NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – The Northeast 10 Conference recognized seven student-athletes from the fall season as Sport Excellence Award winners on Wednesday afternoon, honoring their outstanding athletic and academic achievements.
Among the 117 student-athletes named to the NE10 Academic All-Conference teams, the Sport Excellence Award is given to one top individual from each of the league's seven fall sports. Six different institutions were represented in the announcement, with only Adelphi having multiple recipients.
One of the Conference's most prestigious awards, the Sport Excellence Award was highlighted by Southern New Hampshire's Dillon Labonte, who wins the award for the second time in his career (men's cross country).
Adelphi was represented by a pair of NE10 Player of the Year recipients in Lana Mignon De Wet (field hockey) and Macarty McQueen (volleyball). Bentley's Michael Haikal (men's soccer) and Saint Michael's Scarlett Brookes (women's soccer), Player of the Year honorees in their own respective sports, also were recognized with Sport Excellence Award status.
Franklin Pierce's Geno Facchetti is the first Ravens' football player to ever win the Sport Excellence Award, while Southern Connecticut's Courtney Henchcliffe becomes the first Owls' women's cross country runner since Alasia Griebel (2010) to be honored.
To be eligible for Sport Excellence honors, a student-athlete must have been named to the All-Conference team in their respective sport, spent at least two consecutive full-time semesters at their institution and have maintained a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.30 or better (for both undergraduate and graduate work).
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
Name: Dillon Labonte
School: Southern New Hampshire
GPA: 4.0
Major: Electrical Engineering
Notes: Individual qualifier for 2025 NCAA Cross Country Championship...USTFCCCA East All-Region...NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete Award (formerly Elite 90)...NE10 First Team All-Conference...NE10 Elite 24 Award...Individual qualifier for 2024 NCAA Cross Country Championship...2024 NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete Award...2024 USTFCCCA East All-Region...2024 NE10 First Team All-Conference...2024 NE10 Elite 24 Award...2024 NE10 Sport Excellence Award.
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
Name: Courtney Henchcliffe
School: Southern Connecticut
GPA: 3.45/3.85
Major: Business Administration (MBA)
Notes: Won individual title at NE10 Women's Cross Country Championship...Won individual title at NCAA Division II East Region Championship...NE10 Cross Country Runner of the Year...Helped lead SCSU to their second conference and regional championships in program history...NE10 First Team All-Conference...2023 NCAA Division II All-Region honors...2023 NE10 Second Team All-Conference.
FIELD HOCKEY
Name: Lana Mignon De Wet
School: Adelphi
GPA: 3.83
Major: Health Sciences
Notes: NFHCA First Team All-American...NFHCA Regional Player of the Year...NFHCA First Team All-Region...NE10 Field Hockey Player of the Year...NE10 First Team All-Conference...Second-best offensive season in program history with 23 goals and 51 points...2024 NE10 Third Team All-Conference.
FOOTBALL
Name: Geno Facchetti
School: Franklin Pierce
GPA: 3.54
Major: Health Science
Notes: D2CCA Second Team All-America...Don Hansen All-America Honorable Mention...NEFWA All-New England Team...D2CCA Super Region 1 Defensive Player of the Year...NE10 Defensive Player of the Year...Finished with 62 tackles and led the NE10 in tackles for a loss (15.5), while recording nine sacks.
MEN'S SOCCER
Name: Michael Haikal
School: Bentley
GPA: 3.54
Major: Business
Notes: United Soccer Coaches All-American...NE10 Men's Soccer Player of the Year...Led Bentley to first appearance in the NCAA Championship in 50 years...Tied for sixth in the conference with 17 points, which included eight goals.
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Name: Scarlett Brookes
School: Saint Michael's
GPA: 3.98
Major: Accounting
Notes: D2CCA Third Team All-American...D2CCA East Region Player of the Year...D2CCA First Team All-Region...United Soccer Coaches First Team All-Region...NE10 Women's Soccer Player of the Year...NE10 First Team All-Conference...NE10 All-Championship Team.
VOLLEYBALL
Name: Macarty McQueen
School: Adelphi
GPA: 3.77
Major: Marketing
Notes: AVCA All-America Honorable Mention...AVCA East Region Player of the Year...AVCA All-Region First Team...NE10 Player of the Year...Led the conference in kills (443)...Three-time AVCA All-America Honorable Mention...Three-time All-Region First Team...Two-time NE10 First Team All-Conference.
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 10 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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