Army West Point Athletics
McKelvie, Lazzari Honored With AAA Award
May 22, 2009 | Hockey
WEST POINT, N.Y. Standout hockey player Zach McKelvie and record-setting volleyball player Elizabeth Lazzari were honored with Army’s highest athletic honor on Friday when they were presented with the Army Athletic Association Trophy at this afternoon’s Awards Convocation at Eisenhower Hall.
The prestigious Army Athletic Association Trophy is awarded to the male and female cadet who displays the “most valuable service to intercollegiate athletics during a career as a cadet.”
McKelvie, a two-time first-team All-Atlantic Hockey Association defenseman, was the male winner while Lazzari, a three-time All-Patriot League selection, was presented with the female award.
Lazzari, an outside hitter from Seal Beach, Calif. (Cornelia Connelly H.S.) is the first volleyball player to be honored while McKelvie, a defenseman from New Brighton, Minn. (Irondale H.S.) is the 11th hockey player to be acknowledged.
This year marks the 105th anniversary of the AAA Trophy that was first awarded to football player Horatio Hackett in 1904.
In addition, women’s soccer player Sarah Goss was presented with the Army Athletic Association Special Award during the ceremony for “exhibiting outstanding achievement and exemplary leadership in athletic competition.” Goss is the 27th athlete to receive the award and follows the 2008 selection of football player Mike Viti.
Unlike the annual AAA Award, the Special Award is given only in years when a worthy candidate is deemed.
One of just three players in program history to record at least 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in her career, Lazzari departs West Point as one of the most versatile and decorated players to ever wear the black and gold. She became the first player to reach the aforementioned milestone since Army Sports Hall of Fame member Deann Machlan in 1995 and finished her career ranked fifth all-time in kills (1,194) and fourth in digs (1,248).
A three-time All-Patriot League selection, including two first team nods, Lazzari ranks in the top-10 in career digs per set (3rd; 3.26), kills per set (5th; 3.12) and hitting percentage (10th; .245). Named the 2005 Patriot League Rookie of the Year, Lazzari went on to cap her career as the only Army player to be recognized on the 2008 Patriot League All-Tournament Team. A four-year starter at outside hitter, Lazzari played a critical role in Army winning a share of the program’s first-ever regular season title in 2008.
Since Lazzari’s arrival at West Point, the Black Knights have enjoyed a stellar 92-23 (.800) record and managed two of the best seasons in program history. Army went 24-5 (.828) in 2007 and followed that up with a 26-4 (.867) mark in the fall to represent the top winning percentage in the program’s 30-year history. Army also posted a 7-1 record against service-academy rival Navy with Lazzari on the court.
Lazzari became the first volleyball player in Army history to participate in the U.S. National Team Open Tryout as a junior and was one of just two representatives from the Patriot League at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. She then returned to West Point following the tryout to finish the semester and serve as a Summer Garrison Regimental Commander in 2008.
Selected as the Brigade Corps Squad Officer for the 2008-09 academic year, Lazzari held one of the top positions within the Corps of Cadets and served as a liaison between the athletic department and the corps. Along with that responsibility came the title of Student-Athlete Advisory Committee chair.
Lazzari is a Patriot League Academic Honor Roll member and ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District I second team pick with a 3.30 grade-point average and will enter the Medical Service branch of the United States Army. Along with McKelvie, she was one of two finalists for the Coach K Teaching Character Through Sport Award which was awarded to varsity athletes for the first time this year.
McKelvie is the first hockey player to win the award since goalie Brad Roberts was honored in 2006. A four-year contributor who played in at least 32 games all four seasons for head coach Brian Riley, McKelvie recently won the initial Coach K Teaching Character Through Sport Award, edging Lazzari.
A hulking defenseman, McKelvie played in 136 games during his tenure, including five wins against Air Force and scored 14 goals while distributing 44 assists for 58 points. He netted six power play goals, three game-winning goals and tallied seven multiple-point games and was a consistent force on the power play and penalty kill units.
The Atlantic Hockey Association Defenseman of the Year as a junior, McKelvie was twice named a first team all-star, becoming the first Army player to earn two first team citations. He also served as an alternate captain his junior season and captain in his senior campaign.
The Brigade Athletics Officer for his final year, McKelvie was among the leadership in the Corps of Cadets and oversaw intramural and club sports in his role.
A three-time selection to the Atlantic Hockey Association All-Academic squad, McKelvie will join the Infantry branch of the United States Army, following his service as an athletic intern in the fall.
McKelvie earned a selection to the 2009 NCAA Frozen Four Skills Challenge, just the third Army player to be chosen, and won the fastest skater competition at the event at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.
Goss is the first member of the women’s soccer team to receive the AAA Special Award and the 12th woman among 27 athletes to receive this accolade since its establishment in 1966.
