ITHACA, N.Y. -- Cornell seniors Vito Arujau, Veer Chotrani, Izzy Daniel and Caroline Ramsey took home the Charles H. Moore Outstanding Senior Varsity Athlete Award on Monday evening during the school's Senior Toast event. Manny Adebi, Rachel Bonnet, Sebastian Pardo and Rachel Zun earned the Ronald P. Lynch Senior Spirit Award, given to student-athletes whose leadership on and off the field model the ideals of the Big Red athletics department. Jacob Cardenas and Sydney Moore were recognized with the Mario St. George Boiardi '04 Leadership Award for embodying leadership, athleticism and a strong work ethic. Paige daCosta and Jackie Lasseter were chosen to receive the Athletics Department Inspiration Award, given when a student-athlete's accomplishments on and off the field inspire not only his or her teammates and coaches, but also his or her fellow classmates, professors and the entire Cornell University family. 

Below are bios of each of the award winners:

 

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Charles H. Moore Outstanding Varsity Athlete

Selection will be based on the student-athlete's athletic performance over his or her career at Cornell. The outstanding level of play has distinguished him or her within the team, Ivy League and the nation.

Vito Arujau, Wrestling
• Won NCAA titles at 133 pounds as a junior and senior, becoming the sixth multi-time national champion in Cornell wrestling history. 
• One of nine four-time NCAA All-Americans in program history (fourth, third, first, first), Arujau ended his career with a 93-8 record. 
• Won two EIWA titles and was named EIWA Wrestler of the Year as a senior after earning Outstanding Wrestler at the 2023 NCAA Championships en route to his first national title. 
• Two-time Big Red captain earned first-team All-Ivy honors as a freshman, junior and senior and second-team honors as a sophomore. 
• Before his senior season, Arujau became the first Cornell wrestler to win a senior world championship as an undergrad when he claimed the 61kg title in Belgrade, Serbia. 
• He was the runner-up at the 2021 Olympic Trials, winning the Pan American title that same year.

Veer Chotrani, Men's Squash
• A four-time first-team CSA All-American and four-time all-Ivy first-team honoree.
• Yhe first-ever Cornell recipient of the 2024 Skillman Award as men's national player of the year in collegiate squash.
• Crowned the CSA Individual National Champion after winning the Molloy Cup. 
• Ivy League Player of the Year as a senior.
• Competing solely at the No. 1 position, he amassed a 46-22 record throughout his career.

Izzy Daniel, Women's Ice Hockey
• Capped off her career as the program's first-ever Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner as national player of the Year in 2024, a year that saw her named ECAC Hockey Player and Forward of the Year, Ivy Player of The Year, and as a unanimous first-team selection in both leagues. 
• Gathered first-team All-America nods from ACHA and USCHO. 
• Led the team and ranked third nationally with 59 points and was second with 38 assists in helping Cornell to an Ivy League title and an NCAA Tournament appearance. 
• Was a second-team All-ECAC Hockey and All-Ivy pick as a junior and a third-team All-ECAC Hockey and honorable mention All-Ivy honoree as a sophomore. 
• Led the team in scoring as a junior with 48 points (18 goals, 30 assists). 
• Part of two Ivy championship teams, one ECAC Hockey regular season champ and a pair of NCAA Tournament squads during her career, helping Cornell to a 83-38-8 mark in her four seasons. 
• Skated in 125 consecutive games, scoring 158 points on 51 goals and 107 assists in her career.

Caroline Ramsey, Field Hockey
• NFHCA All-America second-team selection and SYNAPSE Sports first-team pick as a senior and was a third-team All-American in 2022. 
• 2023 NFHCA Mideast Regional Player of the Year and Ivy League and ECAC Offensive Player of the Year.
• First-team All-Ivy and NFHCA All-Region pick for the third time in her career in 2023. 
• Ranked second nationally in goals (24) and points (54), both single-season school records, while leading the Big Red to a second-place finish in the Ancient Eight and a school-record 12 wins. 
• Named Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week four times and was credited with the game winners in eight of the team's victories with three additional defensive saves (second in the Ivy League) from her position in the midfield as a senior in 2023. 
• Three-year captain graduated with Cornell single-game records for goals (four), as well as season and career records for goals, game-winning goals, points, and defensive saves.

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Ronald P. Lynch Senior Spirit

Selection will be based on the student-athlete's all-around contribution to Cornell athletics. The recipient will be a leader both on and off the field, will have taken an active role in cultivating high team morale and has best exemplified the spirit that is Cornell athletics. In short, the recipient is an all-around student-athlete, leader and role model.

Manny Adebi, Football
• Walk-on who developed into a two-year contributor at tight end, appearing in 16 games. 
• School career record holder in blocked kicks with seven. 
• Always a positive influence on others and a pleasure to interact with, and at just about every sporting event on campus. 
• Born without full mobility in his right arm, Adebi has made a name for himself as a block artist while relying on his left. 
• Can't raise his arm above his head or extend it all the way out in front of him. 
• Majoring in electrical and computer engineering. 
• Will attend Vanderbilt as a graduate transfer.

Rachel Bonnet, Women's Track & Field/Cross Country
• A leader on the track & field team and in the department for her entire career. 
• An ambassador for the team and department. 
• From working with administrators on policy, to leading SAAC as co-president, to arranging community service events for the track and field team, there is no part of leadership and Big Red Spirit that has not been influenced by Rachel. 
• Rachel has scored at every Ivy League Championships she has competed at during her career.
• Founding member and Board member of Teams Work for Good, INC, a non-profit that engages in monthly service activities and has raised close to $100,000 for selected charities through fundraising events such as annual galas and 5ks.

