Orono, Maine -- Michael Gerace (football) and Anne Simon (women's basketball) have been announced as nominees for the 2022-23 America East Man and Woman of the Year.

Gerace and Simon are two of 18 institutional nominees for the prestigious award. The nine men and nine women were nominated by their institution for the honor, which recognized the conference's senior male and female student-athletes who have best distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate career in the areas of academic achievement, athletic excellence, service, and leadership.

To be nominated, student-athletes must have completed intercollegiate eligibility in their primary sport by the end of the 2023 spring season or received their undergraduate degree prior to the conclusion of the summer 2023 term and have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.500 (4.000 scale). Institutions are permitted to submit up to two nominees for each award if at least one is an international or ethnic minority student-athlete.

The nominees will be narrowed down to three finalists per gender, who will be announced on Wednesday, May 31. The 2022-23 America East Man and Women of the. Year will be unveiled on Wednesday, June 7 at the conference's annual awards dinner.

Gerace, a two-time all-conference second team selection and two-time captain of the Maine Football team, started 46 games during his career with the Black Bears. Gerace earned a bachelor of science degree in accounting and finance before achieving his masters in business administration in the spring of 2023. A four-time Dean's List recipient and four-time Colonial Athletic Association academic honor roll selection, Gerace earned a UMaine scholar-athlete platinum medallion for achieving a 3.0+ grade point average for five consecutive years.

Gerace, honored as a Presidential Scholar, dedicated several hours of his time at UMaine to giving back to the community where he helped lead the charge to get students and staff registered for the 'Get in the Game' bone marrow match program, read to students at the Asa C. Adams Elementary school, and spent his time during multiple seasons participating in the team's "walking school bus" event in which members of the team would help escort students from their homes to local schools. In 2022, Gerace served as a team captain for Maine's "Team Impact" endeavor with local youth Mayson, an 11-year old with cystic fibrosis who was 'signed' to Maine's roster.

Simon, who will return to compete for the women's basketball team in the fall of 2023, is a two-time America East all-conference first team selection and was named to the American East all-conference second team this past season. Simon, who currently ranks 11th on Maine's all-time scoring list (1,357) and eighth in steals (196), was honored as the league's player and defensive player of the year in 2022. Simon earned her degree in psychology in the spring of 2023 with a concentration in developmental psychology and a child development & family relations minor and will be pursuing graduate studies in the fall of 2023. A seven-time Dean's List selection, she is a two-time America East All-Academic team honoree and a three-time member of the America East Commissioner's Honor Roll. She earned a UMaine Scholar-Athlete gold medallion in the spring of 2023 for achieving a 3.0+ grade point average for four-straight years.

Off the court, Simon has dedicated her spare time to giving back to the Orono community in numerous ways over her years with the Black Bears. She has offered her time to meet with members of the Dirigo Pines assisted living community along with volunteering at the Pass it Forward Women's Basketball Coaches Clinic and many youth clinics offered by the Black Bears. A member of Athletics for Sexual Responsibility, Simon has spent time away from school and the court giving back at the Old Town/Orono YMCA, Orono's 'Trunk or Treat' initiative, and the Black Bear Food Exchange. She is also an active member of UMaine's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee where she manages the group's social media channels.

-UMaine-