BOSTON – Suffolk baseball senior Brady Chant and Alexandra Nagri of the Rams' women's basketball and soccer teams have been tabbed the 2017-18 Charles Law Student-Athlete Award honorees, Director of Athletics Cary McConnell announced Thursday afternoon.
The recipient(s) of this distinguished award is recognized in honor of the late Charles Law, whose work ethic and due diligence embodied what it means to be a student-athlete; excel both academically and athletically.
Law established Suffolk University's Athletic program in 1946 and remained as the University's Athletic Director for 33 years. Throughout that time, he coached the Rams' basketball team for three decades, winning the admiration of his players and peers as "Dean of New England Basketball Coaches" and directed his last two teams to NCAA Division III post-season tournament play to complete his career with 295 victories. He also served as the President and Treasurer of the New England Basketball Coaches Association and was nominated for membership to the Citizen Savings Athletic Foundation's Coaches Hall of Fame.
Chant's legacy will be remembered for many years to come as the future Hall of Famer was one of the best ball players to wear blue-and-gold in the program's 71-year history. The evidence is all in the numbers as the centerfielder, who has an accolade resume longer than nearly every other Ram before him, graduated as the all-time leader in triples (25), total bases (362) and at bats (687). Throughout his senior season in 2018, he chased the all-time hits record, but came up five knocks shy, sliding into second all-time with 233 career hits. In the process became the fifth-ever Ram to eclipse the 200-hit plateau. He also holds second in doubles (43) and stolen bases (68), while appearing on the annals for runs scored (151) and walks (84).
The two-year captain's individual accomplishments guided Suffolk to four straight NCAA appearances, including a historic run in 2017, and GNAC glory four times in as many years. Along the way, he was named an All-American Honorable Mention by D3Baseball.com, picked up three first-team all-region selections by both D3Baseball.com and the NEIBA in conjunction with the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and Rawlings and was tabbed the 2018 GNAC Player of the Year.
A fixture in centerfield since 2015, Chant, who appeared in the most games (177) in a Suffolk baseball jersey, he was one of the most consistent fielder's in the Rams' history. In 484 total chances, the four-time all-league player, made just five errors for an impressive .990 career fielding percentage. More impressive, he saved his best for last with a perfect showing in center as a senior, successfully playing 126 total chances with 123 putouts and three outfield assists for an unblemished 1.000 fielding percentage en route to becoming the first Ram and first GNAC student-athlete to earn Rawlings/ABCA Gold Glove honors in 2018. For his efforts in the field throughout his career he was awarded a GNAC Gold Glove in each of his four seasons, the first Ram to achieve the acknowledgement in each season at Suffolk.
Not only were Chant's athletic accomplishments second to none, but he shined in the classroom as well. The Business Open major was one of 11 NCAA Division III student-athletes across New England to be honored for combined excellence academically and athletically with first-team Google Cloud Academic All-District honors presented by CoSIDA. The Warwick, Rhode Island, native achieved Dean's List and AD Honor Roll status in each of his eight semester and graduate in May with a cumulative grade point average of 3.76.
Nagri was in a class of her own. Only a handful of student-athletes can represent a University in two sports and out of those only a few excel; Nagri was the exception. The captain of both the Suffolk women's basketball and soccer teams not only led her teams to success throughout her four years, but she did so while maintaining a double major course load in Finance and Accounting and achieving a nearly perfect grade point average of 3.926.
The Salem, New Hampshire, native left the Granite State in 2014 with the idea of just playing on Ed Leyden's basketball team, but Suffolk University gave her the opportunity to compete on both the pitch and the hardwood.
It's a good thing she did because the impact she made on both programs will be miss come next season.
The two-time all-league selection, Nagri paced the Rams' women's soccer's offensive unit over the course of her career and wrapped up her four-year campaign with 103 points on 46 goals and 11 helpers to sit second all-time in both points and goals.
Her standout individual career led the Rams to multiple successes including three trips to the conference tournament highlighted by a semifinal run in 2016. Another memorable moment that will go in the record books came Sept. 27, 2017 when the 5-foot-1 forward put away the game-winner in a 2-0 victory over league powerhouse Lasell to help the blue-and-gold not only take down the Lasers for the first-time in program history, but became the first league team to defeat and shutout the Lasers since 2012.
When Nagri traded her cleats in for sneaks, she did not miss a beat. A constant in the Rams' starting five since her sophomore campaign she took on the unsung hero role of sorts. She did not always provide an offensive punch, but her tenacious defense, knowledge of the game and her leadership showed in other ways to help Suffolk to four consecutive GNAC postseason appearances including a championship run as a senior in 2017-18. On the way to the title tilt, her leadership helped the Rams do what only one team has done prior, defeat Emmanuel as Suffolk took down its archrival in the semifinals, 73-68, to advance to the championship for the fifth time in program history.
Nagri joined an elite group of Rams Feb. 1, 2018 when she appeared in her 100th collegiate contest becoming just the 19th player to do so. She capped off her career with 691 points, 209 assists and 166 rebounds over 103 contests.
In the Fall of 2017, Nagri made history in Suffolk women's soccer's 11-year history as the first-ever Ram to garner CoSIDA Academic All-District status for her work on the field and in the classroom. She is one of 12 Suffolk student-athletes to garner the honor in their careers joining Chant.
CHARLES LAW STUDENT-ATHLETE
2018 – Brady Chant, Alexandra Nagri
2017 – Matthew Brenner, Chuck Gibson
2016 – Justin Selep, Caleb Unni
2015 – Sarah Chasse
2014 – Jake Cintolo, Jennifer Ruys
2013 – Jacqueline Vienneau
2012 – Leslie Hayden
2011 – Jeff Rose
2010 – Bobby Barrett
2009 – Jess Ferreira, Brian Small
2008 – Stephanie Morrissey
2007 – Jenn Fogg
2006 – Jill Grant, Trevor Grimshaw
2005 – Matt Batchelder
2004 – Erin Pagel
2003 – Tom Cary
2002 – Kate Librandi, Heather Orkney
2001 – Dan Florian
2000 – Kate Norton
1999 – Kristine Smith
1998 – Shona Mutambriwa
1997 – Erica Petersen
1996 – Dave Allen
1995 – Rob Zeytoonian
1994 – Christian Dwyer
1993 – Dave MacDougall
1992 – Brian Gruning
1991 – James Ignazio
1990 – Anna Christine Kruse
1989 – John Cristiani
1988 – Jeremiah Wallace
1987 – Ellen Crotty
1986 – Donna Gariboldi
1985 – Susan Hurley
1984 – Elaine Buckley
1983 – James McHoul
1982 – Brian Callahan
1981 – Dan Doherty
1980 – Richard Longergan
1979 – Rick Williams
1978 – Karen Kelleher Mason
1977 – Christos Tsiotis
1976 – Philip Tarallo
1975 – Jeffery Strugnis
1974 – Ken Anderson
1973 – David Gillon
1972 – Kenneth Busa
1971 – Ronald Corbett
1970 – Anthony Gallgui
1969 – Ed Belczinski
1968 – Scott Davis