BOSTON, Mass. – UMass Lowell field hockey senior Lindsey Kilpatrick (Manlius, N.Y.) and men's track & field senior Juan Avelino (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) have been honored with nominations for the 2022 America East Woman and Man of the Year awards, respectively, as announced by the conference office on Thursday afternoon.
 
All 10 current America East member institutions were eligible to submit nominations. The 20 nominees, 10 men and 10 women, represent nine schools and 11 different athletic programs. The representatives were selected for having distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate career in areas like academic achievement, athletic excellence, service and leadership.
 
Kilpatrick, a captain on the River Hawk field hockey team, tallied over 700 minutes of playing time in the midfield this season. Also a leader in the classroom, Kilpatrick recently finished her undergraduate studies with a degree in mathematics with a focus in probability and statistics, in addition to a political science degree with a focus in political communication and public opinion. She earned America East All-Academic Team honors twice, as well as NFHCA National Academic Squad recognition all four years. Striving to serve all the student-athletes at UMass Lowell and the greater Lowell community during her collegiate tenure, Kilpatrick was awarded with a 2022 Chancellor's Medal for Student Service. In addition to volunteering for the UMass Lowell Athletics Pen Pal Program, Fayetteville-Manlius Community Relay For Life, and Camp Good Days & Special Times, she also served as the ambassador for the UMass Lowell Chapter of Morgan's Message, which focuses on bringing awareness to mental health. In just one year, she arranged several dedication games across multiple sports and led fundraising efforts for the important cause, in addition to furthering the conversation among her peers. She recently authored a letter to the NCAA Board of Directors to champion the expansion of mental health resources on campuses across the country.
 
Avelino is a dedicated member of the River Hawks' community on and off the track. Passionate about fostering a greater sense of community amongst his fellow student-athletes, Avelino is a Co-founder of the Student-Athletes of Color Affinity Group (SACAG) at UMass Lowell. In its inaugural year, the group has grown to nearly 40 members. Avelino has also spent time giving back to the Lowell community through his involvement with the Pen Pal Program and Build-A-Bed. Avelino's commitment to excellence extends well into his academic pursuits, as well. The senior graduated this spring with a degree in exercise science after etching his name on the Dean's List four times during his tenure at UMass Lowell. Avelino also leaves a lasting impact on the track as a key member of the program. An accomplished jumper, Avelino capped his time as a River Hawk with an impressive eighth-place showing in the Decathlon at the 2022 America East Outdoor Championship. 
 
To be nominated for the Man and Woman of the Year Awards, student-athletes must have completed intercollegiate eligibility in their primary sport by the end of the 2022 spring season or received their undergraduate degree prior to the conclusion of the summer 2022 term and have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.500 (4.000 scale). Institutions are permitted to submit up to two nominees for each award if at least one is an international or ethnic minority student-athlete.
 
The nominees will be narrowed down to three finalists per gender, who will be announced on Thursday, June 16. The 2021-22 America East Man and Woman of the Year will be unveiled on Thursday, June 24.
 
America East began honoring a Woman of the Year in 2006 and introduced the Man of the Year award in 2015.