Among the top award winners were Tiffany Yovino (women's soccer) earning the Dr. Nathalie J. Smith Award as the top female student-athlete, Charles Jenkins (men's basketball) taking home the "Howdy" Myers Male Athlete of the Year Award for the third consecutive year, Lou Ruggirello (wrestling) was the recipient of the Dr. James M. Shuart Male Scholar-Athlete Award and Dana Bergstrom (women's soccer) received the Dr. Sylvia J. Giallombardo Female Scholar-Athlete Award.

Four student-athletes - Rachel August (volleyball), Krista Thorn (softball and women's soccer), Steven DeNapoli (men's lacrosse) and Mike Skudin (men's lacrosse) - were presented with the Nick Colleluori Unsung Hero Award, which is named in honor of the former Pride men's lacrosse player who passed away in 2006 after a courageous battle with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

Kayla Pifer of the women's soccer team was selected to represent the class of 2011 as the Senior Speaker at the banquet. In addition, men's lacrosse alumnus James C. Metzger '83 was the recipient of the Joseph M. Margiotta Pride Club Distinguished Service Award.

Here is a look at the night's award winners:

Dr. Nathalie J. Smith Award

Tiffany Yovino , who was named an All-American in 2010 and helped lead the Pride to the finest season in program history, is the 2011 recipient of the Dr. Nathalie J. Smith Award, which is presented to the Female Athlete of the Year.

Yovino, a senior forward, was also named the Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year this past season, the first Hofstra player to earn the honor.

In her four years with the Pride, she started all 85 games in the midfield and was part of more wins than any other player in school history (58). Her career record with the Pride was an impressive 58-21-6, and she had a key role in the two winningest seasons in school history, as well as both of the program's NCAA Tournament wins. She recorded 50 career points on 21 goals and eight assists.

She was a four-time All-CAA selection and also earned Nassau County Sports Commission Female College Athlete of the Year honors. A four-time all-region performer, she was also the Big Apple Soccer Player of the Year.

This past season she tied for team-high honors with 12 goals and added two assists for 26 points on the season in helping the team to a program-best 19-3 record. She had the game-winning goal in a 1-0 win over Connecticut in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the program's second-ever NCAA Tournament victory.

Yovino excelled in the classroom as well, carrying a 3.69 GPA as a dual major in history and early childhood education. She was an ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-American and an NSCAA Scholar All-American this past season.

She became the first Hofstra student-athlete to earn an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship and in December, Hofstra announced that it will retire her jersey number (18) at a ceremony during homecoming weekend next fall.

Howard "Howdy" Myers Award

Charles Jenkins , a senior guard on the basketball team, is the recipient of the 2011 Howdy Myers Award. The award is presented annually to Hofstra's top male athlete. Jenkins earns the award for a third consecutive season and is the first student-athlete to win the award more than twice.

Jenkins was also a three-time recipient of the Haggerty Award as the top player in the New York metropolitan area after winning the award April 26. He became just the third player in the 78-year history of the Haggerty Award to win it three times. He is also one of five Hofstra players to win the Haggerty Award, joining Bill Thieben (1956), Rich Laurel (1977), Speedy Claxton (2000) and Norman Richardson (2001).

Jenkins averaged 22.6 points per game this season, ranking him sixth in the country, while finishing his career with a school-record 2,513 points. He became just the 63rd player in NCAA history to score 2,500 points in a career, and finished second in Colonial Athletic Association history behind David Robinson of Navy.

A third-team All-American selection by Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, and CBS Sports.com, he also earned honorable mention All-America honors from the Associated Press and was the CAA Player of the Year for the second year in a row.

Jenkins' efforts helped the Pride to a 21-12 record and a 14-4 finish in the CAA, tying them for second, which marked the program's highest finish since joining the league in 2001-02.

He led the CAA in scoring at 22.6 points per game and was second in assists per game at 4.8. He also ranked in the league's top 10 in field goal percentage (.517), free throw percentage (.824), steals (1.7) and three-point field goal percentage (.420).

Jenkins was also a three-time first team All-CAA selection and was the 2008 CAA Rookie of the Year. He became the first active player in school history to have his jersey retired when he was honored on Senior Day on February 26.

Dr. Sylvia J. Giallombardo Award

Dana Bergstrom , a senior defender on the women's soccer team is the recipient of the 2011 Dr. Sylvia J. Giallombardo Award. The award is given annually to Hofstra's top female scholar-athlete.

Bergstrom owns an overall 4.0 grade point average as an exercise science major. She is a member of the Provost's List at Hofstra and has been a CAA Commissioner's Academic Award recipient in each of her three years with the Pride.

This past season Bergstrom was a first team ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-American and was the Colonial Athletic Association Scholar-Athlete of the Year for women's soccer. She was also a second team Scholar-All-America selection by the NSCAA.

On the field Bergstrom earned second team All-CAA accolades after tallying one goal and a team-high 10 assists on the season. The 10 assists are tied for second on the school's single season list. In addition she tied the school record with three assists in a victory against George Mason.

