COLONIA, N.J. – Mercy University Women's Lacrosse senior Emily Marino (West Babylon, N.Y./West Babylon), Women's Volleyball senior Gabriela Bieniek (Rzeszow, Poland/Indian Hills CC), Women's Soccer junior Sarah Lill Hanks (Skedsmokorset, Norway/High Point University), Women's Basketball junior Grace Lesko (Northampton, Pa./Northampton) and Men's Lacrosse sophomore Cole Hunsberger (Waterloo, Ontario/Grand River Collegiate Institute) have been named Athletic Solutions East Coast Conference (ECC) Scholar-Athletes of the Year in their respective sports. The five recipients from Mercy are the most by one school in the ECC.
All ECC Scholar-Athlete of the Year recipients hold at least a 3.50 GPA, are a starter or key reserve and have reached at least sophomore standing both athletically and academically.
Marino takes home Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors for the first time. The defender graduated in May with a 3.87 GPA as an Early Education major. The senior was named IWLCA Second Team All-American, USA Lacrosse Magazine Third Team All-American, IWLCA First Team All-Region, ECC Defender of the Year and First Team All-ECC. Marino started all 20 games and had a team-high 37 caused turnovers and 50 ground balls. The senior played in the IWLCA Senior All-Star Game and helped lead Mercy to the ECC Championship and their first NCAA Tournament win.
Bieniek receives Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the first time. The senior graduated in May with a 3.94 GPA as a Finance major. The outside hitter was named AVCA Honorable Mention All-American, AVCA First Team All-ECC, D2CCA First Team All-Region, ECC Player of the Year and First Team All-ECC. The CSC Academic All-District selection started all 27 matches and led the team with 401 kills and 4.13 kills per set. She led the ECC in kills and kills per set and ranked No. 15 nationally in kills per set. Bieniek added 173 digs and 33 blocks and helped lead Mercy to their first ECC Championship and NCAA Tournament East Region Final since 2001.
Hanks is named Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the first time. The junior currently has a 3.96 GPA as a Psychology major. The defender was named United Soccer Coaches Third Team All-Region, D2CCA First Team All-Region, ECC Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-ECC. The CSC Academic All-District selection started all 21 games, recording three assists in a team-high 1,892 minutes played. Hanks helped lead Mercy to the ECC Regular Season Championship and the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.
Lesko takes home Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the first time. The junior has a 3.67 GPA as a Business Entrepreneurship major. The forward was named WBCA All-American Honorable Mention, MBWA Division II Player of the Year, ECC Player of the Year, D2CCA First Team All-Region and First Team All-ECC. The five-time ECC Player of the Week averaged a team-high 18.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. She set a single-season school record with 551 points. The CSC Academic All-District recipient led Mercy to a share of their first ECC Regular Season Championship in program history and their second NCAA Tournament berth in three years.
Hunsberger is named Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the first time. The sophomore has a 3.93 GPA as a Biomedical Sciences. The attacker was named USILA All-Region Honorable Mention and First Team All-ECC after starting all 15 games with a team-high 67 points on 31 goals and a team-high 36 assists. The one-time ECC Offensive Player of the Week led the ECC in points and assists and was fourth in goals.