Excelling both on the pitch and in the classroom, Goss enjoyed an outstanding four-year career capped last fall with Army’s first-ever NCAA Tournament bid after defeating top-seeded Navy, 1-0, in double overtime at the Patriot League Tournament. The team co-captain was named the Tournament MVP after leading Army to just its second women’s soccer championship title and first since 1993. A two-time Patriot League all-star, Goss was tabbed for second team honors as a midfielder for the second-straight year. She has ranked among Army’s leaders the last three years, landing first in scoring her sophomore and junior years while finishing second her final season. She compiled 12 goals and four assists for 28 points along with three game winners over her four-year career.
Bound for Yale Medical School in the fall, Goss is a two-time ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-American. She was a first team selection in the fall and second team pick in 2007. She is just the second player in school history to earn back-to-back academic All-America honors. The native of Lancaster, Pa., is also a three-time Academic District I first team selection and a four-time conference academic honor roll pick. Goss will graduate with a 4.05 grade point average to list 11th academically and 10th overall (military, physical and academic) in her class.
McKelvie, a Management/Systems Engineering major, Lazzari, a Philosophy and Literature major and Goss, a Mechanical Engineering major, will accept their West Point diplomas during Commencement Exercises at Michie Stadium on Saturday, May 23.
AAA Award Winners (listed by year)
| Year Awarded | Name | Sport |
| 1904 | Horatio Hackett | Football |
| 1905 | Ernest Graves | Football |
| 1906 | Charles Rockwell | Football |
| 1907 | Lewis Watkins | Football |
| 1908 | George Beavers | Football |
| 1909 | Frank Besson | Football |
| 1910 | Edgar Burr | Football |
| 1911 | Alexander Surles | Football |
| 1912 | Archibald Arnold | Football |
| 1913 | Charles Lyman | Football |
| 1914 | Frank Milburn | Football |
| 1915 | Leland Hobbs | Football |
| 1916 | William Britton | Football |
| | Robert Neyland^ | Baseball/Football |
| Apr. 1917 | Charles Gerhardt | Football |
| Aug. 1917 | Edwin House | Football |
| June 1918 | Elmer Oliphant% | Football/Baseball/Basketball/Track & Field |
| Nov. 1918 | Eugene Vidal | Football |
| 1920 | Earl "Red" Blaik | Football |
| 1922 | Francis Greene | Football |
| 1923 | Walter White | Football |
| 1924 | George Smythe | Football |
| 1925 | William Wood | Football |
| 1926 | John Roosma | Basketball |
| 1927 | Maurice Daly | Football/Hockey |
| 1928 | Harry Wilson | Football/Lacrosse |
| 1929 | Louis Hammack | Football |
| 1930 | Richard Hutchinson | Football |
| 1931 | John Malloy | Football |
| 1932 | Ray Stecker | Football |
| 1933 | Lawrence Lincoln | Football |
| 1934 | Harvey Jablonsky | Football |
| 1935 | Joseph Stancook | Football |
| 1936 | William Grohs | Football/Hockey |
| 1937 | Charles Meyer | Football |
| 1938 | Harris Rogner | Football |
| 1939 | Henry Sullivan | Football |
| 1940 | Harry Stella | Football |
| 1941 | William Gillis | Track & Field/Football |
| 1942 | Raymond Murphy | Football |
| 1943 | Jan. Vasco Fenili | Football |
| 1944 | John Hennessey | Football |
| 1945 | Dale Hall | Football/Basketball |
| 1946 | Max Minor | Football |
| 1947 | Glenn Davis | Football/Track & Field |
| 1948 | Charles Nash | Track & Field |
| 1949 | James Rawers | Football |
| 1950 | Arnold Galiffa | Football |
| 1951 | Harold Shultz | Football |
| 1952 | Dick Shea | Track & Field |
| 1953 | Donal Fuqua | Football |
| 1954 | Lowell Sisson | Football |
| 1955 | Godwin Ordway | Football |
| 1956 | Ralph Chasnauskas | Football/Hockey |
| 1957 | Robert Kyasky | Football |
| 1958 | Thomas Harvey | Hockey |
| 1959 | Pete Dawkins | Football/Hockey |
| 1960 | Robert Anderson | Football |
| 1961 | Harold Hannon | Basketball |
| 1962 | Al Rushatz | Football/Wrestling |
| 1963 | Mike Natvig | Wrestling |
| 1964 | Bill Straub | Track & Field |
| 1965 | Ronald Butterfield | Football |
| 1966 | Mike Silliman | Basketball/Baseball |
| 1967 | John Boretti | Baseball/Soccer/Hockey |
| 1968 | Mike F. Palone | Hockey/Soccer |
| 1969 | Charlie Jarvis | Football/Lacrosse |
