2023 GNAC ATHLETE OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
WINTHROP, Mass. – University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) soccer student-athlete Michael Torres was named the 2022-23 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Athlete of the Year for men’s sports on Thursday (July 20) afternoon by the conference office.
He will be honored at the 2023 GNAC Hall of Fame dinner on Thursday, Aug. 10.
As the GNAC Athlete of the Year, Torres will also be the conference nominee for the Division III Commissioners Association (D3CA) Men’s Sport Student-Athlete of the Year. Both awards recognize graduating student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership.
The 2022 GNAC Men's Soccer Tournament MVP, was a standout both on the field and off of it, separating himself from a strong field of eight candidates from GNAC member schools.
He graduated with a 3.81 GPA, earning his degree in accounting. On the field, Torres had a solid athletic career as he was the main orchestrator in clinching the program's first ever NCAA tournament appearance this past season. His efforts landed him on the 2022-23 United Soccer Coaches All-Region I Second Team.
The team captain is a three-time All-GNAC team member, three-time GNAC All-Tournament Team member, a previous All-Rookie Team honoree, and a two-time member of the GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team. He also scored the first postseason game-winning goal in USJ men's soccer program history on Nov. 2, 2019 in 1-0 win over Albertus Magnus.
Academically, he was just as impressive as his achievements included: graduating magna cum laude, earning the 2023 Outstanding Auditing Student issued by The Southern New England Chapter Institute of Internal Auditors, Dean's List, three-time GNAC Academic All-Conference Team, USJ 2023 Career Scholar-Athlete Award, Blue Jay Senior Student-Athlete Award, USJ Cardarelli Senior Scholar-Athlete Award, two-time College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team, 2022 Chi Alpha Sigma College Athletic Honor Society, and a 2022 Sr. Eileen Macllvain Award – Excellence in Accounting.
Outside of being a student-athlete, Torres' work included: Active City Member, where he provided coaching services for basic soccer skills in the Hartford, Conn. area, resident assistant on the USJ campus, Assisted with the Hartford Soccer Club fundraising events within the club, realizing influx in funds for team travel and other expenses, oversee travel and premier program administration, competition planning and team practices, organize players' nights and other special events to promote sports program and cultivate positive relations with players, families, and local community members, and he was also a part of the Hispanic Student Union where he discussed upcoming events to bring students on campus to participate.
The GNAC Athlete of the Year is selected by a committee of GNAC staff members following the NCAA Woman of the Year selection guidelines. As the Conference nominee for D3CA Male Sport Student-Athlete of the Year, Torres will be placed in a pool along with the nominees from other DIII conferences.
When all conference nominees are submitted, the commissioners will vote on the nominees within their region to select the 10 regional Student-Athlete of the Year honorees. Those regional honorees will be eligible for selection as D3CA Student-Athlete of the Year.
ABOUT THE GREAT NORTHEAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 16 member institutions and over 4000 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 22 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience.
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