CANTON, Ga. – The Division III Commissioners Association (D3CA) is proud to announce the 20 outstanding student-athletes—a group that includes Connecticut College swimmer Justin Finkel (Cheshire, Conn.)—selected as the 2024-25 Regional Student-Athlete of the Year winners.

Finkel, who graduated in May with a degree in biological sciences, becomes the first Conn College student-athlete to earn the award. Each regional winner now advances to the national ballot for the D3CA Men's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year and D3CA Women's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year awards, which will be announced next month. 

These prestigious awards, now in their fourth year, recognize graduating seniors who have demonstrated excellence in athletics, academics, leadership, and service throughout their collegiate careers. Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society, serves as the presenting sponsor of these awards.

"Chi Alpha Sigma is honored to partner with the D3CA in recognizing these incredible student-athletes," said Kellen Wells-Mangold, Executive Director of Chi Alpha Sigma. "Our mission to celebrate excellence in both academics and athletics perfectly aligns with this initiative. These recipients exemplify the highest ideals of collegiate athletics and leadership."

The award is the latest in a tremendous career for Finkel, a 12-time All-America selection who captured four national titles and two national swimmer of the year awards while at Conn. He was also named NESCAC Swimmer of the Year for three straight years and won eight individual NESCAC titles, and was a two-time College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America honoree.

Award Selection & Criteria
Graduating seniors were the only student-athletes eligible for nomination. Each conference was permitted to submit up to two nominees for each gendered award, provided at least one was an international student or from an ethnic minority background. Selection was based on four key areas:

•    Academic Achievement
•    Athletic Excellence
•    Service and Leadership
•    Personal Statement

Voting took place among commissioners within each of the 10 Division III regions. The top male and female honoree in each region will be considered for the two national awards.

2024-25 Regional Student-Athlete of the Year Honorees

Region I
•    Men's Sport: Justin Finkel, Connecticut College (Swimming and Diving) | New England Small College Athletic Conference
•    Women's Sport: Hope Shue, Middlebury College (Lacrosse) New England Small College Athletic Conference

Region II
•    Men's Sport: Nick Harms, Case Western Reserve University (Baseball) University Athletic Association
•    Women's Sport: Loren Brown, University of Chicago (Indoor & Outdoor Track and Field) University Athletic Association

Region III
•    Men's Sport: Luke Aquaro, Hobart College (Ice Hockey) | Liberty League
•    Women's Sport: Megan Bell, University of Rochester (Indoor & Outdoor Track and Field) Liberty League

Region IV
•    Men's Sport: Quinnten Hatfield, St. Mary's College of Maryland (Lacrosse) United East Conference
•    Women's Sport: Medelyn Lehigh, Penn State Harrisburg (Softball) United East Conference

Region V
•    Men's Sport: Reza Eshghi, Haverford University, (Cross Country, Indoor & Outdoor Track and Field) | Centennial Conference
•    Women's Sport: Michaela O'Neil, Johns Hopkins University (Basketball) Centennial Conference

Region VI
•    Men's Sport: Freddy Rogers, University of Mary Washington, (Soccer) Coast to Coast
•    Women's Sport: Grace Walker, Centre College (Golf) | Southern Athletic Association

Region VII
•    Men's Sport: Trey Theobald, Ohio Wesleyan University (Track and Field) | North Coast Athletic Conference
•    Women's Sport: Mary Mason, University of Mount Union (Cross Country, Indoor & Outdoor Track and Field) | Ohio Athletic Conference

Region VIII
•    Men's Sport: Tate Ivanyo, Anderson University (Basketball) | Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference
•    Women's Sport: Lauren Huber, Illinois Wesleyan University (Basketball) | Collegiate Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

Region IX
•    Men's Sport: Daniel Tulchinskiy, Lake Forest College (Tennis) | Midwest Conference
•    Women's Sport: Hailey Gregg, Bethel University (Indoor & Outdoor Track and Field) | Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

Region X
•    Men's Sport: Max Wagener, University of Redlands (Water Polo) | Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
•    Women's Sport: Ella Brissett, Claremont McKenna-Harvey Mudd-Scripps Colleges (Tennis) | Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

About the D3 Commissioners Association (D3CA)
The D3CA was established in 1992 to provide a collaborative network for Division III commissioners to share knowledge, resources, and best practices. Working alongside key organizations such as the NCAA and NACDA, the association is committed to enhancing the student-athlete experience through innovation and collective leadership.

About Chi Alpha Sigma
Founded in 1996, Chi Alpha Sigma is the nation's only honor society dedicated to recognizing four-year college student-athletes for outstanding achievement in both academics and athletics. Today, more than 200 of its 360+ chapters represent NCAA Division III institutions, continuing its mission to honor the ideal balance of scholarly and athletic excellence.