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Fernandes Interview | Murphy Interview | DeGroot Interview | Freitas Interview | Blooper Reel | Moment of the Year Nominees | 2014-15 Highlight Reel | Boutin Award Finalists | Mann Award Finalists | Male Cushing Award Finalists | Female Cushing Award Finalists
LOWELL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell Athletics Department honored its annual award winners at the Senior Salute on Wednesday evening.
Wuilito Fernandes (Praia, Cape Verde) and
Taelour Murphy (Salisbury, Mass.) took home the Male and Female Lester H. Cushing Outstanding Athlete Awards during the event held at the UMass Lowell Inn and Conference Center.
Other major award winners included
Kelly Freitas (Manchester, N.H.), who won the Laurie A. Mann Award,
Geoff DeGroot (Wesley Chapel, Fla.), who took home the David J. Boutin Award, as well as the ice hockey and women's track and field teams, who earned the Bob Griffin Academic Awards. The Unsung Hero Award was presented to
Jake Suter (Lac du Flambeau, Wis.), while the inaugural Ms. And Mr. Rowdy Awards were handed to Elizabeth Kender (Chelmsford, Mass.), Laura Kender (Chelmsford, Mass.) and
Zachary Nelson (Knox, N.Y.).
Fernandes earned NSCAA All-East Region First-Team, America East All-Conference First Team and ECAC Division I Second Team honors. The sophomore back was also named the America East Men's Soccer Fans' Choice Player of the Year. He led the River Hawks with five goals and 12 points, while leading the conference with 61 shots in the regular season.
Murphy's name appears seven times at the top of the track and field record book, four times individually and three times as a member of a relay team. She was also among the top four on the America East Indoor Performance list in the 60 meters, 200m and 400m, breaking her own school record in the 400. In the spring, the senior won the 100m and 200m at the Brown Invitational and set her seventh school record as part of the sprint medley at the Penn Relays.
Freitas, a junior, started all 19 games and the graphic design major was once again named to the America East Honor Roll. She is also the PR Chair for SGA and a member of the American Institute of Graphic Arts. After serving as a team representative this year, Freitas was recently voted President of SAAC by her peers for the 2015-2016 school year.
DeGroot, captain of the baseball team, led the team in the field and on the mound. The senior marketing major represented UMass Lowell at the NCAA Leadership Conference last summer. He also works closely with the Connor Family through Team IMPACT and, as the Vice President of SAAC, organized Bowling for IMPACT, raising $6,000.
Suter played 153 games in his career, the most ever by a River Hawk defenseman, while consistently leading the team in blocked shots. During his senior season, he would eat meals with a different freshman and mentor them on road trips, helping his new teammates adjust to life in college.
Chancellor Marty Meehan was honored at the event, as well, and Ruben Sanca '09 was the honored alumni.
