BURLINGTON, Vt. – The University of Vermont Athletic Department hosted the 12th edition of the Rally Awards, presented by the Windjammer, on Tuesday night at the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Burlington. The annual year-end event celebrated the accomplishments of UVM's student-athletes. The department handed out seven major awards, honored each team's MVP and senior student-athletes, and showed a multimedia presentation highlighting the 2015-16 season.
 
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Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics Dr. Robert Corran was honored during his final Rally Awards as he approaches retirement this summer. Corran helped found the inaugural Rally Awards and will step away from his leadership position after 13 years. Retiring associate athletic director Joe Fischer was also honored for his 35 years of service to the UVM athletic department.
 
Malcolm LeVanway began the night as the recipient of the Athletic Department Award. The award is presented annually to a member of the faculty, staff, or community in appreciation of loyal support and continuing devotion to the University of Vermont athletic program. 
 
Malcolm LeVanway | Video Presentation
LeVanway was born and raised in Vermont and has become a loyal and generous supporter of Vermont Athletics. Whether attending events, volunteering with in-game activities such as the 50/50 raffle at women's basketball games, or providing consistent and generous support, Malcolm has made a positive impact in various areas. A member of UVM's Wilbur Society, which honors individuals who have made gifts through their estate, Malcolm will continue to support the Catamounts with his legacy gift to support athletic scholarship in women's basketball.
 
Seniors Alex Jenkins and Ed Simon were the winners of the Jeff Stone Memorial Award. The award recognizes exceptional contributions by a male and female student-athlete, in any class, in the area of community service and campus leadership. The award is presented in memory of Jeff Stone, an outstanding tennis player at UVM who died tragically in 1984.
 
Alex Jenkins | Video Presentation
A captain on the women's soccer team, Jenkins served as the treasurer for Student-Athlete Advisory Council this year. She was the UVM representative at the America East SAAC conference this spring and in the summer of 2015. She organized and coordinated the America East Food Frenzy, a canned good drive that took place at all league schools this year. She was selected as a speaker and student representative for the UVM "Move Mountains" campaign launch event in the fall. A pre-med major, she works closely with the JDRF, a global organization that raises funds and awareness for Type I Diabetes research.
 
Ed Simon | Video Presentation
A member of the track & field team and the chair of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, Simon organized the third annual Faculty Appreciation Night in April. He represented UVM student-athletes at multiple America East "You Can Play" events and took part in the "It's On Us" campaign against sexual assault on college campuses. He has volunteered for the past two years as a mentor with College for Every Student. A member of the UVM ROTC, he has also volunteered his time with Special Olympics including the Unified Soccer event.
 
The Meg & Kate Ryley Underclass Achievement Award was also presented. The honor, which is named after the two former UVM skiers who each won the award in their careers, recognizes outstanding athletic accomplishments by a male and female student-athlete in the freshmen, sophomore and junior classes. Sophomore Laurence St. Germain and junior Brian Wright were the winners for 2016.
 
Laurence St. Germain | Video Presentation
St. Germain, a member of the alpine ski team, was a 2016 First Team All-American in the slalom, finishing second overall at the NCAA Championships. She was also a Second Team All-American in the giant slalom. She was one of three skiers in the field to earn All-America honors in both disciplines. She was also named to the EISA All-East First Team after posting four wins and six podium appearances in eight races. She spent the first portion of the EISA season training with Team Canada and competing in World Cup races.
 
Brian Wright | Video Presentation
Wright led the men's soccer team to the 2016 America East championship, scoring the game-winning goal in 1-0 win over Binghamton. After collecting a goal and an assist in Vermont's overtime semifinal win, he was named the America East Tournament Most Outstanding Player. He led America East in scoring with 27 points and was named to the All-Conference First Team. He was also named to the NSCAA All-East Region First Team and the All-ECAC Team. As a junior, he became just the 12^th player in program history to reach the 50-point plateau.
 
The Semans Trophy was awarded to seniors Maggie Preston and Ethan O'Day. The Semans Trophy is presented to the senior male and female student-athlete who has demonstrated a high level of athletic achievement and earned the respect and regard of his/her fellow students for leadership, loyalty and service to the university.
 
Maggie Preston | Video Presentation
A member of the swimming & diving team, Preston was the 2016 America East champion in the 1-meter dive and runner-up in the 3-meter dive to earn All-Conference honors in both events. She was named America East Diver of the Week five times this past season. In total, she won 15 individual diving competitions during her senior campaign. Last year, she became the first Catamount ever to be named Most Outstanding Diver of the America East Championship meet. She was named to the 2016 America East All-Academic Team and carries a 3.52 GPA in elementary education.
 
Ethan O'Day | Video Presentation
A two-year captain of the men's basketball team, O'Day averaged 16 points and 5.6 rebounds a game while shooting 69.2 percent to lead Vermont to the America East title game for the third time in the last five seasons. He became just the eighth Catamount to finish his career with 1,200 points and 600 rebounds. He was named to the America East All-Conference Third Team this season along with two teammates. The Catamounts advanced to the postseason in each of Ethan's four seasons, capped off this year with Vermont's second consecutive trip to the CBI semifinals.
 
