WESTFIELD, Mass. - Westfield State University's senior cross country and track and field standout Jessie Cardin (Sutton, Mass.) was named the 2018 recipient of the school's John Kurty Award for Contributions to Athletics, considered the school's highest athletic award, at the recent Student Athlete Advisory Committee Senior Awards banquet.

The Coach John Kurty Award for Contributions to Athletics Award is presented annually and bestowed upon a student-athlete who best exemplifies Coach Kurty's many outstanding qualities including commitment, loyalty, hard work, dedication, sportsmanship, leadership and athletics ability.

It is considered the highest award from the Westfield State Department of Athletics, and considers the students' four-year athletic career and contributions to the athletics program at Westfield State.

Cardin, who was also named the female co-athlete of the year, became the first woman to win the MASCAC cross country title in four straight seasons, as she ran to a 37-second win in the league championship meet. She also received All-America honors in cross country for the second time in her career after finishing 36th at the 2017 NCAA Division III NCAA women's cross country Championship meet.

She helped lead the Owls cross country team to three MASCAC titles, and four straight MASCAC titles in track and field.

Cardin is currently ranked third in the nation in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and will look to advance to the 2018 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships, which take place May 24-26 in La Crosse, Wisconsin on the campus of UW-La Crosse.

Kurty, who retired from the Westfield State faculty in 1988, passed away in 2012 as the result of a tragic bicycle accident, compiled a brilliant men's soccer coaching record of 153 wins, 36 losses and 13 ties from 1966 to 1977. Coach Kurty led the Owls to five NCAA Tournament appearances and three New England championships, and his 1974 team finished third in the nation, the best ever performance from a Westfield State team.