June 4, 2009

Senior Bridgette Hooker (Belmont, NH) was named the recipient of the University Scholar-Athlete Award while seniors Sarah Brassard (Oxford, MA) and Ruben Sanca (Boston, MA) each received the Chancellor’s Medal at UMass Lowell’s 2009 Commencement Ceremony on Saturday.

The University Scholar-Athlete Award is presented to the graduating senior student-athlete with the top grade point average. A nursing major, Hooker graduated with a 3.83 and was a four-year member of the women’s basketball team.

The Chancellor’s Medal, offered to no more than six undergraduates per year, is presented to the students who have made outstanding contributions to the University during their four years.

Hooker played in 92 career games for UMass Lowell, starting 33. As a senior, she missed the first semester with an injury but solidified her place in the starting lineup over the final eight games.

She was also the recipient of many awards over the course of her career, including the Northeast-10 Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll three straight years (and likely a fourth), as well as a spot on the NE-10 Women’s Basketball All-Academic Team in 2006-07.

"Congratulations to Bridgette for being recognized as UMass Lowell's top scholar athlete award,” said UML Head Coach Kathy O’Neil. “She did this in the rigorous major of nursing while still contributing on the basketball court."

Hooker is the daughter of Bruce and Cathy Hooker of Belmont, NH.

Brassard and Sanca, recently named recipients of the David Boutin Award and the Laurie Mann Award for male and female student-athletes of the year, recently capped their careers with the UMass Lowell cross country and track and field teams.

Brassard emerged as one of the top distance runners in the conference and region this year, earning NE-10 and NCAA East Region all-star honors. She helped lead the River Hawks to both the NE-10 and NCAA East Region titles and a 22nd place finish at the NCAA Championship.

She highlighted the indoor and outdoor seasons by winning the mile at the NE-10 indoor championship in a NE-10-record time of 5:11.02; as well as the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the NE-10 outdoor championship in 11:08.14.

Brassard qualified for the NCAA Championship in steeplechase, placing 11th in 11:37.75.

Sanca also enjoyed spectacular cross country and indoor seasons, winning the individual titles and leading UMass Lowell to team championships at both the NE-10 and NCAA East Region meets. The River Hawks placed 13th at the NCAAs, led by Sanca’s 45th-place finish.

Perhaps more impressive, Sanca led UMass Lowell to its second New England Championship – which encompasses 47 Division I, II and III colleges and 316 runners – in three years.

Individually, Sanca placed second behind Tim Ritchie of Boston College by one second. He highlighted the indoor season by earning NE-10 and U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country (USTFCCCA) Athlete of the Year honors and was among the top five qualifiers for the NCAA Championship in three events.

A back injury, however, curtailed Sanca’s effort at the 2009 NCAA indoors as well as the entire outdoor season.

Brassard, an exercise physiology major with a 3.80 grade point average, and Sanca, a business management student with a 3.28 average, were very active within the department of athletics and campus communities, of which the Boutin and Mann Awards were the result.

“I have no idea how Sarah and Ruben found the time to complete all of their academic requirements, their service to the campus and community as well as their her training for track and field and cross country,” said UML Head Coach Gary Gardner. “It takes a very special student-athlete to accomplish what they did.”

Brassard is the daughter of Kevin and Debora Brassard of Oxford, MA. Sanca is the son of Nerino and the late Maria Sanca of Boston, MA.