The William Smith College Athletics Department will honor the top performances of the 2017-18 seasons at the annual Heron Awards Banquet on Tuesday, April 24. The dinner is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. in the Vandervort Room of the Scandling Student Center.
 
The banquet will be live streamed at
www.HWSAthletics.com/HeronAwards
 
In addition to celebrating the College's nearly 300 student-athletes, the William Smith Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will present its annual appreciation awards.
 
The community appreciation award will go to Len DeFrancesco for his steadfast support of William Smith teams. He worked with Mary Hosking to establish the Heron tennis program and served as the William Smith assistant coach for decades. He currently provides lessons for the tennis team and attends every home match. A 1956 graduate of Hobart College, DeFrancesco played basketball, baseball and soccer for the Statesmen. He will be inducted into the Hobart Athletics Hall of Fame in the fall. DeFrancesco spent over 35 years as a teacher in the Finger Lakes. He has taught tennis in the Geneva area for more than 40 years.
 
The faculty appreciation award will be presented to Professor of Mathematics Joseph Rusinko for his dedication to William Smith athletics not only at competitions but in the classroom and in the community. Rusinko has been a member of the Committee on Athletics for two years and currently serves as the chair of the committee. He is a constant sources of guidance for Heron student-athletes and one of their biggest fans.
 
The staff appreciation award will be given to Equipment Coordinator Kevin McDonald for his dedication to ensuring the success of William Smith Herons. He makes every student-athlete feel like family, greeting everyone who passes the equipment room in Bristol Gym and asking how the weekend went or congratulating a team on a great performance. McDonald puts in the long hours and works tirelessly in Bristol Gym to make sure all of the Herons' equipment is ready for every practice and every game.
 
In addition to the SAAC Appreciation Awards, William Smith Athletics will present 34 team and department awards.
 
The William Smith Athletics Awards Banquet has been permanently underwritten thanks to the generosity of a William Smith alumna with gratitude for her experience as a Heron student-athlete.