April 29, 2011 - Geneva College
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April 29, 2011

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Beaver Falls, PA - The NADO′s, as commonly referred to these days around the Geneva College campus, took place at Metheny Fieldhouse on Friday morning. The second annual awards ceremony allows for an opportunity to honor athletic excellence throughout the Geneva College family during the 2010-11 school year.

Each head coach from his or her respective programs spoke about the year and presented a most valuable player award. The men′s soccer team and head coach Gary Dunda refrained from naming an MVP while the men′s basketball program honored three players as co-award winners.

While the awards themselves were enough to pique the interest of all attending athletes, it was the special awards that took center stage. Geneva presents a rookie of the year award for men and women, a service award for men and women, scholar-athlete award for men and women and of course the male and female athletes of the year.

The rookies of the year were awarded to volleyball freshman Deanna Briody for the women and Ryan White for track and field on the men′s side. Briody helped lead the Golden Tornadoes to a record 26 victories, while White has already qualified for the NCCAA national track and field meet as a sprinter in both indoor and outdoor track. White also brought the audience to a standing ovation upon the announcement that he had come to Geneva after serving a year in the war in Afghanistan.

The service awards were handed out to Bethany Podnar on the women′s side and Matt Weaver for the men. Podnar competes for the track and field team as well as being a member of the women′s soccer team. Weaver, a graduating senior on the men′s soccer team, was also honored for his work off the field.

The scholar-athlete awards were handed out to a pair of student-athletes who each hold a 3.9 GPA. Martha Adams, a junior on the women′s softball team, and David Harwood, a men′s soccer player were both honored for their academic and athletic excellence.

The ceremony concluded with Geneva College athletic director Dr. Kim Gall handing out the men′s and women′s athlete of the year awards. Julia Urbanski, a senior cross country and track and field athlete won the award for the women while Gerard Muschette, a senior tailback, went home with the men′s hard ward. Urbanski has broken school records in both the 800 meter and 1500 meter events while qualifying for the NCCAA national meet in both cross country and track and field. Muschette broke Geneva′s all-time rushing record in the fall and was named the NCCAA national offensive player of the year.

It was the awards that were handed out that brought people to the NADO Awards but it may be the work of the Master of Ceremony′s that people will most likely remember. Football player Dan Massaro served as the MC and in between quips pulled off the shot of the year. After his third wardrobe change, Massaro, dressed in Geneva basketball attire, tossed a basketball from the stage across the gym and into the hoop from 75 feet away. It brought the crowd to its feet and gave the 2011 NADO Awards its signature moment.

Following is a list of each sport with their respective Most Valuable Player awards for the 2010-11 school year.
Baseball - Jon Jurinko
Softball - Julie DiLonardo
Men′s Basketball - Rich Colick, Bryan Hill, Brandon Sopko
Women′s Basketball - Christine Carugati
Men′s Cross Country - Nick Edinger
Women′s Cross Country - Julia Urbanski
Football - Gerard Muschette
Volleyball - Adriane Blake
Tennis - Chelsea Cover
Women′s Soccer - Lauren Londino
Men′s Track and Field - Dan Dillman
Women′s Track and Field - Liz Michalak

Geneva College is a comprehensive Christian college of the arts, sciences and professional studies. Founded in the tradition of the Reformed Christian faith, Geneva prepares students to serve Christ in all areas of society: work, family and the church. Geneva College′s philosophy of education is based on the Foundational Concepts of Christian Higher Education. Geneva is a founding member of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU).

Apr 29, 2011