Hudson Valley Community College’s Moira Collins, a pitcher on the Vikings softball team, was among 14 2025 Capital District Sports Women of the Year honored Aug. 4 during an event at Proctors in Schenectady.
WTEN ABC News 10 and the Times Union (article below) reported on the event that highlighted the accomplishments of both high school and college athletes.
Columbia’s Landy, Siena’s Dobrzynski earn top CDSWOY honors Capital Region’s top female student-athletes honored at Proctor’s
By Kyra Santicola – Times Union – Aug. 5, 2025
SCHENECTADY — On a night dedicated to honoring the Capital Region’s top female student-athletes, Columbia High School’s Alivia Landy and Siena’s Grace Dobrzynski were celebrated as the 2025 Grand Sports Women of the Year.
During Monday’s Capital District Sports Women of the Year (CDSWOY) Awards ceremony at Proctors’ GE Theatre, Landy was named the Grand Scholastic Sports Woman of the Year, while Dobrzynski received the Grand Collegiate award. Now in its fifth year, the event recognized 14 student-athletes — 10 high school and four college — not just for their athletic prowess, but also for their academic achievements and community involvement.
The evening also paid tribute to trailblazing news anchor Liz Bishop, featured a musical performance from Angelina Valente, and included a video interview with Emma Baccellieri, a Sports Illustrated writer and author of the upcoming book “Court Queens: The Rise and Reign of Women’s Basketball.”
Landy, a three-sport star and the first CDSWOY recipient from Columbia High, will continue her basketball career at Wagner College. She earned first-team all-state honors in basketball and volleyball, and scored over 1,000 points in her high school basketball career and was named Suburban Council Player of the Year this past winter. On the flag football field, she helped Columbia reach the state semifinals and was twice named Section II Defensive Player of the Year.
Off the field, she maintained a 95.5 weighted GPA, earned an advanced Regents diploma, and participated in Student Council, Math League and the student newspaper. She also contributed to the community through unified basketball, multicultural events and youth camps across three sports.
“It means a lot,” Landy said of the recognition. “Knowing that I can be a role model for younger girls and teammates, so they have someone to look up to, is really special. All the hard work behind closed doors didn’t go unnoticed.”
Dobrzynski, the third CDSWOY honoree from Siena, graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA and a biology degree. On the lacrosse field, she finished as Siena’s all-time leader in career points (256) and assists (174). In her final season, she scored 62 points—26 goals and 36 assists—and was named to the All-MAAC First Team.
Her influence extended beyond sports. Dobrzynski contributed over 270 hours of community service, including work with the Kenya Lacrosse Association and the Double H Ranch. She was twice named Siena’s Female Student-Athlete of the Year and was nominated for the prestigious Allstate NACDA Good Works Team.
“Being a competitive athlete is hard, and that’s exactly why it’s important for girls and women to do it,” Dobrzynski said during her speech. “The communication, time management and mental toughness — those skills are indispensable.”
As she prepares to enter Albany Medical College, Dobrzynski said the night’s honor was a rewarding one to cap her college athletic career.
“To be recognized beyond my school or conference, it’s really special,” she said. “I’m proud to carry on Siena’s legacy.”
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The Capital District Sports Women of the Year program, led by President Eric McDowell, continues to highlight female athletes who exemplify excellence in sport, scholarship and service.
This year’s scholastic honors included Allie O’Rourke (Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake), Rachel Chen (Shenendehowa), Annabelle Goyette (Lansingburgh), Morgan Brewer (Holy Names), Mira Ginsburg (Shaker), Kayla Beaudoin (Tamarac), Larissa Lee (La Salle Institute), Jessica Baeckmann (Cairo-Durham), and Keeley Kristel (Scotia-Glenville).
The college recipients included Leah Madore (Russell Sage), Ava Poupard (University at Albany), and Moira Collins (Hudson Valley Community College).
Published: Tue, 05 Aug 2025 11:50:12 +0000 by d.gardner