Class of 2024 Honored with Sport Management and Sport Analytics Awards

The Department of Sport Management held an awards celebration May 10 in Falk College. Students who were recognized for academic excellence, philanthropic work, and post-graduate plans included:

Falk Scholars

Falk College Scholars represent undergraduate students in Falk College who display academic excellence, exceptional campus and community engagement, and personal integrity. This years department of sport management Falk College Scholars are:

Sean Boland
Tyler Bolebruch
Alison Gilmore
Nicholas Kamimoto
Alexander Oppel

Falk Marshals

Senior Class Marshals have excelled during their time on campus and exemplify the spirit of the senior class. The selection committee assesses the nominees on scholarship, academic honors, student organization involvement, and campus/community service.

Falk Marshal: Alison Gilmore
Sport Management Marshal: Sydney Topper
Sport Analytics Marshal: Marissa Schneider
Sport Venue and Event Management graduate student Marshal: Erica Trobia

Berline Sport Analytics Scholars:

Thomas Armstrong
Tyler Bolebruch
Sean Boland
Nicholas Catalano
Alison Gilmore
David Gold
Brett Gustin
Nicholas Kamimoto
Alexander Oppel
Quinn Robnett
Marissa Schneider

Director’s Academic Achievement Award

Sport Management

Twenty-five Sport Management students received the Director’s Academic Achievement Award for achieving a GPA of 3.4 or higher for each of their consecutive semesters at Syracuse University:

Sport Analytics

Fourteen students Sport Analytics students received the Director’s Academic Achievement Award for achieving a GPA of 3.4 or higher for each of their consecutive semesters at Syracuse University:

Jackson Bayuk
Sean Boland
Tyler Bolebruch
Martin Castner
George will Cave III
Lucas Falcetti
Alison Gilmore
Jacob Graff
Mathew Holes
Jordan Jones
Niccholas Kamimoto
Ryan O’Connell
Alexander Oppel
Quinn Robnett

Sport Management Director’s Award

This award is presented to a student with a GPA of 3.5 or higher and a person who is a strong ambassador for the department, demonstrates exemplary service to the community, possesses strong professional sport industry experience, and is a strong mentor for other Sport Management majors.

Recipient: Elena Randolph

Elena has embraced the entire mantra of our program. She is graduating with a 3.9 GPA and has been an instrumental member of the graduating class in both the classroom and her engagement within the field and program. She served as President of the Sport Professionals of Color Club for two years. In 2022, Elena was selected to attend the Michigan Sports Business Conference, where she was named a BIG Initiative Award Winner as one of the 11 highest-achieving sport management students in the United States and Canada. Elena has interned with Syracuse University Athletics, the WNBA and BSE Global. Most recently, Elena completed her senior Capstone internship with the WNBA Players Association. We are proud to say that Elena has been asked to extend her internship until the end of the season with the WNBA Players Association.

Sport Management Director’s Award for Academic Promise

This award is presented to a student who will attend graduate or professional school; has attained a GPA of 3.5 or higher; and is a person who is a strong ambassador for the department, demonstrates exemplary service to the community, possesses strong professional sport industry experience, and is a strong mentor for other Sport Management majors.

Recipient: Nina Bilotti

Nina will graduate summa cum laude in Sport Management, where she amassed a distinguished academic career earning a GPA of 3.9. She is a member of the Pre-Law Society, Sport Law Club, Sport Management Club, and Women in Sports and Events. Nina was an operations assistant with the Syracuse Crunch Hockey Club, as well as a front office intern. She was a social media intern with Syracuse Athletic Communications working with women’s soccer, football, women’s rowing, and softball. In her hometown of Denville, New Jersey, she was a youth lacrosse coach and played for the Syracuse Women’s Lacrosse Club. She completed her senior Capstone with Priority Sports and will continue her post-graduate education this fall in advertising and public relations in Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Sport Management Academic Excellence Award

The Sport Management Academic Excellence Award recognizes a student with a grade-point average of 3.8 or higher.

