BOSTON – The America East Conference announced this afternoon that University at Albany student-athletes Jake Piseno of men's lacrosse and Morgan Petty of softball have been nominated for the league's prestigious Man and Women of the Year awards.
 
The awards recognize the conference's senior male and female student-athletes who have best distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate career in the areas of academic achievement, athletic excellence, service, and leadership. The nominees represent all nine member institutions. The majority of the nominees have been America East All-Conference or All-Academic selections in their career.
 
Piseno finished the 2024 regular season as one of the best defensive players in college lacrosse. He finished third nationally with 44 caused turnovers, averaging 2.44 per game. He accumulated 19 points this season, burying 13 goals with the long pole – making national highlights on an almost weekly basis. Piseno totaled 79 ground balls throughout the year, leading all conference players other than the league's faceoff specialists.
 
Piseno was named the America East Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season and was named the Most Outstanding Player in this year's America East Championship, leading the Great Danes to their first conference title since 2018. In four postseason games, including the NCAA Championship, he scored three goals, added two assists, scooped up 14 ground balls, and forced eight caused turnovers.
 
In mid-April, Piseno was selected as one of 25 individuals in men's college lacrosse as a Tewaaraton Award Nominee. The Tewaaraton Award is recognized as the pre-eminent lacrosse award, annually honoring the top male and female college lacrosse players in the United States.
 
Petty closed out her career with UAlbany softball as one of the best in program history. Second in history with 14 career triples, she is also tied for second with 33 career home runs. Totaling 154 RBI, 206 hits, 142 runs, 36 doubles, and 72 stolen bases, she finished with top-five numbers in career history. Her .357 career batting average is good for seventh in program history.
 
A two-time America East Player of the Year, Petty recently earned her second consecutive NFCA All-Region honor and third consecutive First Team All-Conference award. Earning all-conference awards in all four (full) seasons, she is one of just eight Great Danes to earn first-team honors at least three times. The graduate student closed out her career with three hits at the America East Tournament, including two in the championship, and three RBI with a triple at the NCAA Bryan-College Station Regional.
 
A leader on the field, in the classroom, and in the community, Petty has been involved with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for all five years at UAlbany. A two-time America East All-Academic honoree, she was the 2023-24 SAAC President and a co-founder of the student mental health organization, The Hidden Opponent.
 
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