SALISBURY, Md. – The Salisbury University Department of Athletics and Campus Recreation began a new tradition on Monday night, honoring the Sea Gulls' best of the best for the 2024-25 season at the inaugural Sammys Athletics Awards Show, hosted by the SU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) in an evening ceremony at the Jackson Family Auditorium of Holloway Hall.
Included in the awards were the presentation of the university's 2024-25 Scholar-Athletes of the Year: women's lacrosse's
Natalie Held and men's swimming's
Gabriele Miksa.
Held (Sr. – Ellicott City, Md.) becomes the first back-to-back winner of the women's Scholar-Athlete of the Year award since
Sydney Ruckel in 2021 and 2022. She currently sports a 3.926 grade-point average as an Exercise Science major. Off the field, she volunteers at the Wicomico Humane Society, Special Olympics Maryland Lower Shore, and Sea Gull Century. Upon her graduation, Held will enroll in the Physician's Assistant Master's Program at King's College (Pa.).
After missing the first half of the season due to injury, Held has returned to form with 12 ground balls, eight caused turnovers, and seven draw controls in five games this year. She is a two-time Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) First-Team All-American and was named IWLCA Division III Defender of the Year last season. Held was also recognized as a College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-American in 2024.
Miksa (Jr. – Doylestown, Pa.) is the first swimmer to take home men's Scholar-Athlete of the Year since
Okan Eyigor in 2016. He currently boasts a 3.951 GPA as a Chemistry major on the Accelerated Pharmacy track. At SU Miksa has served on the Clarke Honors College, Ethics Club, Henson Student Leadership Advisory Council, and SAAC. He has also interned for Johnson & Johnson and Janssen Pharmaceuticals.
This winter, Miksa was part of the Sea Gulls' 200-yard medley relay team that set a program record (1:29.26), made the NCAA Championships B-Cut time standard, and earned a bronze medal at the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championships. Miksa was also named a CSC Academic All-District recipient earlier this month.
Below is a list of all winners and nominees of the 2024-25 Sammys Awards, listed in order of ceremony presentation.
Staff Athletic Award:
Jason Mokar, Assistant Director of the Physical Plant
Team Community Service Award:
Baseball
Comeback Players of the Year:
Jimmy Celentano (FB) &
Dylan Winebrenner (BSB)
Ashlyn Swaim (WSWIM), Alex Bull (WBB)
National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) All-Americans:
Frankie Giannetti (FB),
Hannah Johnson (FH),
Elizabeth Perry (WSWIM),
Lily Muir (WTEN),
Dylan Winebrenner (BSB),
Natalie Held (WLAX)
Gulls Supporting Gulls Award:
Volleyball
Female Glue Award:
Kayla Pedersen (VB)
Rachel Keller (SB), Nadia Bullock (WBB), Joi Fleming (WSOC), Kailey Jarboe (TF), Madi Sisson (XC)
Male Glue Award:
Christopher Knorr (MSWIM)
Andre Matthews (FB), Brendan Davis (MBB)
Female Newcomer of the Year:
Emma Smyser (TF)
Sidney Ziegler (WSOC), Merfie Lawson (FH)
Male Newcomer of the Year:
SyRus McGowan (FB)
Jadon Gaines (TF), Ryan Henneman (MGOLF), Noah Burroughs (BSB), Mason Potts (MSWIM)
Senior Student-Athletes with 4.00 GPA:
Sam Bodmer (XC/TF),
Alex Bull (WBB),
Paige Ellis (WLAX),
Lily Muir (WTEN),
Emma Radebaugh (FH),
Natalie Uibel (VB)
Highest Team GPA:
Volleyball
Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year:
Natalie Held (WLAX)
Alex Bull (WBB), Emily Stockman (SB), Isabel Larrabee (FH), Kayla Pedersen (VB), Kristen Ging (WSOC), Samantha Watson (WSWIM)
Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year:
Gabriele Miksa (MSWIM)
Chase Lomax (FB), Gavin Miller (MSOC), Kai Smith (TF)
Female Athlete of the Year:
Sydney McCallie (WSWIM)
Emily Stockman (SB), Nicole Miller (WBB), Autumn Conway (WSOC), Gwen Eustace (VB), Marli McDorman (FH), Karia Forvil (TF), Anna Bodmer (XC/TF)
Male Athlete of the Year:
John DeFazio (MLAX)
Tre Price (FB), Joran Oates (MBB), Kai Smith (TF)
Photo of the Year (voted on by student-athletes):
BK Wilson (BSB) catch - Apr. 3, 2025 (taken by
Nikki Mondo)
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with affiliate membership in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (football, men's & women's swimming) and the Coastal Lacrosse Conference (men's lacrosse). With over 500 student-athletes in 23 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the nation's most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have won a combined 23 team national championships, 24 individual national championships, and 202 conference championships, and have produced 51 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit www.SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.