Recipient: Madeline Huzjak

Madeline graduated with a GPA of a 3.97. What is more impressive is that along with her academic accomplishments, she has also been heavily involved in a variety of activities. Maddie was a member of the club soccer team all four years. She also interned with Syracuse University athletics in athletic communications, Cuse Crew, and the Stevenson Center. Maddie was a member of the Women and Sport and Events club, and served as president in 2021. Outside of Syracuse, she also completed internships with the University of Pittsburgh, Actual Size, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Most recently, Maddie completed her Senior Capstone with the Philadelphia Eagles, first as a ticket and fans service intern and was then moved into a community relations seasonal associate role. After graduation, Maddie will be heading to the National Football League to be part of their rotational program. Maddie is the first student in the history of the program to get accepted into the rotational program at the NFL.

Matt Brodsky Philanthropic Excellence Award

This award is named after Matt Brodsky, a sport management major who passed away unexpectedly after the Fall semester of his freshman year in 2013. In his honor, the department created an award that stems from his philanthropic excellence while he was a student at Syracuse University. This award is presented to a student who displays outstanding service to both the campus and greater Syracuse communities; demonstrates exemplary citizenship and philanthropic qualities; serves as a mentor for students by establishing outreach opportunities for the Department and University; and is an exemplary representative of Sport Management.

Recipient: Sarah Thompson

Sarah has been involved in the sport management program and the community for the past four years. Sarah was a four-year member of the women’s ice hockey team. As part of her passion for hockey, Sarah created her own non-profit organization called Sticks Together, giving children around the world the opportunity to learn and play the sport of hockey. She manages her program through the IVHQ Sport Development program with the goal of providing innovative physical education lessons and introduce the game of hockey. She partnered with CARHA Hockey as it further expands into community driven work and with Play it Again Sports to collect recycled hockey sticks and other street hockey equipment to donate to schools and communities. She has led hockey mission trips to Argentina in the summer of 2022 and South Africa last summer. She is continuing her efforts as she is planning a trip to Tigman Village, Palawan, this summer. Sarah recently completed her Senior Capstone with Game Changer. Sarah will attend graduate school at St. Lawrence University, where she will work toward a Master of Arts in Leadership degree and continue to play hockey.

Sport Management Professional Engagement Award

This award is presented in recognition of a student’s real-world experience, work ethic, dedication, professional demeanor, and career development as an undergraduate student and representative of the Department of Sport Management. This student’s outstanding academic achievements, coupled with strong citizenship and community service, typify the hard work, dedication, and preparation the student made throughout their academic career at Syracuse University.

Recipient: Tracey Edson

Tracey has been involved with Syracuse University since she was very young and came into the program with a drive and passion that led her to incredible success. She has skillfully managed her time each day and had a 3.9 GPA while being involved in everything Syracuse University has to offer. For Falk College, Tracey has been a student ambassador, peer advisor, and summer teaching assistant. For the department, she has served as a member of the Women in Sports and Events (WISE) and Sport Management clubs. For the Sport Management Club, she served as the communication committee chair for two years.

Outside of the college and department, Tracey found a second home in athletics. She started out in athletic communications and then found a passion for ice hockey and served in a variety of roles for the team, including digital media and most recently as the Director of Operations as her senior Capstone. Outside of campus, Tracey has gained tremendous experience through other organizations, including The Basketball Tournament and the Syracuse Crunch. Besides her engagement within sport management, Tracey was also heavily involved with organizations such as the Fellowship for Christian Athletes. She has been an incredible member of our program and always comes in with a smile on her face and a willingness to help with whatever is needed. Upon graduation, she will head to the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill to pursue a master’s degree in sport administration.

Jason Morales Perseverance in Sports and Life Award

This award is named in honor of Jason Morales, a sport management student who passed away while completing his Senior Capstone in New York City in 2013. Since 2014, this award has been given in Jason’s honor to a student who has demonstrated persistence, perseverance, and positive motivation throughout his/her academic career while striving to be their best when confronted with life’s challenges. Jason overcame many challenges while at Syracuse University and was just 6 weeks away from graduation when he passed away.

Recipient: Andrew Amell

Andrew has exemplified the meaning of this award by overcoming several points of adversity throughout his college career. Andrew has shown immense motivation, passion, and the ability to overcome the most difficult challenges. Andrew has a passion and love for Syracuse that stands out among his peers. Despite life’s challenges, Andrew always gives 110 percent of his abilities, keeps a smile on his face, and works hard to overcome whatever is in his way. Most recently, Andrew completed his senior capstone with the Syracuse University Men’s Basketball Operations Department after serving as a team manager for the past three seasons.

