General | 7/21/2023 10:00:00 AM
Sydney French, a four-year member of the St. John Fisher University women’s volleyball team was named the 2022-23 Empire 8 Conference Co-Woman of the Year. This award honors a senior female student-athlete who has distinguished herself throughout her collegiate career in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership.
French is the third student-athlete from St. John Fisher chosen as the conference’s Woman of the Year. She joins Katie Mazierski, a softball and women’s volleyball standout who earned the prestigious honor in 2017-18 and Emily Trotman a member of the softball who won the award in 2020-21.
French recently graduated summa cum laude with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.93 as a biology major and chemistry minor.
On the court, French, an outside hitter and middle blocker, enjoyed an excellent 2022 season, earning American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III Honorable Mention All-American honors in addition to garnering All-Empire 8 first team accolades. French led the league with a .350 hitting percentage, while adding 238 kills and 58 blocks (tied for sixth). She helped lead the Cardinals to a 21-8 record in 2022 and their fourth straight Empire 8 Championship. In addition, French earned 2022 Empire 8 Championship All-Tournament Team accolades.
“Being named the Empire 8 Woman of the Year is an incredible honor,” said French. “St. John Fisher has taught me to be resilient and strong all while giving me the most memorable experiences along with it. I cannot thank Fisher and the Empire 8 enough for my wonderful four years as a student-athlete at the collegiate level. I have never felt more supported throughout this experience, and as a woman in sports, that is something that I cherish greatly. I was able to accomplish so much with my favorite people beside me every step of the way.”
French, a two-year team captain, slammed 458 kills and hit .310 in 86 career matches over four seasons of play. She added 163 digs and 128 blocks, while helping lead the Cardinals to four consecutive Empire 8 Championships and three NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball Tournament berths. The Cardinals won 39 consecutive games against Empire 8 opponents in French’s four seasons, while recording a 79-24 overall mark.
“Our program is extremely proud of Sydney,” said Kelly Greapentrog, St. John Fisher Head Women’s Volleyball Coach. “She's been a true leader throughout her four years at St John Fisher University through her athletic performances, in the classroom and campus community. Sydney is always the first to offer a helping hand, has been an academic role model and does so with a smile and positive mindset. Each year Sydney has been at Fisher, she has become a better volleyball player, student, leader, teammate and person. It's been a privilege to have Sydney represent our program and university.”
Academically, French earned Dean's List accolades in each of her semesters at St. John Fisher, while earning Empire 8 President’s List honors seven times. French was named the 2022 Empire 8 Women’s Volleyball Torchbearer Award winner for academic excellence. She won St. John Fisher’s Academic Excellence in Biochemistry Award and was a Tri-beta Honor Society member. French was selected for Summer Fellow Research program for Organic Chemistry in 2022 and presented research at the NERM Organic Chemistry conference.
Off the court, French as an integral member of the St. John Fisher University campus community. She organized training sessions for the local Rochester School of the Arts high school volleyball team, helped design the Athletic Performance Internship program at Fisher and as a member of tri-beta honor society, produced educational videos for kindergartners on how to grow plants and made planting kits for the children. French also worked with Sports Scientists from the Buffalo Bills to help grow the upstart Athletic Performance major at St. John Fisher.
French will continue her academic career at Syracuse University, where she was accepted into the PhD Biochemistry program.
“Sydney is the model Empire 8 and Division III student-athlete,” said Empire 8 Associate Commissioner Joe Venniro. “Not only did Sydney play a vital role in the success of St. John Fisher’s women’s volleyball program but to see what she has accomplished in the classroom and how that has translated with her work in the campus community and in the biochemistry field is remarkable. She is most deserving of this honor.”
French will now be forwarded to the national NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee. She joins an elite group of student-athletes from across NCAA Division I, II and III nominated for the award.
Established in 1991, the award recognizes female student-athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves in their community, in athletics and in academics throughout their college careers.
As 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the NCAA Woman of the Year program is an important opportunity to honor and reflect on the impact of women on intercollegiate sports.
The committee will choose the top ten nominees in each division (I, II and III). From among those 30 honorees, the selection committee will determine the top three in each division. From those nine, the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year will be chosen.
French and fellow co-winner Nikolle Van Stralen of Nazareth University led a strong contingent of four outstanding nominees considered by the Empire 8 Woman of the Year Committee:
2022-23 Empire 8 Female Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year Finalists
Amanda Burrichter, Houghton University
Sydney Gagnon, Hartwick College
Nikolle Van Stralen, Nazareth University
Sydney French, St. John Fisher University
For more information on the NCAA Woman of the Year,
CLICK HERE.
Past E8 Woman of the Year
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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