Bridgeport, Conn. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College baseball team and the Daemen College athletic department are the recipients of the 2016 East Coast Conference Community Engagement Award of Excellence. This award is presented annually to the institution that hosts an activity on their campus which embodies the principles of community engagement by building relationships and bridging the gap between campus and community.

During the months of September and October 2015, the St. Thomas Aquinas College Baseball Team partnered with the Rockland County Chapter of Touching Bases. In the second year of this endeavor, members of the Spartans assisted those from the local community, who have disabilities, with the fundamentals of baseball; hitting, pitching, catching and running the bases. The team also spent time speaking with Touching Bases players about the game of baseball and how it can positively impact their lives. All 50 members of the STAC baseball squad, dedicated 400 hours of their time to enrich and make an impact on the lives of those in the community who need additional assistance, while participating and enjoying the game they love so much.

The Daemen athletic department was honored for their work with Team Impact. This year, they have added two Team IMPACT children to their rosters. Eight-year old Sofia Reisman was added to the women's basketball roster in December and 16-year old Drew Boehnlein was an addition to the men's soccer roster in April. Both children had "Draft Days" which are press conferences where coaches talk about the "impact" they'll have on the team, and it serves as an introduction of sorts for the child to the team and to the campus community as a whole. Both Draft Days were very well attended by student-athletes, the campus community and members of the community at-large. The relationships developed by the child and the team becomes an ongoing relationship which is mutually beneficial.

Both were recognized at the East Coast Conference Awards Dinner where they received a plaque and a $500 grant to help offset the expenses for the event next year.