NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – The Northeast-10 Conference announced its top three finalists for Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Tuesday afternoon, narrowing down the pool of 22 institutional nominees announced on May 13.
Finalists for the Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards represent three different institutions and five different sports. The announcement of award recipients will be made the night of Tuesday, June 3, as part of the NE10 Banquet at Fratello's Events in the Millyard in Manchester, N.H.
Eligibility requirements for nomination are that a student-athlete must be in their final year of athletic eligibility, graduating with a degree in May (unless in a master's program), must be enrolled in a full-time course load and must have a minimum final cumulative grade point average of 3.30. A committee made up of faculty members and athletic administrators conducts voting for the awards.
Each of the league's 11 member institutions nominated at least one student-athlete for each award.
NE10 Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year Finalists
Marko Jovanovic, Adelphi
Sport: Men's Tennis
Undergraduate Major: Accounting/Finance
Undergraduate GPA: 3.983
Jovanovic, a three-time NE10 Vern Cox Player of the Year, has been an athletic and academic standout in his time at Adelphi. He is a two-time recipient of both the NE10 Elite 24 Award and Sport Excellence Award. In 2024, he was named the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America Team Member of the Year - the top academic in all of Division II men's tennis. He is a two-time CSC First Team Academic All-American and two-time NE10 Academic All-Conference honoree. Jovanovic is a four-time selection to First Team All-Conference between both singles and doubles competition.
David Gagnon, Bentley
Sport: Men's Lacrosse
Undergraduate Major: Economics/Finance
Undergraduate GPA: 3.95
Gagnon, a team captain for Bentley, has excelled both on and off the field during his career with the Falcons. In 2023, he helped Bentley reach the NE10 Championship game, where he won the Elite 24 Award for his outstanding academic work. He was selected to the CSC Academic All-District Team in 2024 and the NE10 Academic All-Conference Team in 2023. Gagnon was a Second Team All-Conference selection in 2025, while ranking first on his team in goals (34) and third in points (40).
Sebastian Simonson, Saint Michael's
Sport: Men's Lacrosse
Undergraduate Major: Biochemistry
Undergraduate GPA: 3.9
Simonson, a member of the Saint Michael's men's lacrosse program, is a two-time CSC Academic All-American - as well as a two-time D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award recipient. He is a two-time selection to the NE10 Academic All-Conference Team and has earned Academic Honor Roll status in every semester of his career. Simonson, a team captain this season, was named NE10 Offensive Player of the Year in 2025 and is a two-time First Team All-Conference selection in his career. In 2024, he earned USILA All-America honors.
NE10 Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year Finalists
Kambel Fiser, Adelphi
Sport: Volleyball
Undergraduate Major: Exercise Science
Undergraduate GPA: 3.857
Fiser had a special 2024 season for Adelphi volleyball, as she was named NE10 Setter of the Year and the Sport Excellence Award winner - honoring both her athletic and academic performances. Additionally, she was named an AVCA All-America Honorable Mention. She was selected to the CSC Academic All-District Team in 2024 and earned the D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award in 2022-23. Fiser is a two-time All-Conference recipient and ranks seventh all-time in career assists at Adelphi.
Caitlin Burmester, Bentley
Sport: Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Undergraduate Major: Accounting, Liberal Studies
Undergraduate GPA: 3.95
Burmester, a team captain and standout runner in both cross country and track & field at Bentley, is a two-time recipient of the NE10 Sport Excellence Award in her senior season. During her career, she is a four-time CSC Academic All-District pick, a four-time USTFCCCA All-Academic honoree and an eight-time NE10 Academic All-Conference selection. During the 2024 cross country season, Burmester led Bentley to its first NE10 title in program history and was named East Region Athlete of the Year - while qualifying for the NCAA Division II National Championship. Overall, she is a nine-time All-Region selection.
Jenna Devens, Saint Michael's
Sport: Softball
Undergraduate Major: Digital Media & Communications (Minor: Art & Design)
Undergraduate GPA: 3.73
A two-year captain, Devens became the first Saint Michael's player to ever earn NE10 Player of the Year after a standout season in 2025 where she batted over .400. She was named First Team All-Region and earned First Team All-Conference honors for the third time in her career. Devens is a two-time CSC Academic All-District player, a two-time winner of the D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award and a 2024 NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete. She has earned a spot on the NE10 Academic Honor Roll in each semester of her career.
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 11 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
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