Several Lehman College student-athletes were honored at the Annual Michael Steuerman Scholar Athlete Awards Dinner held at Terrace on the Park in Flushing, Queens. 
 
Nelson Benzan Jr. (men's indoor track and field), Marilyn Cadena (women's soccer), Vitoria Heloany Reis (women's tennis) and Marcos Rosario (men's swimming) were all named 2024-25 Scholar Athletes of the Year Honorable Mention. 

Benzan Jr. graduated this past December with a degree in accounting and a 3.697 GPA.  The Bronx native has the top mark among CUNYAC competitors in the shot put (12.37m) and the weight throw (14.17m) this winter.  During the 2024 spring season he owned the top mark in the shot put (11.97m) the second highest mark in the hammer (36.69m) and the highest mark in the discus (30.14m). This past fall he was a member of the cross-country squad.  He was a two-year member of both the indoor and outdoor track teams.  He was also a CUNYAC Outdoor All Star and was a member of the Sportsmanship team this past winter. 
 
Cadena has been a member of the women's soccer team for the past three seasons.  Marilyn majored in Studio Arts with a specialization in Graphic Design and boasts a 3.974 grade point average.  She was a key member of the of the Lightning defense that played for the CUNYAC title this past fall.  Marilyn earned five starts with past season and has recorded one assist in her career.
 
A team captain, who immigrated from Brazil, Heloany Reis majored in Dietetics, Food and Nutrition and has a perfect 4.0 GPA.  As a member of the tennis team, she won a pair of pivotal matches during her final season of competition as well as her doubles match at the CUNYAC semi-finals against # 1 Baruch.  A leader both on and off the court, she advocated for the tennis team in SAAC (student Athlete Advisory Committee) and represented Lehman at a CUNYAC Mental Health event.  She held a position as senator in the Student Government Association and is a member of the CUNY Malave Leadership Academy.  She attended several leadership workshops and volunteered weekly at the Lehman College Food Bank.  She is currently employed as a Research Assistant at the CUNY Research Foundation, where she is researching food insecurity at Minority Serving Institutions. 
  
Rosario is a two-year member of the swimming team and is a computer science major who owns a 3.873 grade point average.  A Manhattan native he transferred to Lehman after graduating from LaGuardia Community College.  He appeared in 16 meets over his career.  A freestyle specialist, he was a member of the 2023-24 squad that finished second overall at the CUNYAC Championships. 

Also recognized were all of the student athletes who earned Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Sportsmanship Awards.  Gabriela Vargas (Women's Tennis Rookie of the Year), Emily Huerta (Women's Soccer Rookie of the Year), Miriam Konate (Women's Cross Country Sportsmanship Award), Brandon Marks (Men's Basketball Sportsmanship Award), Charles Howard (Men's Outdoor Track Sportsmanship Award) and Amariah Emmanuel Tyler (Women's Outdoor Track Sportsmanship Award.

Women's Basketball standout Heaven Figueroa was also honored for achieving All-American status as voted by the WBCA (Women's Basketball Coaches Association).
 
Also on hand was Lehman College Vice President, Jermaine Wright, Ph.D., Director of Athletics Ryan McCarthy, Sports Information Director Lenn Margolis Men's and Women's Tennis Coach, Jeff Nerenberg, Men's and Women's Tennis Coach, Rene Cintron, Men's and Women's Cross Country and Track and Field Coach, Mickki Curtain, Men's and Women's Volleyball Coach Daniella Ford, Office Assistant.