2025 Winter MAC Senior Scholar-Athletes (PDF)
MAC Senior Scholar-Athlete History

NEWTOWN, Pa. (Academic News) – The Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Executive Director Megan Morrison announced the 2024-25 Winter MAC Senior Scholar-Athletes on Friday. A senior student-athlete from each of the nine winter sports (men's and women's basketball, men’s and women’s ice hockey, men’s and women’s indoor track & field, men's and women's swimming, and men's wrestling) was recognized for their strong academic and athletic prowess.

JACK SPELLMAN
Men's Basketball - Stevens Institute of Technology
Jack Spellman (Westfield, N.J.) put together a phenomenal career on the hardwood for Stevens, collecting numerous individual honors and contributing to two MAC Freedom titles. He was named an All-MAC Freedom player in all four years with the Ducks, including three First Team selections. He was also selected as the MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Year three times. His talent was also recognized on a regional level, earning two D3hoops.com All-Region nods as well as being a two-time NABC All-District Team member. In his senior campaign, Spellman was named a finalist for the prestigious Jostens Trophy.

The Ducks forward also displayed excellence in his academic pursuits, sporting a 3.66 GPA in the process of earning his degree in business & technology. He was recognized as a College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District selection twice and was a multi-time honoree on the MAC Academic Honor Roll. 

CRISTINA FERNANDEZ
Women's Basketball - Lebanon Valley College
Cristina Fernandez (Oxford, Pa.) was a key contributor for Lebanon Valley during her four-year career with the Dutchmen. She was named to the All-MAC Freedom First Team in her senior year after earning Honorable Mention recognition the year before. During the 2024-25 campaign she led the conference in assist/turnover ratio (2.24), which also placed her 13th on the NCAA Division III leaderboard. She also led the league in blocks (49) as a guard. Her performance garnered MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Year honors, as well as a spot on the D3hoops.com All-Region Third Team.

The LVC captain is an early childhood education major with a 3.75 GPA. She has earned a spot on the Dean’s List six times and is a two-time MAC Academic Honor Roll honoree. Fernandez was also a CSC Academic All-District selection in both 2023-24 and 2024-25. She is also a Mosaic Mentor.

COLE JUNGWIRTH
Men’s Ice Hockey - Wilkes University
Cole Jungwirth (Bloomington, Minn.) left his mark on the ice for Wilkes leading the league in assists with 23 in his senior season. His stellar season resulted in an All-MAC First Team selection and Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors. Additionally, he was named to the CCM/AHCA All-America Second Team and finalist for the SIde Watson Award.

In the classroom, Jungwirth earned a 3.77 GPA, while majoring in business administration. Aside from his ice hockey performance, the Minnesota-native is also a member of Wilkes’ golf team.

KARAHKWENHAWE WHITE
Women’s Ice Hockey - Arcadia University
Karahkwenhawe White (Akwesasne, N.Y.) put an exclamation mark on a stellar career with Arcadia by becoming the program’s first CCM/AHCA All-American this year as she was named to the organization’s Third Team. The award was the latest honor for the Knights skater as she had been named the MAC Offensive Player of the Year a year before.

White also displays leadership off the ice as the President of the Knights of Color Council. She is completing her degree in biology and has a 3.38 GPA. Her academic performance earned her Academic All-MAC recognition. The Akwesasne-native is also a member of Arcadia’s women’s golf team. 

EDWARD PLATONOV
Men's Swimming - Stevens Institute of Technology
Edward Platonov (Milford, Conn.) accumulated tons of All-MAC honors throughout his career with Stevens. He was named an All-MAC performer 28 times with 15 First Team selections, 12 Second Team selections, and one Third Team selection. His excellence in the pool was on display early in his career as he earned 2022 MAC Rookie of the Year honors and earned MAC Swimmer of the Year honors in 2023.

In addition to his challenges in the pool, Platonov also took on the difficult academic rigor of a mechanical engineering major. Despite the difficult workload, the Ducks senior earned a 3.73 GPA and earned a spot on the Academic All-MAC Team.

LILLY BERNARD
Women's Swimming - Misericordia University
Lilly Bernard (Pittsburgh, Pa.) etched her name into the Misericordia record books with a powerful performance in the pool during her career with the Cougars. She holds the school records in the 200 backstroke and the 800 freestyle relay. At the 2025 MAC Championships, Bernard found herself on the podium in both races. She was a conference champion in the 800 freestyle relay and placed third in the 200 backstroke.

The Misericordia Dean’s List honoree earned a 3.74 GPA in medical imaging and has earned a spot on the MAC Academic Honor Roll. Bernard has also been a CSC Academic All-District selection.

SAMUEL KNOWLES
Men’s Indoor Track & Field - Widener University
Samuel Knowles’ (Ephrata, Pa.) talent on the indoor track resulted in three appearances at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships during his career, all in the 400 meter dash. Based on his performance, he received All-America honors from the USTFCCCA. While the 400 meters was his forte, Knowles was also one of the conference’s top performers in the 200 meter dash and sprint relay teams, being recognized as an All-Conference selection for multiple years. In 2024, he won the MAC Indoor Track & Field Track Athlete of the Year award.

As impressive as Knowles’ accomplishments on the track were, they were complimented by his exceptional work in the classroom. He was a MAC Academic Honor Roll recipient multiple times as a result of his 3.89 GPA in business management. He also earned Academic All-MAC Team selections in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Regionally, he was named to the CSC Academic All-District Team.

MARIA MUZZARELLI
Women’s Indoor Track & Field - Widener University
Maria Muzzarelli (Vineland, N.J.) showcased incredible speed as a sprinter for Widener, qualifying for the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships in the 60 meters in both 2023 and 2024. In 2024, she placed 12th at the NCAA Championship meet and earned Second Team All-America honors. Her excellence was on display in the MAC dating back to her first year with the Pride as she earned a spot on the MAC All-Conference Third Team in the 60 meters. She was an All-Conference recipient in the 60 meters, 200 meters, and 4x200 meter relay in each of the past three years, including multiple First Team performances.

The psychology and pre-physical therapy major also showed her quick wits in the classroom. She earned a 3.99 GPA and received several academic accolades. In addition to being named to Widener’s Dean’s List, she was honored by the conference both as a four-time MAC Academic Honor Roll awardee and a spot on the 2023 and 2024 Academic All-MAC teams. Muzzarelli also garnered accolades from national organizations as a 2022 USTFCCCA All-Academic Team member and a 2023 CSC Academic All-District recipient. She is also a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma.

LUKE HOERLE
Men’s Wrestling - Stevens Institute of Technology
Luke Hoerle (Westfield, N.J) was a two-time NCAA Division III Regional Champion for Stevens, winning at 133 pounds in 2023-24 and 141 pounds in 2024-25. HIs performance also earned him All-America honors.

He was a four-time selection on the MAC Academic Honor Roll and a five-time recipient of the NWCA Scholar All-American honor. The graduate student studied business and technology and earned a 3.99 GPA.