Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Duquesne University Department of Athletics honored its student-athletes, coaches and programs for the 2023-24 season Wednesday with the second annual Dukes Awards Show, held at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse. The evening was highlighted by multiple individual and team award winners.
STUDENT-ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
Nominated by their respective coaches and voted on by athletic administrators, the Duquesne Student-Athlete of the Year awards are presented to student-athletes that have concluded their careers and have excelled in competition and the classroom as well as shown a commitment to leadership and service. A closer look at the three winners …
Emily Brozeski (Track & Field) (Co-)
Arguably one of the best all-around student-athletes in program history, Brozeski, a native of North Huntingdon, Pa., is a two-time Atlantic 10 heptathlon champion (2022, 2023) while also winning the 2023 Atlantic 10 pentathlon title. Brozeski owns the school record in the heptathlon (5,127 points) and is also a member of the Duquesne 4x100-meter relay team that established a program standard in the event in 2021 with a time of 46.58 seconds. Having maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.86 while earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in digital media arts, Brozeski also has posted a perfect 4.00 GPA while earning a Master of Fine Arts in interaction design. She has made the DU Dean's List each semester of her time as a student-athlete with the Dukes and is a three-time A-10 All-Academic Team member for both indoor and outdoor track & field. Away from competition and the classroom, Brozeski has served as a member of the Duquesne Student-Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC), a lead photographer for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) and also has completed a motion graphics internship for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). She is currently working on her capstone project, "Ideal Form," an application that focuses on injury prevention and recovery utilizing augmented reality.
Amaya Hamilton (Basketball) (Co-)
The Duquesne career leader for games played (141), Hamilton, a native of Fishers, Ind., concluded her career with the Dukes with totals of 1,137 points and 49 double-figure scoring efforts. As a junior during the 2022-23 campaign, Hamilton averaged 10.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, including a team-high 11.9 points in Atlantic 10 action. She followed that by averaging 9.4 points per contest as a senior in 2023-24 in helping Duquesne finish with an overall record of 21-13 (.618) as the Dukes advanced to the third round of the 2024 Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). In earning a Bachelor of Science degree in health sciences with a cumulative GPA of 3.64, Hamilton is on pace to graduate this summer with a Master of Physician Studies from DU. In addition to participating and volunteering in numerous organizations both on campus and off during her time on the Bluff, including the A-10 Commission on Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Animal Friends, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, Hamilton has been considered "the best physician assistant student" that DU has produced after her first clinical rotation as a PA student. During her time in the operating room, Hamilton showed steady and calm hands and assisted with complex open abdominal and laparoscopic surgeries. She has been nominated to rotate in orthopedic surgery at The Steadman Clinic, which is a facility that treats Team USA.
Michael Dorundo (Football)
Starting the final 38 games of his career on the offensive line at center for the Dukes, a school record, Dorundo, a native of Gibsonia, Pa., was a key piece to a front five that helped pave the way for the Dukes to tally eight games of at least 100 yards rushing in 2023, including three games with at least 200 yards on the ground. A two-time All-Northeast Conference (NEC) Second Team honoree (2021, 2023), Dorundo also protected the pocket in 2023 for the top passing offense in the conference as Duquesne finished with an overall record of 7-5 (.583), including a mark of 6-1 (.857) in the NEC. The Dukes claimed the 2023 NEC crown and automatic bid to the 2023 NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Playoffs. A finance major who has maintained a 3.68 cumulative GPA, Dorundo is a two-time College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District® selection (2022, 2023) as well as a two-time team captain (2022, 2023). In the community, Dorundo has completed internships with BNY Mellon and Highmark Health while also serving as a volunteer at the South Side Clean Up event as well as the Refugee for Women in the South Side.