She helped lead the Pride to a 19-3 record this past season, with the 19 wins a school record, and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. She was part of a defense that allowed just one goal per game and during one stretch had four consecutive shutouts.

As a junior in 2009 Bergstrom was a first team ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-District I selection and earned honorable mention NSCAA Scholar-All-Region accolades.

During her three years with the Pride after transferring from Syracuse, Bergstrom played in all 63 games and made 49 starts (including 41 consecutive). She had three goals and 13 assists during her Pride career, and helped Hofstra to a 40-17-6 record.

Dr. James M. Shuart Award

Lou Ruggirello , a senior on the wrestling team, is the 2011 recipient of the Dr. James M. Shuart Award. The award is presented annually to Hofstra's top male scholar-athlete. Ruggirello is a two-time recipient of this award as he was also recognized in 2008.

Ruggirello won his second Colonial Athletic Association Wrestling Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award this past season. He was also the CAA Wrestling Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2009.

A dual major in finance and marketing, Ruggirello carries a 3.51 grade point average. He has been a NWCA All-Academic selection, as well as an ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-America nominee. He is a member of the Dean's List and has been a CAA Commissioner's Academic Award recipient.

This past season Ruggirello earned All-America honors by placing seventh at the NCAA Wrestling Championships. He posted a 32-5 record and was the CAA Champion at 133 pounds. He had a 17-1 record in dual matches and won 13 matches by fall.

Ruggirello has been a four-time CAA Champion and NCAA Qualifier. He earned the Manuel Gorrarian Award at the 2008 NCAA Tournament for most pins in the least amount of time. In 2007 he was the CAA Rookie of the Year.

He finished his career second on the Hofstra all-time career victory list with a 131-26 record including a 72-7 mark in duals.

Nick Colleluori Unsung Hero Award

The Nick Colleluori Unsung Hero Award was established in 2007 to recognize the accomplishments of a male and female student-athlete who helped their respective teams achieve success in ways that may not always be measured by statistics. The award seeks to acknowledge those student-athletes who have not been adequately recognized during their careers. The award is named after the former Pride lacrosse player, who waged a courageous 14-month fight against non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, before passing away in November 2006 at age 21.

"Nick was an outstanding representative of Hofstra University and he embodied everything good about college athletics," Hofstra Director of Athletics Jack Hayes said. "Nick was hard-working, honest, enthusiastic and courageous. He was a student-athlete who totally embraced the philosophy of team. We look forward to annually recognizing student-athletes that share the qualities that Nick so proudly displayed."

Rachel August , Volleyball
Rachel August , a senior setter on the volleyball team, is a co-recipient of the Nick Colleluori Unsung Hero Award.

August played in 100 matches and 331 sets during her four-year career. She recorded 1,413 assists, 592 digs and 67 service aces during her tenure. She also added 88 kills. Her assist total ranks 10th on the all-time list at Hofstra.

This past season August posted a career-best 1,182 assists, which rank as the ninth-highest single season total in program history. She also ranked fourth in the CAA at 9.53 assists per set.

August is extremely active in Hofstra's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), having served on the executive board, including her role as SAAC President in 2010-11.

An English/English education major, August has been a Dean's List student and a four-time recipient of the CAA Commissioner's Academic Award.

Krista Thorn , Softball/Women's Soccer
Krista Thorn , a junior goalkeeper on the Pride soccer team and an infielder on the softball team is a co-recipient of the Nick Colleluori Unsung Hero Award.

A three-year member of the softball team, Thorn has started all 49 games for the Pride this season and has posted a .285 average, six doubles and 19 RBIs to go along with a team-high nine stolen bases. She has helped the team to a 39-11 record this season and the CAA regular season championship with a 19-1 conference mark.

During her three years on the team, Thorn has played in 86 games and was a member of an NCAA Tournament team in 2010. She has been a valuable player due to her versatility as she has played second base, shortstop and third base during her career.

Thorn joined the women's soccer team this past season and started 19 of Hofstra's 22 games. She posted a 12-2 record and 0.95 goals against average as the Pride set a program record with 19 wins and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Championship. She posted 28 saves on the season and allowed just 12 goals.

Thorn has been a starter on two teams that have combined to post a 57-14 record this year and she is the only female student-athlete to play in an NCAA Tournament with two different teams in school history.

She has taken an active role in community service endeavors, serving as an instructor at both soccer and softball clinics. She has also taken part in Hofstra's Reading with Pride initiative at local schools, as well as the American Cancer Society Walk for a Cure.

Steven DeNapoli , Men's Lacrosse
Steven DeNapoli , a senior midfielder on the lacrosse team, is a co-recipient of the Nick Colleluori Unsung Hero Award. DeNapoli, who is also one of the team's captains, was selected to wear Nick's #27 jersey this season, as it is a tradition that one graduating senior will wear the uniform each season to keep Nick's memory alive.

