Traditionally, the Long Island Junior Soccer League celebrates its scholarship recipients with a brunch on the second Sunday of July at the Huntington Hilton.
That did not occur this summer with the continued ban on large gatherings because of the COVID-19 pandemic. So, the LIJSL was resourceful in holding an informal ceremony honoring each recipient at the league office in Ronkonkoma, N.Y. on Sunday, Aug. 2.
The scholarship winners were honored in presentations held in the league’s media room. Then they adjourned to the LIJSL boardroom, where they were served refreshments along with the scholarship presenter, as other families entered the media room.
This year marked the 40th anniversary of the scholarship program. The ceremony, the first at the LIJSL office, also was the first in-person event in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association since the lockdown occurred five months ago.
The LIJSL awards scholarships based on academic and athletic achievement plus community service to student/athletes who have completed their senior year of high school. These well-rounded teenagers exemplify the mission of the league and its slogan of “Building Character Through Soccer.”
“This has not been an easy year, but even in a pandemic, we have donors who continue to be generous and recipients who are worthy,” scholarship program chairperson Lynn Scarpati said. “We have all found something special in crisis and ways to face these challenges.”
Award | Recipient | High School | College |
Addie Mattei-Iaia Presidential Scholarship | Matthew Power | Northport | UMass Amherst |
Bobbie & David Marks Memorial Scholarship | Danielle DiTomasso | Plainedge | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |
Bobbie & David Marks Memorial Scholarship | Emily Rosa-Figueirdo | St. John the Baptist | Quinnipiac University |
Bobbie & David Marks Memorial Scholarship | Scott Thorley | Eastport South Manor | UMass Amherst |
Brittney Walsh Memorial Scholarship | Nicole Jenal | Bethpage | Felician University |
Brittney Walsh Memorial Scholarship | Gregory Paul | Mepham | Alfred University |
Carolyn Page Memorial Scholarship | Makayla Reardon | Sacred Heart Academy | Fairfield University |
Eileen Frazita Memorial Female Student Scholarship | Sarah Santacroce | Mattituck | Sacred Heart University |
Frank Gorman Memorial Scholarship | Halle Trahey | East Islip | Molloy College |
Jerry Marinan Memorial Scholarship | Michael Leandrou | Oyster Bay | American University |
John R. Pinezich Memorial Scholarship | Conor Andrews | Calhoun | The Ohio State University |
Joseph Lombardo Memorial Scholarship | Matthew Jakubowsky | St. Anthony’s | St. John’s University |
LIJSL Merit Scholarship | Olivia Vinson | Wantagh | Binghamton University |
LIJSL Merit Scholarship | Leyla Kalmaz | Carey | Molloy College |
Matthew Scarpati Memorial Scholarship | Ross Gossett | Bellmore JFK | University of Maryland |
Michael B. Scarpati Memorial Goalkeeper Scholarship | Michael Koutsouras | New Hyde Park | Fairleigh Dickinson University |
Michael Secko Memorial Scholarship | Tyler McElwee | Mepham | SUNY Oneonta |
Miles for Matt Scholarship | Declan Griffin | New Hyde Park | Susquehanna University |
Miles for Matt Scholarship | Gaetano Parisi | Mepham | Roger Williams University |
Miles for Matt Scholarship | Megan McIntosh | Riverhead | Molloy College |
Pat Grecco Scholarship | Abigail Landri | West Islip | SUNY Oneonta |
Peter C. Collins Memorial Presidential Scholarship | Rory King | Mepham | Northeastern University |
Sandra Atlas Bass Scholarship | Kaylee Hoffman | St. Anthony’s | University of Georgia |
Sean Urda Memorial Scholarship | Daniel Conigliaro | General MacArthur | Adelphi University |
Rocco Amoroso Memorial Sportsmanship Scholarship | Luca Rienecker | St. Anthony’s | University of Rochester |
George Hoffman Memorial TOPSoccer Scholarship | Annalea Passeggiata | Smithtown | Binghamton University |
George Hoffman Memorial TOPSoccer Scholarship | Hannah Walz | West Hempstead | Molloy College |
LIJSL TOPSoccer Scholarship | Timothy Cappitelli |