Anosike, Suero named NABC All-Americans

PHOTOGRAPHER: Bob Weiner

Siena’s OD Anosike and University at Albany’s Gerardo Suero were named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches Division I District 1 All-America team.

Anosike, also selected to the Lou Henson All-America team for being among the top 25 mid-major players in the country, led the nation in rebounding at 12.5 per game. He also topped the country in double-doubles with 23 and averaged 15 points per game. Anosike had 17 consecutive double-doubles at one point, the second-longest streak in Division I in the last 15 years. The junior forward was named to the NABC first team and to the MAAC first team.

Meanwhile, Suero, also a junior, was selected to the NABC second team, as well as to the America East Conference first team. A Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, native, Suero averaged 21.6 points per game, good for fifth in the nation. He was named the America East Conference Player of the Year by CollegeInsider.com.

AROUND CAMPUS

u Former Siena soccer captains Joey Tavernese and Nick Viaggio recently signed pro contracts with Armadale SC, an Australian Club which competes in the Premier Division of the Football West State League. Last summer, Tavernese and Steve Covino became the first former Saints to play professionally when they inked pro deals with FC New York of the United Soccer League. Tavernese is tied with Viaggio for the most games played in Siena history with 75. Tavernese ranks second in program history with 17 assists.

u Record-setting Skidmore College diver Doug Pilawa will get his chance to shine on the national stage after earning one of 22 invitations to the NCAA Division III Diving Championships this weekend at the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis.

Pilawa is the first Skidmore male athlete to earn selection to the NCAA Championships. He met the NCAA qualifying marks in 2009 and 2010, but wasn’t one of the 22 divers selected to compete.

This season, the senior from Chardon, Ohio, earned Diver of the Year honors at the UNYSCSA Championships after winning both the one- and three-meter events. He broke the Skidmore, UNYSCSA meet, and association records in the three-meter with a score of 574.05 points, more than 20 in front of the second-place diver.

After spending the 2010-11 academic year studying in France,

Pilawa made the most of his return to competition this year by going unbeaten in the one-meter in all meets and compiling a 16-0 record in dual meets. He has a 44-6 career dual meet record.

u SUNY-Cortland senior second baseman Matt June (Colonie) has been named the first State University of New York Athletic Conference Player of the Week of the season. June batted .550 (11-for-20) with four runs scored, two RBI, two walks and two steals in Cortland’s first five games of the spring. He went 4-for-5 in a loss at Christopher Newport, was 3-for-4 with a walk and two RBI in an 8-2 win over Husson College and finished 2-for-4 in a 13-0 win over Penn St. Altoon.

u The Friends of Union Athletics Golf Classic will be held at The Edison Club May 21.

u The Skidmore College field hockey team was recognized as one of the top academic programs in the country after earning the 2011 Gladiator by SGI/NFHCA Division III National Academic Team Award. The Thoroughbreds were recognized for earning a 3.0 team GPA for the fall semester.

HONOR ROLL

FMCC

Antonia Williams was named to the first team on the Mountain Valley Conference basketball all-star team. She was second on the NJCAA Region 3 Division III all-league team, while Champagne Hazel was a second-team selection on the Mountain Valley team and a third-team pick on the NJCAA all-region team.

HVCC

Arianna Youngs (Lansingburgh) was named to the first team on both the Mountain Valley Conference and the NJCAA Region 3 Division III all-region teams. Erica Houle was a second-team selection on the Mountain Valley Conference team, and Kelly Kell was a third-team choice.

ONEONTA STATE

Junior Ashley Johnson was selected to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division III National Academic Team.

SAINT ROSE

Ryan Saunders (Cambridge) and Robert Robinson were named to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Division II indoor track and field all-east squad for the men, while Soroya Hudson was picked to the women’s squad.

SCCC

Brittany Baker was selected to the Mountain Valley Conference first team all-star squad. She was also named to the NJCAA Region 3 Division III second team.

SKIDMORE

Senior guard Gerard O’Shea was named to the D3hoops.com East Region second team. The Averill Park High School graduate averaged 11.1 points, 5.3 assists and 2.4 steals per game. He led the Liberty League in both assists and steals.