Providence College Athletics Holds 60th All-Sports Gala

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - For a second-straight year, the Providence College Athletics Department hosted its annual All-Sports Gala, virtually, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It marked the 60^th edition of the All-Sports Gala, during which the athletics community came together to celebrate the 2020-21 academic year and honor team and individual achievements with a premier event on YouTube and Facebook.

Senior men's basketball standout Nate Watson (Portsmouth, Va.), who earned All-BIG EAST Second-Team honors and paced the Friars in scoring (16.9 ppg) and rebounding (6.7 rpg), was named Male Athlete of the Year for Team Sports. Junior Justin Viotto (Morristown, N.J.), who claimed a BIG EAST title for the men's swimming and diving team in the 200-yard butterfly, was named Male Athlete of the Year for Individual Sports. On the women's side, ice hockey goaltender Sandra Abstreiter (Freising, Germany), who helped guide the Friars to their second appearance all-time in the NCAA Tournament, was recognized as Female Athlete of the Year for Team Sports. Graduate student Abbey Wheeler (Elmira, N.Y.), who claimed All-America honors in the 5,000 meters at the NCAA Indoor Track Championships, earned Female Athlete of the Year for Individual Sports.

Senior Julia Murphy (Pittsfield, Mass.) of the softball team was the winner of the Paul Connolly Award as the female athlete who has distinguished herself among her peers through sportsmanship, courage and honor. She also was the recipient of the Rev. Robert A. Morris, O.P. '46 Memorial Award, which is given annually to a student-athlete who has had a profound impact on Providence College during their career, as selected by the Athletic Director and the senior administrative staff. The inaugural award was given out in 2015 and the previous winners were LaDontae Henton '15 (men's basketball), Kris Dunn '16 (men's basketball), Kyron Cartwright '18 (men's basketball), Colin Miller '18 (men's soccer), Maddie Jolin '19 (women's basketball) and Joao Serrano '20 (Evora, Portugal).

Senior Toby Burgdorf (Westfield, N.J.) of the men's lacrosse team was the recipient of the Mal Brown Award. The Mal Brown Award is given annually to the male athlete whose career of intercollegiate competition portrayed sportsmanship, courage and honor.

The Sine Qua Non Awards, given annually to the male and female athletes, who have distinguished themselves among their peers without receiving proper recognition, were presented to senior men's soccer player Malcolm Duncan (Toronto, Ontario) and senior Chloe Gonsalves (Toronto, Ontario) of the women's ice hockey team. Senior men's ice hockey player Davis Bunz (Middleton, Wis.) was the recipient of the Jane Thompson Award, which is presented to the male or female senior student-athlete who personifies all that is good about being a student-athlete at Providence College and exhibits selflessness, dedication, loyalty, courage and perseverance.

Watson, who earned 2021 All-BIG EAST Second Team accolades, NABC All-District 5 Second Team honors and USBWA All-District 1 accolades in March, led the Friars in scoring (16.9 ppg) and rebounding (6.7 rpg). He also ranked third in the BIG EAST in scoring (16.9 ppg). In 26 games, he recorded four double-doubles and seven games with 20 or more points. Watson shot 60-percent (180-299) from the field, which ranked second overall in the league. He was named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll four times this season. Watson scored a career-high 30 points in the Friars' loss to St. John's on February 6. He also had a career-high 13 field goals in the game, finishing 13-20 from the field. He scored his 1,000th career point on December 20, 2020 in the Friars' win at Seton Hall. He became the 51st Friar all-time to reach the 1,000-point milestone. In 122 career games, Watson has registered 1,317 points (10.8 ppg). He ranks 24th all-time in scoring at Providence.

In 2021, Viotto posted career-bests in the 500-yard and 800-meter freestyle, the 200-meter and 400-yard IM and the 200-yard and the 200-meter butterfly. He placed first in each of his individual races during the regular season. Viotto set program records in the 200-meter butterfly (2:05.67) and the 200-meter IM (2:08.72) on March 7, 2021 against Maine. At the BIG EAST Championships, Viotto outpaced Jed Michnowicz's 25-year-old record in the 500-yard freestyle and place third in the event with a time of 2:05.67. He finished second in the 400-yard IM (3:53.21), improving his own program record in the event by more than two seconds. Viotto claimed the BIG EAST title in the 200-yard butterfly. His time of 1:48.23 is a program record and Viotto became the third member in the history of the Providence College men's swimming and diving program to become a BIG EAST Champion.

