MANSFIELD – The Mansfield University baseball, softball, outdoor track and field and cross country programs announced their 2021 team Most Improved and Most Valuable Players at the fifth installment of the Mountie Awards on Wednesday, June 2.
 
Baseball
 
Seniors Hunter DePrimo and Tyler Melko were named team MVPs after breakout seasons in their final Mountaineer campaign.
 
DePrimo, a 1st-Team All-PSAC East and 2nd-Team NCBWA, D2CCA and Rawlings DII Atlantic All-Region member, started in nine games, going 6-3 with a 3.98 ERA. The Blainestown, N.J. native, struck out a PSAC leading 15 hitters in a victory over Shepherd, while earning NCBWA Atlantic Region Pitcher of the Week for those efforts.
 
Melko, who also earned 1st-Team All-PSAC East and 2nd-Team NCBWA and D2CCA DII Atlantic All-Region as a utility player, finished the season batting .313 (35-for-112) with 24 runs, four doubles, 11 homers, 28 RBI and a .643 slugging percentage. Melko was in a heated battle for the PSAC home run crown all the way until the final weekend and ended the season in a tie for the sixth spot.
  
Sophomore Josh Colon was named the programs Most Improved Player after becoming the go-to reliever out of the bullpen in his second season. Colon appeared in 13 games and finished with a 2-2 record, while striking out 25 in 24.1 innings pitched. Colon through six and 1/3 innings and allowed no runs in relief to help lead the Mounties to their first win of the year against Jefferson.
 
 
Softball
 
Senior Joelle Sndyer was named MUSB Most Valuable Player after wrapping up a standout career in style. Snyder wraps up one of the most impressive Mountaineer softball careers with her third 1st-Team All-PSAC East selection. Jo-Jo finished the season leading the team with a .360 (36-for-100) batting average with eight doubles, four triples, two homers and 19 RBI. The senior led the team in slugging percentage at .580, hits and triples, while also ranking seventh in the PSAC for triples. Snyder collected her 100th-career hit against Kutztown on April 3.
 
Senior Hannah Breitigan did not disappoint in her final season with the Mounties and was rewarded as the program's Most Improved. Breitigan earned 2nd-Team All-PSAC East Utility Player after starting all 32 games behind the plate and at third base. Breitigan finished the season batting .354 (35-for-99) with nine doubles, one homer and 20 RBI. Her nine doubles were tied for the team lead.
 
The Eders, Pa. native went 4-for-4 with three runs against Shippensburg, before going 4-for-6 with three runs, a double, her first home run and four RBI against Millersville on the final day of the season.
 
 
Men's Outdoor Track and Field
 
Junior Sean Ringgold was named Men's Most Valuable Athlete after becoming the only Mountaineer to earn All-PSAC honors in multiple events at the PSAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Ringgold claimed gold in the 200-meter dash finishing with his personal best time of 21.82 to rank fourth third in program history. Ringgold collected more hardware and an All-PSAC finish in the 400-meter dash crossing the line in second with a time of 49.47.
 
Sophomore Michael Grundon earned Most Improved Athlete during his second year with the program after a consistent spring season. Grundon raced in five events in hist first outdoor season, setting personal bests in the 800 Meters (2:28.60), 1500 Meters (4:46.98), 3000 Meters (10:05.42), 5000 Meters (17:36.73) and 10K (36:55.77).
 
 
Women's Outdoor Track and Field
 
Pole Vaulter Rylie Mong brings home MVP following a breakout sophomore campaign. Mong brought home gold in the pole vault during two events this season and qualified for the PSAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Mong started off the season with a mark of 3.04m to win the event at the LHU Earlybird, before setting her personal best mark (3.35m) to win her second meet at the Alfred State Invitational.
 
Sophomore Shelby Alexander repeated as the program's Most Improved Athlete after winning the award following the indoor season in 2019-20. Alexander earned three top-10 finishes on the year, while setting personal bests in the 1500-meter (5:25.51) and 5K (20:44.69).
 
 
Women's Cross Country
 
Although the cross country team only competed in one event this year, it was the most important one as the program battled in the PSAC Cross Country Championships with sophomore Carly Daniels leading the way. Daniels jumped 125 places to take 18^th with a time of 19:30.1 in the women's 5K race, running to All-PSAC Honors for the first time in her career.
 
Alexander also won Most Improved following the championships meet, marking the third time in her career she has won the award. The second-year distance runner placed 83^rd at the conference meet, crossing the finish line in 21:14.4.
 
 
Men's Cross Country
 
Sophomore Kevin Heeman made the leap to Team MVP after earning Most Valuable last season. Heeman was the second Mountaineer to cross the finish line at the championships event, placing 48^th with a time of 16:35.9.
 
Freshman Abraham Calderon impressed enough at the PSAC Cross Country Championships to earn the program's Most Improved Award. The rookie placed 97^th, finishing in 17:53.2.