Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Duquesne University Department of Athletics honored its student-athletes, coaches and programs for the 2025-26 season Wednesday with the fourth 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 excelled in competition and the classroom as well as shown a commitment to leadership and service. A closer look at the two winners …
 
David Dixon (Men's Basketball)
A rarity in today's day and age of the NCAA transfer portal is Dixon, who completed a four-year career with the Dukes during the 2025-26 campaign. Just the second player in program history to reach 100 career blocks and 100 career dunks, Dixon established a new program standard in his final season for games played with 129, including 47 career starts. He posted career totals of 839 points and 606 rebounds and also accrued totals of 103 assists, 184 blocks and 118 steals on the Bluff. In 2024, he was a key contributor as Duquesne won four games in five days in Brooklyn, N.Y., at the Barclays Center to win the 2024 Atlantic 10 Championship and the program's first automatic bid to the NCAA Championship since 1977. The Dukes would take it one step further in the NCAA Tournament, earning their first win since 1969 with a victory over No. 21 BYU. Dixon, a native of Memphis, Tenn., was a part of 76 wins during his four seasons at Duquesne, the most by a four-year player in program history.
 
Madelyn Moretti (Track & Field)
A key contributor for the Dukes in the field events, Moretti, a native of Madison, Ohio, owns the outdoor school record in the shot put while ranking second in the event during the indoor campaign. She became the first student-athlete in program history to qualify in the event for the NCAA East Regional, doing so in 2024. Moretti owns four total medals across indoor and outdoor track & field in the shot put, including gold in the outdoors in 2024 and silver in 2023 and 2025. She also finished third in the event at the 2024 Atlantic 10 Championship for indoor track & field. In taking home silver in the discus at the 2024 Atlantic 10 Championship for outdoor track & field along with her gold in the shot put, Moretti was selected as the Most Outstanding Field Performer of the meet. She also claimed gold in the shot put at the 2024 ECAC Championships and is a two-time member of the Atlantic 10 All-Academic Team in outdoor track & field (2024, 2025). Away from competition, Moretti is a member of the American Nurses Association and a registered nurse with a license pending.
 
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 first time is the triathlon program. During the 2025-26 academic year, the Dukes logged over 412 service hours, participated in National Girls and Women in Sports Day as well as the South Side Clean-Up, Duqathon and the University Pre-Orientation move in. In addition, the triathlon team also made backpack lunches, participated in the wigs for kids event and volunteered at the fire department in both Cranberry Township and Harmony Township.
 
FATHER SILAS ROONEY AWARD
Established by Jack McGinley, the Father Silas Rooney Award is awarded to a student-athlete who leads by example in both competition and the classroom while also living the mission of Duquesne University and representing it at the highest level. A pair of cross country and track & field athletes earned the award for 2025-26, with freshman Brendan Burns, a native of New Castle, Pa., and sophomore Ava Brewster, a native of Butler, Pa., each bestowed the plaudit.
 
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 the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Honored in 2026 is junior Robyn Hunt of the triathlon team, who garners the honor for the second time in three years. Respected among her peers, Hunt is an individual who shows up on time, is prepared and ready to contribute. She also consistently raises her hand, rolls up her sleeve and sees every initiative through to completion. Behind the scenes, Hunt is also a driving force, volunteering her time and bringing thoughtful ideas. Hunt, a native of Spring Lake, Mich., is a two-time recipient of the prestigious Beard Undergraduate Scholarship (2024-25 and 2025-26) and in 2023 was also the recipient of the SAAC Student Engagement Award. In competition, Hunt has been ranked among the top 100 individuals in NCAA triathlon each of the last three years.
 
HERB BONN CHARACTER AND COURAGE AWARD
Winning his second honor of the Dukes Awards is Dixon, who garners the Herb Bonn Character and Courage Award, which was created by Herb and Barbara Shear. It is awarded to a men's basketball student-athlete who displays a commitment to the program on the court, in the classroom and in the community.
 
VINNIE VACCARELLO AWARD
The Vinnie Vaccarello Award is given to a football student-athlete who exhibits outstanding commitment on and off the football field and embodies a similar "Never Quit" mentality that the late Vinnie Vaccarello had throughout his life. Established by Eric and Lynn Vaccarello, the honor for the 2026 Dukes Awards Show was given to defensive lineman A.J. Ackerman. A two-time All-Northeast Conference (NEC) selection (2024, 2025), Ackerman, a native of Elizabeth, Pa., appeared in 53 career games on the Bluff.
 
STAFF MEMBER OF THE YEAR
Created by the Duquesne SAAC and voted on by student-athletes, the award is presented to staff members of the athletic department who go above and beyond and ensure success and development of student-athletes. The recipient of the 2026 award is head coach Michaela Soper of the acrobatics & tumbling program. A standout coach who possesses dedication to her program that goes far beyond simply coaching and leading, Soper brings an undeniable passion for the both the sport and her student-athletes. Fostering a strong competitive culture, in just her second season Soper helped the Dukes qualify for the National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association (NCATA) Championships. The youngest program in the field this season, she also guided freshman Lindsay Kivlan, a native of Mars, Pa., to the individual national title in open tumbling, the first individual national crown in any sport in department history.
 
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 spirit of a Duquesne student-athlete. The winner of the award in 2026 is Abby McDermott of the acrobatics & tumbling program. McDermott, a native of Leechburg, Pa., is considered an irreplaceable teammate through her passion, expertise and leadership. The only upperclassmen for Duquesne on the squad, she took on a leadership role on a nationally-ranked team and was named to the 2026 NCATA All-America Second Team.
 
UNSUNG HERO AWARD
Also created by the Duquesne 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 recognizes positive attitude, selflessness and leadership. Garnering the honor in 2026 is defensive back DJ Cerisier of the football program. Cerisier, a native of Cheltenham, Pa., helps "put others before themselves, enters every room with a big smile and is always pushing teammates to their greatest potential." On the field, Cerisier became just the third player in the history of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to return an interception 100 yards for a "pick-two" defensive extra point when he accomplished the feat this past season against New Haven at Rooney Field.
 
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 2026 is freshman Sylvia Kashak of the cross country and track & field programs. Kashak, a native of Jefferson Hills, Pa., won the silver medal at the 2026 Atlantic 10 Championship in the 1,000-meter for indoor track & field, an event she also established a new school record in this season. Across indoor and outdoor track & field, Kashak was won eight races, including a pair of finishes in first place in the 800-meter as well as the 4x800-meter relay, which came at the ECAC Championships. She was named to the 2026 Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team during the indoor season and also ranks in the top five in program history in the 800-meter, the mile and the 4x800-meter relay.
 
MERLE GILLIAND AWARD
Given to a student-athlete that exhibits outstanding commitment to developing themselves academically, competitively and with career preparedness via an internship or job placement. Claiming the honor for the Dukes in 2026 is senior Paige Engel of the rowing team. Engel, a native of Pittsburgh, Pa., has been committed to personal development throughout her career at Duquesne as a nursing major while also serving as a coxswain for the Second Varsity 8, which claimed first place to help the Dukes win the Ford Lake Cup recently in Ypsilanti, Mich.

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