Liberty League commissioner Tracy King has announced that
Julia Keogh of William Smith College and
Ryan Puglisi of Union College have been named the recipients of the 2021-22 Liberty League Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards.
Established following the 2012-13 academic year, the recipients of the Liberty League Scholar-Athlete are selected in a vote by the Liberty League member institutions. The awards are presented to graduating student-athletes – one female and one male – who have demonstrated excellence in academics, athletics and service/leadership throughout their time as student-athletes. Keough is the third women's soccer student-athlete and the sixth William Smith honoree in the ten-year history of the award. Puglisi is the first men's lacrosse student-athlete and the second honoree from Union College
"I am pleased to announce that Julia Keogh and Ryan Puglisi have been selected as the Liberty League Scholar-Athletes of the Year," said King. "The Scholar-Athlete awards represent the very best of the Liberty League and intercollegiate athletics – individuals who have achieved at elite levels academically and athletically while emerging as leaders on their campuses. Julia and Ryan epitomize what it means to be Division III student-athletes. Both are All-Liberty League performers, have earned national recognition for athletic and academic success and are individuals of great character. It is only fitting that we recognize the dedication and commitment that they have demonstrated to their academic and athletic pursuits over the past four years."
By virtue of her selection as the Liberty League's Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Keogh will also be the league's nominee for the prestigious NCAA Woman of the Year award. Keogh and Puglisi will also be the league's nominees for the Division III Student-Athletes of the Year as presented by the Division III Commissioners Association.
A United Soccer Coaches First Team All-American, Keogh started in all 22 games last fall, helping William Smith reach the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament. She spearheaded William Smith's attack, leading the team and the Liberty League with 22 goals and 50 points, both Heron single-season records. The D3soccer.com Forward of the Year, Keogh logged at least one goal in 16 of 22 contests this year and had five multi-goal games. Keogh had six game-winning goals, including two in the NCAA tournament. She wrapped up the year eighth in the nation in goals and ninth in points.
The 2021 Liberty League Player of the Year, Keogh was a four-year starter and finished her career with 101 points on 40 goals and 21 assists. She is sixth on the career goals list and seventh on the points list. Keogh is one of eight Herons to record 100 career points. She received the Winn-Seeley Award, which is presented to an outstanding William Smith College senior for achievements in service, leadership, athletics and academics.
A biology major with minors in chemistry and environmental studies, Keogh was named to the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division III Scholar All-East Region first team. She graduated magna cum laude while being named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team. Keogh was also a four-time Liberty League All-Academic selection, the first in program history.
Off the field, Keogh was active on campus and in the community. A two-year member of the school's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, she was also a four-year member of the William Smith soccer leadership council. She served as a site leader for the Geneva Day of Service, leading a group of 20 student-athletes who provided assistance to non-profit organizations throughout the community. Keogh also participated in National Girls and Women in Sports Day activities on campus.
Puglisi, a three-year captain for the Union men's lacrosse team, led the Dutchmen to their first Division III national championship game and earned All-America recognition from USA Lacrosse Magazine (first team) and the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (honorable mention) after a strong 2022 season. Named to the USILA and
Inside Lacrosse Preseason All-America teams before the season, he finished second among all Union defensemen with 34 ground balls and 26 caused turnovers and consistently drew the opposition's top attackers on defense. He previously was named to the USILA All-America third team last season and is a three-time All-Liberty League honoree.
Puglisi was one of only 45 student-athletes selected in arguably CoSIDA's most competitive Academic All-America program. Unlike most sport-specific categories, the Men's At-Large program is comprised athletes from 12 different Division III sports – fencing, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming, tennis, volleyball, water polo and wrestling – spanning nearly 1,500 collegiate teams and over 25,000 student-athletes.
Puglisi, a mechanical engineering major, is a member of the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society and the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society. He is also a student researcher in the Aerogel Lab and a member of the Orientation Committee on campus. He was named the winner of Union's Stephen Ritterbush '68 Award for the second time, recognizing a student-athlete who best exemplifies the quality of "sound mind and sound body."
Puglisi, who was the first Union men's lacrosse player in program history to earn multiple CoSIDA All-District honors, is the team's second Academic All-American and the first since Kyle Christine '13 in 2013. He is the eighth Dutchman to earn Academic All-America honors in the Men's At-Large category and the third to make the second team, and just the 34th student-athlete in Union history to earn Academic All-America honors.
Liberty League Scholar-Athletes of the Year
2021-22
Julia Keogh, William Smith College, Soccer
Ryan Puglisi, Union College, Lacrosse
2020-21
Mekayla Montgomery, William Smith College, Lacrosse
Walker Anderson, Hobart College, Tennis
2019-20
Sophie Nick, Vassar College, Women's Basketball
Garrett Renslow, University of Rochester, Baseball
2018-19
Monica Feeley, Vassar College, Field Hockey
Edvinas Rupkus, Skidmore College, Basketball
2017-18
Taryn Cordani, Ithaca College, Cross Country / Track & Field
Matthew Knigge, Vassar College, Vollebyall
2016-17
Caroline Conboy, William Smith College, Swimming & Diving
Kent Curran, Union College, Baseball
2015-16
Tara Lamberti, University of Rochester, Field Hockey
Jamie Jackson, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Men's Golf
2014-15
Madeline Buckley, William Smith College, Soccer
John Coleman, Clarkson University, Basketball / Baseball
2013-14
Olivia Zitoli, William Smith College, Soccer
Richie Bonney, Hobart College, Basketball
2012-13
Emily D'Addario, William Smith College, Cross Country
Adam Updegrove, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Soccer / Swimming & Diving