December 13, 2013
Lefort and Meola Honored with Molnar and Bogard Awards
The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) announces that Spencer Lefort and Lucia Meola have been selected as the 2012-2013 Molnar and Bogard Award winners as voted on by the conference athletic directors.
The Dr. Dolores Bogard and Dr. Sam Molnar awards are presented by the conference annually to a junior or senior athlete with the best combination of academic and athletic ability. The recipients have earned above a 3.3 grade point average and have received a varsity letter.
Lefort is a senior triple major at Fredonia State University. Among his academic accolades he has earned Dean's List honors seven of his eight possible semesters. In 2013, he was named to the Capitol One Academic All-District Team, he was named to the USTFCCA Division III All-Academic Team, he received the Chancellor's Award for Academic Excellence and he was named Fredonia's first Co-SIDA Academic All American in over a decade.
Lefort is a four-year member of the indoor and outdoor track and field teams. In addition to being on the indoor and outdoor All-SUNYAC First Teams last year, he was named to the NCAA All-American First Team and he was named the USTFCCCA Atlantic Region Male Indoor Field Athlete of the Year. Spencer was the 2012 SUNYAC Champion in the Decathlon and advanced to the NCAA Championships.
“Spencer has definitely had the best all-around work ethic of any student-athlete I have ever coached,” said Justin McQuality, the coach of multi-event athletes at Fredonia. “Being a member of my multi-event training group, he was often asked to train for thirty minutes to an hour longer than any other athlete each day all while triple majoring in economics, finance, and accounting.”
Meola graduated Magna Cum Laude in May with a physical education degree from SUNY Cortland and is currently in the sport management graduate program there. Over her undergraduate career, Lucia received many academic awards including being named the 2013 NFCA All-American Scholar Athlete and being selected to the Capital One Academic All-District Team.
On the field, Meola was named the 2013 SUNYAC Softball Player of the Year after leading her team to a second place finish at the NCAA Division III World Series. She finished her career as a three-time Division III All-American and three-time First Team All-Northeast Region. In her 196 career games she had 230 hits, 46 doubles, 6 triples and 8 homeruns and had a .385 batting average.
"Lucia is one of the best hitters in Cortland softball history” said head softball coach Julie Lenhart. “She is a fierce competitor and a difference maker. She is a committed and dedicated student-athlete who isn't satisfied with status-quo and does whatever it takes to be the best."
The men's award is named after the late Dr. Sam Molnar, who was the Director of Athletics at the State University College at Potsdam for over thirty years. He also coached various sports during this period. He served as SUNYAC President during the 1962-63 and 1963-64 years.
The women's award is named after Dr. Dolores Bogard, who was an administrator and coach at SUNY Cortland for over twenty years. She served as SUNYAC President during the 1987-88 year.
Previous Molnar and Bogard Award Recipients
The Dr. Dolores Bogard and Dr. Sam Molnar awards are presented by the conference annually to a junior or senior athlete with the best combination of academic and athletic ability. The recipients have earned above a 3.3 grade point average and have received a varsity letter.
Lefort is a senior triple major at Fredonia State University. Among his academic accolades he has earned Dean's List honors seven of his eight possible semesters. In 2013, he was named to the Capitol One Academic All-District Team, he was named to the USTFCCA Division III All-Academic Team, he received the Chancellor's Award for Academic Excellence and he was named Fredonia's first Co-SIDA Academic All American in over a decade.
Lefort is a four-year member of the indoor and outdoor track and field teams. In addition to being on the indoor and outdoor All-SUNYAC First Teams last year, he was named to the NCAA All-American First Team and he was named the USTFCCCA Atlantic Region Male Indoor Field Athlete of the Year. Spencer was the 2012 SUNYAC Champion in the Decathlon and advanced to the NCAA Championships.
“Spencer has definitely had the best all-around work ethic of any student-athlete I have ever coached,” said Justin McQuality, the coach of multi-event athletes at Fredonia. “Being a member of my multi-event training group, he was often asked to train for thirty minutes to an hour longer than any other athlete each day all while triple majoring in economics, finance, and accounting.”
Meola graduated Magna Cum Laude in May with a physical education degree from SUNY Cortland and is currently in the sport management graduate program there. Over her undergraduate career, Lucia received many academic awards including being named the 2013 NFCA All-American Scholar Athlete and being selected to the Capital One Academic All-District Team.
On the field, Meola was named the 2013 SUNYAC Softball Player of the Year after leading her team to a second place finish at the NCAA Division III World Series. She finished her career as a three-time Division III All-American and three-time First Team All-Northeast Region. In her 196 career games she had 230 hits, 46 doubles, 6 triples and 8 homeruns and had a .385 batting average.
"Lucia is one of the best hitters in Cortland softball history” said head softball coach Julie Lenhart. “She is a fierce competitor and a difference maker. She is a committed and dedicated student-athlete who isn't satisfied with status-quo and does whatever it takes to be the best."
The men's award is named after the late Dr. Sam Molnar, who was the Director of Athletics at the State University College at Potsdam for over thirty years. He also coached various sports during this period. He served as SUNYAC President during the 1962-63 and 1963-64 years.
The women's award is named after Dr. Dolores Bogard, who was an administrator and coach at SUNY Cortland for over twenty years. She served as SUNYAC President during the 1987-88 year.
Previous Molnar and Bogard Award Recipients
