Albany, NY—The Sage Colleges' department of athletics gathered to recognize and honor the outstanding performances of the 2017-2018 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 2017-2018 Female and Male Athletes of the Year as well as 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, as well as the Aggie Stillman Perseverance Award.

Sage also awarded the Gator of the Year to members of the varsity teams, often awarded to the team's most valuable player. Named the Gator of the Year in men's basketball was senior captain Barceem Dukes (Gloversville, NY/Gloversville).

Head Men's Basketball Coach Brian Barnes commented on Barceem, "Barceem worked incredibly hard on his skills and fitness over the summer to prepare himself for a successful senior season." Barnes continued, "Barceem brought a great deal of personality and leadership to our team.  For that we are grateful.  He was a great teammate and was selected captain this past season.  He is someone, who worked hard and always put the team first.  He is a shining example to our younger players that hard work does pay off.  We'll miss him very much next season."

Dukes, missed the first few weeks of the season with an injury but rebounded to start 19 of 23 games played on the year. He added 10.2 ppg with 6.9 rpg and had 13 blocks with an impressive 51.5% field goal percentage (105-204) and handed out 22 assists. On his two year career at Sage, Dukes added 255 career rebounds with 23 blocks and 367 points in his 49 games played. He was also honored for his play as a member of the 2017-2018 Empire 8 Men's Basketball Sportsman of the Year Team.