Cross Country/Track 7/4/2022 10:00:00 AM

Finalists Revealed for 2021-22 Female Athlete of the Year

The finalists for the 2021-22 Canisius Female Athlete of the Year award are now online. Fans are encouraged to vote for their favorite finalist through 9 p.m. on Thursday, July 7. The winner will be announced on Friday, July 8.

This year's finalists are:

Libby Benzer – Women's Cross Country/Track
• Finished in 14th place at the MAAC Cross Country Championships to earn All-MAAC honors
• Posted a first-place finish at the Little Three Cross Country Championships with a time of 19:25.21
• Claimed the individual title in the 5k at the Canisius Alumni Classic with a personal-best time of 18:41.5
• Established an indoor school record in the one-mile run at the MAAC Indoor Track & Field Championships, crossing the finish line in 5:05.59
• Member of the 4x800 relay team that set an indoor program record of 9:35.98 at the ECAC Indoor Championships
• Earned All-East recognition for her seventh-place finish in the women's 5000 at the ECAC Outdoor Championships

Megan Giese – Softball
• Unanimous selection as MAAC Pitcher of the Year and All-MAAC First Team
• MAAC All-Championship Team selection and Tournament MOP
• NFCA Great Lakes All-Region Third Team selection
• Made 32 appearances and 24 starts in the circle
• Allowed three or fewer runs in 26 appearances
• Ranked first in the MAAC with 14 wins, 18 complete games, a 1.98 ERA and a 5.78 strikeout-to-walk ratio
• Was second in the MAAC with 185 strikeouts; the fourth-most strikeouts in a single season in program history
• Tied for second in the conference with five saves on the year with teammate Alexis Churchill

Dani Haskell – Women's Basketball
• All-MAAC Third Team selection
• Started all 31 games played
• Paced squad in points (14.4), assists (2.9) and steals (1.3) per game
• Led the MAAC in free-throw percentage (.879), making 87-of-99 attempts at the charity stripe
• Ranked third in the MAAC in 3-point field goals per game (2.1)
• Scored in double figures in 27 of 31 games; finished with 20 or more points on seven occasions
• Scored 26 points on 10-of-17 shooting and added six assists in first-round upset over Monmouth at 2022 MAAC Women's Basketball Championship

Erin Hufford – Softball
• MAAC Player of the Year and All-MAAC First Team honoree
• Selected to the MAAC All-Championship Team
• CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team pick
• NFCA Great Lakes All-Region Third Team selection
• Made 48 appearances starting in 47 games
• Led the MAAC with her .386 batting average and 29 stolen bases
• Paced the team in hits (61), runs (32) and on-base percentage (.439)

Skylar McArthur – Women's Lacrosse
• All-MAAC First Team Selection
• Started all 16 contests
• Led the Griffs with 50 goals scored, tallying five or more goals on six occasions
• Ranked second on the team with 52 points
• Netted a career-high six goals in conference matchup with Siena
• Collected a personal-best nine draw controls in MAAC quarterfinal contest against Fairfield
• Tabbed MAAC Offensive Player of the Week twice

Sage Pollack – Women's Swimming and Diving
• Claimed the MAAC Championship in the 50 free (23.07) and 100 free (51.26)
• Established program records in both events - 51.19 in 100 free prelims
• Became the third Canisius female athlete to have multiple individual first-place finishes in the same year at the MAAC Championships - first ever Golden Griffin to earn gold in either event
• Also earned a third-place finish in the 200 free relay (1:35.65) at the MAAC Championships
• Finished first all eight times she swam the 50 and 100 free during the season
• Broke the Koessler pool record in the 50 free (24.26) and 100 free (52.85) against Niagara

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Players Mentioned

#14 Dani Haskell: G; 5' 6"; Sophomore

Libby Benzer: 5' 11"; Senior

#18 Skylar McArthur: M; 5' 6"; Senior

#23 Alexis Churchill: P; 5' 9"; Senior; R/L

#17 Megan Giese: P/INF; 5' 7"; Sophomore; R/R

#1 Erin Hufford: OF; 5' 6"; Graduate Student; L/L

Sage Pollack: 5' 5"; Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

#14 Dani Haskell
: 5' 6"; Sophomore
: G

Libby Benzer
: 5' 11"; Senior

#18 Skylar McArthur
: 5' 6"; Senior
: M

#23 Alexis Churchill
: 5' 9"; Senior; R/L
: P

#17 Megan Giese
: 5' 7"; Sophomore; R/R
: P/INF

#1 Erin Hufford
: 5' 6"; Graduate Student; L/L
: OF

Sage Pollack
: 5' 5"; Graduate Student