Wheaton honors student-athletes at annual year-end athletics banquet

NORTON, MA- The Wheaton College Department of Athletics held its annual awards ceremony in Emerson Gymnasium on Tuesday night.  Highlighting the evening was the announcement of the winners of the department's five major awards, as three seniors, a junior and a staff member representing four different Lyon programs were recognized.  All five earned end-of-the-year honors for the first time.  At the banquet's conclusion, Wheaton Executive Director of Athletics Chad Yowell received a standing ovation for his 23 years at the helm of the department, as he is set to retire at the end of the month.

Seniors Anthony Coppola (Watertown, MA/Watertown) and Alessia Viscomi (Newton, MA/Newton North) were recipients of the Dean Sue Alexander Senior Athlete Awards, junior Dan Haugh (Andover, MA/Saint John's Prep) was named Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year, while senior Nicole Zais (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury Regional) picked up the Debi Field Athlete Award as the school's top female athlete.  Zach Hicks '07 drew the Claudia Friese Special Recognition Award, which recognizes behind-the-scenes dedication to the athletic program.

The senior athlete awards, which were renamed in 2008 to acknowledge former Dean of Students Sue Alexander and her 21 years of support to Wheaton athletics, are presented to a male and female member of the graduating class who has made a significant contribution to the success of the Wheaton athletic program, including participating in intercollegiate athletics or intramural programs, displaying leadership ability, and providing commitment and relevant committee work.

A two-time captain of the men's basketball team, Coppola became just the third player in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference's (NEWMAC) 13-year history to be named to an all-conference team all four years.  He is a two-time all-region player and was named rookie of the year by D3hoops.com and the NEWMAC in 2008.  Finishing his career with 1,863 points, which ranks second on the school's all-time scoring list, Coppola set the program's single-game scoring mark of 41 points against eventual conference champion Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) earlier this year.  Including career points, Coppola will leave Wheaton among the top 10 in eight statistical categories.

Viscomi, who twice captained the women's soccer team, joined elite company when she drew All-America honors for the second time.  Becoming the fifth Lyon to do so, Viscomi pushed Wheaton to a 17-4-3 record and 11th consecutive NCAA Tournament.  She anchored a defense that recorded 12 shutouts while holding opponents to one goal or less 21 times.  A four-time all-region and all-conference player, Viscomi started in 90 of the 92 games in which she played, including all 24 last fall.  Since her arrival, the Lyons have gone 73-15-8 while competing in four NCAA Tournaments and earning three NEWMAC regular season crowns and one league tourney title.  Viscomi is also a resident assistant.

Already enjoying one of the finest offensive seasons in program history, Haugh helped lead Wheaton to NEWMAC regular season and tournament championships, as the Lyons are headed to their 10th NCAA Tournament in 12 seasons.  With at least five games to play, Haugh is among the national leaders with career highs of 53 RBI and 19 doubles.  Named to the all-conference first team for the second straight spring, he was named national hitter of the week earlier this season.  Haugh is a two-time all-region selection, 2009 NEWMAC Rookie of the Year and 2010 NEWMAC Player of the Year.

A three-time All-American, Zais became the first women's swimmer in program history to garner All-America accolades in an individual event, doing so twice this past winter in the 100- and 200-yard breaststrokes.  Placing sixth in the 200 breast, Zais led the Lyons to a tie for 37th place nationally.  Zais played an integral part during Wheaton's most successful four-year stretch in school annals, as the Blue and White placed third at the conference championship three times and fourth this year.  Compiling a program-high-tying 13 all-league finishes, which requires placing in the top two at the conference championship, Zais is a part of an astounding nine school records.

Hicks, who was a four-year member of the men's swimming & diving team, returned to Wheaton for a two-year stint as the coordinator for varsity sports and external relations.  In addition to his role as a member of the athletic department's senior management staff, Hicks served as an assistant men's and women's swimming & diving coach.  This past year, he added director of club sports, intramurals and recreation to his job title, along with coordinator of the Wheaton Athletic Mentors (WAMs), which is the school's student-athlete advisory committee (SAAC).  He also helped to create a mentorship program for the United Men of Color (UMC) community called Champ.