Albany, NY – The Sage College’s department of athletics gathered to recognize and honor the outstanding performances of the 2013-2014 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 2013-2014 Female and Male Athletes of the Year as well as the ECAC Merit Medal and the Dean Sharon Robinson Senior Male and Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year.

Junior women’s tennis captain, Kristen Ackerman (Rensselear, NY/Guilderland) was named the Gator of the Year in women’s tennis and was also named to The Sage College’s Intercollegiate Athletic Honor Society, which recognized junior, senior, or graduate level student-athletes, that have maintained a cumulative grade-point-average of 3.3 or better and have participated as a member of a varsity team for at least two seasons.

Senior women’s tennis player, Nicole Riley (Catskill, NY/Catskill) was named the recipient of the Dean Sharon Robinson Senior Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year, while also earning a spot on The Sage College’s Intercollegiate Athletic Honor Society, which recognized junior, senior, or graduate level student-athletes, that have maintained a cumulative grade-point-average of 3.3 or better and have participated as a member of a varsity team for at least two seasons.

Head Women’s Tennis Coach Bruce Perry said of Ackerman, "Kirsten plays singles tennis much like a chess match.” He continued, “She moves her opponent around until, all of the sudden, they find themselves checkmated. Her use of various shots and the court is a sight to behold. That's why she was named the Skyline Conference Women’s Tennis Player of the Year for the second consecutive time."

Ackerman, who played at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles for the Gators this fall, posted a 16-2 overall record this season, including a 13-1 mark at the No. 1 singles in dual match play. She added a 4-1 record in Skyline Conference play in singles, while also became the first player in Sage’s women’s tennis program history to advance to the quarterfinals of the ITA Northeast Regionals Championships after she defeated two seeded players and advanced farther than any Sage performer. Ackerman was tabbed the Skyline Player of the Week on five occasions in 2013 and owns an 11-4 record at the No. 1 doubles position as well. She was named to the Skyline Conference First Team as well as a repeat honoree and now boasts a career singles record of 30-3, while owning a 22-6 record in doubles action.

Riley is a biology major at Sage with a double minor of psychology and chemistry. She owns a 3.868 cumulative grade point average and will graduate from Sage next week. She also was named the Skyline Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year in Women’s Tennis, while also earning a spot on the league’s all-star first team in 2013. 

Riley, who played at No. 2 singles for the Gators and also combined with junior Kristen Ackerman to lead the Gators at No. 1 doubles.  Riley, who is a two-year letterwinner for the Gators, went 6-7 in singles this fall with a 6-5 record in dual match action. The pair also competed at the prestigious ITA Northeast Women’s Tennis Championship in doubles competition, while Riley also competed in singles action as well.