BOSTON – Emily Manfra of the Suffolk women's cross country and track & field team has been honored as the 2018-19 sole recipient of the prestigious Charles Law Student-Athlete Award, Director of Athletics Cary McConnell announced Thursday morning.
The recipient of his 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' men's basketball team for three decades, winning the admiration of his players an 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.
Manfra is the first sole recipient of the nod since softball's Sarah Chasse picked up the recognition in 2015 and is the first runner to be acknowledged for her work on the course and in the classroom in the recent history of the award, which dates back to 1967-68. Additionally, she is the first junior to pick up the nod.
The junior from Stoneham, Massachusetts, had a record-setting 2018-19 year with successes in each season on the conference, regional and nationally level, as well as the academic accolades. The Biology major compiled a perfect 4.0 GPA in each semester en route to Google Cloud Academic All-America and All-District distinction, a first for the Rams' cross country/track & field program, and USTFCCCA Academic Award status.
No time was wasted athletically as the long distance runner made headlines early on in the fall. The All-GNAC honoree put together a runner-up finish on the championship 5k course before notching a 17th-place finish in the regional 6k two weeks, which earned her a place at the NCAA DIII Cross Country National Championships. In Winneconne, Wisconsin, November 17, she became the first-ever Suffolk cross country runner – both male and female – to compete at nationals.
Her standout showing came in the winter when she ran to All-America status in the mile, which marked another first for Suffolk's history. After producing the Rams' first-ever women's sub-5:00.00 mile at Boston University's John Terrier Classic Jan. 25 she posted a personal-record time of 4:54.13 in the finals at nationals to finish fifth overall, achieving All-America accolades.
In the Spring Manfra continued to standout. The 2019 GNAC Female Track Athlete of the Year became the first-ever Ram to race at an outdoor national event and narrowly missed All-America honors with a ninth-place showing in the 1500.
"Emily has had an amazing year, and I have been fortunate to be a part of it," said Head Coach of Cross Country / Track & Field Will Feldman. "She works extremely hard, brings a great attitude every day and loves to compete. There's never been a moment too big for her. Getting to Nationals is a huge accomplishment, and at Nationals she always rose to the occasion setting multiple personal records at the biggest races of her life. She has a special ability to rise to the occasion. In addition to being an All-American on the track she managed to maintain a 3.9 GPA.
CHARLES LAW STUDENT-ATHLETE AWARD
2018-19 Emily Manfra
2017-18 Brady Chant / Alexandra Nagri
2016-17 Matthew Brenner / Chuck Gibson
2015-16 Justin Selep / Caleb Unni
2014-15 Sarah Chasse
2013-14 Jake Cintolo / Jennifer Ruys
2012-13 Jacqueline Vienneau
2011-12 Leslie Hayden
2010-11 Jeff Rose
2009-10 Bobby Barrett
2008-09 Jess Ferreira / Brian Small
2007-08 Stephanie Morrissey
2006-07 Jenn Fogg
2005-06 Jill Grant / Trevor Grimshaw
2004-05 Matt Batchelder
2003-04 Erin Pagel
2002-03 Tom Carey
2001-02 Kate Librandi / Heather Orkney
2000-01 Dan Florian
1999-00 Kate Norton
1998-99 Kristine Smith
1997-98 Shona Mutambirwa
1996-97 Erica Petersen
1995-96 Dave Allen
1994-95 Rob Zeytoonian
1993-94 Christian Dwyer
1992-93 Dave MacDougall
1991-92 Brian Gruning
1990-91 James Ignazio
1989-90 Anna Christine Kruse
1988-89 John Cristiani
1987-88 Jeremiah Wallace
1986-87 Ellen Crotty
1985-86 Donan Gariboldi
1984-85 Susan Hurley
1983-84 Elaine Buckley
1982-83 James McHoul
1981-82 Brian Callahan
1980-81 Dan Doherty
1979-80 Richard Longergan
1978-79 Rick Williams
1977-78 Karen Kellher Mason
1976-77 Christos Tsiotos
1975-76 Philip Tarallo
1974-75 Jeffery Strungis
1973-74 Ken Anderson
1972-73 David Gillon
1971-72 Kenneth Busa
1970-71 Ronald Corbett
1969-70 Anthony Gallgui
1968-69 Ed Belczinski
1967-68 Scott Davis