| 1970 | Lynn D. Moore | Football/Lacrosse |
| 1971 | Dan Scioletti | Hockey/Soccer |
| 1972 | Ray Ritacco | Football/Wrestling |
| 1973 | Leslie Alm | Track & Field |
| 1974 | Jerry Johnson* | Baseball |
| 1975 | Dorian Anderson | Sprint Football/Wrestling |
| 1976 | Dennis Trujillo | Track & Field |
| 1977 | Ted Kanamine | Swimming |
| 1978 | Gary Winton | Basketball |
| 1979 | Clennie Brundidge | Football |
| 1980 | George Mayes | Football |
| | Terry Tepper | Track & Field |
| 1981 | Michael Fahnestock | Football/Track |
| | Kim Hall | Basketball/Softball |
| 1982 | Mark Palzer | Wrestling |
| | Kevin Kullander | Football |
| | Harlene Nelson | Track & Field |
| 1983 | Mike Williams | Football |
| | Eileen Mulholland | Basketball/Softball |
| 1984 | George Slabowski | Lacrosse |
| | Tracy Hanlon | Track & Field/Basketball |
| 1985 | Nate Sassaman | Football |
| | Randy Cozzens | Basketball |
| | Lelia True | Tennis |
| 1986 | Don Smith | Football |
| | Julie DelGiorno | Basketball |
| 1987 | Kevin Houston | Basketball |
| | Laurie Goetz | Basketball |
| 1988 | Tory Crawford | Football |
| | Linda Schimminger | Basketball |
| 1989 | Tyno Carter | Track & Field |
| | Ann Wycoff | Swimming |
| 1990 | Benjamin Barnett | Football |
| | Diana Wills | Track & Field |
| 1991 | Mike Mayweather | Football |
| | Colleen McCabe | Softball |
| 1992 | Myreon Williams | Football |
| | Jacob Garcia | Wrestling |
| | Kim Kawamoto | Basketball |
| 1993 | Mike McElrath | Football |
| | Gina Scarsella | Basketball |
| 1994 | Jason Stewart | Track & Field |
| | Tara Williams | Soccer |
| 1995 | Mark Houston | Football/Baseball |
| | Mikell Harper | Sprint Football |
| | Catherine Gaffigan | Cross Country |
| 1996 | Steve Marshall | Gymnastics |
| | Alexis Albano | Soccer/Track & Field |
| 1997 | Brad Fenske | Wrestling |
| | Ron Leshinski | Football |
| | Susie Corlett | Softball |
| 1998 | Jarret Mathews | Wrestling |
| | Mike Scioletti | Baseball |
| | Holly Pedley | Soccer |
| 1999 | Andy Lundbohm | Hockey |
| | Joe Novak | Swimming |
| | Heather Lawson | Track & Field |
| 2000 | Brian Gebhardt | Track & Field |
| | Shaun Salmon | Baseball |
| | Sarah Hatton | Softball |
| 2001 | Marshall Clay | Tennis |
| | Heidi Borden | Swimming |
| 2002 | Omari Thompson | Football/Track |
| | Nicki Robbins | Softball |
| 2003 | Dustin Greenhill | Gymnastics |
| | Lauren Rowe | Soccer/Track & Field |
| 2004 | Jeff Weaver | Track & Field |
| | Katie Macfarlane | Basketball |
| 2005 | Phillip Simpson | Wrestling |
| | Marissa Limsiaco | Tennis |
| 2006 | Carlton Jones | Football |
| | Brad Roberts | Hockey |
| | Chelsea Haviland | Swimming |
| 2007 | Milan Dinga | Baseball |
| | Nick Hill | Baseball |
| | Meghan Venable-Thomas | Track & Field |
| 2008 | Chris Abalo | Rifle |
| | Cole White | Baseball |
| | Katelin Grant | Track & Field |
| 2009 | Zach McKelvie | Hockey |
| | Elizabeth Lazzari | Volleyball |
^ Robert Neyland was undefeated heavyweight boxing champion for three years running among the Corps (1914-16).
*Jerry Johnson was Brigade Boxing Open Champion and New York Golden Gloves Champion in 1974.
%Elmer Oliphant also earned monograms in boxing, hockey and swimming.
Special Award Winners (listed by year)
| Year | Name | Sport |
| 1966 | Frank Kobes | Soccer/Hockey/Lacrosse |
| 1968 | Greg Camp | Track & Field |
| 1970 | Gary Steele | Football/Track & Field |
| 1978 | Curt Alitz | Track & Field/Swimming |
| | Leamon Hall | Football |
| 1981 | Dena Caradimitropoulo | Basketball |
| 1983 | Cardwell Williams | Track & Field |
| 1984 | Dave Cannella | Rifle |
| | Alma Cobb | Basketball/Track |
| | Melody Smith | Basketball |
| 1986 | Dennis Semmel | Wrestling |
| 1987 | Paul DiGironimo | Wrestling |
| | John Van Sant | Swimming |
| | Clare Hramiec | Swimming |
| 1989 | Greg Gadson | Football |
| | Kim Seminiano | Track & Field |
| | Teresa Sobiesk | Track & Field |
| 1990 | Jen Fleming | Basketball/Softball |
| 1996 | Ian Winer | Hockey |
| 2000 | Travis Burns | Tennis |
| 2006 | Micky Mallette | Basketball |
| | Ashley Magnani | Basketball |
| | Adrienne Payne | Basketball |
| | Megan Vrabel | Basketball |
| | John Walker | Lacrosse |
| 2008 | Mike Viti | Football |
| 2009 | Sarah Goss | Soccer |
