CORTLAND, N.Y. - The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) is proud to announce its 2018 Spring Scholar Athlete of the Year honorees. Each season the conference recognizes student-athletes for their effort in their sport, as well as their effort in academics. Out of hundreds of spring athletes, one athlete from each spring sport was selected for this distinction.
To be eligible for the SUNYAC Scholar Athlete of the Year award students must prove both academic and athletic excellence by obtaining a 3.30 overall GPA, be a starter or significant reserve for their team, and be at least a sophomore. The SUNYAC Scholar Athlete Award originated in 2016-17.
Justin Teague, Baseball, Cortland
Teague is a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American, earning first team in 2017 and third team in 2018. The early childhood and childhood education major boasts a 3.63 cumulative GPA, and is also a three-time All-New York Region earning first team in 2018 and 2017 and second team in 2016. He earned his third All-SUNYAC honor this past season, having earned first team in 2017 and second team in 2016. During the 2018 season, Teague batted .324 with three homeruns, 42 RBI, and 26 runs scored. The Red Dragons finished 35-12 and tied for 17th nationally. He holds a career .343 batting average, and is ranked 14th at Cortland with 174 career hits. Teague was the starting catcher on the national championship team in 2015 and third-place team in 2016. The Red Dragons made an NCAA tournament appearance in every year that Teague was a member of the team.
Taylor Moore, Softball, Geneseo
Moore was a member of the 2018 SUNYAC Championship team as the Knights went 32-9 on the season. The team earned a berth into the NCAA Regional tournament - their first NCAA appearance since 2002. She threw a complete game shutout against Mt. St. Mary in the NCAA Regional with a 4-0 win. Moore was also a member of the 2018 All-SUNYAC second team, as well as the 2018 SUNYAC Elite 20 award winner. On the season, Moore went 12-4 in the circle with one save, four shutouts, 104.1 innings pitched, and a 2.35 ERA. The biology major currently holds a 3.91 cumulatibe GPA and is a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society, Phi Eta Sigma & Tri-Beta National Honor Society, a two-time President's List honoree, and four-time Dean's List honoree. In addition to academics, she is a Geneseo First Responder for the campus EMS program. She sits on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee Executive Board, and is a SUNYAC SAAC representative. Moore is a Geneseo sports medicine intern, is EMT certified, and volunteers at various Geneseo softball pitching clinics, and is a member of the "Friends of Strong" volunteer committee at Strong Hospital.
Sean Hayes, Men's Lacrosse, Plattsburgh
Hayes was a member of the All-SUNYAC second team this past season, and was ranked 11th in SUNYAC in caused turnovers with 18, and picked up 35 ground balls. He had four games with multiple caused turnovers, and scooped up four ground balls on three occasions. The childhood education major holds a 3.75 cumulative GPA, and is a memer of the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society, and was the department's male recipient of the 2017-18 Richard D. Semmler Award, which is given annually to the male and female senior with the highest cumulative GPA through the fall semester. The senior started in all 34 games on defense throughout the past two seasons after transferring in prior to his junior year from Nassau Community College.
Erin Cregan, Women's Lacrosse, Geneseo
This past season, Creegan was an IWLCA All-Region first team honoree, as well as a member of the All-SUNYAC first team. On the season, she had 36 goals, 10 assists, 33 ground balls, and 24 caused turnovers as her team went 13-4. The senior early childhood education and mathematics major carried a 3.51 cumulative GPA, and was a member of the Dean's List in both fall 2017 and spring 2018, graduating with Cum Laude honors. Cregan is a volunteer member for Geneseo's Young Children's Council and Theresa House Comfort Care, as well as a fundraising volunteer for the Relay For Life. In addition, she volunteers at Empty Bowls - a hunger prevention organization, volunteers at the Monroe County Sports Festival, and volunteers at French Road Elementary School in Brighton, N.Y. as a 4th grade teacher's assistant.
Isaac Garcia-Cassani, Men's Track and Field, Geneseo
This past season, Garcia-Cassani claimed the 2018 NCAA outdoor track and field national championship title in the 1500 meter for the second straight year. The senior physics major boasted a 3.34 cumulative GPA and was a 2018 CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree, as well as a 2018 SUNYAC outdoor track and field champion in the 1500 and 5000 meters. He posted a 4:01.35 mile personal record at the Princeton Invite in April, finishing less than one second behind a U.S. Olympian. He finished his career a 13-time All-American and four-time National Champion.
Audrey Miller, Women's Track and Field, Brockport
Miller had a break out year for the Golden Eagles, breaking records in the javelin throw and finishing top three in the shot put several times this year. She carried an impressive 3.93 cumulative GPA throughout her four years, as she earned a degree in arts and arts for children, with a minor in psychology. Miller won a SUNYAC championship in the javelin throw and finished second in the shot put. She had back to back javelin throw wins in the Baldwin Wallace Harrision Dillard Twilight competition, and in the AARTFC Championships as well.
