ALBANY –The Sage College's department of athletics gathered to recognize and honor the outstanding performances of the 2016-17 year with the naming of the athletic award winners for the 15 varsity athletic teams. In addition to awarding the Gator Award, for the Most Outstanding Player, the department also named the 2016-17 Female and Male Athletes of the Year, the Dean Sharon Robinson Senior Male and Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year, which is given to the senior student-athlete with the highest overall grade point average, and the Aggie Stillman Perseverance Award.

The Sage Colleges' men's volleyball competitor, junior Bailey Cecchi (Agawam, MA/Agawam) was named the Gator of the Year.

Head coach Bob Verhayden said of Cecchi, "Bailey Cecchi is the heart and soul of the team.  A junior co-captain, he is one of the hardest hitters in the Skyline Conference.  Bailey is also one of the most well rounded players in that he serves and passes exceptionally well in addition to his hitting.  He has been named Second Team Skyline Conference the past two years.  He leads by example and by vocal direction/inspiration."

Cecchi led the nation in single-match hitting percentage on 10-14 attempts against Southern Vermont (.909). The two-year captain totaled three double-doubles against Arcadia (15 kills, 12 digs), Purchase (13 kills, 11 digs) and St. Joseph's - Long Island (11 kills, 11 digs). The outside hitter averaged 3.40 points, 2.98 kills, 1.50 digs, 0.28 aces and 0.24 blocks per set. Cecchi also had an impressive .946 reception percentage on 464 attempts. The junior scored his 1,000th career point two weeks after co-captain Ryan Guyton (Lockport, NY/Lockport) to become the fourth player in school history to hit the milestone. In Sage career records, the week five Skyline Player of the Week currently ranks 3rd in kills (851), 3rd in aces/set (0.32), 4th in aes (95), 4th in points (1,001), 5th in block solos (31), 6th in points/set (3.36) 6th in digs (450) and 10th in total blocks (79).