WESTFIELD, Mass. -- Men's track and field senior multi-event athlete William Canty (South Grafton, Mass.) and soccer midfielder Bella Eduardo (Springfield, Mass./Chicopee HS) have been as the 2020 Coach John Kurty Award recipients, as a part of the Westfield State University spring student-athlete awards.
The Coach John Kurty Award for Contributions to Athletics is named after the Owls' Hall of Fame soccer coach, and is presented to 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 4-year body of work and the contributions to the athletics program at Westfield State University.
Canty is a four-year member of the men's track and field team, who earned All-America honors in the decathlon at the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship meet.
He is a two-time NCAA Championship meet qualifier, qualifying for the indoor heptathlon in 2020 before the meet was abrubtly canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He holds the school records for the decathlon and heptathlon.
Canty's accolades throughout his tenure at Westfield include a pair of Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference individual titles in the 60 meter hurdles, a DIII New England title in the 400 meters, two New England titles in the decathlon, and was poised to make his first run at an All-America award in the heptathlon this past March.
Along with his athletic success, he excelled in the classroom as a member of the MASCAC All-Academic team.
Eduardo's scoring ability has helped the women's soccer program be in championship contention year-in and year-out.
As a three-time All-Conference selection, she helped deliver the women's soccer program two MASCAC tournament championships and a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances during her four years at Westfield.
After taking the MASCAC Rookie of the Year award in a stellar freshman season, she earned Player of the Year honors the following season, where she led the Owls to a MASCAC Championship scoring 14 goals and adding six assists.
She currently sits 11th on the Owls' all-time goal scorers list with 27 and ninth in career assists with 20.
Coach Kurty compiled a brilliant men's soccer coaching record of 153 wins, 36 losses, and 13 ties from 1966 to 1977. 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.