2020 Jeff Cooney Memorial Scholarship Recipients

Announcing our 2020 Cooney Scholarship Recipients

Congratulations to our 2020 Cooney Scholars!

Established in 2018, the Jeff Cooney Memorial Scholarship recognizes Destination: College Student Athletes who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement, leadership potential, grit and determination. This year we awarded 17 student athletes from Mount Vernon, Gorton, and Woodlands High Schools. Please take a moment to read about our amazing student athletes.

Chenelle Gordon, University at Albany

Ahmad Davis-Warner, SUNY Brockport

Nazir Davis, University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Troy Hupstead

MVHS Boys Basketball. Troy is a recruited athlete and will be attending Springfield Commonwealth Academy as a member of their basketball team for a post graduate year.

Omiliya Lawrence, Delaware State University

MVHS Cheerleading. Omiliya will be attending the Delaware State University School of Nursing .

Oluwabukunmi Praise Kasali, University at Albany

MVHS Boys Soccer.

Tashaan Lewis,

Woodlands High School, Football and Basketball. Tashaan is a recruited football player and has been accepted to Alfred University, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. John Fisher, Utica, Coppin State, Western Connecticut, SUNY Morrisville and Alfred State.

Alani Connor, Chestnut Hill College

MVHS Tennis. Alani is a recruited athlete and is a recipient of the Tichenor-Greer Scholarship, a STEM scholar program at CHC.

Orlando Dawkins, SUNY Plattsburgh.

MVHS Boys Basketball. Orlando is a recruited athlete and will play for the Men’s Basketball team at SUNY Plattsburgh.

Mauricio Cardoso Neto

MVHS Boys Soccer.

Janeel Joseph, Mercy College

Woodlands High School, Football. Janeel is a recruited athlete and has been offered scholarships at Manhattanville, Alfred University, and Maria College. He will not play football in college.

Christian Watson, St. Thomas Aquinas

Woodlands High School, Track and Field. Christian is a recruited athlete and will run track at St. Thomas Aquinas.

Omari Kendrick, SUNY Cortland

Woodlands High School, Football. Omari is a recruited athlete and will play football at SUNY Cortland in the fall.

Melane Tejeda, Stony Brook University

MVHS Cheerleading. Melane has also been awarded the Jandon Scholarship.

Paula Aidoo, Lehman College

MVHS, Tennis. Paula plans to major in Media Communication Studies.

Andrew Crawford, SUNY Morrisville

MVHS Soccer. Andrew will attend the Automotive Tech program at SUNY Morrisville.

Colby Frias, SUNY Morrisville

Gorton High School, Football. Colby is a recruited athlete and will play football at SUNY Morrisville.

Meet Damani Ashton: – From Athlete to Student-Athlete

Destination: College alum and Mount Vernon HS graduate Class of 2011. Damani graduated from Post University in 2017 and immediately began looking ahead to the next steps to meet his goals. With a grant from DC for test prep, he prepared for the LSAT. In the spring of 2019, Damani was accepted to four law […]