POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – The Marist Athletics Department's announcement of Senior Award finalists continues with the presentation of the female Pizzani Award candidates.
 
Recipients of the Pizzani Award are individuals who have dedicated their time and talents to the Athletics Department, the Marist community, and the surrounding communities in the Hudson Valley.
 
The award is named for James Pizzani, a 1964 graduate of Marist who exemplified the college's core ideals of excellence in education, pursuit of higher human values and dedication to the principle of service. James lost his battle with cancer in 1988. Because of his love for Marist and its students, this award was established in 1990 and is presented to those whom embody the qualities of James Pizzani.
 
There are eight female finalists for this year's award. Here are their accomplishments, with comments from the coach of each student-athlete.
 

BIANCA FURCI - SOCCER

 
Bianca Furci is a three-year captain, a peer mentor, a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) member, and a multi-year Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) All-Academic Team selection. She helped coordinate the team's efforts with its Pink Game and breast cancer awareness initiatives. She has been a strong leader for the younger players in the program, and has been heavily involved in community service activities.
 
Former head women's soccer Leigh Howard (2018-19): "Bianca has served in a leadership role for this program for the bulk of her time in a Marist uniform. She was someone who sought to make an impact not just through her play on the ball and her voice on the field, but through the lasting impressions that she would have on each of her teammates and on the staff. Her service, more than anything else, was to the people within this program."
 

DENISE GROHN - CROSS COUNTRY/TRACK & FIELD

 
Denise Grohn has been accepted to multiple veterinary school as she pursues her post-graduate education. She has participated in a community service trip to Mexico, in which she helped build homes. She is also a team captain, a multi-year MAAC All-Academic Team selection, part of the Campus Ministry advisory board, and a SAAC member. She has been active in helping organize team community service activities.
 
Associate head coach, women's cross country/track & field Chuck Williams: "Denise is the type of person who is always looking to see how she can help or make things better for others. As a board member of Campus Ministry, she was involved in organizing and participating in various community services events, as well in her role as a SAAC member. Whether it was traveling to Mexico to help build homes or participating in events in and around the Marist community, Denise always wanted to do whatever she could to make things better for others. She is one of the most selfless athletes we have ever had."
 

FRANCESCA GUZZO - SOCCER

 
Francesca Guzzo is a peer mentor and a member of Marist's Ladies Empowering Athletics Program (LEAP). She was the Marist Center for Student-Athlete Enhancement (CSAE) Student-Athlete of the Month for February 2020. She is a peer mentor and a multi-year MAAC All-Academic Team selection. She has been active in community service, and helped coordinate the program's Pink Game and breast cancer awareness initiatives.
 
Howard: "Frankie's dedication to serving both the Marist community and the community beyond the college's walls was unmatched in our program. Her leadership in our team's community service endeavors resulted in our involvement in efforts greater than our sport. It is because of her contributions that her teammates' experiences became that much more holistic and valuable."
 

HANNAH HAND - BASKETBALL

 
Hannah Hand is a SAAC member who was a student teacher in the Fall 2019 semester, and served as a substitute teacher this semester. She has been heavily involved in the program's community service initiatives. She has also been resilient in coming back from injuries. After playing just 16 games the previous two seasons – and none in her junior year – Hand bounced back to be a key reserve for a team which won a share of the MAAC regular-season championship.
 
Head women's basketball coach Brian Giorgis: "Hannah is the ultimate teammate and friend. She makes practices and games a delight! She the only person I have ever coached who plays, most of the time, with a smile on her face. It's ironic because she has played most of her career in pain having gone through two microfracture surgeries. She finally made it all the way back this year to be a valuable member of our championship team. She has been quite active in all of our community service activities and is very active with her church. In 43 years of coaching, I have never met a better human being!"
 

ELLIE PETRACCIONE - LACROSSE

 
Ellie Petraccione is the Co-Director of Community Service for SAAC, and has been involved in a number of service initiatives. She is a peer mentor and part of the LEAP Council. She has shined academically as part of the Honors program. Petraccione was featured on www.marist.edu for her senior research thesis on why non-scientists should care about protecting the environment. She is a multi-year MAAC All-Academic Team selection, was named MAAC Student-Athlete of the Week, and was named to the ECAC President's Honor Roll.
 
