Embrace the Philosophy: Stonehill's Alex Demeule Tabbed NE10 Man of the Year

Embrace the Philosophy: Stonehill's Alex Demeule Tabbed NE10 Man of the Year

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Demeule Wins NE10 Man of the Year, as Announced at League Banquet.


 

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Stonehill senior All-American Alex Demeule has been named the recipient of the 2019 Northeast-10 Conference Man of the Year award, as selected by the Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) Council and announced at the NE10 Awards Dinner at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this evening, as part of the Conference's end of the year meetings.

It marks the seventh year the NE10 has recognized a Man of the Year recipient, and Demeule is Stonehill's second honoree, joining ice hockey standout Dana Borges, '13, currently an assistant coach at Colgate University, who earned the inaugural award in 2013. It also marks the second-straight year a cross country/track & field student-athlete has received the award after Tyler McLaren of the Southern New Hampshire University cross country team earned the honors last year. Demeule is the third Stonehill student-athlete to earn a major NE10 end of the year award, as he and Borges join former cross country runner John Monahan, '00, who was named the Conference's Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2000.

Demeule was among three finalists for Man of the Year, along with Bentley University men's basketball senior Ryan Richmond and Southern New Hampshire University men's tennis senior Tiago Fernandes as finalists this year. The NE10 Man of the Year award honors senior student-athletes that excelled in all areas of their collegiate careers, on the field, in the classroom, and in the community.

"I am truly blessed and honored to have been selected as the NE10 Man of the Year and share the company of so many other deserving candidates in the Conference," said Demeule. "I would like to thank the NE10 and the Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) Council for selecting me and I would like to also thank my coaches at Stonehill and the entire administration for all their support over my collegiate career, their dedication to the student-athletes is unbelievable. Lastly, I would like to thank my parents and family for all of their love and support that has made this all possible."

Demeule, who was also a finalist for NE10 Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year recognition, received the College's Edward E. Martin Male Senior Scholar-Athlete Award at its recent Awards Ceremony and is a three-sport student-athlete with the Skyhawks men's cross country and indoor and outdoor track & field programs. He earned All-America honors as a member of Stonehill's 4000-meter distance medley relay team that placed fifth in a then school-record 9:49.12 at the 2018 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships and has been a key member of a Stonehill cross country team that has won the last two NCAA East Regional Championships as well as the 2017 NE10 title as part of an undefeated season leading up to nationals, where he has competed at the NCAA Cross Country Championships three-straight years. Demeule is also a two-time participant at the NCAA II Indoor Track & Field Championships with the DMR.

Demeule, who graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in finance on Sunday with a 3.82 cumulative grade point average, has been recognized with the St. Thomas Aquinas Medal for having the highest cumulative grade point average on the men's cross country and track & field programs, is a Google Cloud Academic All-America® third team selection as a junior and received the NE10 Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award for cross country last fall. He has been inducted to the Lambda Epsilon Sigma and Beta Gamma Sigma honor societies, is a member of the Financial Management Association and was named the finance department Student of the Year. Demeule has volunteered his time with Stonehill's Earth Day Event, My Brother's Keeper and at the NCAA Division II Championships community outreach projects. He is portfolio manager with Stonehill's Investment Finance Initiative (SCIFI) a yearlong, comprehensive, academic and professional development course of study charged with the management of the Mary Herlihy Opportunity Fund at the College.

"Congratulations to Alex on such a well-deserved NE10 Man of The Year award," said Dean O'Keefe, '94, Director of Athletics at the College. "NCAA Division II, the NE10 and Stonehill strive to foster an environment that provides student-athletes the opportunity to excel academically, athletically, and in the community, and I couldn't think of someone who embraces this philosophy more than Alex. His impressive career competing in three sports, coupled with his amazing academic accomplishments and career preparation experiences are a shining example of what it means to be a successful NCAA student-athlete."

"First off, I am so proud to see Alex receive the NE10 Man of the Year Award," said Stonehill Hall of Fame head coach Karen Boen. "When I think of this award, 'Man' of the Year, and I think of Alex, it just makes sense, as the award takes into account the total person and I truly believe he has all the attributes that any 'man' who is deserving of such an honor should possess. Alex has proved beyond a doubt that he is an exceptional athlete, excels academically and is a true leader who cares deeply about his community."

Demeule is a five-time NCAA Championships participant over his career, competing at three NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships and making two appearances at the NCAA II Indoor Track & Field Championships with the DMR. He is a four-time U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-East Region performer over his career, earning All-New England status five times over the three seasons, and a five-time All-NE10 performer, collecting first team honors in cross country as a junior and senior, placing fourth at the 2018 NE10 Championships. Demeule was also a member of two New England Champion relays at the 2019 New England Indoor Championships with the DMR and 4x800-meter relay.

Demeule is a seven-time NE10 Academic All-Conference selection over his Stonehill career, earning USTFCCCA All-Academic honors four times and one of just three three-time Google Cloud Academic All-District® I first team honorees in Stonehill history.

With 21 intercollegiate sports, Stonehill boasts one of the top athletic and academic programs in the country. In addition to finishing in the top three of the Northeast-10 Conference Presidents' Cup standings for overall athletic performance 14 straight years, the Skyhawks have received the NCAA Division II Presidents' Award for Academic Achievement each of the first eighth years of the program's existence of honoring institutions with an Academic Success Rate (ASR) of 90-percent or better. Stonehill has earned a 96% Academic Success Ranking (ASR) by the NCAA, which considers the academic success rate of the institution based on the graduation rate of student-athletes, good for seventh among all NCAA Division II institutions, with eight Skyhawk teams receiving a perfect rating of 100%. In addition, the Skyhawks are ranked 11th in the National Collegiate Scouting Association (NCSA) Power Rankings for Division II used to assess the academic and athletic standards of all NCAA and NAIA athletic programs.

-Release provided by Stonehill athletic communications staff-

ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 15 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete. 

Each year, 4,500 student-athletes compete in conference championships, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.