NEW YORK - The BIG EAST Conference has announced the winners of the 2023-24 BIG EAST Sport Excellence Awards, which recognize academic and athletic achievement as well as community service.
The Sport Excellence Awards are given to one student-athlete in each BIG EAST-sponsored sport based on academic credentials, athletic accolades or performances and volunteer service to the community. Student-athletes who have attained junior academic standing and a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 are eligible. The winners are chosen by the BIG EAST Faculty Athletics Representative Council.
Seton Hall led the way with four honorees, while Xavier and Villanova both had three recipients. Five student-athlete winners, Butler's Emily Landwehr, Georgetown's Julia Leas, Marquette's Max Lyons, Providence's Josh Lewin and Xavier's Erin Kim boasted an undergraduate GPA of 3.9 or higher.
While the format of the awards allows for only one declared winner in each sport category, the selection of the recipients proves each year to be a challenge for the FAR Council, as candidate nominees represent exceptional student-athletes who excel in academics, service, and athletics, and are outstanding representatives of their schools and the Conference.
For more information on the 2023-24 Sport Excellence Award winners please visit each school’s respective website.
2023-24 BIG EAST Sports Excellence Award Winners:
| Sport |
Student-Athlete |
Institution |
Major |
GPA $ |
| Baseball |
Zachary Sylvester |
Seton Hall |
Biology and Catholic Studies |
3.796 |
| Men's Basketball |
Tyler Kolek |
Marquette |
Communication Studies |
3.138 |
| Men's Cross Country |
Liam Murphy |
Villanova |
Communications |
3.330 |
| Men's Golf |
Max Lyons |
Marquette |
Finance & Accelerating Ingenuity in Mrkt |
3.977 |
| Men's Indoor Track & Field |
Josh Lewin |
Providence |
Marketing and Management |
3.960 |
| Men's Lacrosse |
James Corasaniti |
Providence |
History ^ |
3.690 ^ |
| Men's Outdoor Track & Field |
Jesse Hamlin |
Butler |
Mathematics and Computer Science |
3.798 |
| Men's Soccer |
Taylor Rhinehart |
Xavier |
Finance |
3.839 |
| Men's Swimming and Diving |
Sean Vizzard |
Seton Hall |
Biology, pre-med |
3.871 |
| Men's Tennis |
Leon Huck |
DePaul |
Business Administration |
3.628 |
| Field Hockey |
Meghan Mitchell |
Villanova |
Finance |
3.890 |
| Softball |
Kelsey Carr |
Seton Hall |
Psychology |
3.847 |
| Volleyball |
Giorgia Walther |
St. John's |
International Management |
3.830 |
| Women's Basketball |
Lauren Jensen |
Creighton |
Psychology and Sociology |
3.790 |
| Women's Cross Country |
Kate Cochran |
Seton Hall |
Diplomacy and International Relations & Environmental Studies |
3.800 |
| Women's Golf |
Erin Kim |
Xavier |
Sports Management |
4.000 |
| Women's Indoor Track & Field |
Melissa Riggins |
Georgetown |
Economics |
3.563 |
| Women's Lacrosse |
Landyn White |
UConn |
Allied Health |
3.650 |
| Women's Outdoor Track & Field |
Roschell Clayton |
Villanova |
Communications |
3.850 |
| Women's Soccer |
Julia Leas |
Georgetown |
Psychology |
3.900 |
| Women's Swimming and Diving |
Emily Landwehr |
Butler |
Biochemistry |
3.971 |
| Women's Tennis |
Imani Graham |
Xavier |
Exercise Science |
3.790 |
$ - undergraduate GPA indicated only
^ - graduate GPA and major indicated