WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State senior football defensive lineman Cade Nelson (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and senior women's soccer forward Delaney Parker (Orange, Mass.) were both presented with the Coach John Kurty Contributions to Athletics Award, presented annually and bestowed upon a student-athlete who best exemplifies Coach Kurty's many outstanding qualities.

The Kurty Award is presented annually to a student-athlete who best displays 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 student's four-year athletic career and contributions to the athletics program at Westfield State. 

Nelson achieved second-team honors as a first year member of the Owls, and capped his career with back-to-back first team all-conference selections. As a captain in his final two seasons, he helped shepherd the team through a coaching transition this past year, and to an improved win total this fall.  "He is someone that you want all your guys to be like. He is a perfect example of a leader and has been since day one." Coach Lou Conte said about Nelson.

He finished his four-year football career with 204 tackles, 12 sacks and 30 tackles for losses. This past season, Nelson had 44 total tackles with nine and a half tackles for loss, the most in his career, and three and a half sacks. In his 2022 season, Nelson produced his most total tackles with 61 with his most sacks coming in 2023 with four and a half.

Nelson's pride for Westfield State runs deeper than just football as he is a second-generation Owls student athlete as his father, Erik Nelson, played baseball at Westfield from '89 to '93. Erik Nelson mashed five home runs his junior year before hitting .321 with nine doubles as a senior.

Parker fully embodies the qualities necessary for the Kurty Award as she is one of the most decorated athletes in the history of Westfield State Athletics. She was named a CSC Academic All-American, just the 12^th Owls athlete to receive such honor. She is a three-time MASCAC Offensive Player of the Year recipient, the 2021 MASCAC Rookie of the Year, and is the first Owls athlete (male or female) to reach the 200-career point mark. She set the program record for single-season and career goals, finishing her career with 87 goals.

"It's great to see her recognized for her hard work on the field, and in the classroom.  She's probably the hardest working player of any who has played for me, and she's always been driven to get better," said Westfield State women's soccer coach Todd Ditmar in response to Parker's All-America announcement.

In her rookie season with the Owls, Parker led the nation with 31 goals and was recognized as the MASCAC Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year. The 31-goal effort shattered the single-season scoring record and also broke the single-season points record with 70.

Parker would go on to win three MASCAC Championships in her four seasons, playing in the conference championship game in all four years. As a first-year forward, Parker was named the MASCAC Tournament MVP after scoring the lone goal in the Owls 1-0 title match victory over Worcester State.

In her sophomore season, Parker helped guide the Owls back to the NCAA Tournament, then propelled Westfield into the second round of the NCAA Tournament after netting a double overtime goal against Emerson to lock up a 2-1 victory. As a program, it was the first time since 2011 the Owls advanced into the second round.

As a junior, the Owls went back to the MASCAC Championship game with Parker scoring the game-winning goal midway through the second half to secure a third consecutive conference championship and NCAA Tournament appearance. Parker was named the MASCAC Offensive Player of the Year and was named to the Division III All-Region team.

Parker capped her senior year by setting program records in both career goals and points, finishing her career with 87 goals and 208 points, earning another conference player of the year honors in the process.

Not only has she been a standout on the soccer field, but also on the indoor and outdoor track team for the past three years, where she worked equally as hard at her craft, placing second in the conference in the 100 meters this past season, and helping the Owls win the last three MASCAC indoor and outdoor women's track and field championships. 

The award is named in honor of coach Kurty, a WSU faculty emeritus in the Department of Movement Science, was a Hall of Fame men's soccer, volleyball, and golf coach at Westfield State who was tragically killed in a bicycle-automobile accident in 2012. His 1974 Owls' soccer team finished third in the nation, the best-ever performance from a Westfield State team.  

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