June 15, 2016
CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - A pair of recent graduates earned the Patriot League Sportsmanship Awards on Wednesday as Boston University women’s golf standout Emily Tillo and Navy men’s lacrosse captain Patrick Keena were each honored through a vote by administrators of the League’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
The Patriot League Sportsmanship Awards are in their 11th year after being created to honor student-athletes that uphold the principles on which the League was founded - fairness, equality and excellence in academics and athletics. The awards are open to all Patriot League student-athletes and each of the ten Patriot League institutions is eligible to nominate a male and female for the award.
Tillo showed class following the Patriot League Women’s Golf Championship, encouraging her teammates to congratulate League champion Richmond after the Spiders finished ahead of the defending champion Terriers.
Tillo excelled both on the course and in the classroom in her time at Boston University. She was named the Corvias Patriot League Women’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year in May for the third consecutive season as she graduated after majoring in Business Administration & Management and minoring in Journalism. Tillo was the President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) at Boston University and represented her team for three years in the BU Athletics Leadership Academy. She initiated the “It’s on Us” campaign to end sexual assault at BU, and participated in numerous events including Making Strides, Special Olympics Swimming and the Boston Public Schools Holiday Reading Program.
Keena served in the role of co-captain for a Navy men’s lacrosse team that won the Patriot League regular-season title and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament. He modeled good behavior in the aim of changing the culture of the team, and led his squad to work towards a common goal and come together to prepare and play at the highest level. He ensured that all of the team’s managers as well as all players received their participation gifts. Keena was a member of the Captain’s Council and led his team in community service projects throughout the year.
Keena played a key role for the Mids on the field as the attackman scored a team-high 55 points on 24 goals and 31 assists and earned first-team All-Patriot League honors in his senior season. A four-year starter, Keena was voted by his teammates to wear the number 40 in his senior season in honor of fallen Navy SEAL and former lacrosse player Lt. Brendan Looney, who was killed in Afghanistan on Sept. 21, 2010.
Initially awarded at the conclusion of the 2005-06 academic year, the Patriot League Sportsmanship Award is open to all Patriot League student-athletes, with one male and one female winner selected each year. The Patriot League has established this Sportsmanship Award to recognize and honor those who demonstrate the values of respect and integrity through a specific action ideally directed towards an opponent. Nominees must have consistently demonstrated the values of respect and integrity in his or her daily participation in intercollegiate athletics. Student-athlete or team nominees must be affiliated with a Patriot League sponsored sport during the academic year. In addition, nominees must be in good academic standing at the time of the award application.