Bridgewater, NJ — Thirteen recent graduates exemplified what it means to be a student-athlete in the NEC by finishing their collegiate careers with perfect 4.00 grade point averages and as a result, they added NEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year distinction to their impressive résumés.
The 13 honorees smashed the conference's previous record of 10 NEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award winners, which was set in 2021-22.
In its 20th year, the NEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, which is sponsored by the league’s Faculty Athletic Representatives, goes to the male and female student-athletes who have exhausted athletic eligibility, graduated and compiled the highest GPA in the conference at the conclusion of the academic year.
Mercyhurst stole the show with six NEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award recipients, including four on the women’s side, while Saint Francis also landed multiple winners with one male and one female student-athlete taking home the honor.
Graduating with 4.00 GPAs, Mercyhurst football’s Aidan Lin and Joey Balgo joined Saint Francis’ Jeff Hoenstine (football) and Stonehill’s Mark Kroll (men’s tennis) as co-recipients of the 2025-26 NEC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.
Also walking across the stage at commencement with perfect 4.00 marks to share NEC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors were four student-athletes from Mercyhurst: Lauryn Stover (women’s basketball), Jenna Van Schaik (women’s basketball), Kiersten Brown (women’s tennis) and Brice Hansen (women’s volleyball). The award was also won by Central Connecticut’s Marina Perry (women’s track and field), LIU's Sophia Paffrath (women's soccer), New Haven’s Micaela Rosignuolo (women’s tennis), Saint Francis’ Anna Quackenbush (women’s cross country and women’s track and field) and Wagner’s Elisa Parazzi (women’s track and field).
Aidan Lin (East Amherst, NY/Williamsville East) maintained a perfect 4.00 GPA while serving as Mercyhurst’s long snapper in his final three seasons on the football team. The AI & Data Science/Cyber Security was a mainstay on the Lakers’ special teams with appearances in all 34 games during that stretch.
Joey Balgo (Melbourne, FL/Saint Clairesville) made it a Mercyhurst football double dip in NEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year honorees thanks to his impressive 4.00 GPA as a Psychology major. The four-year offensive lineman made appearances in 24 games for the Lakers, including 20 during the Lakers’ first two seasons as an NEC member and Division I program. A native of Melbourne, FL, Balgo provided stellar protection for Mercyhurst quarterback Adam Urena, who broke the NEC’s single-season record in touchdown throws in 2024 after throwing for 31 scores. In addition, he helped lead the Lakers to a 4-3 record in league play in 2025, a mark that was tied for the third-best in the conference rankings.
Jeff Hoenstine (Martinsburg, PA/Central Martinsburg), a quarterback, did not skip a beat in the classroom as he maintained a perfect 4.00 GPA throughout his entire academic career as a Criminal Justice major. Making five appearances for Saint Francis on the gridiron this past season, the Keystone State product threw for a pair of touchdowns against Duquesne and Wagner.
Playing out of the No. 1 and No. 3 spot, Mark Kröll (Korneuburg, Austria/BG/BRG Laa/Thaya) came away with three doubles wins for the Skyhawks during his final campaign in Easton. The four-year men’s tennis player from Austria racked up 23 singles wins and 38 doubles triumphs during his career, all while earning a 4.00 GPA as a Marketing major.
Marina Perry (Rocky Hill, CT/Rocky Hill) earned three NEC championship rings during her time in New Britain. Helping the Blue Devils to consecutive indoor track and field crowns in 2025 and 2026, the Rocky Hill, CT native closed out her impressive campaign by adding an outdoor title to her résumé this past May. During her senior season, Perry struck bronze in both the indoor shot put and the outdoor shot put while contributing points to the Blue Devils’ unofficial track and field sweep in six total events. Academically, she maintained a 4.00 GPA as an Exercise Science major.
As a Psychology major, Sophia Paffrath (Cologne, Germany/Rhein-Gymnasium (Edward Waters)) turned in a clean sheet with a perfect 4.00 GPA. The German-born midfielder, who transferred to LIU for the 2024 and 2025 campaigns from Edward Waters, logged time in 30 matches with the Sharks and tallied one goal and an assist.
