GNAC Reveals Nominees for Second Annual Man of the Year Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Winner will be announced next week

WINTHROP, Mass. – In its second year of the prestigious honor, the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is pleased to announce a half dozen nominee finalists for the 2021 GNAC Man of the Year Award.

The eventual winner, set to be announced next week, will be selected upon with the same parameters as the NCAA's Woman of the Year Program, which is centered on academic achievement, athletics excellence, service & leadership, and a personal statement.

This year's nominees are Garrett Scahill of Colby-Sawyer College swimming & diving; Jordan Lynch-Rexroth of Dean College men's basketball; Jesus Lucart of Eastern Nazarene College; Morgan Mercier of Emmanuel College men's lacrosse/soccer; John (Cole) Anderson of Regis track & field; and Jack Casale of Saint Joseph's College of Maine men's basketball.

Last summer, Henry Siercke of Eastern Nazarene College men's tennis and Noah Robinson of Saint Joseph's College of Maine men's soccer were named 2020 GNAC Co-Man of the Year.

GARRETT SCAHILL | COLBY-SAWYER SWIMMING & DIVING
3.14 GPA | Nursing

Scahill, a Manville, R.I. native who majored in Nursing, put together a 3.14 GPA at Colby-Sawyer. In the pool, he set the new school and conference record in the 200 backstroke at the 2020 GNAC Championships. Back in 2019 as a sophomore, Scahill earned a pair of All-GNAC awards for placing in the top-3, finishing second in the 200 backstroke (2:06.07) and third in the 100 backstroke (58.24). 

Named the 2021 Colby-Sawyer Outstanding Male Athlete, Scahill contributed in other areas by serving as the CSC Outing Club secretary/treasurer, a fall orientation leader from 2018-20, as well as a Student Nurses' Association member from 2017-21. His academic achivements have been honored by both the GNAC and NEISDA, and he also served as a nursing aide at the UMass Memorial Field Hospital at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Scahill's personal statement: "Since my sophomore year of high school, I knew I wanted to be both a collegiate swimmer and a nursing student, and Colby-Sawyer gave me the opportunity to be both. The combination of nursing school and being a student-athlete is a rigorous regimen that requires an extra level of professionalism and timeliness. Being a part of the swim team and nursing program, taught me to set goals that were SMART and provided a balance in my life to encourage both academic and athletic success. These skills empowered me to be a leader and role model, through being a team captain and an orientation leader. As a first year, I set a goal for myself to break the school record and make it to the NCAA championships by my senior year. In February 2020, I was close when I broke the GNAC and school record in the 200-yard backstroke, becoming the first person in GNAC history to post a time in under two minutes for that event during a GNAC championship. My time was just short of qualifying for the NCAA Division III Championships, but I knew I would work harder my senior year and make it.

Unfortunately, just after the championship meet, the COVID-19 pandemic quickly shut down the world. Although I had to finish my junior year remotely, it also gave me the opportunity to work as a nursing aide at the UMass Memorial COVID-19 Field Hospital. When the field hospital closed, I spent the rest of the summer as a nursing assistant at a long-term care and rehabilitation center. The nursing profession and swim are very similar, as the challenge and momentum each provides are almost interchangeable. My time as a student-athlete taught me to be resilient through trying endeavors. Upon returning to school in September 2020, I began training for my final swim season. While it was announced we would not have an official swim season, I was still happy to hear that we would have remote meets and team practices. Swim is a social sport: you compete as a team, but you also compete as an individual against other individuals. In a conference like GNAC you get to know who you are swimming against over your four years, creating increased competition. One of the downfalls of COVID-19 was the loss in-person meets and competitiveness amongst swimmers from other schools. Overall, I am still incredibly grateful of Colby-Sawyer and Coach Helaina for making every season the best it could be. To be able to see my teammates and coach most days, practice with them, joke with them, and cope with them made my time being a student-athlete during the pandemic more tolerable. Although I never made the goal of making it to the NCAAs, I am okay with that. These have been unprecedented times and throughout it, I know that my school, my coach, my teammates, and myself gave it our all."

