Wagner graduate student Dominic Palermo (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph By The Sea) wrapped his final season of competition by earning men’s cross country scholar-athlete honors. Palermo took third at the NEC Cross Country Championship for the second straight season, contributing to the Seahawks’ fourth place finish. He covered the 8K course in 25:29.80 to claim All-Conference accolades for the fourth time in his career, securing top-10 finishes on each occasion. This marks Palermo’s fifth appearance on both the NEC Academic & Commissioner’s Honor Roll. The Staten Island native compiled a 3.82 GPA majoring in Business Administration and carries a 3.9 GPA as he pursues his MBA.

LIU graduate student Lexi Smith’s (Shoreham, NY/Shoreham-Wading River) success on the course and in the classroom earned her recognition as the NEC scholar-athlete in women’s cross country. Racing on her home course, Smith recorded her fourth consecutive top-10 individual finish at the NEC Championship last October, completing the 5K course in 18:45.3 to lead the Sharks. Concluding her career as a four-time All-NEC honoree, Smith followed in the footsteps of former teammate Ainhoa Brea, who won the same award a year ago. Academically, she is a two-time member of the NEC Academic and Commissioner’s Honor Roll. Last spring, Smith was one of nine student-athletes to share the prestigious NEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award after graduating with a 4.00 GPA majoring in Library Information Science. The Shoreham, NY product has maintained a perfect GPA as she pursues her graduate studies.

Sacred Heart senior midfielder Isabelle Chamberlain (North Yorkshire, United Kingdom/Sedbergh School) was recognized as the co-scholar-athlete winner in field hockey. Chamberlain earned a place in SHU field hockey lore last November when she ended the Pios’ 18-year NEC title drought by finding the back of the cage in overtime to secure a 1-0 win over Wagner in the conference final. She also scored the golden goal in SHU’s 1-0 semifinal victory against Saint Francis U and was named NEC Tournament MVP in recognition of her postseason performances. Chamberlain, who hails from the North Yorkshire, UK, was voted to the All-NEC first team after she ranked second on the circuit in both goals (10) and points (23). Her five game-winning goals also tied for first in the league. Chamberlain has appeared on the NEC Academic and Commissioner’s Honor Roll four straight years and sports a near-perfect 3.98 grade point average majoring in Business Economics.

Wagner junior defender Emma Lofstedt (Durban, South Africa/Our Lady of Fatima) shared NEC field hockey scholar-athlete honors. Lofstedt secured her inaugural All-NEC accolade with a first-team selection, recognized for her pivotal role in anchoring the Seahawk defense. The Durban, South Africa native posted a pair of defensive saves and also provided offensive punch, finishing with four goals and four assists to tie for first on Wagner in scoring. Her four helpers also ranked seventh in the conference. Lofstedt, a Behavioral Economics major has achieved perfection in the classroom, boasting a flawless 4.0 cumulative GPA heading into the spring semester.

In capturing football honors, Stonehill graduate student offensive lineman David Satkowski (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) earned distinction as the lone repeat scholar-athlete winner this fall. On the field, Satkowski secured a spot on the All-NEC first team for the second consecutive season. He led an offensive line that not only paved the way for Jermaine Corbett, the league’s No. 2 ranked rusher, but also allowed just 15 sacks, the second fewest in the league. Notably, Satkowski repeated as a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which is considered the “Academic Heisman” and embodies the best combination of academics, community service and on-field performance. Over the summer, he attended the NFF Campbell Trophy Summit at Stanford University. Satkowski was also a finalist for the prestigious Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete award, an accolade bestowed upon an FCS student-athlete who excels on the playing field, in the classroom and across the community. The honors didn’t stop there. The Southbury, CT native garnered recognition as a New England Football Writers All-Star and earned membership in the NFF Hampshire Honor Society. Further highlighting his academic excellence, he received the Walter A. Devine Award as the top secondary education student at Stonehill, and was honored also as the Saint Thomas Aquinas, Patron Saint of Students, Medal Recipient for posting the highest cumulative GPA on the team. Satkowski is a two-time CSC Academic All-District honoree who landed a spot on the NEC Academic and Commissioner’s Honor Roll for the second year in a row. After compiling a 3.82 GPA pursuing a dual major in Secondary Education and History, he currently maintains a perfect 4.0 GPA in his Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Education graduate program.

Saint Francis U defender Tom Schellbach (Freiburg, Germany/Faust Gymnasium) capped a star-studded junior campaign by capturing the NEC men’s soccer scholar-athlete accolade. Schellbach was named the NEC Defensive Player of the Year after locking down the Red Flash backline, which played a vital role in SFU’s first-ever unbeaten regular season. In eight NEC matches, the Red Flash allowed a league-low four goals, and led the NEC with six shutouts and fewest overall goals conceded. Schellbach was named to the All-NEC first team and NEC All-Tournament team, while also earning ECAC All-Star status. His commitment to success in the classroom and on the field resulted in CSC Academic All-District honors. Schellbach, who is from Freiburg, Germany, has earned a spot on the NEC Academic Honor Roll in each of his first three seasons in Loretto. He carries a 3.70 GPA and majors in Communications.

From NEC Defensive Player of the Year to NEC scholar-athlete honoree in women’s soccer, it’s been quite the fall for Saint Francis U junior defender Lauren Persichetty (Staten Island, NY/Susan E. Wagner). While expertly patrolling an SFU backline that shutout four NEC rivals, Persichetty also contributed to the Red Flash attack with team-highs in goals (four), assists (three) and points (11). She was selected as the NEC Player of the Week on September 25 and was voted to the All-NEC first team at year’s end. Persichetty, a Staten Island native, was chosen to the CSC Academic All-District team and locked up a spot on both the NEC Academic and Commissioner’s Honor Roll lists. She has logged a 3.81 grade point average while majoring in Computer Science.