NEWPORT, R.I.-- Salve Regina University hosted the annual Seahawk Awards Ceremoney on Sunday, April 26, to honor the outstanding achievements of the institution's student-athletes across all 20 varsity sports. This year's slate featured 23 award winners including one two-sport athlete. 

The evening began with introductions from the master of ceremonies, senior associate athletic director Bill Villareal and director of athletics, Dr. Sean Sullivan.

The first award of the night, the Sister Philemon Banigan Award, was presented to Braxton Goodwin '26 and Connor Sheehan '27. His freshman year Goodwin received the news that he would no longer be able to compete due to medical reasons so he became a student coach for the Seahawk football team. In 2025, his senior season, he coached the defensive backs on his own. 

"This is one of the top three toughest positions to coach on a football team," said head coach Kevin Gilmartin. "He loves being a coach so much he has decided to make it his career. He landed a job at Berry College in Georga starting in June. After graduating Salve early in January he stayed up here in Newport to help coach spring ball and work for the athletic department. He is everything we ask for in a student for their loyalty to Salve athletics!" 

Sheehan began working with Seahawk athletics as a skilled and dedicated student photographer in 2023, his freshman year at Salve. Since then he has collaborated with numerous teams to put together media day shoots and capture action shots. When his schedule permits Sheehan even travels with the teams to document their away contests. 

"Connor has done a wonderful job photographing the highs and lows of intercollegiate athletics at Salve," remarked head men's lacrosse coach Patrick Cooney. "He has artistically recorded the thrill of victory, the relationships that bond, and the challenges that our student-athletes heroically confront."

The Spirit Award was presented to Tommy Whitlock '27, who is not only a first baseman on the baseball team but is incredibly involved in the athletic department as a whole. On a non-baseball game day Whitlock can be found in the press box doing public address, producing the FloSports live stream, doing play-by-play and assisting with setup and breakdown after the contest is complete. 

"The first time I met Tommy I was setting up for a men's soccer game and he had just finished baseball practice and was leaving the field," recalled director of athletic communications Ed Habershaw '03M. "He came right up to the press box and asked me what he could do to get involved-- as a freshman! He is a wonderful leader and an exceptional person."

The next honor of the evening, the Distinguished Senior Scholar Award, is presented to the male and female student-athletes who have achieved the highest grade point average while participating in varsity athletics for four years. The recipient of this award is also honored with the University's Chris Kiernan Scholar-Athlete Award for academic excellence. The 2026 honorees were Taylor Stirling, women's ice hockey defender, with a 3.975 cumulative GPA and Thomas Fallon, football quarterback and punter, with a 3.940 cumulative GPA.

Ella Cence '26 (women's soccer), Alix Madden '27 (women's lacrosse), Brady Smolinski '26 (baseball), Padraig Brown '27 (football) and Kyle Carozza '26 (baseball) were honored with Service Awards, for demonstrating dedication to community service, outreach programs, and enriching the lives of others. Each student-athlete showed exceptional leadership and involvement in the Salve Regina athletic department over the course of the school year. 

Women's track and field thrower Gianna Stanley '29 and baseball third baseman James Anastasopoulos '29 were honored with the First Year Scholar-Athlete Award. At her second meet in the Seahawk uniform Stanley set a new school record in the Hammer Throw and she has improved that record since then. She recorded a top-ten performance at the 2026 NEWMAC Championships. Anastasopoulos has been a top freshman in the baseball lineup this season. He holds a .353 batting average with six doubles, one home run and 18 RBIs. 

Adelaide Baird '28 and James Minotti '28 were named Sophomore Scholar-Athletes. Baird is a multi-sport athlete on the field hockey team and women's lacrosse team. Minotti, a linebacker on the football team, was named First Team All-Conference in 2026 and he led the team in tackles. He currently holds a 3.94 GPA.

Equestrian riders Emma Hufford '27 and Tamsin Nicholson '27, along with men's ice hockey goalie Selby Warren, earned the Junior Scholar-Athlete Award. Hufford and Nicholson qualified for the IHSA National Finals this year after a standout season. Warren ranks among the top three in all major statistical categories for Division III goaltenders, anchoring the team with poise and reliability.

Sofia Neary '26, Daniel Naglieri '26 and Shane Williams '26 were honored with the Senior Scholar-Athlete Awards, otherwise known as the Meghan Strathman Award and the Brother Michael Reynolds Award. This season Neary was named to the First Team NEWMAC All-Conference, First Team d3hoop.com All-Region, Third Team NEWBA All-Region and the NEWBA Senior All-Star team. She finished the season first in the NEWMAC in points, rebounds and defensive rebounds. Naglieri leads the Seahawks in goals, assists and total points. In 2025 he was named to the first Team NEWMAC All-Conference and Lax Reference DIII Men's Lacrosse Offensive Star. This spring he recorded his 100th career goal, his 100th career assist, and his 200th career point scored. He recently became the third highest all-time points leader at Salve with 128 goals and 110 assists. Williams was named to the 2025 ABCA/Rawlings Third Team. As a team captain this year he holds a .379 batting average and has 12 extra base hits. He leads the Seahawks with 13 home runs and tops the conference with 56 RBIs. 

The Habershaw Stewardship Award which is presented to individuals who have earned the respect of fellow athletes, coaches, and administration for superior athletics and for continually demonstrating those qualities associated with good sportsmanship was granted to the women's ice hockey and men's ice hockey 2025-26 captains Morgan Peritz '26, Riley Esposito '26, Matthew Brunton '26 and Jonathan Hammel '26. All four student-athletes expressed outstanding leadership as both programs navigated hiring new head coaches and competing as independent DIII teams. 

The honor award of the evening, the Athlete of the Year Award, was presented to field hockey forward Julia Decker '26 and baseball pitcher Nolan Romanowski '28. Decker received the award for the second year in a row. As a team captain she scored her 100th career point early this season to finish her career with 129 career points-- now third on the all-time record book for Salve. Decker lead the team in scoring in 2025 with 19 goals and six assists, which is third all-time in goals scored at Salve. This season she earned NEWMAC First Team All-Conference, First Team All-Region and was selected for the NFHCA National Senior Team (top 60 senior DIII players in the country). 

"Julia is a nursing student and she has been an amazing example of a student-athlete during her four years at Salve," said head field hockey coach Jennifer Foster.

Romanowski holds multiple NEWMAC Pitcher of the Week awards in 2026. He leads the conference with a 2.54 ERA, ten wins and 54 strike outs. Last season he was named NEWMAC Second Team All-Conference, ABCA/Rawlings First Team and Fourth Team ABCA/Rawlings All-America. 

"Romo always gives us a chance to win," said coach Cirella. "He's one away from our team record of 11-0, with a 10-0n record. He is a huge part of our pitching staff and I hope he continues his current trend."