BOSTON – After careful consideration, Director of Athletics Cary McConnell has unveiled Suffolk Athletics' highest honor of an academic year, the Charles Law Student-Athlete award to two renowned Rams; men's cross country and track & field's Matyas Csiki-Fejer and women's basketball's Jenni-Rose DiCecco.
The recipient(s) of this distinguished award is recognized in name 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 and peers as "Dean of New England Basketball Coaches" and directed his last two teams to NCAA Division III postseason 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 Coaches Hall of Fame.
The selection committee had its work cut out for themselves this year with numerous academic and athletic achievements across the department's 19 varsity sports. When it came down to it the decision was easy as Csiki-Fejer and DiCecco, who were trailblazers in their respective sports from the get-go of their careers, wrapped up their days in blue-and-gold with exclamation points.
It is the first time since 2017-18 that the Charles Law Student-Athlete award was shared between two individuals and eighth time overall since the award was handed out since 1967-68. DiCecco received the honor for the first time, while Csiki-Fejer became the third-ever two-time honoree, earning the nod for the second straight year.
DiCecco's legacy on the hardwood will last a lifetime. The 5-foot-6 floor general cemented her spot in the Rams' record book as women's basketball all-time leading scorer with 1,723 career points. In addition, she holds the all-time record for assists (542), steals (309) and field goals made (121).
"Jenni-Rose was a great teammate," women's basketball head coach Ed Leyden said. "She was consistent and you could count on her."
A native of Falmouth, Massachusetts, DiCecco laced up her sneakers and appeared in the starting line-up in all, but one of the 116 games over the last five years. In that time, she guided the Rams to over 80 victories, and an impressive 71.6 percent (83-33) winning percentage. Suffolk punched its league postseason ticket every eligible year that DiCecco was on roster and contended for the 2018 GNAC Championship her rookie season.
DiCecco's athletic achievements can be measured by her statistics that are scattered across Suffolk's annals or in her trophy case, which includes 2022 CCC Defensive Player of the Year, a trio of all-region and all-conference selections, respectively, 2018 GNAC Rookie of the Year and more.
In the classroom, DiCecco brandished an impressive 3.67 GPA as an undergraduate and completed her Bachelors last May en route to CoSIDA Academic All-District distinction in 2020-21. This year, while working towards her Masters in Sociology, she assembled 3.73 GPA.
When it comes to Csiki-Fejer, cross country/track & field head coach Will Feldman said it best, "Matyas has been the epitome of excellence since stepping onto campus four years ago, and it has been a pleasure to watch him grow as a student-athlete and person."
Feldman continued, "What he has accomplished while at Suffolk is amazing, and he has set a very high standard for the next wave of cross country and track & field athletes at Suffolk University."
As a runner, Csiki-Fejer wrote and rewrote the record books. Not only did he break numerous school marks, but reset top conference marks and ended the 2022 indoor season with the fifth-best time in NCAA Division III history in the 3k.
The long-distance runner's athletic resume is extensive. He captained three conference championship teams, back-to-back GNAC Indoor Track & Field titles and the inaugural CCC Outdoor Track & Field crown in 2022. Individually, he won seven individual conference championships en route to five conference runner/track athlete of the year honors and a pair of conference rookie of the year nods to go along with numerous all-region selections.
Over his four years, he competed on the national stage four times, twice on the cross country course, once in indoor and outdoor track & field, respectively. Csiki-Fejer may have saved his best performances for last as he completed the trifecta as a senior this year, running in all three fields and garnering All-America in two; cross country and outdoor track & field. He was the first male Suffolk student-athlete to compete at NCAAs in each of those sports in the University's history and first-ever to pick up All-America distinction in cross country and outdoor track & field. He is the second Ram to garner a pair of All-America honors, first since Suffolk Hall of Famer Jess Ferreira '09 was rewarded for her efforts on the softball diamond in 2006 and 2009 by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).
Csiki-Fejer achieved all of his athletic achievements while maintaining a 4.0 GPA as a dual major in political science and legal studies. The 2022 Suffolk University College of Arts and Sciences Commencement Student Speaker has been acknowledged for his academics on multiple occasions highlighted by a pair of CoSIDA Academic All-America selections with a likely third to be announced next week, which would make more Suffolk Athletics history as the first student-athlete to receive the highest academic honor three times in their collegiate careers.
"I am beyond proud of him," Feldman said. "I am so glad he has been rewarded with this honor."
CHARLES LAW STUDEN-ATHLETE
1967-68 Scott Davis
1968-69 Ed Belczinski
1969-70 Anthony Gallgui
1969-70 Anthony Gallgui
1970-71 Ronald Corbett
1971-72 Kenneth Busa
1972-73 David Gillon
1973-74 Ken Anderson
1974-75 Jeffery Strungis
1975-76 Philip Tarallo
1976-77 Christos Tsiotos
1977-78 Karen Kellher Mason
1978-79 Rick Williams
1979-80 Richard Longergan
1980-81 Dan Doherty
1981-82 Brian Callahan
1982-83 James McHoul
1983-84 Elaine Buckley
1984-85 Susan Hurley
1985-86 Donan Gariboldi
1986-87 Ellen Crotty
1987-88 Jeremiah Wallace
1988-89 John Cristiani
1989-90 Anna Christine Kruse
1990-91 James Ignazio
1991-92 Brian Gruning
1992-93 Dave MacDougall
1993-94 Christian Dwyer
1994-95 Rob Zeytoonian
1995-96 Dave Allen
1996-97 Erica Petersen
1997-98 Shona Mutambirwa
1998-99 Kristine Smith
1999-00 Kate Norton
2000-01 Dan Florian
2001-02 Kate Librandi / Heather Orkney
2002-03 Tom Carey
2003-04 Erin Pagel
2004-05 Matt Batchelder
2005-06 Jill Grant / Trevor Grimshaw
2006-07 Jenn Fogg
2007-08 Stephanie Morrissey
2008-09 Jess Ferreira / Brian Small
2009-10 Bobby Barrett
2010-11 Jeff Rose
2011-12 Leslie Hayden
2012-13 Jacqueline Vienneau
2013-14 Jake Cintolo / Jennifer Ruys
2014-15 Sarah Chasse
2015-16 Justin Selep / Caleb Unni
2016-17 Matthew Brenner / Chuck Gibson
2017-18 Brady Chant / Alexandra Nagri
2018-19 Emily Manfra
2019-20 Emily Manfra
2020-21 Matyas Csiki-Fejer
2021-22 Matyas Csiki-Fejer / Jenni-Rose DiCecco