LOUDONVILLE, NY – Recipients of the Leo and Jeannine Dufort Student-Athletes of the Month Award were awarded to Siena Baseball and Women's Golf standouts Ryan Taffe and Mackenzie Whitney for the month of April.
 
Taffe, a redshirt junior and native of Delmar, NY, is a MAAC All-Academic and two-time MAAC Academic Honor Roll member. The product of Bethlehem High School holds a 3.43 cumulative GPA as a communications-marketing major. 
 
In 36.1 innings of work, Taffe has a 2.97 ERA with a 2-0 record and 32 strikeouts. Opposing batters are hitting just .138 against Taffe. He's come on strong down the stretch, hurling 19 innings in his last three starts while only allowing five earned runs with 10 strikeouts at UAlbany, at Sacred Heart and versus St. Peter's. 
 
Whitney, a senior and native of Westminster, MA, holds a 3.06 cumulative GPA as an adolescence education major. 
 
The product of Oakmont Regional High School finished tied for 33^rd at 245 (+29) in the MAAC Women's Golf Championships at Walt Disney World's Magnolia Course in Orlando, FL in April. Whitney turned in one of the team's strongest rounds at the Battle of the Beach at Pawley's Plantation Golf & Country Club by firing a 76 in round two to finish tied for 20^th at 161 (85-76) in February. Whitney carded a final round of +8 behind a team-best third birdies and a 14^th overall finish (86-79-165) at Bellevue Country Club in Syracuse back on October. 
 
The Leo and Jeannine Dufort Student Athlete of the Month Award is presented nine times annually (September-May) throughout the academic year. The award recognizes exemplary achievements in both academics and athletics. The late Leo Dufort received a B.S. in marketing and management from Siena in August of 1977. His entire academic career was completed on a part-time basis beginning in the spring of 1961, as a married adult while at the same time raising six children. He passed away suddenly in 1993. His wife Jeannine wanted to do something to immortalize his memory. The original plaque was donated to athletics and the school began the Leo Dufort Student Athlete of the Month Award to help carry out his legacy. Dufort graduated from Catholic Central High School in 1954 which is where he met his high school sweetheart, Jeannine Snyder.  Among his many accomplishments, Leo was extremely active in youth sports throughout his life and was a Navy Veteran stationed on the USS Bennington. The name of the award was updated in December 2024 to also honor Leo's wife, Jeannine Dufort, and her many years of dedicated and loving service to Siena College. It was often said that Jeannine was one the most knowledgeable people on campus during her years of service. Jeannine served as the secretary to presidents Rev. Hugh Hines, Rev. William McConville, and Rev. Kevin Mackin. Her love for the students was endless. A short time after Jeannine retired, she was awarded the title of Honorary Franciscan (complete with her Franciscan robe). Jeannine passed away in June 2025.