Quiles steals show at CSI awards banquet
21-year-old New
Springville resident walks away with plaques in softball, volleyball
and basketball
Staten Island Advance - May 21, 2005
Melissa Quiles was caught by surprise after winning three plaques
last night during the annual athletics awards banquet at the College
of Staten Island.
After all, the 21-year-old New Springville resident had never played
two of the sports -- volleyball and basketball -- before enrolling
at the NCAA Division III school four years ago. She arrived at the
Willowbrook campus as a promising softball player out of Port
Richmond HS and later was recruited to play the other sports.
"Whatever you ask of her, she does it and more," said CSI women's
basketball coach Marguerite Gualtieri. "She's just an unselfish kid
who wants the best for the team. She's a great person to have
around."
Quiles was named Most Valuable Player of the volleyball team and
captured Coach's Awards in softball and basketball -- going home
with the rare distinction of being honored as a three-sport athlete
at the collegiate level.
"I wasn't expecting anything," said the sociology major who also
works 25 hours per week as a cashier, "but I have to admit that I'm
happy."
Quiles started all 41 games for the CUNY Conference championship
softball team, batting .267 and leading the team with nine sacrifice
bunts. She ranked third with 21 RBI.
She was a seldom-used reserve on the CUNY basketball championship
team, but was regarded so highly that she has been named co-captain
of next year's squad. She has exhausted her eligibility in
volleyball and softball.
"She's a very positive person, she's always cheering her teammates,"
said Gualtieri. "She shows up for practice every day and works hard
to make everyone around her better.
"She's very dedicated to CSI. She wants the best for everyone and
she's not afraid to be a leader. She's mature and confident enough
to challenge her teammates."
NOTES: Brooke Baranoski of the women's soccer team took home the
school's prestigious Scholar-Athlete Award. The junior out of Susan
Wagner HS has a perfect 4.0 grade-point average ... Junior swimmer
Evgeny Shenker and senior softball player Jennifer Doscher were
recognized as Male and Female Athletes of the Year. CSI AWARDS
DINNER Female Athlete of the Year: Jennifer Doscher Male Athlete of
the Year: Evgeny Shenker Scholar-Athlete Award: Brooke Baranoski
Women's Soccer MVP: Andrea Kleboe Rookie of the Year: Shannon
Connelly Coach's Award: Daniella Otaiza Men's Swimming MVP: Eros
Qama Rookie of the Year: Vadzim Zchgun Coach's Award: Keith Marsh
Women's Swimming MVP: Malgorzata Borzymowski Rookie of the Year:
Iris Moore Coach's Award: Gina Troise Men's Basketball MVP: Michael
Stewart Rookie of the Year: Michael Jones Coach's Award: Michael
Nebavlakis Women's Basketball MVP: Stephanie Iosue Rookie of the
Year: Nicole Stefanski Coach's Award: Melissa Quiles Men's Tennis
MVP: Craig Gellerman Rookie of the Year: David Blatt Coach's Award:
Craig Gellerman Women's Tennis MVP: Geraldine Thomas Rookie of the
Year: Lucie Lauria Coach's Award: Mariya Chesnokova Women's
Volleyball MVP: Melissa Quiles Rookie of the Year: Lady Jan Jauod
Coach's Award: Nickeisha Bogie Baseball MVP: Chris Hemmes Rookie of
the Year: Matt Stefanski Coach's Award: Joseph Ruiz Softball MVP:
Christina D'Arpa Rookie of the Year: Katie Rossetti Coach's Award:
Melissa Quiles
By Jim Waggoner
Reprinted here with permission from the
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