WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State seniors Katherine Canty (Natick, Mass.) and Eric Johnson (Houston, Texas) were the recipients of the 2025 Peter Mazza Athletic Award from the Westfield State athletic department at the annual awards ceremony earlier this month.

The award is presented to a student-athlete that excels in academics, athletic ability, sportsmanship, character, service, leadership and professional development. The award is named in honor of Dr. Peter Mazza, the retired Vice President of Student Affairs at Westfield State who was a significant advocate of the student-athlete experience. Presenting the awards was Marlee Berg-Haryasz, Assistant Athletic Director for Recruitment, Retention, and Student-Athlete Well Being.

Canty, a senior pitcher on the Owls softball team, made a lasting presence in the pitching circle and within the community over her four years at Westfield. As an athlete, Canty delivered the best season of her career as she was named the MASCAC Pitcher of the Year after compiling a 13-4 record with a miniscule 1.60 earned run average over 96.1 innings pitched.

She set career-best marks in appearances, innings pitched, ERA, strikeouts, and WHIP while captaining the Owls to a program record 32 wins and a MASCAC Regular Season Championship. For her career, she tossed 296.0 innings with a 33-16 record and a 2.46 earned run average. Canty finished fifth in program history in appearances (72), sixth in wins, and seventh in ERA.

A psychology major, off the field as an extension of her academic work, Canty helped develop mental health programming for Owls student athletes, and served as a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee Executive board, where she helped plan events such as the gift collection for local families in the month of December and the book drive in the spring, and helped SAAC solidify a seat on the Student Government Association. 

Johnson, a senior forward for the Owls men's basketball team, was heavily involved in the athletic scene within his own sport and with other programs. A two-time MASCAC Champion, Johnson was named the 2024-25 MASCAC Defensive Player of the Year and was an All-Conference First Team selection. He was a dominant interior presence for the Owls, averaging 1.3 blocks, 1.1 steals, and 5.5 rebounds per game this year.

Johnson was exceptional in the MASCAC Championship game against Salem this year, registering a double-double with 18 points and ten rebounds while swatting three shots and picking up three steals in the Owls 93-63 title game victory.

Off the court, he represented the men's basketball program on SAAC and ensured that there was involvement from his team and aided in the gift collection for local families in the month of December. For the past several years he has been a regular presence at many out-of-season events working as a game day personnel member in the athletic department at field hockey, soccer, lacrosse and track and field. 

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