Buffalo State Athletics will hold the annual Benji Awards show on Sunday, May 4 at 4:30 p.m. in the Rockwell Hall Performing Arts Center to celebrate the outstanding team and individual accomplishments of the 2024-25 seasons.
The annual Buffalo State Athletics Banquet will be a theater-style awards show ala the ESPY's and the Oscars. In addition to paying tribute to the 77 seniors in the Class of 2025, Buffalo State will hand out nine "Benjis" to the evening's top honorees.
All student-athletes are expected to attend. The event is free and open to the public.
A private senior reception will start promptly at 3:15 p.m. in the Rockwell Hall main foyer for seniors and their guests.
The event will also be STREAMED LIVE.
The finalists for the 2025 Benjis are:
Male Senior Scholar-Athlete Award:
Connor Bizal – Hockey
Julian Maloney – Football
Sebastian Sierra – Football
Shae Wirt – Soccer
David Wozniak - Soccer
Female Senior Scholar Athlete Award:
Jessica Auge – Hockey
Eden Harrison – Volleyball
Eve DiCarlo – Soccer
Sam Kaufman – Soccer
Cam O'Hara – Softball
Male First-Year Athlete of the Year:
Drew Bowman – Volleyball
Jalil Coppedge – Track & Field
Xzavier Goodman – Track & Field (2024)
Austin Micale – Hockey
Zee Johnson – Basketball
Don Powell - Hockey
Female First-Year Athlete of the Year:
Emma Ball – Acrobatics & Tumbling
Olivia Kilmer – Soccer
Kaydence Kemp – Hockey
Izzy Pezdek – Softball (2024)
Brooke Tarshis - Wrestling
Male Athlete of the Year:
Xzavier Goodman – Track & Field
Vadim Kiriakov – Hockey
Malachi Jackson – Volleyball
Manu Prieto – Soccer
Diego Rivera – Soccer
Alex Vega - Volleyball
Female Athlete of the Year:
Sarah Congelosi – Softball (2024)
Makhia Laster – Track & Field
Natalia Sawyer – Track & Field
Kaylee Valentic – Soccer
Ella Wittman – Volleyball
Vanessa Willick – Lacrosse (2024)/Hockey
Hube Coyer Award (Outstanding Career):
Joe Glamos – Hockey
Malachi Jackson – Volleyball
Manu Prieto – Soccer
Alex Westcott – Football
Shae Wirt - Soccer
Ruth Houston Award (Outstanding Career):
Samantha Coakley – Volleyball
Sarah Congelosi – Softball
Makhia Laster – Track & Field
Anastacia Wells - Lacrosse
Team of the Year:
Men's Hockey
Men's Soccer
Softball (2024)
Men's Volleyball
Women's Volleyball