The Russell O. Sunderland Memorial Trophy is given to the senior male and female student-athlete who, throughout their college careers, has demonstrated a high level of athletic achievement and exemplified the qualities of character, leadership and persistence in overcoming obstacles. The 2016 winners of the Russell O. Sunderland Memorial Trophy were seniors Kylie Atwood and Bobby Farrell.
 
Kylie Atwood | Video Presentation
Atwood has been a consistent performer for the women's basketball program despite suffering three major knee injuries, at least two separated shoulders, and the unexpected diagnosis of Graves' disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects the thyroid gland. She persevered throughout her career without a medical redshirt to start 60 games and play in a total of 110. During her time at UVM, she helped coordinate the women's basketball team's annual State Clinic Day at her alma mater Lake Region Union High School. She is also a two-time member of the America East Academic Honor Roll.
 
Bobby Farrell | Video Presentation
Farrell, a member of the alpine skiing team, made UVM's NCAA squad for the second time in his career in 2016. In 2013, he underwent bilateral hip labral repairs and was unable to compete. At the start of the 2014 campaign, he tore his meniscus and sprained his MCL. This season, he rebounded to post seven top-10 finishes, including a slalom win at the Bates Carnival. He was the runner-up in the slalom at the EISA Championships as Vermont won its sixth straight EISA team title.
 
Seniors Stephanie Kirk and Dan Moroney were the 2016 recipients of the Wasson Athletic Prize. The award is presented to the senior male and female student-athlete who has demonstrated a high level of athletic achievement and has maintained the highest standard of academic scholarship.
 
Stephanie Kirk | Video Presentation
A member of the Nordic skiing team, Kirk has maintained a near-perfect 3.99 GPA as an exercise and movement science major. She is a four-time NCAA All-Academic Team selection and won the 2015 NCAA Elite 90 Award given to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA competing at the NCAA Championships. This year, she competed in every race on the EISA circuit and posted eight top-10 finishes. She was named to the EISA All-East Second Team and posted a pair of top-5 finishes at the EISA Championships.
 
Dan Moroney | Video Presentation
Moroney has maintained a 3.73 GPA with a major in medical laboratory science. He has been selected to the America East All-Academic Team in cross country in each of the last two seasons. He placed second overall and earned All-Conference honors in the 5000-meter at the 2016 America East Indoor Championships. He followed by breaking his own school record in the 3000 meter at the New England Championships. He broke another one of his own school records in the 5000-meter at the Larry Ellis Invitational last month and was third in the event at the America East Outdoor Championships.
 
The final honor handed out on the evening was the J. Edward Donnelly Award, which is presented to the senior male and female student-athlete who displayed the greatest accomplishments in individual athletic performance and who significantly contributed to their team's overall performance. The women's honoree was women's lacrosse all-around performer Vanessa VanderZalm, while former national champion skier Dom Garand received the men's award.
 
Vanessa VanderZalm | Video Presentation
VanderZalm, a three-year captain of the women's lacrosse team, has started every game of her career and has ranked among the team's top-3 scorers each season. She ranks third all-time at UVM in goals and is second all-time in ground balls and draw controls. She led the team this season in goals, ranking top-5 in the conference in goals per game. The Canadian has been named to the America East All-Conference First Team twice in her career. She was also named to the league's All-Rookie Team in 2013 and won a silver medal with Canada at the 2013 Women's Lacrosse World Cup.
 
Dom Garand | Video Presentation
Garand, a member of the alpine ski team, posted a pair of fourth place finishes in the 2016 NCAA races to earn First Team All-America honors in the slalom and giant slalom. In four career NCAA races, Garand earned First Team All-America honors in all four. Last season, he was the NCAA national champion in the slalom. He competed in 12 EISA races in 2016, winning three and finishing on the podium seven times. Garand was named to the EISA All-East First Team after helping Vermont win its sixth straight EISA Championship.
 
Each team MVP was also announced at the Rally Awards:

Men's Cross Country: Dan Moroney
Women's Cross Country: Samantha Sayer
Field Hockey: Lauren Tucker
Men's Soccer: Brian Wright
Women's Soccer: Ally Ramos
Swimming & Diving: Sarah Mantz
Men's Hockey: Mario Puskarich
Women's Hockey: Taylor Willard
Men's Basketball: Ethan O'Day
Women's Basketball: Sydney Smith
Men's Skiing: Jack Hegman
Women's Skiing: Laurence St. Germain
Men's Indoor Track & Field: Ed Simon
Women's Indoor Track & Field: Mallory Honan
Men's Lacrosse: Ian MacKay
Women's Lacrosse: Vanessa VanderZalm
Men's Outdoor Track & Field: Ian Weider
Women's Outdoor Track & Field: Dana Gaetani