Boston University athletic honorees at the annual Scarlet & White Honors banquet: Foster Malleck (Questrom’24, MET’25) (from left), Vera Sjöberg (CAS’26), Maggie Hanzel (Questrom’25), Nina Gulbransen (CAS’25), Tucker Thomas (CAS’25), and Christy Chen (CAS’25).

Athletics Awards

2025 Scarlet & White Ceremony Honors Top Student Athletes and Coaches

At end-of-year banquet, students recognized for achievements on and off the field

As BU’s 2024-2025 athletics season draws to a close, the athletics department honored top student-athletes and community members at its annual Scarlet & White Honors, held at the George Sherman Union on April 28. The ceremony paid tribute to top leaders and performers and special moments throughout the 2024-2025 athletics season.  

Paul Lewis Student-Athlete Service Award

Given to a senior student-athlete who has demonstrated commitment to serving BU, the athletics department, and the larger Boston community over the course of his or her time at BU

Nina Gulbransen (CAS’25) (left) with Leslie Sheehan (CAS’84), women’s tennis head coach

Nina Gulbransen (CAS’25), women’s tennis

Gulbransen not only made a name for herself in her sport, but also distinguished herself working in campus, local, and national politics. A captain on the 2025 Patriot League championship tennis team, she received the Scarlet Key award after a summer working as an intern for U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass., 6th). She is currently BU Student Government deputy director of social advocacy and has previously interned with the City of Boston Mayor’s Commission for Persons with Disabilities. 

John B. Simpson Award

Given to male and female seniors who have demonstrated “enthusiasm and leadership”

Maggie Hanzel (Questrom’25) with Drew Marrochello, BU Athletics director

Maggie Hanzel (Questrom’25), women’s ice hockey

Hanzel helped lead the BU women’s ice hockey team to its first Hockey East title since 2015. Named an assistant captain in her senior season, she recorded 13 points, with 2 goals and 11 assists. She led the team in plus-minus, at +13, and recorded the second-most blocked shots, with 38. This brought her two Hockey East top performance awards, in January and February. 

Andrew Wike (Questrom’24, MET’25), men’s soccer

Despite battling an early season injury, Wike was the backbone of the men’s soccer team, which repeated as conference regular season champions for the first time since 2010-2011. The goaltender and captain recorded a .696 save percentage and a 1.28 goals against average, earning four shutouts along the way. Wike earned a Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week honor and a place on the 2024 Academic All-Patriot League Team.

Mildred Barnes Award

Given to the top female athlete of the year

Vera Sjöberg (CAS’26) with Drew Marrochello, BU Athletics director

Vera Sjöberg (CAS’26), women’s track & field and cross country

The 2025 All-America First Team honoree in long-distance running placed eighth at the indoor mile at the NCAA Championships. Recording a program record mile at 4:35:34, Sjöberg helped BU capture the Patriot League Indoor Track & Field title, with first place in the mile, 3,000-meter, and 5,000-meter. 

Mickey Cochrane Award

Given to the top male athlete of the year

Foster Malleck (center), with Grant Cartwright, director of track and field and cross country (left), and Jon Molz, head coach, cross ountry, and assistant coach, track and field

Foster Malleck (Questrom’24, MET’25), men’s track & field and cross country

Malleck earned an impressive third-place finish in the indoor mile at the 2025 NCAA Championships and a First Team All-America honor. The six-time Patriot League track and field champion capped his BU career with the 2025 Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year award and 10 All-Patriot League selections.

E. Ray Speare Award

Given to the top senior male scholar-athlete

Tucker Thomas (CAS’25) with Drew Marrochello, BU Athletics director

Tucker Thomas (CAS’25), men’s rowing

Thomas, a religion major boasting a 3.68 GPA, sits in the two-seat on the Varsity 8 boat. Earning IRCA Comeback Athlete of the Year last year, Thomas helped the Second Varsity 8 boat to a 10th-place finish in the nation at the 2024 IRA Championship and competed for Team USA in the Men’s U23 Double.

Gretchen Schuyler Award

Given to the top senior female scholar-athlete

Christy Chen (CAS’25) (right), with Claire Edwards, golf assistant coach

Christy Chen (CAS’25), golf

Chen has earned accolade after accolade as a member of the BU golf team. In 2023, she was named the 2023 Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year and is also a two-time Patriot League Golfer of the Year. Chen has a 3.82 GPA. 

