Seniors Ann Mimm, Jessica Kemp, Sarah Heben and Colleen Toetz are four of 53 Purple Eagle student-athletes who graduated Sunday.

Senior Joe Tallari received the 29th annual Kevin Mulkern Award as Niagara top senior athlete.

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – A total of 10 Niagara University student-athletes were honored Sunday at the school’s 147th Commencement Ceremony held at Alumni Arena on the University of Buffalo North Campus. In all, 53 student-athletes graduated at the ceremony.

Joe Tallari of the men’s hockey team won the 29th annual Kevin Mulkern Senior Athletic Award for the outstanding athlete in the senior class. The Thunder Bay, Ont., native finished his collegiate career as the College Hockey America’s only finalist for the prestigious Hobey Baker Award. He ranks fifth on Niagara’s all-time points list (125) and second on the CHA chart. The 2002-03 CHA Player of the Year was also a first- and second-team All-CHA pick as a junior and senior. Tallari helped lead the Purple Eagles to the program’s second appearance in the NCAA Tournament and then scored Niagara’s first goal vs. Boston College.

The Mulkern Award has been given annually to the senior athlete who has the highest ideals of sportsmanship, competition and fair play in the spirit of Niagara University.

A total of nine other student-athletes also won awards Sunday. The following is a list of those honored:

Inga Haedicke (Hilburton, Ont.), of the women’s soccer team, was honored with the American Chemical Society Award which is awarded for high achievement in chemistry and biochemistry. Haedicke also received the Pere Blake Award given for general excellence in the senior philosophy college class.

Ann Mimm (Girard, Pa.), of the women’s basketball, was honored with the Dr. George B. Banks Memorial Award for excellence in mathematics and in memory of Dr. George B. Banks.

Paul Elliott (Rochester, N.Y.), of the men’s cross country and swimming teams, was honored with the Chaplain Duggan Purse for excellence in military science and athletics. The award is given in memory of Rev. Michael Francis Duggan, ‘24, Chaplain, United States Army.

Brad Chapman (Skaneateles, N.Y.), of the golf team, received the Financial Executives Institute Award for high achievement in accounting and finance.

Nick Kormanyos (Massena, N.Y.), of the men’s hockey team, was honored with the Dr. Thomas H. Morton Medal for Excellence in Biology. The gold medal is given to a member of the graduating class for general excellence in biology.

Jessica McAndrew (Ellicottville, N.Y.), of the volleyball team, received the Father James O’Keefe Award For Excellence in Foreign Languages.

Colleen Toetz (Parma, Ohio), of the women’s basketball team, and Alayna Loiselle (Mississauga, Ont.), of the women’s soccer team, were awarded the Dr. John J. Reedy Memorial Award. A gold medal was given for high academic achievement to a member of the graduating biology class who is a varsity athlete.

Jason Ramos (Plano, Texas), of the men’s tennis team, received the Likly Award given for excellence in theology.

1976               Marshall Wingate                                           Men’s Basketball

1977               Joseph Casucci                                              Men’s Soccer

1978               Joseph Masterson                                          Men’s Swimming

1979               James Moode                                                Men’s Swimming

1980               Joan Thornton                                               Women’s Basketball

1981               Nancy Edgerton                                            Women’s Basketball

1982               Gretchen Erlandson                                       Women’s Swimming

1983               Michael Howse                                             Men’s Basketball

1984               Mark Gabriele                                               Baseball

1985               Susan Burns                                                  Women’s Tennis

1986               Elizabeth Hay                                                Women’s Basketball

1987               Thomas Maroon                                            Track, Cross Country

1988               Carolyn Sweeting                                          Women’s Volleyball

1989               Jerome Dunlavey                                           Baseball

1990               Ralph DeMarco                                             Track, Cross Country

1991               Tracey Howell                                               Women’s Basketball

1992               Sean Schiano                                                 Men’s Basketball

1993               Hans Blatter                                                  Baseball

1994               Ryan Diodati                                                 Baseball

1995               Anne Mario Rudnicki                                     Women’s Basketball

1996               Karen Catalano                                             Volleyball, Softball

1997               Jessica Lee Anderson                                    Volleyball

1998               Frank Michael Tabacynski                             Baseball

1999               Cory Andrew Pike                                        Baseball

2000               Gregory Ryan Gardner                                  Men’s Hockey

2001               Peter Nastasi                                                 Baseball

2002               Tania Denise Pinelli                                        Women’s Hockey

2003               Joshua McCurdy                                           Baseball

2004               Joe Tallari                                             Men’s Hockey