Sebastian Pardo, Men's Lightweight Rowing
• Part of the 4+ that won at the prestigious Head of the Charles this fall, just the second time in program history that Cornell won the event. 
• Rowing in the JV boat which was ranked first nationally and was undefeated in the regular season - including handing Princeton's JV its first loss in three years.
• Senior captain and known as the glue that held the team together after a coaching transition. 
• Dean's List member in College of Engineering.
• Commissioned as an Officer for the Air Force and will be attending Officer Training School this summer where he hopes to achieve his wings and become a pilot. 

Rachel Zun, Gymnastics
• Battled several medical issues early in her career which kept her from training like her teammates. 
• Despite that, she came into the gym every day with a fantastic attitude, cheered on her teammates, immersed herself in all of the activities she was allowed to participate in, and worked to get healthy so she could resume her gymnastics.
• In her four years at Cornell, she has been a leader and coordinator for our team's community service events, was the secretary and then president of SAAC, was the chair of our Diversity and Inclusion Committee, helped to coordinate the "Strength Beyond Muscles" meet to raise awareness for mental health, and has participated in a wide range of other community service events.
• As a member of the League of Women Voters, she helped to found the "Tech Genius" program which provides one-on-one instruction in tech proficiency for senior board members, and helped assist with voter registration and election day from 2018 to the present.
• Last semester she earned a 4.231 GPA and has a 4.142 overall GPA. 
• Currently a tutor for undergraduates in Biology, Chemistry and Neuroscience, was an undergraduate teaching assistant for Neurobiology and Behavior, is a member of the Rho Psi Eta Pre-Health Organization, the Psi Chi International Psychology Honor Society, and Kappa Omicron Nu Human Science National Honor Society.
• Did extensive undergraduate research, including in the Lab for Rational Decision Making (2022-present), where they analyzed health and medical decision making and worked with public health officials to improve communication of risk to patients and mitigate the spread of illness. 

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Mario St. George Boiardi '04 Leadership

The recipient will embody leadership, athleticism, and strong work ethic. This athlete need not be the most athletic player on the team, but is key to the program's success, and is a role model and mentor to younger athletes.

Jacob Cardenas, Wrestling
• Two-time All-American at 197 pounds, finished eighth as a junior and fourth his senior year. 
• Three-time unanimous first-team All-Ivy pick.
• Won an EIWA title as a junior and was runner-up as a senior. 
• Three-time NCAA qualifier posted a 71-22 record over three season, helping Cornell to three Ivy League and EIWA titles and a pair of NCAA team podium finishes (fourth in 2023, second in 2024). 
• Two-time U23 world medalist.
• Active on Cornell and Ivy League's SAAC board.
• Teaching Assistant in CALS
• Will attend Michigan as a graduate transfer.

Sydney Moore, Volleyball
• Top 10 ranking in conference statistic categories (blocks) in multiple seasons.
• Three-year letter winner.
• Glamour Magazine's College Women of the Year in the fall of 2023 (15.0 in SL points).
• One of the five Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award winners at the 2022 ESPY's.
• In March of 2023 she addressed members of Congress about NCAA reform, gender equity, and Title IX.
• Led a panel discussion in the United States Capitol Building to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the passage of Title IX legislation on behalf of Cornell and Voice In Sport, a global non-profit organization committed to advocating for girls and women in sports with research, education, and research.
• Recognized as the Student of the Year at the Black Student Athlete (BSA) Summit in May of 2023 at the University of Southern California.
• Co-president of the Women of Color Athletics (WOCA).
• Will attend Syracuse as a graduate transfer.

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Athletics Inspiration Award

This award is given when a student-athlete's accomplishments on and off the field inspire not only his or her teammates and coaches, but also his or her fellow classmates, professors and the entire Cornell University family. The recipient will show an unwavering resilience and passion towards his or her sport, as well as being an innovator and leader within the community.

Paige daCosta, Men's Swimming & Diving
• After becoming an Ivy League champion in the 100 backstroke as a freshman, daCosta was in a terrible motorcycle accident his sophomore year. 
• Experienced serious head trauma resulting in him being in a three week medically induced coma - had 19 broken bones and numerous surgeries to recover from all his injuries. 
• Spent the next three seasons rebuilding himself and returning to competition shape. 
• His focus and sheer determination got him through these obstacles, from knee injuries, to back spasms, to headaches and nerve pain, he persevered. 
• This year he had his best season since his freshman campaign and was on track to reclaim the Ivy title in the 100 backstroke based on swims he posted in dual meets throughout the regular season.
• Unfortunately, three days before the start of the Ivy conference meet, daCosta experienced a medical emergency and was unable to compete in his last college meet. 
• Despite dealing with the extreme disappointment of not being able to compete himself (after everything he has been through), the team captain was on deck as an inspiration to his teammates in their accomplishments at the competition. 
• He graduates with individual school records in the 100 back and 400 IM, relay records in the 400 free and 14 total top 10 marks in school history.  

Jackie Lasseter, Women's Soccer
• Missed freshman year due to Covid; sophomore year with a season-ending injury in the preseason scrimmage; junior year with a season-ending injury in second game of the season. 
• Senior year, having been cleared for full contact only weeks prior to our season, she played in 14 of 16 games, and started 13 of them, and the only absences were us managing her return to play.
• As an integral part of the Big Red's backline, having not played competitively for nearly four years (Covid and season ending injuries) Lasseter contributed to a 42-year program record of going unbeaten for 11 consecutive games and going unbeaten in non-conference for only the second time in Cornell's 42 year history.
• Despite navigating the adversity of being injured and sidelined for two years, was voted on to the leadership team as a junior and a senior. 
• Her influence over the team, both on and off the field, throughout her entire time at Cornell has been massive. 
• Working toward her Master's in Financial Engineering at Cornell.