Woman of the Year

Given to the female student-athlete who best exemplifies a commitment to service, leadership, athletics, and academics during her collegiate career

Vera Sjöberg (CAS’26), with Grant Cartwright, director of track and field and cross country (left), and Jon Molz, head coach, cross country, and assistant coach, track and field

Vera Sjöberg (CAS’26), women’s track & field and cross country

Sjöberg is the only repeat winner this year, receiving both the Mildred Barnes Award and Woman of the Year honor. She is a two-time Patriot League Indoor Track & Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year honoree and a two-time Patriot League Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year honoree, with a 3.97 GPA.

Team GPA Award

Given to the program with the top average GPA

Golf

The golf team took home the Team GPA Award with a combined 3.67 GPA, leading all 24 BU programs.

Joseph P. Mercurio Campus Community Recognition Award

Given to an individual or group whose support has proven “invaluable and limitless”

Ines Garrant (Questrom’88), vice president, Budget, Planning & Business Affairs

Garrant has been a valued BU employee for over 37 years. She began as a staff accountant in the Comptroller’s Office and was appointed to her current role in 2021. 

STUDENT-ATHLETE CHOICE AWARDS

Male Unsung Hero

Malcolm Chimezie (CAS’25), men’s basketball

Chimezie made great strides in his senior year; he was a starting forward in all 32 games this season. He averaged 21.2 minutes per game, nearly 7 more than in any previous season, and averaged 8.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.

Female Unsung Hero

Sydney Pecoraro (Sargent’25), softball

After appearing in just five games last season, Pecoraro made a significant leap in her senior season, playing in 26 of 48 games to date. The utility player earned the highest marks of her career, with a .364 batting average and a .478 on-base percentage.

Male Rookie of the Year

Cole Hutson (CAS’28) (right) with Jay Pandolfo (CAS’96), men’s hockey head coach

Cole Hutson (CAS’28), men’s ice hockey

The third Hutson brother to come through the BU men’s hockey program is living up to the family name, having had a stellar freshman campaign. Hutson, with 48 points on 34 assists and 14 goals, was named the national Rookie of the Year, leading all freshmen in the NCAA. The First Team All-American earned 2025 Beanpot MVP with five points and the championship-winning goal over Boston College, as well as the Most Outstanding Player at the Toledo Regional. He missed only one game, to play with Team USA at the 2025 World Junior Championships, where he won gold and became the first defenseman to lead the tournament in scoring. 

Female Rookie of the Year

Bridget Carr (CAS’28), women’s soccer

Just a freshman, Carr made a name for herself during her inaugural year on the BU women’s soccer team, starting 13 games as goalkeeper. Her team bests of 1.25 goals-against average and .769 save percentage led to an All-Patriot League Third Team honor this season. In the Patriot League Championship game against Bucknell in November, she recorded seven saves, adding another eight in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament game against Texas November 15.

Male Breakout Athlete

Quin DeLaMater (CAS’26), men’s soccer

DeLaMater went from being a player with just one recorded shot on goal in his combined freshman and sophomore years to tie for the team’s point leader (with nine) this season. His three goals place him third on the team in goals, and his three assists ties for first in assists. 

Female Breakout Athlete

Kylie Doherty (CAS’27), softball

With a strong freshman campaign, playing in 56 games and with a .235 average and 37 RBIs, Doherty has already exceeded every mark in her sophomore year. She improved her batting average to .369, with eight more extra-base hits and five more RBIs in eight fewer games. 

Win of the Year

Women’s ice hockey wins Hockey East title over Northeastern

The BU women’s ice hockey team finished a 2023-2024 season where they fell under .500 and lost their top two scorers. But in a whirlwind, bounce-back season, the Terriers, picked to finish sixth in the Hockey East Preseason poll, won their first conference title in a decade, defeating the Northeastern University Huskies 3-2 in overtime. 

Highlight of the Year

Morgan Weaver (left) with Megan Burke, women’s soccer head coach

Morgan Weaver’s game-tying goal in women’s soccer Patriot League Final

When the BU women’s soccer team’s back was against the wall playing Bucknell in the Patriot League Championship, Morgan Weaver (ENG’26) stepped in with a clutch, highlight-reel goal in the 86th minute. Weaver evaded one Bucknell player before rifling a shot that arced into the corner of the goal to tie the game. The Terriers would go on to win the Patriot League title after a 10-round penalty-kick shootout.

Moment of the Year

Sydney Healey’s overtime goal to win the Women’s Hockey East title

Facing off against a formidable Northeastern team in the Women’s Hockey East championship game, Healey (CAS’26) rushed towards the net, collecting the puck on a rebound and punching it in for a 3-2 overtime victory and the Hockey East title. The team earned its sixth conference title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Healey scored tournament MVP for her efforts in completing a historic run for the Terriers.