Fairfield’s Megan Theiller & Iona’s Chartt Miller Claim 2017-18 MAAC Student-Athlete of the Year Honors
EDISON, NJ – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) has announced that Megan Theiller of Fairfield University and Chartt Miller of Iona College have been named the 2017-18 MAAC Student-Athletes of the Year.
Theiller is the third female student-athlete from Fairfield to earn the honor and first since Ahna Johnson in 2008-09. Miller is the first student-athlete in conference history to win the award three times as he takes home the recognition for the third consecutive year.
“Megan Theiller and Chartt Miller are a pair of tremendous student-athletes whose efforts in athletics and academics exemplifies the commitment the MAAC and its member institutions have made to recruit athletes of their caliber,” noted MAAC Commissioner Rich Ensor.
Theiller finished her career as one of seven Fairfield volleyball student-athletes to register over 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs and only one of four to go over the 1,200-mark in each category. This past season Theiller helped guide the Stags to their third-straight MAAC Volleyball Championship and 10
th overall.
“Megan embodies all of the characteristics of a true Fairfield Stag through her commitment to excellence in every aspect of her college experience. She has been a shining example for her peers and all of those around her, and I am thrilled that her efforts have been recognized by our fellow MAAC institutions,” said Fairfield Director of Athletics Paul Schlickmann.
The outside hitter returned from injury on September 30, 2017 and appeared in Fairfield’s final 17 matches this season. Over the 17-match stretch the Stags went 16-1, with their lone loss coming against No. 2 Texas in the First Round of the NCAA Championship. This season, Theiller averaged 3.13 kills and 3.65 digs per set, while hitting .236.
In 2017, Theiller was named to the All-MAAC Second Team, Preseason All-MAAC Team, and was a two-time MAAC Player of the Week. In addition, she was a Senior CLASS Award candidate and the Fairfield Alumni Association Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The Biology major posted a 3.95 GPA and was a member of the MAAC All-Academic Team.
Over the course of his career at Iona, Miller helped the cross country program to five MAAC Championships including its 27
th consecutive title this past fall. He was a part of three second-place and two third-place finishes at NCAA Cross Country Regional meets. Miller ran in four NCAA Cross Country Championships and helped the Gaels to a top-12 finish in each of those races.
“The accomplishments of Chartt Miller throughout his entire Iona career are breathtaking. On behalf of the Iona community, we all congratulate him on his unprecedented third-straight MAAC Student-Athlete of the Year award,” said Director of Athletics Matthew Glovaski. “He has cemented himself as a remarkable student-athlete and we look forward to seeing his continued success down the road.”
This past season, Miller placed fourth individually at the MAAC Cross Country Championship. He finished 12
th at the NCAA Northeast Region Cross Country Championships as part of Iona’s second-place team finish. He went on to record a 112
th-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships as the Gaels secured a 12
th-place team finish.
At the 2018 MAAC Indoor Track & Field Championships, Miller finished second in the mile run and was part of the second-place 4x800-meter relay. He placed second in the 1,500-meter and 5,000-meter races at the 2018 MAAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Miller also competed in the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Division I East Preliminary Round.
The Information Systems major posted a 3.91 GPA in 2017-18 and was a member of the MAAC All-Academic Teams in cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track.
To be eligible for the MAAC Student-Athlete of the Year award, student-athletes must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at a full-time MAAC member institution, compete in a sport sponsored by the MAAC, and completed one full academic year at the institution. The student-athlete must also have a grade point average of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale and be a significant starter or reserve for his/her team(s).
Honorable mention recognition was awarded to the following nominees:
Canisius: Connor Kearnan (men’s lacrosse), Rebecca VanLaeken (women’s lacrosse); Fairfield: Angus Hastings (men’s soccer); Iona: Gabriella Di Domizio (women’s lacrosse); Manhattan: Ire Bozovicar (men’s track & field), Lisa Fajardo (women’s cross country/track & field); Marist: Steven Rizzo (cross country/track & field), Hailey Wagner (women’s lacrosse); Monmouth: Bryce Wasserman (men’s lacrosse), Miranda Konstantinides (women’s soccer); Niagara: Greg Cullen (baseball), Victoria Rampado (women’s basketball); Quinnipiac: Ben Gibson (baseball), Carly Fabbri (women’s basketball), Rider: Zack Molloy (men’s swimming & diving), Sara Gardner (women’s track & field); Saint Peter’s: Jordan Jowers (men’s soccer), Theamaris Ramirez (softball); Siena: Tommy Miller (baseball), Kollyns Scarbrough (women’s basketball).
| Male Student-Athletes of the Year |
| Year |
Student-Athlete |
School |
Sport |
| 2001-02 |
Matthew Spring |
Manhattan College |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2002-03 |
David Bennett |
Marist College |
Basketball |
| 2003-04 |
Magnus Ahlen |
Manhattan College |
Track & Field |
| 2004-05 |
Richard Kiplagat |
Iona College |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2005-06 |
Richard Kiplagat |
Iona College |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2006-07 |
Timothy Bayley |
Iona College |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2007-08 |
Michael Mulieri |
Loyola University (MD)* |
Golf |
| 2008-09 |
Andrew Ledwith |
Iona College |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2009-10 |
Ryan Sheridan |
Iona College |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2010-11 |
Sean Jamieson |
Canisius College |
Baseball |
| 2011-12 |
Mitch Goose |
Iona College |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2012-13 |
Mitch Goose |
Iona College |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2013-14 |
Connor Panas |
Canisius College |
Baseball |
| 2014-15 |
Connor Panas |
Canisius College |
Baseball |
| 2015-16 |
Chartt Miller |
Iona College |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2016-17 |
Chartt Miller |
Iona College |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2017-18 |
Chartt Miller |
Iona College |
Cross Country/Track |
| *Former MAAC Member |
| Female Student-Athletes of the Year |
| Year |
Student-Athlete |
School |
Sport |
| 2001-02 |
Melissa Santos |
Fairfield University |
Softball |
| Valentina Zaharieva |
Saint Peter’s College |
Volleyball |
| 2002-03 |
Milena Matijevic |
Niagara University |
Tennis |
| 2003-04 |
Jenel Stevens |
Canisius College |
Basketball |
| Milena Matijevic |
Niagara University |
Tennis |
| 2004-05 |
Miriam Al-Shikarchy |
Niagara University |
Tennis |
| 2005-06 |
Ali Andrzejewski |
Loyola College |
Soccer |
| Liz Hubbard |
Siena College |
Volleyball |
| 2006-07 |
Alisa Kresge |
Marist College |
Basketball |
| 2007-08 |
Katie Miranto |
Canisius College |
Softball |
| 2008-09 |
Ahna Johnson |
Fairfield University |
Soccer |
| 2009-10 |
Rachele Fitz |
Marist College |
Basketball |
| 2010-11 |
Teresa Healey |
Niagara University |
Softball |
| 2011-12 |
Corielle Yarde |
Marist College |
Basketball |
| 2012-13 |
Katie Conard |
Marist College |
Swimming |
| 2013-14 |
Kate Avery |
Iona College |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2014-15 |
Kate Avery |
Iona College |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2015-16 |
Tara Jameson |
Iona College |
Cross Country/Track |
| 2016-17 |
Erica Evans |
Canisius College |
Lacrosse |
| 2017-18 |
Megan Theiller |
Fairfield University |
Volleyball |
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 38
th year of competition during the 2018-19 academic year. Current Conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.