ALBANY, N.Y. – More than 25 student-athletes, including seven from the SUNYAC, were honored with the SUNY Scholar Athlete of the Year Awards for combining academic achievement with success in the arena of athletic competition during the 2023 spring season.
The Spring SUNY Scholar Athlete Awards recognized 27 student-athletes from SUNY colleges and universities sponsoring intercollegiate athletics at the four- and two-year levels who were nominated and voted upon by representatives of their respective institutions. Nominating information includes cumulative grade point average (minimum 3.30) current and career statistics, and athletic and academic honors.
Baseball - Mat Bruno, Cortland
Bruno is pursuing his graduate degree in physical education leadership after earing an undergraduate degree in physical education. He maintains a 3.81 in his graduate program and had an overall GPA of 3.45 in undergrad and was just recently named the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Baseball Scholar Athlete of the Year. Bruno was an ABCA First Team All-Region outfielder and a Second Team All- SUNYAC in 2023. He batted .367 with nine homers, 13 doubles, 49 RBI, 48 runs, 20 walks and 12 steals. Bruno became Cortland's career leader with 25 homers.
Men's Lacrosse - Trevor Bollinger, Geneseo
Bollinger has a 4.0 cumulative GPA with a double major in chemistry and sociology. He was named USILA Honorable Mention All-American, selected to the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) All-Tournament Team, named the SUNYAC Elite 20 Award Winner, earned CSC Academic All-District honors, an Academic All-American, the SUNYAC Men's Lacrosse Scholar Athlete of the Year and was a First-Team All-SUNYAC selection. He posted a team-high 35 caused turnovers, and was second in ground balls with 68, only trailing the faceoff specialist.
Women's Lacrosse - Meg Seeley, Geneseo
Seeley helped lead the Knights to the program's first-ever SUNYAC title, and was named a First-Team All-State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) member as a defender. Seeley was also named All-Region and a USA Lacrosse Magazine Third-Team All-American. She was second on the team in caused turnovers and ground balls. Seeley was also named the SUNYAC Women's Lacrosse Scholar Athlete of the Year maintaining a 3.66 overall GPA as a psychology major.
Women's Tennis - Onalee Batcheller, New Paltz
Batcheller was named to the All-State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) First-Team Singles and Second-Team Doubles. She had a 4.0 GPA this past semester for a cumulative GPA of 3.81. This season she was twice named SUNYAC Player of the Week, once for her singles play and once for her doubles play. Batcheller posted a 7-0 SUNYAC regular season singles record and with four different partners was also 7-0 in conference doubles competition.
Men's Outdoor Track and Field – Jean-Andre Sassine, Cortland
Sassine earned All-Niagara Region in the triple jump both outdoors and indoors. He was All-AARTFC (4th place) in triple jump. He was also named the SUNY Scholar Athlete of the Year for men's indoor. Sassine is a senior communication studies major with a 3.89 overall GPA.
Women's Outdoor Track and Field – Rachel Hirschkind, Geneseo
Hirschkind earned All-American status for the Knights at the NCAA Championship with a fifth-place finish in the Steeplechase. At the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Championships, she set a new meet record in the steeplechase with a time of 10:41.21. Hirschkind is a senior chemistry major with a 3.51 overall GPA.
Softball – Jackie Rometo, New Paltz
Rometo was the 2023 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Softball Player of the Year and was named to the NFCA All-Region second team and the SUNYAC All-Tournament team. She holds a 3.94 overall GPA as a communications disorders major. Rometo led her team in batting average (.416), at-bats (154), runs (45), hits (64), doubles (14), triples (4), RBI (38), total bases (89), slugging percentage (.578) and stolen bases (20) with 12 walks and just six strikeouts. She's also one of the top outfielders in the conference with a .983 fielding percentage. Rometo and the Hawks finished the regular season as the No. 1 seed in the conference for the first time ever and ended the 2023 season with a 31-13 overall record.
