ERIE, Pa. - Mercyhurst University honored its senior student-athletes at the annual Senior Sports Banquet held at the Ambassador Banquet & Conference Center on Saturday.

Elyse Texido of the women's volleyball team and Luis Leao of the men's basketball team were named the Senior Female and Male Student-Athletes of the Year respectively. Trish Armstrong of the women's water polo team was awarded the Sister Damien Spirit Award while Joe Baumann and the Baumann Family received the Honorary Sister Damien Spirit Award.

A native of Lancaster, New York, Texido had an outstanding senior season to help Mercyhurst go to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009. After compiling a school-record 666 digs, she was named PSAC Western Division Defensive Athlete of the Year and All-PSAC Western Division First Team. She paced the conference in digs and served 37 aces in 2012.

In her career, Texido posted 1,627 digs and 126 aces, both good for third in program history.

On October 23, Texido became the first Laker volleyball player to earn the PSAC Athlete of the Week Award since 2008 and was the first libero, on any team, to claim the honor in five seasons. She was the first Mercyhurst player since 2002 to garner a major postseason conference award and was the first Laker since 2008 to be honored with an All-PSAC First Team selection.

Women's water polo standout Lissett Calderon and women's ice hockey goaltender Stephanie Ciampa were the other finalists for the award.

One of the top players in program history, Leao capped off a superb career by being named to the NABC All-American Team, the first player to earn the honor in program history. The Brusque, Brazil, native averaged 18.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in 2012-13, leading the Lakers to the PSAC Tournament. He set a school record with 166 made free throws and scored in double figures in 28 of 29 outings.

Leao was also picked as the PSAC Western Division Athlete of the Year, Capital One Academic All-America First Team, PSAC Winter Top Ten, and NABC All-Atlantic District First Team. His PSAC Athlete of the Year honor made him the first player born outside of North America to claim the award in the history of the conference. 

In his career, Leao scored 1,221 points, ninth-most in program history. His 17.4 points per game are fourth in school annals.

Baseball's all-time winningest pitcher, Ben Rawding, and men's lacrosse's all-time leading scorer, Brian Scheetz, were the other finalists.

Armstrong, who earned the prestigious Sister Damien Spirit Award, spent four seasons on the women's water polo team. In addition to her fine career in the pool, Armstrong worked in the sports information office and belonged to numerous groups on campus. The Baumanns, who were given the honorary award, are longtime supporters of the Mercyhurst athletic department and hold a golf tournament every summer to aid in scholarships for Mercyhurst student-athletes.