JORDAN LYNCH-REXROTH | DEAN MEN'S BASKETBALL/VOLLEYBALL
3.90 GPA | Exercise Science

Lynch-Rexroth graduated from Dean with an impressive 3.90 GPA as an Exercise Science major, averaging 13.3 points and 6.9 rebounds while shooting 54.4% in his one year on the hoop hardwood for the Bulldogs under head coach Rico Cabral. During that 2019-20 season in which he garnered All-Conference Second Team honors, the Harrisburg, Pa. native went for 20+ points on four occasions, including a career-high 28 against New England College, and 10+ rebounds five times, highlighted by a career-high 14 boards against Becker. The 6-2 guard came to Dean from Harrisburg Area Community College, where he was also an All-League Second Team selection in 2018-19.

Off the court, the team captain was a Student Ambassador, where he assisted and advised incoming students about Dean's Exercise Science program. He also volunteered at a food bank and in Central Pa. where he was responsible for packaging and delivering goods. Along with being named CoSIDA Academic All-District this past season, Lynch-Rexroth also received the Trustees' Prize for the School of Liberal Arts, the 2021 Georgia Maxwell Wilson and Jeffrey Wilson Scholarship, and was a member of the Chi Alpha Signma National Honor Society en route to Summa Cum Laude recognition. 

Lynch-Rexroth also practiced and participated in organized team activities for Dean's mens volleyball program this past winter/spring but the season did not occur due to COVID-19.

Lynch-Rexroth's personal statement: "I am honored to be chosen as a nominee for this prestigious award. Coming from Harrisburg, Pa. was a challenge on its own, but I had my family's history be my driving force for success. It's hard to fathom that my abilities in the classroom and on the basketball court would allow me the opportunity to travel to another state. In my lone year on the court for Dean, I was able to build a level of confidence in my craft and in myself – a level of confidence I have always felt I lacked, and I am forever grateful for that experience. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic closed the door on my collegiate basketball career before I could enjoy it. I do not believe I was able to fully meet my potential as a player and a leader as team captain. The pandemic opened my eyes in a way of what really matters. Once the ball stopped dribbling, for me it allowed me to use my time to prioritize my future and what matters in life.

Since the pandemic I have been able to help the less fortunate in my city as I was able to volunteer with a food bank the summer of 2020. While the pandemic took away my basketball season, it allowed me to focus most of my time to academics. I have reached my highest level of academic success and achievement, something I am very grateful for. Being at Dean, I was able to participate in multiple Accepted Student days on campus. My role was to guide new students on being a Dean Bulldog. I gave them insight and answers for what it was like being an exercise science major, a basketball player, and a volleyball student-athlete on campus. My experience at Dean gave me the opportunities to accomplish things I never could have by staying in Pennsylvania. The pandemic opened my eyes to see the world in front of me. I cannot just be a basketball player anymore; I must be a person of my community. I want to continue my volunteer work because my city is in desperate need of it. I want to teach youth athletes the importance of sports and fitness. I want to change lives and help them positively. I am just waiting for my time to come."

JESUS LUCART | EASTERN NAZARENE MEN'S TENNIS
3.91 GPA | Accounting

Lucart, a member of associate member Eastern Nazarene College's talented men's volleyball program, will remain with the Lions in a coaching capacity in 2021-22. Coming to Quincy, Mass. via Wylie, Texas, the Accounting major graduated from ENC with a stellar 3.91 GPA. He was part of the Lions' 2019 GNAC Championship squad alongside former teammate and 2020 GNAC Co-Man of the Year Henry Siercke, as ENC captured the team title and NCAA tourney berth in their first season competing in the GNAC. 

Away from the court, he was a member of the ENC Business Society and also served as a Resident Assistant, which he discusses more in his personal statement. He also garnered academic honors from both the GNAC and the ITA. 

Lucart's personal statement: "Being an international student is not the easiest. When I moved from Venezuela to the United States because of the humanitarian crisis we were in, I knew that my purpose was to be the best in what I love and give back to the people who guided the community around me. As an athlete, I won the GNAC Championship in the 201819 season. After that, I participated in the NCAA Championship and reached the 2nd round, where only 25 teams were left in the nation, which motivated us to improve and go for more. In 2020-21, we started the season with a new head coach, and most of the team were freshmen. The COVID-19 pandemic canceled some of our games, and we had more restrictions. However, I was named captain of the team and this gave me the confidence to work hard and push my teammates to do our best on the court, and we finished the season undefeated. As a student, I graduated in May 2021 with an accounting degree Summa Cum Laude. I was also inducted into two honor societies, one of them Chi Alpha Sigma, the National Honor Society for Student-Athletes, and the other one Phi Delta Lambda, an honor society for the top 15% of each graduating class from Nazarene colleges and universities.

