The 2026 Bonnies Athletics Awards were held Monday, May 4 inside the Reilly Center.

The awards lineup was comprised of student-athletes selected by their peers and coaches for accomplishments during the past academic year.

This year's Senior Awards were also handed out. With a history dating back to the 1970s, the Senior Awards carry a great legacy in the St. Bonaventure Athletics Department and honorees are nominated by coaches and staff and then selected by the athletics administration team.

SENIOR AWARD WINNERS
The Letterwinner Award is presented every year to one male and female student-athlete who have assembled outstanding records of athletic accomplishments over their careers and have proven to be instrumental to their team's success.

The Male Letterwinner this year is the most decorated student-athlete in his program's history, capping off his career with a senior season for the record books. He won three meets, mostly in dominating fashion, and set a new school record in all but one meet this year.

He finished off the fall season by becoming the first Atlantic 10 All-Conference honoree in program history. He graduates owning the school record in every distance in the cross country record book – 5K, 8K and 10K – while also standing atop the program leaderboard in the outdoor track 3K and 5K as well as the indoor 3K. The 2026 recipient of the Male Letterwinner Award is Clay Peets.

This year's Female Letterwinner has started in every game across the past four seasons for St. Bonaventure women's lacrosse. She has been a consistent presence for the Bonnies on defense since her freshman season, when she was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team. Following her sophomore season, she earned a spot on the All-Conference Second Team.

This past season, she was named the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year, also being selected to the All-Conference First Team for the second-straight year. Her 40 caused turnovers ranked first in the conference and 19th in the nation while also ranking as the fourth-most in a single season in program history.

She is also a three-time Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll student. She has caused 137 total turnovers throughout her career, ranking as the third-most among all active Division I competition and the most of any Atlantic 10 student-athlete. Her 181 career groundballs are sixth in the nation and tied for the most in the conference. Her career caused turnover and groundball totals both sit second in program history. This year's recipient is Brit Colangelo.

The Merit Award goes to one male and one female senior student-athlete in recognition of their outstanding athletic records, significant academic achievement and meaningful contribution to the St. Bonaventure Community."  This award exemplifies the true Scholar-Athlete.

This year's Male Merit Award winner earned Atlantic 10 All-Conference honors after a season to remember on the lacrosse field. An Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll member, he established himself as one of the league's top defensive players this year, ranking second among all A-10 players in caused turnovers by setting a new school record with 30 this spring. He also ranked 11th nationally in caused turnovers per game while standing seventh in the A-10 in groundballs.

For his career, he stands second in school history for caused turnovers and third in groundballs and is the first Bonaventure player selected to either the First or Second All-Conference Teams during the program's Atlantic 10 era. He's accomplished all this while maintaining a 3.94 GPA as a Marketing major and a 3.57 overall GPA. Owen Tasse earns this year's Male Merit Award.

This year's Female Merit Award is presented to a student-athlete who has excelled equally both in the classroom and on the lacrosse field. A four-year Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor roll recipient, and two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All District honoree, she carries a 3.91 GPA as a Psychology major and a 3.89 GPA overall.  She's a three-time Atlantic 10 All-Conference player as well as the 2026 A-10 Midfielder of the Year, becoming the first Bonnie to ever accomplish the feat.

She was also named to the A-10 All-Academic Team.  Her 60 goals this year ranked second in the Atlantic 10 and ninth nationally among all Division I teams, while her 69 total points stood third in the conference and 36th in Division I. Additionally, her 60 total goals were the third-most in a single season in program history, while her points total ranks her eighth. Earlier this spring, she set two new single-game program records after scoring 11 points and nine goals.

Throughout her career, she has scored 189 goals, the 10th-most among all active Division I student-athletes and the most of any Atlantic 10 player. As the Bonnies' all-time leading goal scorer, she was also recognized as a member of the A-10 All Championship Team for 2026. 

The Female Merit Award goes to Brooke Piper.

The Ray Dee Leadership Award is named for the 1964 Bona graduate who was the Chair of the University's Board of Trustees, as well as a generous donor to our athletic programs. Sadly, Mr. Dee passed away in January 2021 - and we remember him and his family through this award.

The Ray Dee Leadership Award is presented to the senior who, through his or her leadership skills, sets a positive example for others to follow and builds pride for St. Bonaventure Athletics.  The person will have maintained the highest standards of performance, integrity, sportsmanship, and respect.

The winner of this award is the true embodiment of what it means to be a student-athlete. This year's winner has seen action in 70 games including 51 starts with the St. Bonaventure women's soccer team. As a captain, she started in all 18 games this past season, earning a spot on the Atlantic 10 All-Academic Team.

A two-time Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll selection, she earned the Dr. Neal J. Johnson St. Bonaventure Women's Soccer Scholarship for her excellence in athletics, academics, and service. She was also a member of the 2023 College Sports Communicators All-District Academic Team. The defender scored her first career goal this past season against Davidson and scored a second goal two weeks later against George Washington. This year's winner is Hannah Walker.

The Brian Moretti Service Award is presented to a senior for outstanding service, dedication, and commitment to the Department of Athletics. This is the only award tonight that can be presented to an athlete or a non-athlete.

This award is given in memory of Assistant Sports Information Director, Brian Moretti, who passed away unexpectedly on March 5, 2014. Brian left an unforgettable impression through his work ethic, enthusiasm, and love of his craft.

This year's winner has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to service throughout his time at St. Bonaventure. From the moment he arrived on campus, he became actively involved, joining multiple organizations and quickly making his pride and work ethic known. He has contributed to a wide range of groups and initiatives, including his work with MERT, where he dedicated long hours—often in between classes and practices—to ensure the safety and well-being of his fellow students.

