AC names Senior Athletes of the Year
Posted Tuesday, June 09, 2020
Adrian College’s athletic department has announced its 2019-2020 Outstanding Senior Athletes of the Year. This year’s recipients are Dino Balsamo of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III men’s hockey team, Caroline Fleming of the NCAA DIII women’s soccer team and Kelly O’Sullivan of the NCAA DIII women’s hockey team.
Balsamo (Sterling Heights, Mich.) transferred to Adrian College at the semester break his freshman year from Division I Bentley University in Boston, MA. Through his first three seasons, he amassed 27 goals and 41 assists, good for 68 points in 72 games played.
During his senior season, he produced 19 goals and 21 assists for 40 points in 29 games played. The 19 goals and 40 points were career highs.
Balsamo is also the first Bulldog to put up 40 points in a single season since the 2014-15 season. The assistant captain claimed the conference scoring title, a spot on the All-NCHA team, as well as First Team All-America honors.
His coach, Adam Krug, said, “Balsamo proved to be extremely valuable, especially in big games and big moments this year, something you need from your senior leadership. Dino will be signing a professional hockey contract this summer in the East Coast Hockey League.”
Fleming (Grosse Ile, Mich.) was named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSida) Academic All American First Team, the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) Women’s Soccer Most Valuable Player - First Team All-Conference, a four-time All-American (2019 USC 2nd Team, 2019 USC Scholar 1st Team, 2019 CoSIDA Academic First Team (2018 CoSIDA Academic 3rd Team), a three-time First Team All-MIAA (2017, 2018, 2019), a three-time United Soccer Coaches All-Region (2017, 2018, 2019), a two-time Adrian College ACEES Best Female Athlete (2018, 2019), led MIAA in goals in 2019 (16), game-winning goals (5), assists (14), and points (46), an MIAA Most Valuable Player (2019), scored a game-winning goal in double overtime of first NCAA tournament win in school history, holds the school record for career assists (34), and was one of only three players in school history to reach 100-point plateau.
Fleming recently signed professional soccer contract with Detroit City FC.
Voted team captain for her final season, O’Sullivan ended up being the first ever defensemen in program history to surpass 100 points in her career while only being the seventh player to ever get over 100 points.
“Kelly [O’Sullivan] is the perfect example of what the female athlete of the year was made to honor,” said Shawn Skelly, the head NCAA women’s hockey coach. “She exemplified being the best at her sport without a doubt. The accolades came in bunches this year for Kelly as she had another amazing season.”
O’Sullivan ended her career as the fourth leading scorer in program history with 114 points. Her 85 assists not only made her the second all-time in program history but also made her 21st in assists in Division III history and within the top 25 all-time.
During the 2019-20 season, O’Sullivan was tied for the NCHA lead in scoring as a defenseman and received the honor of NCHA Player of the Year. She also became an NCHA All-Conference player for the fourth consecutive season. O’Sullivan was also voted onto the NCHA All-Academic team for the third consecutive year.
O’Sullivan was voted to the CCM/AHCA All-American first-team for the fourth consecutive season.
“This is only the third time in Division III women’s hockey history that a player has received this honor four years in a row,” said Skelly. “To set herself apart from all other athletes, she became the first athlete ever in Adrian College’s 150 year athletics history (male or female sports) to be awarded First-team All-American honors all four years of her career.”
O’Sullivan ended her four-year career by leading the Bulldogs to a fourth-straight NCHA regular season title, a fourth-straight NCHA Slaats Cup Championship, a fourth-straight NCAA tournament appearances, and two Frozen Four appearances.
