March 28, 2008

Loudonville, N.Y. - Men's tennis junior Jeremy Deuel and women's water polo junior utility Lauren Garrigan have been tabbed the Leo Dufort Student-Athletes of the Month for the Siena College Athletics Department, representing the month of March. The pair has enjoyed much success this season both on the field of competition and in the classroom.

A native of Syracuse, N.Y., Deuel was named MAAC Men's Tennis Player of the Week on Mar. 25 after tallying a 3-1 record at first singles and doubles in a matchup against South Dakota State. He won seven of his final 10 matches in the spring to lead all Saints with a stellar 13-7 overall record.

In the classroom, Deuel was selected to the MAAC All-Academic Team. He has tabulated a 3.33 GPA during his collegiate studies as a political science major.

Garrigan, who comes to Siena from Kailua, Hawaii, completed one of the most memorable single seasons in program history in which the team advanced to the MAAC Tournament for the first time ever. Garrigan led the Saints with 80 goals and was named MAAC Player of the Week after tying a Siena record with eight goals in a game against Wagner.

In her studies, Garrigan has mainained a 3.01 GPA as a Management major.

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