinz
The three-year team captain ended his Mariners career as the program leader in blocks, assists and rebounds. A back-to-back All-NAC First Team choice (three-time all-conference overall), Heinz led the conference with 20.2 points, 13.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots per game, and a .560 field goal percentage. In his role as a leader of the team, he transformed a basketball program that saw consecutive postseasons for the first time in over a decade, served as an extension of the coaching staff, and was an example to his teammates. There were moments during practices and games where he would take charge of the team with his voice and it was obvious that the entirety of the group looked up to him. He was universally known on campus as a "gym rat" spending time working on his shooting, dribbling and rebounding skills.

Leader of the Year: Nichol
The men's lacrosse standout is a repeat selection for Leader of the Year. Nichol embodies the mission of Maine Maritime Athletics through his unwavering commitment to leadership, integrity and personal growth. He has set the standard both on and off the field through his voice that rallies the team in competition, and his consistent performance makes him one of our most reliable contributors. At every practice, he has led by example—ensuring teammates arrive on time, running warmups, and pushing others to give their best, even braving snowstorms to assist younger players with their skills and confidence. His character is widely known throughout the locker room and those across campus who know him. He's been seen cleaning up after every practice, staying behind to unload the bus after road trips, or ensuring the locker room is left better than he found it,

The Elite 8 showcases MMA student-athletes as performers in the classroom. This award recognizes the men's and women's student-athletes with the highest cumulative grade-point average in each eligibility class at the end of the fall term. The winners include: 
Freshmen--Margaret Sledge (Women's Lacrosse/MARTRO), Wade Will (Men's Basketball/BIOSVO);
Sophomores--Bethany Ives (Women's Soccer & Wrestling/MARTRO), Breanna Kerr (Women's Volleyball & Lacrosse/IBLUG); Brice Retell (Men's Wrestling/BIOSVO);
Juniors--Nate Campbell (Men's Cross Country/IBLUG), Lydia Lancina (Women's Soccer/IBLUG); and
Seniors--Owen Tyler (Men's Cross Country/MET); Kopeck (Women's Swimming & Diving; CMES).

Legend of majors: Marine Transportation Operations, MARTRO; International Business and Logistics, IBLUG; Marine Engineering Technology, MET; Marine Biology and Small Vessel Operations, BIOSVO; Coastal and Marine Environmental Science, CMES.