POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – The presentation of our Senior Awards continues today with the Pizzani Awards.
 
The James E. Pizzani Award has been given out to honor the life of James Pizzani, '64 since 1990. Pizzani, who was an advocate for Marist Athletics during his life, lost his battle with nine-month battle with cancer in 1988. The award is presented to a male and female (does not have to be a student-athlete) who have contributed to the athletic department, both academically and socially, displaying community service and leadership, and has performed above and beyond all expectations.
 

female

This year's female winner is McKenna Klineyoung of rowing.
 
Klineyoung earned a B.A. in Communication, and majored in Advertising/Public Relations. She made the Dean's List in every semester. Klineyoung was part of Marist's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Executive Board, having served as the Inclusion & Advocacy Chair. She also worked as a Student-Athlete Peer Mentor, and attended the Black Student-Athlete Summit in January 2021. As a rower, Klineyoung competed in the Second Varsity 8, and was part of the first senior class to compete in two NCAA Championships. This year, the 2V8 defeated Gonzaga at the NCAA Championships.
 
Klineyoung is the fourth women's rower to earn this award, and the first in her program since Eleni Waskiewicz in 2013.
 
Joining Klineyoung as finalists are Boushra Belkhir (cross country/track & field), Allie Best (basketball), Delaney Galvin (lacrosse), Katelin Harris (water polo), and Nicole Sasso (soccer).


 

male

The male winner is Murray Coueslant, swimming & diving.
 
Coueslant earned the Dr. William Cadden Achievement Award for Excellence in Computer Science at this year's Baccalaureate Ceremony. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.S. in computer science and minors in information technology and information systems. Coueslant was a member of the honors program and the Alpha Chi national college honor society. He served as President of Marist's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and was a member of the Standing Committee on Athletics. Coueslant attended the NCAA Leadership Forum in April of 2019, was named MAAC Student-Athlete of the Week in October of 2020. He is the program's school record holder in the 200-yard butterfly.
 
Coueslant previously was honored with President's Academic Achievement Award on Tuesday. He became the fourth student-athlete in school history to win both awards, joining:
 

• Sabrina Vallery (women's basketball, 2001).
• Steven Rizzo (men's cross country/track & field, 2018).
• Ellie Petraccione (women's lacrosse, 2020).

 
Coueslant is the sixth male member of the swimming & diving program to earn this honor, a feat most recently accomplished by Ross Lippe in 2019. With six Pizzani Awards, swimming & diving has now broken a tie with football and lacrosse for the most honors garnered by a men's a program.
 
Joining Coueslant as finalists are Sam Ahlgrim (lacrosse), Clayton Barnes (baseball), and Jordan Jones (basketball).


 

of note

Klineyoung and Coueslant were both named Student-Athlete of the Month this March by Marist's Center for Student-Athlete Enhancement.
 

up next

Sportsperson of the Year winners will be announced on Friday.