Sport Management VIP Award

The Sport Management VIP Award is presented to a student with outstanding service to the department; has engaged in a variety of experiential learning and sport industry experiences; actively volunteers to serve the department and University on a regular basis; demonstrates strong professionalism and outstanding character; and serves as a role model for Sport Management majors.

Recipient: Philip Tepper

Philip has been an integral part of this department since he stepped foot on campus as a freshman. He has carried a 3.9 GPA while also engaging himself in the experiential learning opportunities within the University. Philip has been an active member of the Sport Management Club for all four years, serving as a committee member for the donations and inventory committees. He also served as Vice President of the Programming Committee. Philip has completed internships with the Sports Broadcast Journal and Three Two Strategies. Most recently, in the fall, he completed his Senior Capstone with the Bowl Season. He did such an outstanding job that they kept him on this past spring as a digital media assistant.

Kate Veley Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility Award

Kate worked at Syracuse University for more than 15 years and was instrumental in the planning of the annual Sports Charity Auction. She recently retired as the Director of Corporate Philanthropy for Make A Wish of Central New York. The Kate Veley Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility Award is presented to a student who has “given back to the community they’ve called home for the past four years.” This student has continually demonstrated strong volunteerism and philanthropic effort to improve the lives of others within the greater Syracuse community, and in so doing, set an example for us all.

Recipient: Alexander Grossman

Alex served as 2023 co-chair for the Sport Management Club’s Annual Charity Sports Auction that raised $48,000 for Tillie’s Touch in Syracuse. During his four years as a club member, Alex held leadership roles as the Co-Chair for Sales and Vice President of Community Service. This semester, Alex completed his Senior Capstone with WSC Sports. Alex also interned for Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, Amsterdam Mohawks, and Vandetta Sports Media. These experiences prove Alex’s dedication to giving back to the community, the department is confident Alex will continue on this path.

Patrick Ryan Sport Technology Award

This award is named after Professor Emeritus Patrick Ryan, who taught at Syracuse University for 15 years before retiring in May 2021. He taught and created all the Sport Technology courses for the department. Prior to joining Syracuse, Ryan worked in the technology industry for more than 30 years. This award recognizes a student’s entrepreneurial spirit and academic excellence while utilizing technology to enhance personal skills.

Recipient: Allison Rosen

Allison completed her senior Capstone last summer and fall with the Premier Lacrosse League as a Social Media Intern and, for the last three years, served the Syracuse Athletic Department as a Creative Services Intern and Women’s Soccer Student Manager. Her creative photography work has been featured on many local media sites, especially her work with Syracuse men’s lacrosse. Additionally, she served as a Donations Chair for the Sport Management Club Charity Auction and Communications Officer for Sport Excel UK, a sports association aiding those with learning disabilities. She has used her communications and photography skills and served in leadership roles with Women in Sports and Events (WISE), Sport Management Club, and the Daily Orange.

Sport Venue and Event Management Graduate Student Award

Recipient: Holly Carr

Holly graduated from SUNY Oswego with a degree in business administration and management. While at Oswego, Holly was a member of the field hockey team and found an interest in working in sport during her experiences with the SUNY Oswego Athletic Department and the SUNY Athletic Conference. Since joining our program last July, Holly has embraced our philosophy of experiential learning by working in the JMA Wireless Dome; as a graduate assistant in the Department of Sport Management assisting faculty with teaching and research; and as a volunteer with organizations such as the Savannah Bananas during their tour stop in Cooperstown. She also played a pivotal role in the planning of the SVEM graduate student immersion trip to New York City. Holly’s outstanding academic achievements, along with her strong leadership and respect that she earned from faculty members and her peers, make her a role model for future graduate students.

Sport Analytics Academic Excellence Award

This award is in recognition of a student’s outstanding academic achievement and overall scholarship in Sport Analytics.

Recipient: Sean Boland

Sean is a Berlin Scholar and Falk College Scholar. He has been incredibly engaged on campus during his time in Syracuse. Sean has served as a student manager/data analyst for the SU men’s soccer team since the fall of 2021, including being part of the national championship-winning team in 2022. Sean has also served as a data analyst for the Swiss professional soccer team FC Wil (VILL), data collection analyst for Pro Football Focus FC, and data analytics intern for the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League. He also served the department as a teaching assistant in the 2023 Berlin Sport Analytics Academy for high school students.