DeNapoli has played in all 15 games this season, helping the Pride to a 13-2 record, the CAA regular season championship, a #8 national ranking and an NCAA Tournament berth for the fourth consecutive season. He has recorded four goals and three assists for seven points on the season, and ranks second on the squad with 57 ground balls. He also shares the team lead with 16 caused turnovers and was named to the All-CAA second team

In his four seasons with the team, DeNapoli has played in 60 games and has recorded 12 goals, 11 assists and 190 ground balls. During his career, Hofstra is 43-17. He was an All-CAA Rookie selection as a freshman in 2008 and earned second team All-CAA accolades as a sophomore.

DeNapoli is active in the community, taking part in many endeavors with the lacrosse program including the Nick Colleluori Classic to raise funds for the HEADstrong Foundation, the Tunnel to Towers Run/Walk for the Stephen Siller Children's Foundation, the Have a Heart for the Homeless Candlelight Vigil and Holiday Magic. He is also involved, through the lacrosse team, with the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation.

Mike Skudin , Men's Lacrosse
Mike Skudin , a senior defender on the lacrosse team, is a co-recipient of the Nick Colleluori Unsung Hero Award. Skudin also serves as a team captain for the Pride.

Skudin, the 2011 CAA Defensive Player of the Year, has started all 15 games on defense for the Pride and has helped the team to a 13-2 record, the CAA regular season championship, a #8 national ranking and a fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament berth. He has posted 26 ground balls and 16 caused turnovers on the season and is a key member of a defense that allows an average of 6.20 goals per game. The Pride lead the nation in scoring defense.

Skudin has played in 54 games during his four-year career and has recorded two goals, one assist and 87 ground balls. He was an All-CAA second team selection as a junior.

Active in the community with the lacrosse program, Skudin has taken part in the Nick Colleluori Classic to raise funds for the HEADstrong Foundation, the Tunnel to Towers Run/Walk for the Stephen Siller Children's Foundation, the Have a Heart for the Homeless Candlelight Vigil and Holiday Magic. He is also involved, through the lacrosse team, with the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation.

Senior Speaker

The Senior Speaker program was introduced in 2005 as a way of having one representative from the graduating senior class convey the Hofstra student-athlete experience. The Athletics Department believes that the message of the senior class is best delivered by an individual who has represented the University at a high level in the classroom, on the fields of play and in the community. Each year the Senior Speaker will be selected based on these criteria.

Kayla Pifer , Women's Soccer
Kayla Pifer was a four-year member of the women's soccer team. A valuable member of the squad, she played in 82 career games with 56 starts.

A member of two NCAA Tournament teams (2007 and 2010), Pifer recorded six goals and three assists during her tenure. As a freshman in 2007, she assisted on the game-winning goal in Hofstra's 1-0 win over Ohio State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Pifer was part of the winningest class in program history as the Pride posted a 58-21-6 record during her tenure. The 2010 squad also won a program-best 18 consecutive games, shattering the old mark of 10 set in 2005.

This past season she scored the game-winning goal in a win over Delaware as Hofstra posted a perfect 11-0 mark in the CAA en route to a program-best 19-3 overall record and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

As a member of the soccer team, Pifer served as an instructor at several youth clinics and was also involved with many community service initiatives through Hofstra's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

A finance major, Pifer is a member of the Dean's List and has been a four-time recipient of the CAA Commissioner's Academic Award.

Joseph M. Margiotta Pride Club Distinguished Service Award

The Joseph M. Margiotta Pride Club Distinguished Service Award is presented to an individual or individuals in recognition of his or her extraordinary dedication, generosity and service to the Hofstra Pride Club and Hofstra athletics.

James C. Metzger
James C. Metzger, Hofstra Class of 1983, is the recipient of the Joseph M. Margiotta Pride Club Distinguished Service Award. An active supporter of the athletics program and a member of the Hofstra Pride Club, Metzger has served on the board of directors for many years.

Metzger was a member of the lacrosse team for two years and in 1980 he was an All-American after tallying 21 goals and 28 assists.

Now Chairman and CEO of the Whitmore Group, a Garden City-based insurance brokerage firm that is the largest provider of property and casualty insurance products to the funeral industry nationwide, he also serves on the boards of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island, the Funeral Service Foundation and the Catholic Cemetery Guild.

A valued contributor to Hofstra Athletics as well as the University, Metzger donated funds for the Traditions Project in Margiotta Hall, as well as the Royle-Sombrotto Locker Room and the women's lacrosse locker room that is named in his honor. He has also endowed a summer internship within the Center for Civic Engagement.

2010-11 Outstanding Senior Award Recipients

Baseball: Rob Kumbatovic
Men's Basketball: Greg Washington
Women's Basketball: Aamira Terry
Men's Cross Country: Phil Giackette
Women's Cross Country: Riti Dhillon
Field Hockey: Becky Kazaks
Women's Golf: Amy Hoffmann
Men's Lacrosse: Jay Card
Women's Lacrosse: Bettina Mianulli
Men's Soccer: Erik Rengifo
Women's Soccer: Tiffany Yovino
Softball: Laura Valentino
Men's Tennis: Ben Thompson-Star
Women's Tennis: Christie Gattelaro
Volleyball: Jenna Connell
Wrestling: Lou Ruggirello