His commitment to helping others has been both consistent and impactful. He has also been a leader within Team Bona's, regularly attending athletic events and playing an important role in creating a safe, fun, and memorable environment for both students and members of the community. In addition, he has volunteered at numerous campus events, including Special Olympics, and has remained deeply connected to his team even when not competing.

Whether assisting with media or capturing photos at meets, he worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure his teammates received the recognition they deserved across social media and athletics platforms. His dedication to service, his willingness to step up wherever needed, and his passion for helping others have been evident every step of the way. His impact has not gone unnoticed, and he truly exemplifies what it means to "Be a Bonnie." This year's recipient is Tyler Schott.

BONNIES ATHLETICS AWARDS (nominated and voted on by student-athletes)

Clay Peets, Men's Cross Country - Male Athlete of the Year

• Enjoyed the finest season in Bonnies men's cross country history, winning three meets and earning Atlantic 10 All-Conference honors
• Posted a new school record in all but one meet during the season, earning Atlantic 10 Performer of the Week honors twice
• Placed 14th at Atlantic 10 Championships for the top finish in school history by a men's runner (24:23.4)
• Dominated the field in the Louisville Cross Country Classic, winning by 36 seconds with a time of 24:12.2 in a field of over 425 runners (10/4)

Brooke Piper, Women's Lacrosse - Female Athlete of the Year

• First-ever Atlantic 10 Midfielder of the Year in program history
• Ranked second in the A-10 this year with 60 goals, a mark that ranked second in the conference and ninth in the nation. Her 69 total points stood third in the conference and 36th among all Division I players
• She set new single-game program records in both points (11) and goals (9) in a dominating 19-9 win over La Salle, also breaking the program's career scoring record with her 155th career goal on the first possession of the game against Duquesne. She scored nine points on (7G-2A) that day against the Dukes
• Three-time A-10 Offensive Player of the Week selection this season and helped the Bonnies to their first A-10 Tournament win in program history as well as their top finish in the regular season standings since 2006, third

Jillian Lozo, Women's Cross Country - Female Rookie of the Year

• Led the team in every meet during her debut cross country season
• Ranks fourth in the program history books for the 6K (22:31.6) and ninth for the 5K (18:58.7)
• Qualified for Atlantic 10 and NCAA Northeast Regional championship meets

Emanuele Zingaro, Men's Swimming - Male Rookie of the Year

• Helped earn a bronze medal for the Bonnies in the 400-medley relay (3:14.16) at the Atlantic 10 Championships
• Set a new program record with a fourth-place finish in the 50-free championship final (19.71) at the Atlantic 10 Championships
• Named the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week (1/13) after collecting a victory in the 100-free (45.25) against Cornell

Anna Bojana Forjan, Women's Swimming - Female Breakthrough Performer

• Crowned Atlantic 10 Champion in both the 100-backstroke and 200-freestyle. In the 200-free, she registered a program-best time of 1:48.75 to win gold and then took a second gold medal with another Bonnies record mark of 53.92 in the 100-back
• Broke her own school record in the 100-back which had stood for two years. She becomes the first A-10 women's 100-back champion since Paige Crimmin in 2003
• In the 200-free, she surpassed the existing Bonnies school record of 1:49.63 posted in 2016 by Tanja Kirmse. Taryn Ahern was Bona's last women's 200-free A-10 champion in 2006

Cole Kucinski, Men's Lacrosse - Male Breakthrough Performer

• Kucinski improved from two goals and three points during his rookie season to lead the Bonnies with 28 goals and 36 points during his sophomore season
• Ranked top-10 in the Atlantic 10 for goals during the regular season
• Named to the USILA National Team of the Week following a breakout five-goal game at Binghamton
• Finished the season with a 13-game point streak to tie the program record

---

 

Brooke Sumner, Women's Lacrosse - Female Resiliency Award

• Returned from a knee injury that cost her all of her freshman season and part of this spring to become an impact player for Bonnies women's lacrosse
• Posted two goals and an assist in her second career game, a win over A-10 foe Duquesne
• Also netted two goals in an A-10 win at Rhode Island

 

Henry Wilkes, Men's Swimming - Male Resiliency Award

• Overcame a major back injury to return to the pool for Bonnies swim/dive
• Found the podium with a second-place finish in the 200-back during dual meet season
• A-10 Commissioner's Honor Roll member

---

The Reilly Award is presented to a male and female student-athlete who embodies what it means to be a Bonnie.
 

Payton Klepacki, Women's Lacrosse - Female Reilly Award
 

Tyler Schott, Men's Cross Country/Track - Male Reilly Award

Last fall a friendly competition began between the athletic teams with a variety of ways to earn points, including success in competition, in the classroom and through community service. It is an honor to award this team, who edged out their counterparts by a hair, the very first Bonnie Cup. This year's winners are the Bonnies men's swim and dive team!

As a department, we achieved 5,927 service hours this year — an incredible increase from 3,500 hours last year. In our team competition, one program stood out by fully committing to service and finishing the year with the most hours. Congratulations to the Men's Swim and Dive Team, which finished with 916 hours of community service!

For individual service leaders, two student-athletes demonstrated exceptional dedication and commitment. Connor Peck of men's swimming and Jael Schubert from women's soccer turned in the most community service hours this year. 

Our team GPA leaders for the semester were men's soccer with a 3.61 GPA, and women's Tennis with an outstanding 3.80 GPA. 
Men's Soccer: 3.610
Women's Tennis: 3.807
Department Semester GPA: 3.487 (393 student-athletes)
 

To watch a replay of this year's Bonnies Athletics Awards, click below.