The Buffalo State Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will recognize its senior and honor its MVPs and major award winners on tonight at its annual awards banquet at the Holiday Inn - Amherst.

Top honors will go to Laurie Hutten (Tonawanda/Kenmore West) and Jeff Mok (Richmond Hill, ON/ Richmond Hill), who will receive the Ruth Houston and Hube Coyer Awards for outstanding career athletic accomplishments by female and male athletes respectively.

Hutten was a four-year starter in the Bengals’ softball infield and a three-time All-SUNYAC selection. She was also a two-time All-Region pick, including being selected to the First Team as a junior. Hutten finished her career with a .368 batting average with 37 extra base hits, including eight homeruns, and had 63 RBIs. She ranks second in school history in at bats (562) and third in hits (207). Hutten helped the Bengals reach the SUNYAC playoffs in each of her four seasons.

Mok was a four-year mainstay on the Bengals’ hockey blue line, finishing his career with the school record for goals by a defenseman with 14. He played in 91 career games and tallied 48 career points. Mok also tied for second in school history for goals in a season by a defenseman with six as a senior. A team captain, Mok helped lead the Bengals to three consecutive SUNYAC playoff appearances.

The Bengal Awards for male and female athletes of the year went to the track duo of Willie Hordge (Houston, TX/ Forestbrook) and Latoya D. Edwards (Brooklyn/ Clara Barton).

Hordge dominated the 2007 outdoor season as a junior, winning six SUNYAC and New York State Championships, sweeping the 100 and 200-meter dashes and winning the 4x100-meter relays. He was also named the SUNYAC and New York State Track Athlete of the Year, and went on to win a pair of NCAA Division III Championships in the 100 and 200-meter dashes.

Edwards also garnered First-Year Female Athlete of the Year honors. As a freshman during the 2007 indoor season, Edwards captured SUNYAC and New York State Championships in the 55-meter and 200-meter dashes. She was also an NCAA qualifier in the 55-meter dash and was the New York State Rookie of the Year. During the 2007 outdoor season, Edwards captured both the SUNYAC and New York Championships in the 100 and 200-meter dashes and the 4x100-meter relay. She was named the New York State Track Athlete and Rookie of the Year, and qulaified for the NCAA Championships in the 200-meter. In the 2008 indoor season, she continued her dominance as a sophomore, winning SUNYAC and State titles in the 55-meter dash, 200-meter dash and two relays. She also became just the second female track All-American in school history, placing third in the 55-meter dash at the Division III NCAA Championship.

Freshman hockey player Nick Petriello (St. Catharines, ON/ Holy Cross) took home the Male First-Year Athlete of the Year Award. Petriello led the Bengals as a rookie in scoring with 12 goals and 18 assists for 30 points. He was recognized for his accomplishments as the SUNYAC Rookie of the Year. He was also a two-time SUNYAC Rookie of the Week and was a SUNYAC Player of the Week once.

Lindsay Smith (Ithaca/ Ithaca) and Paul Gagnon (Troy, MI/ Troy) earned the Alumni Scholar Athlete Awards, given annually to the graduating female and male student-athlete with the highest grade point averages.

A social work major with a 3.79 GPA, Smith was a four-year member of the Bengals’ women’s basketball team. A captain this year, she had her best season, averaging 8.4 points and 3.1 rebounds-per-game. Gagnon majored in business and marketing and maintained a 3.70 GPA. He played three seasons with the Bengals’ hockey team after transferring from St. Mary’s University in Minnesota. In 46 career games, he had five goals and eight assists for 13 points.

The Golden Bengal Award, which recognizes the member of the college community who goes beyond his or her job description to assist the athletics department will be presented to the Instruction Resources television production staff of Melaine Kenyon, Pat Trinkley, Ken Giangreco, Paul Smith and Dave Ross for their work creating Bengal Magazine, a bi-weekly internet broadcast that takes an inside look at the Athletics Department, as well as the creation on the online video “Virtual Tour of Athletics”.

The following is a list of the 2007-08 Buffalo State Athletics teams Most Valuable Players:
Men’s Basketball: Dion Mozelle (Rego Park/Xaverian)
Women’s Basketball: Toya Parks (Brooklyn/MLK)
Cheerleading: Jill DiPasquale (Orchard Park/Orchard Park)
Men’s Cross Country: Kyle Fenner (N. Syracuse/CNS)
Women’s Cross Country: Margaret Hughes (Elmira/Elmira Free Academy)
Football (Offense): Dan Aquilio (Depew/Depew)
Football (Defense): Scott Forster (E. Otto/Cattaraugus-Little Valley)
Men’s Ice Hockey: Joe Curry (Indian River, ON/Norwood)
Women’s Ice Hockey: Shannon Anesetti (Canonsburg, PA/Canon-McMillan)
Women’s Lacrosse: Katie Henderson (Hamburg/Frontier)
Men’s Soccer: Christian Elizondo (Marlboro/Marlboro)
Women’s Soccer: Mindy Wendt (Sanborn/Starpoint)
Softball: Jolene Banach (Cheektowaga/Maryvale)
Men’s Swimming & Diving: Kevin Buisman (Penfield/Penfield)
Women’s Swimming & Diving: Elisabeth Hilzen (Glen Rock, NJ/Glen Rock)
Men’s Indoor Track & Field: Volter Dalzon (Port Chester/Stepinac)
Women’s Indoor Track & Field: Katya Marin (Mt. Vernon/Mt. Vernon)
Men’s Outdoor Track & Field: Tim Diegelman (Clarence/Clarence)
Women’s Outdoor Track & Field: Katya Marin (Mt. Vernon/Mt. Vernon)
Women’s Volleyball: Katelyn Grew (Lackawanna/Mt. Mercy)