Maurer, Dreyer, Hill, Kulik earn honors at 2025 Senior Awards Banquet
DEPTFORD, NJ (May 7, 2019) – A trio of outstanding senior student-athletes and a coach leading his team into the NCAA Division III Baseball Tournament were the big winners at the annual Rutgers University-Camden Athletic Awards Banquet May 7 at the Adelphia Restaurant in Deptford.
Women's soccer star
Amy Maurer was honored as the Wilbur W. Wilson Scholar Athlete of the Year, while
Ethan Dreyer and
Francis Hill, from the men's soccer program and women's track & field programs, respectively, were recognized with the Jeffrey L. Dean Scarlet Raptor of the Year awards.
Baseball Head Coach
Ryan Kulik was honored as the Dr. Edward Cialella Coach of the Year.
Photo Gallery
The school also recognized 48 individuals with Senior Awards, an honor given to student-athletes who have either exhausted their eligibility in a particular sport or are graduating.
Senior Awards
Senior Awards winners included baseball players
Chase Cooper, Ryan Nutley, Billy Richards, Daniel Robeson, Frankie Romond, Diego Salazar, Steven Shaffer and
Jacob Shapley, and women's soccer players
Jazmin Brown, Hannah Crowley, Alexa D'Ilio, Michaela Graham, Carly Henning, Josie Jackson-Conner, Amy Maurer, Alyssa Monti, Emily Owens and
Alyson Petro. Honorees from the men's soccer program included
Sean Boen, Ethan Dreyer, Pedro Jovel-Castro, Aiden Kelley, Eric Swen and
Nick Yurcho, while track & field/cross country seniors included
Adriana Bradley, Angelina Cellucci, Francis Hill, Louis Juliano, Amir Lindor, Maria Lopez and
Evelyn Macias Pilco. Basketball seniors included
Rahzirah Blocker, Taylor Hinson, Lanae Johnson-Kleinpeter and
Aiya Underwood from the women's program and men's players
Javon Gordon, Jordany Pierre, Andrew Sylvestre and
Jordan Trusty-Smith. Seniors from the volleyball program included
Peyton McGregor, Kaitlyn Parrish and
Jessica Wiemer, while the softball program included the senior trio of
Emily Dubiago, Luci Hutchinson and
Kendall Lafferty. Alex Loope and
Jayde Sue Silva represented the men's and women's tennis teams, respectively, while
Gloria Campos was the lone senior from the golf program.
Named for the late Rutgers-Camden Athletic Director Jeffrey L. Dean, the award recognizes two senior athletes who embody what it means to be a Scarlet Raptor. These individuals support the mission of Rutgers-Camden Athletics by working individually and collaboratively to accomplish goals, conduct themselves with integrity and compete with passion and sportsmanship, while achieving academic excellence and service to the community.
Dreyer, a Chemistry major and one of the soccer team captains during the 2024 season, appeared in 46 games over his four-year career. The midfielder collected three goals (one game winner) and one assist, while compiling a stellar academic record. A two-time New Jersey Athletic Conference Academic Honorable Mention (the 2024-25 team will be announced in June), he is a Dean's List student, a member of the Student-Athlete Honor Society and a member of the Rutgers-Camden Athletic Director's Honor Roll every semester of his career, posting a 4.0 GPA on two occasions.
Hill, a Psychology major, was a fixture on the indoor and outdoor track programs since her freshman year, while also serving as a team manager for the cross country program the past two seasons. A thrower with the track programs, she competed in the shot put during the indoor season and the shot put and javelin during outdoor season, while also adding occasional races in sprints. Academically, she was a multi-time member of the Rutgers-Camden Athletic Director's Honor Roll and served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
Both Hill and Dreyer also were valuable staff members at the Rutgers-Camden Athletic & Fitness Center, serving in numerous capacities.
The Coach of the Year Award is presented in honor of Dr. Edward Cialella, who retired in December 2002, after five years as the school's athletic director. He joined the faculty in 1969 as a member of the physical education department and over the years he coached Rutgers-Camden programs in both men's and women's basketball and tennis. From 1969-97, he served as the school's director of recreation and intramurals and he chaired the physical education department from 1994-98. The Coach of the Year Award is presented to a coach nominated by the Rutgers-Camden Athletic Department who has displayed responsibility, integrity, sportsmanship and excellence, both on and off the field.
Kulik captured the honor for the second consecutive year after leading his team to the first New Jersey Athletic Conference championship in program history. The Scarlet Raptors (29-15) swept through the NJAC playoffs with a 4-0 record and will play their first NCAA playoff game against Rensselaer Friday in Baltimore.
Rutgers-Camden's historic season included numerous highlights, including Kulik's 100th career win on April 15 at Alvernia University.
The Wilbur W. Wilson Scholar Athlete Award is presented in honor of the late Athletic Director, Wilbur "Pony" Wilson, whose dedication, integrity and accomplishments guided the Rutgers-Camden Athletic Department for 28 ½ years. The award is a testimony to his resolve to have athletes display excellence not only on the playing field, but also in the classroom. The recipient of this award is the senior athlete with the highest accumulative academic average of 3.25 or above, while meeting a two-year academic criteria.
Maurer, a standout center back for the women's soccer team, appeared in all 72 games that Rutgers-Camden played during her four-year career. She was an All-NJAC Honorable Mention performer during her last three seasons and served two years as a Scarlet Raptor team captain.
A fine all-around athlete, Maurer also played basketball for the Scarlet Raptors during the 2021-22 season.
Academically, the dual Gender Studies and Sociology major posted a 4.0 GPA in her collegiate career. The Dean's List student captured numerous honors, including a berth on the Philly-SIDA Academic All-Area Women's Soccer Team in 2023. She was a two-time NJAC Academic Honorable Mention (2022-23 and 2023-24 scholastic years, with this year's team to be announced in June) and was a member of the Rutgers-Camden Athletic Director's Honor Roll throughout her collegiate career.
Maurer also served two years as a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) at Rutgers-Camden.