Sport Analytics Academic Excellence Award

This award is in recognition of a student’s outstanding academic achievement and overall scholarship in Sport Analytics.

Recipient: Nicholas Kamimoto

Nicholas is a Berlin Scholar and Falk College Scholar. This spring he was part of the team that captured the team title at the 2024 National Collegiate Sports Analytics Championship. He has been an active member of the football and basketball analytics clubs on campus and has served as a supervisor in the Barnes Center. Nick has spent time as a video and analytics intern with San Francisco Glens SC, as well as a Technology and Data Services intern with the United Soccer League. In addition, Nick contributed significantly to a research project with Dr. Sanders and Dr. Ehrlich that was selected as a finalist at the prestigious MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference.

Sport Analytics Director’s Award for Academic Promise

This award is in recognition of a student’s plans to attend post-graduate education, exemplary service to the community, and service as an ambassador and mentor to students in Sport Analytics.

Recipient: Tyler Bolebruch

Tyler is a Berlin Scholar and Falk College Scholar. He has been active gaining experience in the industry, having completed internships with the Amsterdam Mohawks and EV Analytics. This spring, he was part of the team that captured the team title at the 2024 National Collegiate Sports Analytics Championship. Tyler has been accepted to continue his educational experience in the Applied Data Science Master’s Program in the School of Information Studies at Syracuse University.

Sport Analytics Research Excellence Award

This award is in recognition of a student’s demonstrated commitment and success in academic research, presentation, and publication in Sport Analytics.

Recipient: Quinn Robnett

Quinn is a Berlin Scholar and has spent significant time focused on research. He is a key member of hockey analytics club, serving as director of media, and has also spent time as an analytics intern with Syracuse University’s field hockey team. He has also been selected twice to participate in the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference Hackathon, making it to the finals in his first year. Last summer, Quinn was chosen as a participant in the highly competitive Undergraduate Summer Research program at Carnegie Mellon University. Throughout that experience he worked on a project, Examining the Decline of Save Percentage in the NHL, that he presented at the Carnegie Mellon Sports Analytics Conference in November 2023. Quinn will continue his education at Syracuse University as he completes a master’s degree in applied data science through the School of Information Studies in the coming academic year.

Sport Analytics VIP Award

This award is in recognition of a student’s outstanding service, volunteerism, strong academic standing, leadership, and service as a role model to students in Sport Analytics.

Recipient: Alexander Oppel

Alex has been an omnipresent member of the department. As a Berlin Scholar, Alex has been a major part of research analyzing the impact of television proliferation on live college basketball attendance. He has a long list of accomplishments: He is one of the few students to present research at the 2023 SABR Analytics Conference, he was a major contributor of Syracuse’s first overall winning team at the SABR Diamond Dollars competition, and he was a member of the winning team for the Cincinnati Reds’ Hack-a-Thon. He has completed internships with Wasserman and Syracuse softball, and he is a Falk Scholar. He also served as president of the Sabermetrics Club and has been a constant mentor to our baseball-focused students.

Sport Analytics Game Changer Award

This award is in recognition of a student’s positive impact on fellow Sport Analytics students and their unyielding dedication, professional skills, and commitment to succeed. This student has “changed the game” and made a tremendous difference in our program and across campus at Syracuse University.

Recipient: Alison Gilmore

Alison is Berlin Scholar and Falk College Scholar. She also received two of the University’s highest honors, being named a Syracuse University Scholar for the Class of 2024 and a 2023-24 Remembrance Scholar. Alison has been active in student competitions throughout her time in the program, including winning a room in the inaugural Football Analytics Blitz competition in 2021 and being part of, and leading, a team at SABR Diamond Dollars Case Competitions in Arizona. She is an active member of Falk College’s Sport Analytics Women’s Club, having served as president.

Alison earned internships with Zoomph as a Women in Sports Tech Fellow, Sports Reference, and most recently, 6-4-3 Charts. In addition, she is a Falk College Ambassador and Peer Advisor, and a student assistant with the Disability Cultural Center. She is a key member of OttoTHON and Orange Seeds. Alison has truly made a difference in the program, and the department wishes her the best of luck as she starts her professional career with the Detroit Tigers as a Baseball Analytics Associate.