Mercyhurst senior forward Aidan Reichert (Jackson Center, OH/Jackson Center) was selected as the NEC scholar-athlete in men’s basketball after serving as a cornerstone of the Lakers’ successful DI transition. Serving as a steady veteran presence for Mercyhurst, Reichert earned All-NEC second team honors while helping lead the Lakers to a third-place NEC finish with a 9-7 conference mark in their inaugural season. He averaged 13.8 points per game - seventh-best in the NEC - and ranked in the top-10 in both rebounding (5.2 rpg) and field goal percentage (.485), while also converting 75.4 percent of his free throws. Reichert matched his career-high with a 24-point outing in a February win over Le Moyne and surpassed the 1,000-point milestone during the season, closing out his career with 1,350 points. Reichert, who was named to both the NEC Academic and Commissioner’s Honor Roll, possesses a perfect 4.0 GPA while pursuing his master’s degree in Organizational Leadership.

Mercyhurst junior forward Bailey Kuhns (Mount Pleasant, PA/Greensburg Central Catholic) was recognized as the NEC co-scholar-athlete in women’s hoops following a sensational debut season at the DI level. Kuhns played a central role in Mercyhurst’s seamless transition to the NEC, earning All-Conference first team honors and capturing NEC Player of the Week accolades twice. She wasted no time making her mark, scoring 20 points in her DI debut at Notre Dame, then dropped 32 in an overtime thriller against Cornell. Kuhns went on to claim the NEC scoring title, averaging 19.9 points per game, which ranked 26th nationally. She surpassed the 20-point mark eight times in league play and rounded out her all-around production by ranking tenth in the NEC in rebounding (5.1), fourth in field goal percentage (.489) and ninth in free throw percentage (.716). Kuhns also reached the 1,000-point milestone during the season and concluded her junior campaign with 1,104 career points. A member of both the NEC Academic and Commissioner’s Honor Roll, Kuhns is an Early Childhood and Special Education major who maintains a perfect 4.00 GPA.

CCSU graduate student guard Belle Lanpher (Princeton, MA/Wachusett Regional) capped off a historic season by being named the NEC co-scholar-athlete in women’s basketball. Lanpher became the first player in program history to earn NEC Player of the Year honors and was selected to the All-NEC first team following back-to-back second team appearances. A standout on both ends of the court, she also earned a spot on the inaugural All-NEC Defensive Team and played a key role in leading the Blue Devils to their most NEC wins (10) and highest tournament seed (No. 3) in a decade. The four-time NEC Player of the Week paced the league with 23.0 points per game in conference action - the highest mark on the circuit since 2017-18 - and averaged 22.3 ppg overall. She shot an efficient 38.8 percent from beyond the arc and 89.2 percent at the free throw line, recorded 12 games with 20+ points and registered three 30+ point outings, including a career-high 37 in a January win over Wagner. A true Swiss Army knife, Lanpher also contributed across the board with 5.6 rpg, 3.5 apg and 1.5 spg. She finished her career third on CCSU’s all-time scoring list with 1,506 points. Lanpher, who hails from Princeton, MA, was named to the CSC Academic All-District Team and advanced to the Academic All-America ballot. A five-time member of the NEC Academic Honor Roll and three-time NEC Commissioner’s Honor Roll honoree, Lanpher is an Exercise Science major with a 3.84 GPA.

Duquesne fifth-year standout Shannon Small (Pittsburgh, PA/Plum) capped her decorated career by earning NEC women’s wowling scholar-athlete honors following an elite 2024-25 campaign. The Pittsburgh native was named the 2025 NEC Bowler of the Year and earned a spot on the All-NEC first team for the third straight season, becoming a rare four-time NEC all-star in the process. Small also received NTCA All-America Honorable Mention recognition and was a finalist for the 2025 International Bowling Media Association (IBMA) Collegiate Player of the Year. Serving as the anchor bowler for the NEC runner-up Dukes, she led the conference with an average frame score of 20.31 across 1,238 frames and ranked sixth nationally in traditional average (209.2). She paced the Dukes in fill percentage (88 percent), average first ball (9.04), strike percentage (47.8 percent) and makeable spares (87.4 percent). Small also led the NEC and ranked 26th nationally in the Player Composite Performance Index (PCPI) at 88.1 percent. A Pharmacy major with a 3.39 cumulative GPA, Small is a five-time member of the NEC Academic Honor Roll.  She followed in the footsteps of former teammate Kiearra Saldi (2024), who claimed the 2023-24 scholar-athlete award.

Wagner junior pole vaulter Julio Martinez (Madrid, Spain/Zola las Rozas) was the recipient of the men’s indoor track and field scholar-athlete award. Martinez successfully defended his NEC indoor pole vault title, clearing 4.73 meters to win his second straight crown and help guide the Seahawks to a runner-up team finish. As a freshman in 2023, the Madrid native placed second in the event and earned Outstanding Rookie Performer honors. His 4.75-meter clearance at the Dr. Sander Scorcher Invitational in January stood as the top mark on the NEC indoor performance list this past season. A two-time NEC outdoor pole vault champion and three-time NEC Academic Honor Roll selection, Martinez majors in Physics and maintains a 3.73 GPA.

CCSU senior distance runner Julianna Cancellieri (Berlin, CT/Berlin) was named the NEC scholar-athlete in women’s indoor track and field. Cancellieri claimed gold in the 5,000 meters with a personal-best time of 17:10.11, finishing nearly seven seconds ahead of the field in what was the fastest time by any NEC runner this past season. She also earned silver in the 3,000 meters, clocking another personal-best of 9:48.30, good for fourth on the NEC performance list. Cancellieri’s recognition extended CCSU’s run of success in this award, becoming the fourth consecutive Blue Devil to earn the honor, following in the footsteps of former teammates Angie Rafter (2022, 2023) and Brooke Morabito (2024). A five-time member of the NEC Academic Honor Roll and four-time selectee to the NEC Commissioner’s Honor Roll, Cancellieri is a Reading and Language Arts major who has compiled a 3.90 GPA.

The men’s swimming and diving scholar-athlete award went to Wagner senior Ruben Van Gool (Madrid, Spain/Gredos San Diego). At the NEC Swimming & Diving Championships, Van Gool earned a bronze medal in the 1,650-yard freestyle with a time of 16:12.77 and added fourth-place finishes in both the 200 freestyle (1:40.71) and 500 freestyle (4:38.95). His strong showings were instrumental in Wagner securing runner-up honors in a tightly contested battle with Howard that wasn’t decided until the final race. The native of Madrid, Spain added to his impressive championship resume, which included wins in the 1,650 freestyle at both the 2023 and 2024 meets, as well as a victory in the 500 freestyle at the 2024 championship event. A Microbiology & Immunology major with a 3.96 GPA, Van Gool is a three-time selection to both the NEC Academic Honor Roll and Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

CCSU junior Gabi Wroblewski (Farmington, CT/Farmington) was tabbed the women’s swimming and diving scholar-athlete of the Year after playing a pivotal role in helping the Blue Devils capture their third consecutive NEC title at Spire Institute in Geneva, OH. Wroblewski scored 36 points for CCSU at the conference meet, recording top-eight finishes in all three of her individual events: fifth in the 400 IM (4:33.21), eighth in the 200 IM (2:08.19) and eighth in the 200 butterfly (2:08.59). She is a former NEC individual champion, having won the 400 IM as a freshman in 2023. Wroblewski is an Interdisciplinary Science major with a 3.70 GPA and has been named to the NEC Academic Honor Roll three times.