May 11, 2005

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - St. Bonaventure's Department of Athletics presented its annual awards at its Senior Awards Banquet on Wednesday, May 11, at the St. Bona Clubhouse Restaurant.

The Letterwinner Award, which is presented to a senior man and a senior woman who have assembled outstanding records of athletic accomplishments over their careers and have proven instrumental to their teams' success, was shared by lacrosse standout Kelly Chevez and softball's Kim Dodson on the women's side, while two-time Atlantic 10 men's tennis Player of the Year Mario Arce took home the male Letterwinner Award.

Kristin Kohl and Nikhil Murali won the Merit Award, which is presented every year to one senior female and one senior male student-athlete for outstanding academic achievement, significant athletic achievement, and meaningful contribution to the St. Bonaventure community.

Laurie Stone was the recipient of the Ray Dee Leadership Award, which is presented annually 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.

Finally, senior basketball player Caitlin Crist received the Service Award, which is presented for outstanding service, dedication and commitment to the Department of Athletics.

Chevez is St. Bonaventure's all-time leading scorer in women's lacrosse with 121 goals and 119 assists for 240 points. She completed her career as the NCAA Division I active leader in assists and her total of 119 stands seventh all-time in the NCAA record book. Chevez was a three-time All-Conference selection including this spring, when she finished third in the A-10 in scoring and led the conference in assists for the third straight year. Over her career, St. Bonaventure went 39-27 and reached the Atlantic 10 Women's Lacrosse Tournament for the first time in school history, qualifying in both 2003 and 2004.

Dodson has left her mark on St. Bonaventure's softball program both in terms of athletic and academic achievements. She has batted over .300 each of her four seasons, and her 165 career hits ranks second all-time in the softball program's history. Last spring, the first baseman led the Atlantic 10 and set a school record with a .429 batting average, earning her All-Conference accolades. This year, Dodson helped lead the Bonnies to their first Atlantic 10 Tournament berth. A business management major, she was named the 2004 Atlantic 10 Softball Student-Athlete of the Year and was also chosen an Academic All-American by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Arce enjoyed a record-breaking senior season, establishing school records for singles wins in a season with 31 and in a career with 93. Arce finished the 2004-05 season 31-6 in singles and 15-4 in doubles. Following the season, Arce was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year for the second time in his career. A three-time All-Conference choice and the A-10 Rookie of the Year in 2002, Arce ended his career ranked 131st in the country in singles. A two-year co-captain, Arce led the Bonnies to the Atlantic 10 title and an NCAA Championship berth in 2003 and to third place conference finishes in both 2004 and 2005.

Kohl was an Academic All-Conference selection in women's lacrosse in 2003 and 2004 and is ranked among the top 10 students in the graduating Class of 2005. An elementary education major, she has been a Dean's List student in every semester. In lacrosse, Kohl was a three-year starter on defense and was named to the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association Academic Honor Roll as a junior.

Murali, a journalism and mass communication major, was named to both the Atlantic 10's All-Conference and Academic All-Conference teams in both 2004 and 2005, bearing out his achievements both on the tennis court and in the classroom. He also was named a Scholar-Athlete by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association in both 2003 and 2004. Murali was a starter for the Bonnies' 2003 Atlantic 10 champion and NCAA Tournament team.

Stone is a four-year starter for the softball team who, along with Dodson, helped lead the Bonnies to their first Atlantic 10 Tournament appearance this spring. A catcher and designated hitter, she ranks second in team history in home runs with 18 and third in RBI with 76. Stone earned a bachelor's degree in marketing last spring and will complete a master's degree in business administration this month. She has been named to the Academic All-Conference team twice and last spring was chosen "Ideal Bonaventure Woman."

Crist was a three-year starter for the women's basketball team. She was an active member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee who routinely volunteered her time to assist the Athletics Department's community outreach efforts.

All 43 of the University's graduating student-athletes as well as graduating seniors from the offices of sports medicine, sports marketing and athletics communications received a briefcase as a commemorative gift from the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.