Abstreiter started all 21 games for the women's ice hockey team this season and logged 1,258 minutes between the pipes. She finished the year with a 2.05 goals against average and a .929 save percentage. Abstreiter recorded a career-high 526 saves overall, including a single-game career high of 41 saves in each of her final two games against No. 1 Wisconsin in the NCAA Tournament and No. 2 Northeastern in the Hockey East Championship Game. She earned 12 wins this season, including four shut-out victories, and guided Providence to its second appearance in the NCAA Tournament in program history. Abstreiter ranks third all-time at Providence College in career goals against average (1.98) and career save percentage (.926) and 10th all-time in career saves (1,046).

Wheeler finished fifth in the 5,000-meters at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. Her finish garnered First-Team All-America honors. Additionally, Wheeler was named USTFCCCA Northeast Region Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year for a second-consecutive year. Wheeler won the 5,000-meters at the JDL Camel City Invitational and was named BIG EAST Track Athlete of the Week after her fifth-place finish in the 5,000-meters at the Raleigh Relays. For her career, Wheeler is a three-time All-American, two-time BIG EAST Champion and two-time ECAC Champion.

Murphy has appeared in 34 games for the Friars, pitching a combined 58.1 innings. She has recorded a 4.20 ERA over her career, with 24 strikeouts. Murphy is currently serving as President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) and is the Diversity Committee Chair for the Board of Programmers. She spearheaded the Friars United Week Initiative, which promoted allyship, anti-racism, LGBTQ+ inclusivity and anti-xenophobia to help strengthen the ties that bind our Friar Family. Murphy also serves as a student representative on the Athletics Sub-Committee for the Providence College COVID-19 Continuity Task Force, providing insight and perspective on the student-athlete. Her high achievements also translate into the classroom as Murphy has been a three-time honoree on the BIG EAST All-Academic Team.

Gonsalves, a 2020-21 captain on the women's hockey team, finished her career at Providence College with 121 games played. She totaled 26 career points on three goals and 23 assists, including a single-season career high of seven assists during each of the last two seasons. Over the course of her career, she also accumulated 117 blocked shots as a defenseman. She earned the team's Academic Award upon conclusion of the 2019-20 season and the Most Improved Player Award after the 2017-2018 campaign. She was named a Hockey East Top Performer twice with the Friars, and also has been honored as a Hockey East Top Scholar-Athlete and a member of the All-Academic All-Star team. This year, she helped guide the Friars to the program's second NCAA Tournament appearance all-time

Duncan, a team captain, started 61 of 65 games for the men's soccer team and registered three points on three assists as a member of the back line. He also helped the squad compile five shutouts in the abbreviated 2020-21 spring season and 11 shutouts during the 2019 season, which tied a program record. The defender contributed to the team's success in the 2019 season, as they advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen and BIG EAST Tournament Championship game. Additionally, he was the recipient of the David Kreisen Unsung Hero Award and was named to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team at the completion of the 2019 season.

Burgdorf became the Friars' full-time starting goaltender during the 2020 season, which was eventually cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That year, he posted a 5-1 record with a .628 save percentage, 7.91 goals against average and 13.50 saves per game. He ranked second in the nation in save percentage, third in goals against average and 13th in saves per game. In 2020, he was named Inside Lacrosse Maverik Media All-America Honorable Mention. Heading into the 2021 campaign, Burgdorf was named USILA Preseason All-America Honorable Mention, Inside Lacrosse All-America Honorable Mention and a captain for the. Friars. Burgdorf has started all 12 games in net for the Friars in 2021. He is averaging 12.42 saves per game and a .510 save percentage. He has earned a BIG EAST Weekly Honor five times this season. The Providence College lacrosse team recently qualified for the BIG EAST Tournament, which will be played at Anderson Stadium on May 6-8.

Bunz appeared in all 25 games for the Friars during the 2020-21 season, registering one goal and three assists with 34 shots on goal. He scored his first NCAA goal at New Hampshire on Jan. 29 of this season and posted his first multi-point game, with two assists, against Northeastern on Dec. 20, 2020. Bunz played in 106 games over four seasons, totaling one goal and 11 assists, with a +11 rating. He also was a nominee for the 2019-20 Hockey Humanitarian Award and a staple on the Friars' blue line during their Frozen Four run in 2018-19, appearing in all 42 games that year.

- GO FRIARS! -

Providence College Athletics

Providence College Athletics Holds 60th All-Sports Gala

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