THE BLUFF CUP
The Bluff Cup honors the Duquesne athletic program that demonstrates outstanding service, support and participation in the community. In line with the DU mission and a pillar of the Duquesne Department of Athletics, the Bluff Cup winner for the second consecutive year is the women's rowing program. During the 2023-24 year, the Dukes packed items for a local women's shelter, made blankets for patients at UPMC Children's Hospital, participated in the Pittsburgh Public Schools campus visit and the Duqathon while also serving as pre-orientation leaders for the Duquesne Center for Diversity and Inclusion. The Dukes compiled over 340 hours of community service in garnering the Bluff Cup for the second time.
LEADERSHIP AWARD
The Leadership Award honors a student-athlete who exemplifies leadership principles and is an outstanding representative of DU Athletics, specifically as a member of SAAC. Honored in 2024 is freshman
Robyn Hunt of the triathlon team. Hunt is a student-athlete who is "willing to raise their hand, roll up their sleeves and ensure an initiative is executed to completion," all while a member of a program with the Dukes that competed for the first time during the 2023-24 season. Hunt helped the Dukes rank 14th in the country in triathlon and was also nationally-ranked individually as a freshman, finishing 65th out of 208 athletes at the Women's Collegiate Triathlon National Championships.
STAFF MEMBER OF THE YEAR
Created by the Duquesne Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and voted on by student-athletes, the award is presented to staff members of the athletic department who go above and beyond to ensure the success and development of student-athletes. The recipient of the 2024 award is Associate Athletic Director
Rick Christensen. Described by student-athletes as "being helpful and supportive, for which we are grateful," Christensen has spent over 22 years as an administrator with the Dukes in two different stints. He originally joined the department in 1999 for six years and returned in 2008.
THE DUKE
Another award created by the Duquesne SAAC and voted on by student-athletes, The Duke is presented to the student-athlete who embodies Duquesne Athletics through a commitment to the department, leadership and camaraderie. Nominees "bleed" blue and red and showcase the true spirt of a Duquesne student-athlete. The winner of the award in 2024 is
Maxi Hopfer of the men's soccer team. Hopfer, a native of Styria, Austria, was nominated by his peers and "always motivates those around them to be the best they can be, shows a high level of commitment to the program and showcases what a Duquesne student-athlete should be."
UNSUNG HERO AWARD
Another award created by the SAAC and voted on by student-athletes, the Unsung Hero Award is presented to the student-athlete who positively influences a program through accomplishments that may not be measured in a record book, but instead recognize positive attitude, selflessness and leadership. Earning her second award of the evening was Hamilton, who "always put the team first and remained positive even after a long day of work. She has made each and every teammate feel like they belong and has always communicated with the coaching staff when rough topics come across the team."
MERLE E. GILLIAND AWARD
Named in honor of the retired Chairman and Chief Executive of PNC Bank, and namesake of DU's Academic Center, the Merle E. Gilliand Award is presented to a student-athlete who exhibits outstanding commitment to developing academically, competitively and in career preparedness via an internship or job placement. Taking home the 2024 award is junior
Mackenzie Leszczynski of the lacrosse team. Pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in biological sciences as well as a pre-medical and health professional certificate, Leszczynski, a native of Flourtown, Pa., successfully completed an internship at UPMC Children's Hospital. Competitively, Leszczynski was named to the 2022 Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team and is a two-time All-Atlantic 10 Second Team (2023, 2024) honoree.
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
The final award created by the Duquesne SAAC and voted on by student-athletes, the Newcomer of the Year Award honors the student-athlete who has made an immediate impact as a member of the Dukes in their first year of intercollegiate competition, which includes freshmen and redshirts. Bestowed the plaudit for 2024 is freshman
Avery Hobson of volleyball program. Named to the 2023 All-Atlantic 10 Rookie Team, Hobson, a native of Fishers, Ind., led the Dukes with 296 kills in 98 sets (3.02 per set) while finishing second on the team in points (340.5) and tying for third in digs (252). She also produced a .175 attack percentage, nine double-doubles and was a two-time Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week during the course of the season.
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