ALBANY, N.Y. – New Paltz's softball student-athlete, Jackie Rometo has been selected as the 2022-23 Division III Women's SUNY Scholar Athlete of the Year as announced on Friday, July 21, by Chancellor John B. King, Jr., from the SUNY System in Albany, N.Y. Two student-athletes from each division, six total, have been selected as the overall Men's and Women's SUNY Scholar Athlete of the Year for combining academic achievement with success in the arena of athletic competition during the 2022-23 year.

Rometo was eligible for the award after being one of 70 student-athletes that were recognized by SUNY as Scholar Athletes in their respective sport following their playing season this year. 

Rometo was the 2023 SUNYAC Softball Player of the Year, First-Team All-SUNYAC and Second-Team NFCA All-Region. She finished this past semester with a 3.91 GPA for a cumulative GPA of 3.94 majoring in communication disorders (junior academically, only second season athletically). Rometo is the second ever SUNYAC Player of the Year in program history. She upped her game to lead the 2023 Hawks in virtually every offensive statistical category including, batting average: .427; OPS: 1.061; at bats: 143; runs scored: 42; hits: 61; doubles: 13; triples: 3; RBIs: 38; total bases: 83; slugging percentage: .580; on base percentage: .481; stolen bases: 18-20. Rometo started and played in all 41 regular season games. Defensively, she had a .983 fielding percentage on 54 chances, 53 put outs and four assists, establishing herself as one of the best defensive outfielders in the league as well.

Nominating information includes cumulative grade point average, current and career statistics, and athletic and academic honors.

More than 14,000 student-athletes compete at SUNY institutions representing 53 different colleges and universities at the NCAA Division I, NCAA Division III/USCAA and NJCAA levels and are eligible for the awards.