Gwynedd Valley, Pa. – (5/13/2024) – This evening, Monday, May 13, in celebration of another year of accomplishment, senior student-athletes, their families, esteemed members of the University administration, coaches, and staff gathered in the Griffin Complex for the 2023-2024 Gwynedd Mercy University Athletics Senior Awards Banquet. Branden Soubik (Lansdale, Pa.) of the men's cross country and men's track and field team was recognized as the Gwynedd Mercy University Male Senior Student-Athlete Award, while Ashley Brown (Lansdale, Pa.) of the women's volleyball team was honored as the Gwynedd Mercy University Female Senior Student-Athlete. Meanwhile, Ava Casale (Washington Township, N.J.) of the women's basketball team was presented with the Donahue-Elliot Senior Scholar Award, which is presented annually to a graduating business administration major with the highest cumulative grade point average (GPA).
 
Prior to a delicious buffet of salad, green beans, pasta, and chicken parmesan, Gwynedd Mercy University President Deanne Horner D'Emilio, JD, came to the stage for words of reflection and recognition for the present senior student-athletes. Director of Athletic Keith Mondillo followed the meal, graciously recognizing the administration in attendance before turning the microphone over to the Griffin Head Coaches for their senior student-athlete recognition.
 
Fall: Women's Volleyball; Ashley Brown, Bria Purnell, Julia Rabe, Field Hockey; Olivia Headley, Women's Soccer; Ireland Smith, Inez Williams, Men's Soccer; Antonio Catanzariti, Evan Kirby, Hugh Lynch, John Wagner, Mert Yildirim, Men's Cross Country; Israel Atonal'Varela, Melvin Mathew, Branden Soubik, Women's Cross Country; Alicia Bennett, Caroline Cleary, Keely Greene.   
 
Winter: Men's Track & Field; Branden Soubik, Women's Track & Field; Keely Greene, Meghan LoStracco, Natalie O'Neill, Men's Basketball; Kyle Maska, Aziz Parker, JoHaan Vinson, Women's Basketball; Ava Casale, Lynzie Eggers, Sydney Kesselman, Gabby Marinacci, Natalie O'Neill.

Spring: Men's Lacrosse; Jim Bickel, Justin Carney, Nick Flamma, Jack Freeland, Shane Langefeld, Pat O'Neill, Reece Salas, Women's Lacrosse; Lindsay Anderson, Caroline Cleary, Grace Cooney, Kristin Varilla, Baseball; Mitchell Bramsway, Giovanni D'Amore, Quin Dye, Frank Ebling, Joe Golden, Barry Walker, Mike Zayas-Bazan, Softball; Jocelyn Baumeister, Kaylee Colantano, Shylynn Cordero, Ashley Focht, Ashley Haggerty, Grace Scally.   
 
Following a presentation of the Golden Tape Award - presented annually to a senior student-athlete who overcomes significant injury and returns to field/court - from Head Athletic Trainer and Head Cheerleading Coach Heather Kilduff to softball pitcher Ashley Haggerty (East Noriton, Pa.), Mondillo returned to the stage at the end of the evening to recognize Casale, Brown, and Soubik with their major awards…
 
Casale is a two-time member of the CSC Academic All-District Team (2022-2023, 2023-2024), as well as is a three-time member of the Atlantic East Conference (AEC) All-Academic Team (2020-2021, 2021-2022, 2022-2023) and a four-time member of the Gwynedd Mercy University Athletics Academic Elite (S2022, F2022, S2023, F2023). The accounting and finance dual major transferred to Gwynedd Mercy University from conference rival, Immaculata University as a sophomore and was a two-sport student-athlete for the Griffins as a member of the softball team (2022, 2023) and the women's basketball team (2021-2022, 2022-2023, 2023-2024). On the hardcourt, Casale joined her fellow seniors in the starting lineup and averaged 10.5 points per game (PPG) (274 points) as the Griffins' top perimeter threat (55-of-189 3PT; .291) in her senior season. She also recorded 84 rebounds (3.2/game), 44 assists (1.7/game), two blocks (0.07/game), and 29 steals (1.1/game). Casale scored a career-high 22 points in the season opener with a career-high five three-point baskets versus King's College (PA) (W, 61-56 on Nov. 8) and surpassed both career marks with 23 points and six three-pointers against Rowan University (L, 64-93 on Nov. 27).
 
Brown collected her third All-AEC laurel in three seasons and her second straight First Team honor in 2023. She finished the season with 203 kills (9^th in the AEC) on a league-best .325 (203K-41E-499TA) hitting percentage. Overall, she ranked seventh in points (270.0) thanks to 27 aces, 22 solo blocks, and 36 block assists; block-wise, she finished second among her peers on the former and fourth in the latter. Brown earned three AEC Weekly Honor Roll (Sept. 11, Oct. 10, Nov. 6) appearances during her senior season and she finished her collegiate career sixth on Gwynedd Mercy University's all-time kill list with 685. Academically, the two-year captain (2022, 2023) is a two-time member of the Gwynedd Mercy University Athletics Academic Elite (Fall 2021, Spring 2023) and the CSC Academic All-District Team (2022, 2023) and a three-time member of the AEC All-Academic Team (2020-2021, 2021-2022, 2022-2023).
 
Soubik is a member of the 2022-2023 CSC Academic All-District Men's At-Large Team as well as a two-time member of the Philadelphia Sports Information Directors Association (PhillySIDA) Men's Track and Field Team (2021-2022, 2022-2023). He is a five-time member of the Gwynedd Mercy University Athletics Academic Elite (F2021, S2022, F2022, S2023, F2023) and a two-time member of the AEC All-Academic Team (2021-2022, 2022-2023). On the track, Soubik defended his 2022 AEC Championship in the 200-Meter (1st, 22.28, 1st Team) with a first-place time of 22.28 and posted second-place times in both the 100-Meter (2nd, 11.19, 2nd Team) and 400-Meter (2nd, 50.87, 2nd Team) for a second season of three All-AEC laurels in 2023. Soubik was the 2021-2022 AEC Men's Track Athlete of the Year and the 2021-2022 AEC Men's Track and Field Rookie of the Year with All-AEC performances in the 200-Meter (1st Team, 1st, 23.84), 400-Meter (1st Team, 1st, 51.87), and the 100-Meter (2nd Team, 2nd, 11.45.). As a senior, Soubik joined the Gwynedd Mercy University men's cross country team before another impressive season on the track. He enjoyed several top finishes during the season before joining sophomore Radelson Smith (Levittown, Pa.) and juniors Victor Cruz (New Castle, Del.) and Mike Marable (Philadelphia, Pa.) for an AEC record 43.35 in the 4x100-Meter (1^st, 43.35*, 10 points, All-AEC First Team). He also factored into an All-AEC Second Team finish in the 4x400-Meter (2^nd, 3:35.49, 8 points) as well as placed sixth in the 100-Meter (6^th, 11.61), fifth in the 200-Meter (5^th, 22.68), and third in the 400-Meter (3^rd, 50.76).