St. John's University Athletics
Trio of Johnnies Earns BIG EAST Sport Excellence Awards
7/11/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
QUEENS, N.Y. - The BIG EAST announced the winners of its annual Sport Excellence Awards on Monday and the Red Storm was well represented, as three St. John's student-athletes took home one of the league's highest honors.
Rachel Daly of women's soccer, Thomas Hackimer of baseball and Roberto Livi of men's tennis were each recognized for their athletic achievement, academic excellence and commitment to community service.
In February, Daly and Hackimer were also recognized as the BIG EAST Female and Male Scholar Athletes of the Year, marking the first time in the history of the award that both the male and female winner came from the same institution.
The Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Awards are given to one student-athlete in each BIG EAST-sponsored sport based on academic credentials, athletic accolades or performances and volunteer service to the community. Student-athletes who have attained junior academic standing and a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 are eligible. The winners are chosen by the BIG EAST Faculty Athletics Representative Council.
Daly, a two-time NSCAA All-American, wrapped up the most prolific career in St. John's history this past fall, capping her Red Storm tenure as the program's leader in goals (50) and points (111). The 2013 and 2015 BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year, Daly finished third in the nation in scoring with 19 goals and led the Red Storm to its finest season in program history, as Head Coach Ian Stone's squad compiled a record of 15-4-1 and claimed the Johnnies' first-ever BIG EAST Regular Season Championship.
After graduating in January with a 3.50 cumulative GPA, Daly became the first Red Storm player to ever be taken in the National Women's Soccer League Draft, going sixth overall to the Houston Dash. The Harrogate, England, native made an immediate impact in the pro ranks, tallying a goal and an assist in her debut to earn NWSL Player of the Week honors. In addition to her professional prowess, Daly also recently debuted on the highest international stage, scoring a goal in her first cap with the English Women's National Team in a 7-0 win over Serbia on June 4.
The first reliever to garner BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year honors since 2005, Hackimer put the finishing touches on one of the most dominant careers of any hurler in St. John's history this spring. An ABCA Third Team All-American, Hackimer went 7-3 with eight saves and a 1.17 ERA in 28 appearances. The reliever had 71 strikeouts in 53.2 innings of work and allowed just a .133 opponent batting average.
In his first 26 regular season appearances, Hackimer was 7-1 with eight saves and a 0.72 ERA. The reliever racked up 67 strikeouts in 49.2 innings of work and held the opposition to just a .094 batting average.
For his efforts, Hackimer was taken in the fourth round, 123rd overall, by the Minnesota Twins in the 2016 MLB Draft.
For the third consecutive season Livi played a critical role in the Red Storm's march to a BIG EAST Championship title this past spring. The Port St. Lucie, Fla., native went a perfect 4-0 in the BIG EAST Championship, earning him the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award. Livi capped off his outstanding junior campaign with his second-straight BIG EAST Player of the Year honors after going 17-4 in singles play, mostly at the No. 3 spot, and holding a 13-7 record in doubles play. Livi was just one of three student-athletes who were voted by unanimous decision to the All-BIG EAST Team, marking his third selection to the team in as many years.
