January 26, 2007

Contact:  Bill Wanless - Pawtucket Red Sox     (401) 724-7300

WORDS UNLIMTED ANNOUNCES AWARD WINNERS FOR 2006

Words Unlimited, the statewide organization of sports writers, sportscasters and sports publicists, will hold its 61st annual Sports Awards Banquet on Sunday, Feb. 18, at The Radisson Airport Hotel on Post Road in Warwick.

The reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. and dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are priced at $35 each and may be obtained by contacting Johnson & Wales University director of athletics John Parente at (401) 598-1604, or any Words Unlimited member.

Once again, Bryant will be well represented as football standout Lorenzo Perry (Providence, RI) has been named as the Male Athlete of the Year and coach Marty Fine (Tarrytown, NY) will be honored as the Male Sports Coach of the Year after leading the Bulldogs to their most successful season ever in 2006.  This is the third consecutive coach of the year honor for Bryant as Fine follows Max Good (2006) and Jon Sjogren (2005) as recent recipients.  Previous winners includ Dave Gavitt, John Muckler, Lou Lamoriello, Rick Pitino, Al Skinner, Ron Wilson, Pete Gillen,

Following is a list of award recipients for the 2006 calendar year:

         Male Athlete of the Year, Lorenzo Perry - Lorenzo Perry was a Harlon Hill nominee (the Division II Heisman Award) for the best football team in Bryant University history. Perry ranked second in the nation with an average of 188.7 yards rushing per game and was voted the Northeast-10 Conference MVP plus a First Team All-Conference pick.

           Men's Sports Coach of the Year, Marty Fine - In his third season as Bryant University's football coach, Marty Fine led the Bulldogs to a best-ever 8-3 record and a top-five regional ranking. Bryant also received its first-ever NCAA Division II Tournament bid as the No. 3 seed. In addition nine Bulldogs earned All-Northeast-10 Conference honors.

            Hall of Fame inductee, Bobb Angel - In a career that has spanned five decades, broadcaster Bobb Angel has shined light on high school and college athletics for WADK (1540-AM) where he wears many hats. Over the course of his career, Angel has been voted the Rhode Island Sportscaster of the Year six times and is a three-time Rhode Island Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Media Award winner.

            Amby Smith Award, Armand LaMontagne - One of America's preeminent sculptors of celebrated personalities in the world, Armand LaMontagne has immortalized countless sports icons like Ted Williams, Babe Ruth, Bobby Orr and Larry Bird. A three-sport star at the former Pawtucket High School, LaMontagne resides in North Scituate.

            Frank Lanning Award, Joan Taylor - A member of the Brown University athletic staff since 1969, Joan Taylor began her career as the women's tennis coach and a physical education instructor. Over the years she has held a variety of administrative positions including associate athletic director, senior associate director of athletics and interim athletic director. Taylor, who resides in Barrington, has served on numerous ECAC, Ivy League and NCAA committees.

            Bill Cawley Award, Tony Centore - Tony Centore has coached high school football for the better part of six decades, including 29 years at Johnston. During his tenure with the Panthers he won several division titles and guided the team to a few Super Bowls. At the age of 78, he serves as an assistant coach to his son, Tom, who is the head coach at Cranston East. Centore also has developed several players who've gone on to become head football coaches in the state (i.e. Dino Campopiano, Shea; Dave Caito, Tolman; Joe Acciardo, Johnston).

             Female Athlete of the Year, Rachel Chamberlain - Rachel Chamberlain led the Providence College field hockey team to one of the program's most successful seasons in school history. She was voted the Big East and ECAC Goalkeeper of the Year and earned All-Big East First-Team honors plus All-Northeast Region First Team accolades.

            Co-Women's Sports Coaches of the Year, Diane Madl and Maria Morin - Diane Madl became the first Providence College field hockey coach in program history to earn Big East Coach of the Year honors. The Lady Friars were 18-4 overall and captured the Big East regular-season title. Maria Morin guided the Rhode Island College softball team to a first-ever Little East Conference Tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. RIC set a school record with 35 wins.

            Team of the Year, Hendricken High hockey - The Hawks won the Division I title, their first in school history, by posting a perfect 21-0-0 record against league opponents and a 26-2-0 overall slate. Hendricken had five of the league's top eight scorers, boasted four First Team All-State players and outscored Rhode Island opposition 139-25.

            Small College Achievement Award, Rhode Island College softball - The 2006 Anchorwomen posted a 35-8-1 overall record, won the Little East Conference Tournament for the first time in school history and captured their second straight LEC regular-season title. RIC advanced to the NCAA Regional Tournament and went 2-0 before severe weather forced cancellation of the remaining contests.

            Story of the Year, Liam Coen, University of Massachusetts football - A sophomore quarterback from North Providence, Liam Coen led the Atlantic 10 Conference in passing efficiency (174.4), was second in touchdown passes (23) and fourth in passing yardage (2,330). With the La Salle Academy grad at the helm, UMass won 10 in a row and reached the finals of the NCAA I-AA Tournament before losing to Appalachian State.

            Community Service Award, Patrick Cook-Deegan - Last summer Brown lacrosse player Patrick Cook-Deegan rode his bike 1,200 miles in Laos to benefit the non-profit Room to Read Organization that builds schools, libraries and language labs in developing countries. He also rode 1,600 miles in Cambodia and Burma. His fundraising efforts (over $22,000) have paid for one new school and an adjacent library in the village of Ban May and two educational scholarships for young Cambodian women.

            Schoolboy Athlete of the Year, Joe Mazzulla - Hendricken High grad Joe Mazzulla becomes just the third two-time winner of the Schoolboy Athlete of the Year Award. Currently in his freshman year playing basketball at West Virginia, Mazzulla led the Hawks to their third straight Division I championship and captured his second straight Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year Award. He also repeated as the state's 400-meter champion with Hendricken's outdoor track team.

Schoolgirl Athlete of the Year, Julie Ruggieri - Barrington's Julie Ruggieri led the RIIL Girls' Lacrosse League in scoring in 2006, and was voted All-State plus All-American honors. In field hockey, Ruggieri led that league in scoring, was the state championship MVP and earned All-State and All-American accolades. She also played on the girls' basketball team that reached the Division II state finals.

            Schoolboy Sports Coach of the Year, Jim Creamer - In his fifth season coaching at his alma mater, Jim Creamer led Hendricken to its first state hockey championship in school history. Creamer's Hawks were 21-0-0 in Division I and posted a two-game sweep of Mount St. Charles in the best-of-three finals for their first state title in 14 attempts. The Hawks won all four of their playoff games by four goals or more.

            Schoolgirl Sports Coach of the Year, Chris Daigneault - As of last August Chris Daignault and all Coventry High coaches lacked teams to coach because budget cuts were threatening the status of varsity sports. By season's end, Daigneault had coached the Oakers to the RIIL Division II Girls' Soccer State Championship with a 1-0 win over Prout for the team's first title since 1997. Coventry upset perennial favorite and undefeated Cranston West in the semifinals.