Continuing with the precedent set in 2022, the College of Staten Island Athletics Department will be announcing the winners of this season's department awards via the program's website and social media.  Each award-winner is listed below and this story will be updated with additional winners on Tuesday and Wednesday leading up to the College of Staten Island Commencement Ceremony on Thursday.  

Bob Steele Sportsmanship Award
The Bob Steele Sportsmanship Award, named in honor of former CSI Baseball Assistant Coach and Staten Island sports icon Bob Steele, is given to student-athletes who demonstrate the values of sportsmanship and character that Coach Steele embodied. These are among the many virtues he worked to instill in the countless student-athletes he mentored up until his passing last year.

Winners
Nick Campisi and Emily Albano

Campisi is a junior for the College of Staten Island Baseball team who has seen action primarily in the role of defensive catcher for the Dolphins.  In addition to his bench role for CSI Baseball, he also serves as a valuable member of the CSI building and gameday staff offering his assistance at events throughout the season. 
 
Albano is a sophomore for the CSI Women's Soccer Team who logged over 1200 minutes this past season.  Albano, a multi-sport athlete, has also contributed to the CSI Track & Field program when called upon to help the program grow.
 

Moment of the Year
The CSI Athletics Moment of the Year Award was created to highlight a defining moment in the past year.  The recognition can go to a single play, a game, or even a moment that takes place outside of intercollegiate competition.

Winner
Women's Basketball defeats the University of the District of Columbia in the ECC Tournament

After earning the first Division II playoff berth in the history of the program this season, CSI Women's Basketball traveled to the University of the District of Columbia for the opening round of the ECC Tournament.  The Dolphins got off to a red-hot start against the Firebirds and never looked back as they picked up the win to advance to the conference semifinals.  In what was a career effort, Women's Basketball Team MVP Jenalyse Alarcon scored 34 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.  She was one of five Dolphins to score in double-figures and was joined in recording a double-double by Kaia Johnson who finished the game with 10 points and 10 rebounds.



Comeback of the Year
The CSI Athletics Comeback of the Year Award was created to recall an unforgettable comeback from the last year of intercollegiate athletic competition.  The recognition can go to a come-from-behind victory or a returning player or staff member that proves worthy of the honor.

Winner
Softball comes from eight runs down to defeat American International College

After falling behind 8-0 in game two of their doubleheader against American International College on March 22nd, the Dolphins scored nine unanswered runs to pick up the 9-8 win and sweep of the Yellow Jackets.  Head Coach Tracey Garofalo also earned her 300^th career victory in the sweep of AIC in what was one of the defining moments of the team's season.



Distinguished Service Award
The Distinguished Service Award is given to a program that combines support of the CSI Dolphins with engagement in the local community.  The award can be given to an individual or team that has shown outstanding support to the Dolphins while maintaining a presence with the local community.

Winner
CSI Cheerleading

CSI Cheer maintained a steady presence at CSI home events and in the local community, something that has been characteristic of the program for many years.  The program continues to play a major role in the introduction of STUNT at the College of Staten Island as well.  STUNT, an alternative format for competitive cheerleading, is quickly gaining traction in a bid to become an NCAA-recognized sport.  Such a distinction would offer the program additional opportunities for growth and more chances to engage with those in the community who have already adopted the sport.
 
Breakout Player Award
The Breakout Player Award is given to a returning Dolphin who performed at an exceptionally high level as compared to their prior career statistics entering the most recent season of competition.

Nominees
Luis Armas, Chris Velasquez, Victoria Whalen, Ryan Kehoe

Winner
Ryan Kehoe

Kehoe is a sophomore for the College of Staten Island Baseball team who significantly improved in every statistical category over his rookie campaign in 2022.  He was among the nation's leaders in strikeouts for Division II and was named to the ECC All-Conference Second Team at the conclusion of the season.
 
Rookie of the Year
The Rookie of the Year Awards are given to the most outstanding male and female student-athletes that are competing in their first season of intercollegiate athletic competition.

Nominees
Amari Thompson, William Kwan, Vincent Weigele, JJ Chestnut
Jazmine Severo, Alyssa Acosta, Brooke Manning, Adriana Melgar

Winners
JJ Chestnut and Jazmine Severo

Severo burst onto the scene for the CSI Track & Field program this season making an immediate impact with her performance in the High Jump event.  During the Indoor season, she won the event at the conference championship and was selected to the All-Conference First Team.  She took second in the event at the ECC Championship during the Outdoor season and was once again named to the All-Conference First Team in the event.
 
Chestnut was a major factor in helping the Dolphins earn their first playoff berth as a Division II program.  Throughout the regular season, he earned numerous accolades from the ECC and the MBWA, all on his way to a career effort in the opening round of the conference tournament.  Against UDC in the ECC tournament, Chestnut scored 28 points and had 12 assists in the CSI loss, but his effort was instrumental in the Dolphins cutting a 21-point Firebirds lead down to two in the closing minutes of the game.
 
Athlete of the Year
The Athlete of the Year Awards are given to the most outstanding male and female student-athletes from the past year of intercollegiate athletic competition.

Nominees
Messiah Mallory, John Esposito, AJ Vigliotti, Anthony Attenborough, Nicholas Kishchenko
Jenalyse Alarcon, Anissa Acosta, Jordan Swanson, Skylar Pointer

Winners
Messiah Mallory and Jordan Swanson

Swanson rewrote the record books for CSI Women's Diving this season setting new program records both 1-Meter and 3-Meter Diving with scores for eleven dives and six dives.  In just her second season with CSI Swimming & Diving, she has solidified a spot as one of the most decorated athletes in the history of the program.  Swanson will also be among the Dolphins to lead a new era of intercollegiate competition as part of the Northeast-10 Conference.  It was announced last week that the team will be competing as an associate member of the conference beginning next season giving Swanson and the rest of her teammates the opportunity to compete against some of the best Division II competition in the region next season.
 
Messiah Mallory helped the Dolphins earn their first playoff appearance as a Division II program this season behind an incredibly versatile two-way skill-set that earned him an ECC All-Conference First Team Selection.  He was among the nation's leaders in blocks for NCAA Division II and has already accounted for the five highest single-game rebounding totals in CSI's short history as a Division II program.  He did this while averaging 15.6 points per game on 48.3% shooting from the field and 43.5% shooting from beyond the arc.  Hoping to make a push deeper into the playoffs next season, the Dolphins will undoubtedly look to Mallory as one of the team's leaders moving forward.