Soltysiak, McConnell Named Male Co-Scholar-Athletes Of The Year
Westfield State's Drew Soltysiak (Westfield, MA) and Fitchburg State's Devan McConnell (Lake Stevens, WA) were named the 2007-08 MASCAC Co-Scholar-Athletes of the Year.
SOLTYSIAK, MCCONNELL NAMED
HOWARD C. SMITH
CO-SCHOLAR-ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
Westfield State senior Drew Soltysiak (Westfield,
MA) and Fitchburg State senior Devan McConnell
(Lake Stevens, WA) were selected as the Massachusetts
State College Athletic Conference's (MASCAC) 2007-08 Howard C.
Smith Male co-Scholar-Athletes of the Year.
This year's voting by the MASCAC athletics directors for the Male
Scholar-Athlete ended in a tie. Soltysiak shared the prestigious
honor with McConnell, a standout goalie for the Fitchburg State ice
hockey team.
The award is presented annually to male and female senior
student-athletes who have excelled both academically and
athletically while a student of a Massachusetts state college. The
award is named in honor of Howard C. Smith, a former state college
trustee who was largely responsible for the formation of the
Massachusetts State College Athletics Conference (MASCAC) and the
acceptance of intercollegiate athletics as an integral part of the
state college system.
To be considered for the award, a student-athlete must have
achieved a least a 3.2 cumulative grade point average and be in his
or her last year of athletic eligibility.
Soltysiak, who majored in movement science at Westfield State, was
a two-time All American while competing in the javelin for the
Owls' track and field team; he finished third in the 2008 NCAA
Division III national championships with a throw of 206-11. He
earned All New England honors six times and All-ECAC status three
times. In 2008 he placed first in both the New England Division III
and ECAC championships, and he was the New England Alliance and
MASCAC champion during his junior and senior seasons.
"Drew has played a major role in the success of the Westfield State
College men's track and field program for the past four seasons,"
said Westfield State head coach Sean O'Brien. "Because of his work
ethic and determination, Westfield State was able to win four New
England Alliance and four MASCAC championships during his
collegiate career. Westfield has had a lot of outstanding javelin
throwers and Drew is one of the best; he was a very consistent
thrower who performed well in the big meets. Westfield State and
the track and field program are extremely proud that he received
this honor."
Soltysiak is the 13th Westfield State College student-athlete to
receive the Howard C. Smith award since its inception in 1980.
Westfield's 13 scholar-athlete honorees are the most in the
eight-team conference, followed by Fitchburg State with 11.