I was also involved in clubs and organizations such as the investment club and the ENC business society, where I got to engage with a diverse group of people and worked together to plan events on campus and bring people together in the community. I also worked as a Resident Assistant for two floors in a freshmen building, where I fostered the development of relationships among residents and counseled and advised first-year students on academic and personal questions and concerns. The pandemic affected everybody, and living on a small campus, we needed to be careful and look out for each other. I decided to volunteer for a year by assisting quarantine and isolation students on campus with meal deliveries and special deliveries every day. Even though the pandemic changed many things and disrupted our sports activities, I tried to do my best to be the best leader that I could with my teammates, my floor, and the clubs and organizations that I was part of by bringing hope, happiness, and motivation to stay strong together. Before graduation, I received good news. I was offered the opportunity to be back on the team again, not as a player but as an assistant coach. I took this opportunity which is an excellent chance for me to be back and give back to the team that I genuinely believe in to see them grow in different aspects from a coaching perspective this time."

MORGAN MERCIER | EMMANUEL MEN'S LACROSSE/SOCCER
3.59 GPA | Management (Concentration: Sport Management)

Mercier, a two-sport student-athlete for the Saints and friend of the GNAC office, graduated from Emmanuel with a 3.59 GPA as a major in Management with a concentration in Sport Management. The Lincolnville, Maine native served one year as the GNAC's Division III national SAAC representative, where he served on the D3 SAAC Diversity and Inclusion Committee. He also traveled to the NCAA Convention with the league office and played a speaking role in the 2019 GNAC Hall of Fame Dinner. His leadership as EC's SAAC President and Executive Board member carried into his tenure with the GNAC SAAC Commissioner's Council.

For the Saints lacrosse program, he appeared in 39 career games totaling 25 ground balls, and on the soccer pitch he appeared in 29 contests. Mercier received the 2021 Emmanuel Athlete Inspiration Award, collected multiple coaches appreciation and all-sportsmanship awards, and received academic honors from both the GNAC and NEILA. 

Anderson's personal statement: "Over the last four years, I was fortunate to call Emmanuel my home and be a part of a beautiful campus, a special community and do it all right in the heart of Boston. I never thought I would be in the place that I am right now, I'm forever grateful to every coach, athlete and professor that I've met in the past collegiate tenure. I will cherish my experiences at Emmanuel being a student-athlete.  I have been continuously met with opportunities to grow not only as a student and athlete, but also as a leader within my community. I've been very involved within the Emmanuel Community as a member and executive board member of Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

Through SAAC, I was nominated to represent the GNAC as the NCAA Division III SAAC representative and traveled to Anaheim, California for the 2020 NCAA Convention, I was able to bring back the knowledge I learned at the convention to Emmanuel and the rest of the GNAC. This past year has been one of the most difficult and unpredictable years that we have ever seen. These challenges allowed me to grow and develop even further as a leader. I am a better person because of all the experiences that come with being a two-sport collegiate athlete. Being a captain during a global pandemic allowed me to excel in a leadership role while learning and adapting every single day. I'm graduating from Emmanuel prepared and ready to make an impact on society, and I can't wait!"

COLE ANDERSON | REGIS TRACK & FIELD
3.85 GPA | Sports Management

Anderson, who hails from Falmouth, Maine, graduted from Regis with a 3.85 GPA as a Sports Management major and now gets set to become a track & field graduate assistant coach for the Pride. This past spring, he received the Regis-Casserly Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a Regis student-athlete. For his career, the field thrower notched four top-five individual performances at GNAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships, including a first-place toss in the discus throw at the 2018 outdoor meet. He holds the Regis record for the weight throw (indoor) and discus throw (outdoor). 