Lauryn Stover (Gates Mills, OH/Gilmour Academy) was a member of a Mercyhurst hoops squad that made a splash in just its second year as a member of the NEC after tying for second in the conference standings with a 14-4 league record, advancing to the NEC semifinals and earning the program’s first Division I postseason berth with a WNIT appearance. In her two years in Erie, the forward logged time in 47 games while averaging 2.1 points and 1.3 boards per contest. The Criminal Justice major was beyond impressive in the classroom, boasting a 4.00 GPA.
A Business and Competitive Intelligence major who maintained a perfect 4.00 mark in the classroom throughout her entire academic career, Jenna Van Schaik (Cincinnati, OH/Ursuline) helped lead the Lakers to a historic season at the Division I level in 2026. The senior guard earned NEC scholar-athlete honors in women’s basketball and garnered All-NEC first team honors for the Lakers. Van Schaik, who ranked among NEC leaders in scoring (13.9 ppg – 3rd), assists (3.4 apg – 2nd), free throw percentage (.793 – 5th), field goal percentage (.467 – 6th) and steals (1.5 spg – 10th), was named to the NEC All-Tournament Team after averaging 25.5 points per game, including a 28-point outing against LIU in the semifinals that tied for the highest single-game scoring total in the tournament.
Kiersten Brown (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island) was a four-year member of the women’s tennis team at Mercyhurst. The Grand Island, NY native notched a team-high 12 singles wins, primarily competing at the No. 3 spot, and added seven doubles victories. Brown, who majored in Biology, closed out her academic career with a perfect 4.00 GPA.
An outside hitter from Lyman, WY, Brice Hansen (Lyman, WY/Lyman (Wilmington)) logged time in 54 matches and 164 sets during her two-year stint at Mercyhurst. Totaling 17 kills, 18 service aces and 187 digs throughout her career, she helped guide the Lakers to their first-ever NEC Tournament appearance in just their second year as a Division I and NEC member in 2025. Hansen delivered an ace in the classroom as well, graduating with a perfect 4.00 mark while studying Environmental Science – Biology Field Studies.
Micaela Rosignuolo (Buenos Aires, Argentina/St. John’s School), a 4.00 student-athlete, helped lead the Chargers to a 9-9 overall record in its inaugural campaign as a Division I squad. The Argentina-born women’s tennis player won a pair of singles matches her senior year in 2026 while in doubles play, she also came away with two victories. Rosignuolo earned an undergraduate degree from New Haven in Finance & Financial Analytics.
In three cross country seasons at Saint Francis, Anna Quackenbush (Mount Airy, MD/Linganore) raced her way to three top 12 finishes at the NEC Championships and a trio of All-NEC plaudits. Two years after she was pegged the NEC Rookie of the Year following a seventh-place finish at the 2023 NEC Championship, the best ranking by a freshman women’s harrier since 2003, the Mount Airy, MD native was the fourth runner to cross the line at the conference’s postseason race in 2025 after she covered the 6k course at B & D Acres in Tyrone, PA in 22:37.5. On the track this past year, the distance runner finished fifth in the indoor 3,000m, fourth in the indoor 5,000m, fourth in the outdoor 5,000m and second in the outdoor 10,000m races. In the classroom, Quackenbush achieved perfection as a Health Science Physicians Assistant major.
Hailing from Angera, Italy, Elisa Parazzi (Angera, Italy/I.I.S. Enrico Fermi) was a two-time medalist and two-time All-NEC competitor during her career at Wagner. Earning a silver medal in the high jump at the 2025 NEC Indoor Track and Field Championship, she captured gold in the event and helped the Seahawks capture their first-ever NEC title after she cleared 1.63 meters at the 2025 NEC Outdoor Track & Field meet. That standout performance led to her being crowned the 2025 NEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year in women’s outdoor track and field. Parazzi soared to even greater heights in the classroom. Double majoring in International Affairs and Economics, she crossed the stage at graduation last month boasting a 4.00 GPA.
NEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year History
Year Men Women
2025-26 Aidan Lin, Mercyhurst Marina Perry, Central Connecticut
Joey Balgo, Mercyhurst Sophia Paffrath, LIU
Jeff Hoenstine, Saint Francis U Lauryn Stover, Mercyhurst
Mark Kroll, Stonehill Jenna Van Schaik, Mercyhurst
Kiersten Brown, Mercyhurst
Brice Hansen, Mercyhurst
Micaela Rosignuolo, New Haven
Anna Quackenbush, Saint Francis U
Elisa Parazzi, Wagner
2024-25 Lucas Hornung, LIU Gina Cittadino, Le Moyne
Aidan Reichert, Mercyhurst Anna Montomgery, Le Moyne
Patrick Reese, Saint Francis U Eliza Reynolds, Mercyhurst
Emma Lofstedt, Wagner
Jade Schoenfeld, Wagner
Katie Siverson, Wagner
2023-24 Matt Jenner, Central Connecticut Lina Dirnberger, FDU
David Satkowski, Stonehill Nina Carlomusto, FDU
Olivia Lampkin, Merrimack
Kaitlyn Maxwell, Saint Francis U
Savannah Schoonmaker, Saint Francis U
Lindsay Macdonald, Stonehill
2022-23 Matthew Zawaski, Sacred Heart Nina Carlomusto, FDU
Leah Nonnenmann, LIU
Lexi Smith, LIU
Lauren Taylor, St. Francis Brooklyn
Ashtyn Van Horn, St. Francis Brooklyn
Kaitie Conte, Saint Francis U
Kelly Dickson, Saint Francis U
Jeanie Edgington, Saint Francis U
2021-22 Mason Schloop, Central Connecticut Natalie Novak, Central Connecticut
Demetri Skoumbakis, LIU Laurie Hauet, LIU
Matthew Blose, Saint Francis U Shyla Sanford, LIU
Grace Scura, LIU
Jenna Wike, Merrimack
Mari Fay, Sacred Heart
Madeline Delore, Wagner
2020-21 Tomas Bernardes, St. Francis Brooklyn Grace Buchholz, Merrimack
Shannon Cody, Saint Francis U
2019-20 Gregory Heider, Saint Francis U Delaney Beck, Wagner
Scott Meredith, Saint Francis U Adriana Forcucci, Sacred Heart
2018-19 Shane Vyskocil, Bryant Lacee Collins, Robert Morris
Frank Cerillo, LIU Brooklyn Dana DiRenzo, St. Francis Brooklyn
Nicholas Nemergut, St. Francis Brooklyn Samantha Lackner, Robert Morris
Elise Dumouchelle, Saint Francis U
2017-18 Charlton Boyd, Wagner Abigail Hood, Sacred Heart
Joseph Choiniere, Sacred Heart Kristina Neri, FDU
Marcus DaSliva, St. Francis Brooklyn
2016-17 Joseph Paparelli, Bryant Taylor Allison, Saint Francis U
Sarah Bonson, Mount St. Mary's
Nicole Dean, Central Connecticut
Lea Lieb, Sacred Heart
Avika Sagwal, Wagner
2015-16 Washi Gervais, Saint Francis U Dragana Dzigurski, St. Francis Brooklyn
Haley Fournier, Mount St. Mary's
Sarah Ross, Saint Francis U
Brittany Sarza, Bryant
2014-15 David Lonnberg, St. Francis Brooklyn Katie Fox, St. Francis Brooklyn
2013-14 Travis Denny, Robert Morris Ellen Huffman, Wagner
2012-13 Mark Quaranta, Mount St. Mary's Una Japundza, Robert Morris
Carly Thibault, Monmouth
2011-12 Michael Foster, Mount St. Mary's Evgeniya Tyrtova, FDU
2010-11 Sean O'Reilly, Saint Francis U Ali Kliment, Monmouth
2009-10 Filip Kisdobranski, St. Francis Brooklyn Maggie O'Connell Dubois, Mount St. Mary's
2008-09 Benjamin Evenden, Monmouth Kathleen Henry, Sacred Heart
Tara Maxwell, Robert Morris
Erin Reifsteck, Saint Francis U
2007-08 Ian Butcher, Saint Francis U Katja Bavendam, St. Francis Brooklyn
2006-07 Moran Stern, St. Francis Brooklyn Lisa Jaszka, Robert Morris
Andrija Vrdoljak, St. Francis Brooklyn
About The Northeast Conference
Now in its 45th season, the NEC is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of ten institutions of higher learning located throughout six states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to a number of the largest markets in the United States including New York (#1), Chicago (#3), Boston (#9). Hartford/New Haven (#32) and Syracuse (#88). Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 25 championship sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic access to 16 different NCAA Championships. NEC full member institutions include Central Connecticut, Chicago State, FDU, Le Moyne, LIU, Mercyhurst, New Haven, Saint Francis U, Stonehill and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit the league’s official website (www.necsports.com) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, all @NECsports.