Purdue Calumet's Cassidy Deno Announced as CCAC's Liston Award Nominee
The Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) announced Purdue University Calumet's Cassidy Deno (Otterbein, Ind./Benton Central) as its female nominee for the 2015-16 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Emil S. Liston Award.
The award is named in honor of the NAIA's first executive secretary and the prime mover behind the men's basketball tournament. It has been presented annually since 1950 to one men's and women's basketball player who has shown high athletic and scholastic achievement.
Deno, a 6-0 junior guard, has built quite the academic and athletic resume over her first two years at Purdue Calumet having earned Dean's List honors in each of her first four semesters as a fitness management major. On the court, she led her 2013-14 Peregrine team to the NAIA National Tournament as well as CCAC regular-season and tournament titles during her first collegiate season. That year, she was named the conference's Freshman of the Year. She has also been selected to the all-league second team in each of her first two seasons.
"Cassidy is, without a doubt, one of the hardest workers that I have ever coached," said Purdue Calumet women's basketball coach Tom Megyesi. "She is also an outstanding role model, always positive with her teammates and respectful to all.
"She is caring, empathetic and very sincere."
Among her many other roles as a student-athlete, Deno is a member of the faculty committee for intercollegiate athletics. She has also participated in the R Dub Club, an organization in which Laker student-athletes interact with elementary school students encouraging them to read and teach them the importance of gaining an education.
"Cassidy is a wonderful ambassador for Purdue University Calumet," stated Rick Costello, Purdue Calumet's Director of Athletics.
"She is a great role model for young people and has a very bright future ahead of her."
Added Purdue Calumet Chancellor Thomas Keon, "Cassidy embraces a core Purdue University Calumet value with her community engagement. She has demonstrated impeccable character."
Deno excelled both on and off the court at Benton Central High School, as well. During her four years there, she was a three-time all-area and all-conference selection and garnered honorable mention all-state distinction her senior year. She was also a member of the school's National and Spanish National Honor Societies.
The NAIA’s Emil S. Liston Award was given to Kaitlyn Davis of Culver-Stockton College (Mo.) and Grant Greenberg of the University of Saint Mary (Kan.) on the NAIA's National Awards Day, held Sept. 15, 2015.
The awards are chosen from NAIA conference nominees from around the country.
For the full list of the NAIA's award winners, see http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=210340479
Purdue Calumet Adds Munster Product Eudora Negri
Purdue University Calumet volleyball coach Julie Wiejak secured another member for her 2016-17 recruiting class, with the recent signing of Munster standout Eudora Negri.
"We are very pleased to welcome area standout Eudora Negri to our squad," Wiejak said of the Munster product. "Eudora attended our summer camp the past two years which allowed us to get to know her very well. What we learned about her was that not only is she a great volleyball player, but an amazing unique person who will add so much to our team.
"With the intangibles she posseses, she's a great signee for us. I'm excited to see her grow and develop as a player and a leader."
Negri was an integral part of the Mustang team who recorded back-to-back undefeated conference championships while also contributing to a sectional championship and regional runner-up performance in her junior season.
The 5-foot-8 setter notched 565 total assists and was ranked 7th in the state in IHSAA Class 4A with 73 total aces, which will help a Peregrine team who finished 15th in total service aces in the NAIA this season.
The daughter of Mindy and Andy Negri, Eudora plans to major in nursing next fall.