Head women's lacrosse coach Jessica Wilkinson: Over the years, our program has had strong representation of student-athletes nominated for the Pizzani Award; however, if you know Ellie you know she carries a next level of character and selflessness. Ellie has always been the type of person who sees the bigger picture. She is constantly looking to see what and how her actions will affect the betterment of the team, the school and her community. As a lacrosse player, Ellie has always put forth more than needed. Not only more than needed in effort, but more than needed in support. I truly have never coached a player who outwardly supported her teammates more. As a coach who is constantly looking to direct and correct, Ellie's support has helped her teammates stay not only positive but motivated. Ellie also overcame a number of injuries of her own during her collegiate career. Some more minor, but one that kept her moving one step forward and two steps backward. Even this didn't hinder Ellie from being the best teammate she could be, regardless of her physical contributions. Ellie has kept everything in perspective and because of this, has earned herself tremendous respect from her peers, both past and present. She's done all this while holding an almost perfect GPA in her major of Environmental Science and Policy/Biology and will continue her mission to serve others by someday publishing her manuscripts from her summer research that continued into a yearlong honors thesis project. In addition, Ellie plans to apply to grad schools and PhD programs to put her research to use. Our program is certainly better because of Ellie's character, mature outlook as a leader, and her treatment of others around her. As her coach, I consider myself very lucky to not only have had the opportunity to coach her, but to get to know her over the years as the great person she is."
 

LEXI PUHL - WATER POLO

 
Lexi Puhl worked at a children's hospital in Thailand in her senior year. She is a team captain who has been heavily involved in community service activities. A Biochemistry major, Puhl is a multi-year MAAC All-Academic Team selection who has been honored by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) for her academics.
 
Head water polo coach Chris Vidale: "Lexi follows three rules: she does the right thing, does the best she can, and always shows people how much she cares. I've admired how much energy and thoughtfulness Lexi puts into everything she does. Putting trust in her abilities and being mature enough to handle and learn from any setbacks, Lexi has challenged herself to grow daily as a student-athlete to see big results through doing the little things that matter. Lexi missed the first month of her senior year season to travel to Thailand to explore and learn about their healthcare system. She was able to learn about specific health issues that affected the people of Thailand.  Moving from Marist, Lexi is preparing to take the next steps to being a doctor.  Her experience in Thailand has taught her how culture and incorporating people's values into their care can make such a difference in the patient-doctor interaction." 
 

STEPHANIE STONE - VOLLEYBALL

 
Stephanie Stone is the President of the Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society. She is a peer mentor and a multi-year MAAC All-Academic team selection. She has been heavily involved in community service activities, and her selfless nature has made a positive impact within her program.
 
Head volleyball coach Sean Byron: "Stephanie is one of the most mature athletes I have ever coached. She cares more about others' success than her own and works behind the scenes to create a positive environment for all her teammates. Every championship team I have ever been associated with has had this role filled and Stephanie did more than just fill this role, she owned it! Her outreach extends beyond the court and across campus, as she is involved in the honor society and numerous community service organizations. I am so proud to have had the opportunity to coach her."
 

GRACE VANDER WEIDE - BASKETBALL

 
Grace Vander Weide has taken six mission trips to Africa, and has been extremely involved in community service activities at Marist. She is a team captain and multi-year selection to the MAAC All-Academic Team. She has also had internships at Grace Church and Valiant Wealth.
 
Giorgis: "Grace is a wonderful basketball player but an even better person. She is a tremendous leader both on and off the floor. Grace is a strong person of faith as evidenced by her six missionary trips to Africa and her family's adoption of her siblings from Ghana. She is a leader in all of our community service activities such as Friends of Jaclyn, Vet Zero and JDM Gala. It's not surprising that she led the MAAC in assists - she is always helping others!"
 
Previous finalist announcements: Female Strength & Conditioning Award (April 14) | Male Strength & Conditioning Award (April 15)