Baseball

Six Honored as America East Spring Scholar-Athletes

BOSTON – Following impressive spring seasons, six outstanding student-athletes were recognized as 2025-26 America East Spring Scholar-Athletes on Wednesday afternoon for their excellence athletically and academically.
 
Each student-athlete led their teams to great success, with three winning team or individual conference championships this academic year. Also have won a regular season title or played in a championship game over the course of their careers. UAlbany’s Jacob Smith leads with three career conference titles.
 
2025-26 America East Spring Scholar-Athletes
Baseball: Derek Paris - UMBC
  • The senior graduated with a 3.748 in Computer Science.
  • Named 2026 America East First-Team All-Conference at catcher.
  • Started 48 of 50 games and batted .324 while leading UMBC to a second place finish in the conference standings.
  • Three-time member of the baseball All-Academic Team.
 
Softball: Gabriella Gesualdo – Bryant
  • The junior owns a 3.90 GPA as a Global Supply Chain major.
  • Named First-Team All-Conference after hitting .343 in conference play with a 1.014 OPS.
  • Helped Bryant clinch first-ever regular season title.
  • Batted .444 in the America East Championship, earning All-Championship Team honors.
 
Men’s Lacrosse: Jacob Smith – UAlbany
  • The junior owns a perfect 4.0 as a Business Administration and Accounting double major.
  • First-Team All-Conference selection at LSM and member of All-Championship Team.
  • Helped UAlbany go unbeaten in conference play and win a third straight conference championship.
  • Tied for second in the conference in caused turnovers with 28.
 
Women’s Lacrosse: Ravan Marsell – UAlbany
  • The sophomore is a Human Development major with a 3.92 GPA.
  • First-Team All-Conference at midfield and member of All-Championship Team.
  • Helped UAlbany win second straight conference championship and earn a share of the regular season title.
  • Ranked first in the conference in points (68), assists (36) and assists per game (2.1).
 
Men’s Outdoor Track & Field: Matthew Oluwole – Binghamton
  • The senior graduated with a 3.92 GPA as a Business Administration major.
  • Selected to outdoor and indoor track & field All-Academic Teams.
  • Won both outdoor and indoor America East high jump championships.
  •  Honored as an America East Presidential Scholar-Athlete.
 
Women’s Outdoor Track & Field: Ruth White – New Hampshire
  • The sophomore mechanical engineering major owns a 3.98 GPA.
  • Named Honorable Mention All-American after placing 22nd overall in the 10,000 meters at the NCAA Championship.
  • Took second in the 10,000 meters at the America East Championship.
  • Finished with the top time in the 10,000 meters and the 3rd best time in the 5,000 meters at the conclusion of the season.
 
The Scholar-Athletes were members of teams in the six championship sports which America East sponsored in the spring season. Nominees were put forward by their institution, which could nominate up to one student-athlete per sport, then voted upon by the conference's Student-Athlete Engagement committee. Each America East Scholar-Athlete was a projected starter or prominent reserve and carries a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.50.

Sport Scholar-Athletes are automatically eligible for the America East Female or Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards, which will be announced in July.

America East is proud to have one of most comprehensive academic awards programs in the country, which honors over two-thirds of its student-athletes for their success in the classroom. 
 
ABOUT AMERICA EAST
Founded in 1979, the America East Conference is an elite NCAA Division I athletic conference that fosters an environment for student-athletes to become champions. Comprised of academically renowned, like-minded member institutions located in the Northeast region of the United States, America East is committed to broad-based excellence and progressive in its approach to supporting its more than 3,500 student-athletes across 18 sponsored sports. For more information, visit www.AmericaEast.com and follow the America East Conference and its social media channels, @AmericaEast. 
 
- America East Conference – Where Champions Rise -