Track & Field

Papa & Roberts Named Performers of the Year, Track & Field All-Academic is Released

BOSTON – Following a pair of All-America performances, UMBC’s Iosif Papa and Ava Roberts have been named America East Outdoor Track & Field Performers of the Year, while All-Academic Teams were announced by the conference on Tuesday afternoon.  
 
Papa placed 18th nationally in the discus to conclude his career with Honorable Mention All-America honors for the second time in his career. He won his third career #AETF championship in the discus this past May and broke the previous conference record by nearly 2 meters with his throw of 58.80 meters.
 
Roberts concluded her collegiate career with Second-Team All-America honors after placing 11th discus at the 2026 NCAA Championship. The graduate student finished with a career-best throw of 55.82 meters, three meters better than her personal best prior to the NCAA Regionals. Roberts finished second in the discus at the #AETF Championship, but did win shot put with a conference-record mark of 16.18 meters, breaking the previous conference record by 0.96 meters. Roberts also placed 18th in the shot put at East Regionals.
 
In addition to Performers of the Year, the conference also recognized its All-Academic Teams for men and women. Eight of nine schools had at least one honoree with New Hampshire and UAlbany totaling four apiece.  The Wildcats had a pair of men and two women earn recognition, while UAlbany had a conference-best three women honored.
 
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 -