Oct. 16, 2007

Siena volleyball senior standout Nadiege Honore and men's soccer senior co-captain Jason Laffin received the Leo Dufort Student-Athlete of the Month Award for the month of September. The two student-athletes led their teams both on and off the field of play, excelling in the classroom while juggling the responsibility of competing as a Division I athlete.

Honore, who came to Loudonville all the way to Siena from San Fernando, Trinidad, is finishing off one of the top volleyball careers in Siena history. She registered her benchmark 1,000th career kill in a match against UW-Green Bay in the Central Michigan Chippewa Classic in late August and plays a star role in the Saints' potent lineup that is 15-3 overall and 10-0 in MAAC play. Honore has helped Siena win back-to-back conference championships the past two seasons. She is currently tied for first on the team in total kills with 260. Majoring in psychology, Honore holds a sturdy 3.01 cumulative GPA.

Laffin has been a strong presence in the midfield for the men's soccer team throughout his tenure. The senior co-captain, who hails from Hopewell Junction, N.Y., is in his second year as team captain and recently posted his first two collegiate goals in games against cross-town rival UAlbany and non-conference contender Army. Over his four seasons at Siena, Laffin has played in 45 games, registering two goals and nine assists.

Men's soccer head coach, Charlie Curto added that this award is "well deserved". He continued, "Jason's commitment to soccer and our program is second to none." Majoring in physics in Siena's challenging School of Science, he carries a 2.88 cumulative GPA after achieving a 3.18 GPA last spring.

Honore and Laffin turn their attention to the remainder of their sports' season. The volleyball team stands atop the MAAC and has won 14 straight games, while the upstart men's soccer team is poised to compete in this year's MAAC Championships at Disney's Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

The Leo Dufort Student-Athlete of the Month Award is presented nine times annually (September-May) throughout the academic year. The award recognizes exemplary achievements in both academics and athletics. The late Leo Dufort received a B.S. in marketing and management from Siena in August of 1977. His entire academic career was completed on a part-time basis beginning in the spring of 1961, as a married adult while at the same time raising five children. He passed away suddenly of a heart attack while cross country skiing in February of 1993. His wife Jeanine wanted to do something to immortalize his memory. The original plaque was donated to athletics and the department began the Leo Dufort Student-Athlete of the Month Award to help carry out his legacy. Dufort graduated from Catholic Central High School in 1954, was a Navy Veteran (USS Bennington) who worked for JL Hammett Co. at the time of his death.