US Army ROTC Leadership Profiles

Jordan Henderson - Men's Basketball
Graduate Student • Cincinnati, Ohio.

Graduate student Jordan Henderson is the feature of January's Canisius Leadership Spotlight, presented by the US Army ROTC.

Henderson has played 117 career games, which ranks third-most among all players within the MAAC. On Dec. 31, the Cincinnati, Ohio native became the 40th player in school history to reach the 1,000-career point milestone after he hit a 3-point field goal late in the team's game against Rider. Henderson is the first Ohio-born player in school history to join Canisius' 1,000-career point club.

A two-year team captain, Henderson earned his undergraduate degree in psychology from the College in May 2022, and he is currently pursuing his master's degree in clinical mental health counseling.

Adriana Bolender - Swimming and Diving
Graduate Student • Youngstown, N.Y.

Graduate student Adriana Bolender is the feature of November's Canisius Leadership Spotlight, presented by the US Army ROTC.

Bolender earned a bronze medal at the 2022 MAAC Swimming and Diving Championships last February after she posted a score of 212 in the 1-meter diving event. In the early part of the 2022-23 season, Bolender earned career-highs in both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events, posting scores of 254.18 (1-meter) and 274.43 (3-meter). For her efforts this year, she has been named the MAAC Female Diver of the Week two times.

Adriana Bolender 2022 MAAC Swim/Dive Championships

A three-time MAAC All-Academic Team honoree, she earned her undergraduate degree in education in May 2021. She is currently working toward her master's degree in teaching English to speakers of other languages at Canisius.

J.D. Pogue - Hockey
Graduate Student • Montreal, Quebec

Graduate student J.D. Pogue is the feature of October's Canisius Leadership Spotlight, presented by the US Army ROTC.

Pogue is in his fifth year wearing Canisius Blue and Gold, and on Oct. 7, he played in his 100th career game with the program. The forward has 13 goals and 23 assists to his credit, including a pair of assists Oct. 7-8 when Canisius opened the year at Penn State.

Canisius forward J.D. Pogue is shown during game action versus Ferris State on Oct. 30, 2021

Prior ot the start of the 2022-23 season, Pogue was named a team captain, a role he also held for the 2021-22 campaign. He is just the ninth player in program history to wear the captain's "C" in consecutive years. Off the ice, Pogue is a two-time Atlantic Hockey All-Academic Team honoree, and last spring, he was named the team's Community Service Award winner.

Abby Molloy - Women's Soccer
Senior • West Seneca, N.Y.

Senior back Abby Molloy is highlighted as September's Canisius Leadership Spotlight, presented by the US Army ROTC.

Molloy has been a fixture on the back end for the Griffs in her four seasons with the program, as she had started every game in her collegiate career, dating back to the fall of 2019. In that time, Molloy has helped the Griffs' defensive efforts, highlighted by the team's current streak of allowing two-or fewer goals in all eight games to date (as of Sept. 23).

Canisius defender Abby Molloy kicks the ball during game action against Cornell at the Demske Sports Complex on Aug. 26, 2022

In the classroom, the West Seneca, N.Y., native has been honored as a two-time MAAC All-Academic honoree as a health and wellness major. Earlier this season, she was named a team co-captain for the 2021 campaign.

Bree Long - Volleyball
Senior • Temperance, Mich.

Senior libero Bree Long is highlighted as August's Canisius Leadership Spotlight, presented by the US Army ROTC.

Long enters her senior season with 1,360 career digs, which ranks fifth-best in program history. A three-year starter at the libero postilion, she racked up 529 digs last season, which stands as the ninth-most in a single-season for a Canisius player. The Temperance, Mich., native closed out the Griffs' 2021 campaign with 28 digs in the team's MAAC Championship semifinal round loss to Fairfield en route to being named to the 2021 MAAC All-Championship Team, and just last week, she was named to the 2022 Preseason All-MAAC Team.

Bree Long gets ready to serve against Fairfield in a home match during the 2019 season.

In the classroom, Long is a two-time MAAC All-Academic honoree as an integrated marketing communications major. She is a leader among the department's student-athletes as well, serving as one of the volleyball program's representatives on the Canisius Student-Athlete Advisory Commitee (SAAC).

Megan Giese - Softball
Junior • Buffalo, N.Y.

Canisius softball pitcher Megan Giese is highlighted in the Canisius Leadership Spotlight, presented by the US Army ROTC, for the month of July.

In May, Giese helped lead the Golden Griffin softball program to its 13th MAAC Softball Championship after she went 3-0 with 19 strikeouts in 21.0 innings of work in three games in the 2022 MAAC Softball Championship. For her efforts, the Buffalo, N.Y., native was named the MAAC Softball Championship Most Outstanding Player, making her the 10th different player in program history (seventh pitcher) to win that award.

Megan Giese throwing a pitch April 30, 2022

In the classroom, Giese is a two-time MAAC All-Academic honoree as a physical and health education major. Giese is a leader among the department's student-athletes as well, serving as one of the softball team's representatives on the Canisius Student-Athlete Advisory Commitee (SAAC).

Mike Steffan - Baseball
Graduate Student • Williamsville, N.Y.

Former Canisius baseball player Mike Steffan is featured as June's Canisius Leadership Spotlight, presented by the US Army ROTC.

A five-year member of the Canisius baseball program, Steffan closed out the 2022 season in style after he hit .348 with 12 doubles, a triple, nine homers and a team-high 59 RBI in 50 games. A 2022 All-MAAC First Team selection, and a member of the 2022 MAAC All-Tournament Team, the Williamsville, N.Y., native was a driving force in the Golden Griffins' run to the 2022 MAAC baseball title and a berth into the 2022 NCAA Divsion I Baseball Championship.

Mike Steffan bats during the 2022 season

Off the field, Steffan was honored for his work in the classroom by being named a Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America selection, the organization announced June 8. A first-team pick at the designated hitter position, Steffan is the eighth Golden Griffin baseball player and the first since Connor Panas in 2015 to be recognized.

Steffan recently completed his master's degree in finance after earning his undergraduate degree in the same discipline from the College. A four-time MAAC All-Academic Team honoree, Steffan has already accepted a position working with the Microsoft Corporation in the state of Washington.