A two-year captain, Anderson was voted president of the Regis Student Government Association, as well as treasurer of the Pride SAAC. In addition to being a Resident Assistant on campus, he traveled to both South Dakota and New Orleans on service trips in 2018 and 2019. He was also presented with the 2021 Regis Student Affairs Leadership Award, along with the Casserly. 

Anderson's personal statement: "Throughout my undergrad career, the Regis community has played a significant role in my perception of how to positively impact the world. As I entered college in 2017, I had the misunderstanding that college was four years of preparation before I was able to enter the world and make sizable contributions. This mindset could not have been more incorrect. After a service trip to La Plant, S.D. in the summer of 2018, I realized that the undergraduate years are not preparation, but opportunities to benefit others while also on a path of individual success. Thus, throughout the following three years I would seize opportunities that could progressively benefit more and more people, while also educating others on how to do so. Some of these opportunities included three more service trips, becoming a Resident Assistant for my junior and senior years, and most notably having the privilege to serve as the 2020-21 Student Government Association President throughout the difficult times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Aside from extracurricular activities, I realized that perhaps the most important way to aid others in their experience and success was in the classroom. Throughout many conversations with my fantastic advisor Dr. Elizabeth Conant, we were able to build healthy habits and strategies that allowed me to be valuable to peers and other community members. I was given the opportunity to show others the importance of valuing their education and how to make themselves a better student within and outside of the classroom.

The last major area of focus throughout my undergraduate career was athletics. The experience I had with athletics was not similar to others. The majority of success, both as a team and an individual, peaked early. During freshman year, I was fortunate enough to set a school record and assist the team in winning the GNAC Men's Outdoor Track & Field Championship. Although this experience was rewarding, something wasn't right. In my understanding, it felt as though that throughout the entire year, we knew our goal was to try and win a championship. In the following years, our team mentality shifted. It became less about the outcome and more about the pride you feel. Did the championship and the medals feel good at the moment? Yes. Did standing on a podium feel rewarding? Yes. But nothing will ever compare to the pride and sense of importance you feel when you hear a teammate screaming your name from across the track. That is why I love athletics. It has given me the opportunity to be the individual screaming in support. It has given me the opportunity to change others' perception of success from simply showing that you care more than just about yourself. In conclusion, I would like to mention how grateful I am to be nominated for this award. Although any recognition for my previous contributions is highly appreciated, I take an equal amount of enjoyment in knowing that my initiative to positively impact the world was done without any expectation of praise."

JACK CASALE | SAINT JOSEPH'S OF MAINE MEN'S BASKETBALL
3.85 GPA | Sports Management

Perhaps boasting the most impressive athletics resume of the six candidates, Casale graduated from Saint Joseph's with a 3.51 GPA as an Accounting & Finance major. The Portland, Maine native was dominant on the hardwood for the Monks, averaging 20.8 points and 8.2 rebounds for his career, including 26.0 points and 9.8 boards in 53 contests for his sophomore, junior and senior seasons combined. The two-time All-GNAC First Teamer was voted 2020 GNAC Player of the Year and notched 1,686 points thus far for his career. Next, he will suit up for the Division-II Florida Southern men's basketball program this upcoming season.

The Monks team captain was also a Business Club and SAAC member on campus in Standish, receiving the 2021 SJC Finance Award along with 2020 CoSIDA Academic All-District honors, as well as numerous GNAC and NABC academic distinctions. He was also a member of Sigma Beta Delta Business Honor Society.

Casale's personal statement: "Over the last four years, I have been lucky to call Saint Joe's home, and be a part of a basketball team with great tradition. My experiences at SJC, especially on the court have helped me grow as a person and leader. Off the court I was involved in giving student-athletes a voice as a member of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee, as well as participating in the Business Club.

In diversifying my activities outside of basketball, I was able to experience and appreciate everything SJC had to offer. My favorite aspect of being an athlete at SJC was seeing the interest my professors had in their student-athletes, it makes it easy to succeed in the classroom when you have that support. My teammates and coaches during my time at SJC pushed me to be the best player I could be and allowed me to develop as a leader, which has positioned me well for my next journey to play at the Division-II level in Florida this coming season."

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 14 member institutions and over 3,500 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 22 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience. 

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