2026 Michael Steuerman Scholar-Athlete Awards Dinner Program

QUEENS, N.Y. - The City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) awarded its most prestigious honors – the 2025-26 Scholar-Athletes of the Year – at the 39th Annual Michael Steuerman Scholar-Athlete Awards Dinner at Terrace on the Park on Thursday.
 
In a tradition that began when the conference was first founded in 1986-87, the CUNYAC annually recognizes two of its graduating student-athletes, rich in both academics and athletics, as its Scholar-Athletes of the Year.
 
In 2025-25, Baruch College's Paz Moran (women's cross country) and Hunter College's Mateo Penafiel (men's cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field) were recognized as the Scholar-Athletes of the Year.
 
In addition to recognizing the Scholar-Athletes of the Year, the CUNY Athletic Conference honored 27 Scholar-Athlete of the Year Honorable Mentions.

2025-26 CUNYAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Honorable Mention

Baruch
Peter Gavroff (men's volleyball) - A team captain in men’s volleyball, Gavroff boasts a 3.707 GPA majoring in Finance with a minor in Psychology.  He has been a member of two conference championship teams, winning Championship MVP honors both times.  The conference Player of the Year in 2025, Gavroff was also a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection.  He was also a member of the Bearcat men’s swimming and diving team that captured the CUNYAC championship in 2023-24. He hopes to be a personal trainer after graduation.

Grace Osuch (softball) - A team captain, Osuch owns a stellar 3.883 GPA in Psychology with a double minor in Communications and Sociology as well as receiving the Dean’s Scholar Scholarship all four years.  A four-year member of the Bearcat softball team, Osuch was named to the 2025 Sportsmanship Team and was Player of the Week in 2025.  Off the diamond, she was a member of Baruch SAAC and participated in fundraising events such as the Thanksgiving Can Food Drive.  Grace also gave her time as a Peer Mentor which entailed teaching a classroom full of 30 freshman students about taking advantage of the Baruch amenities and support systems on campus.

Leonardo Valdivia (men's swimming) - Valdivia, captain of the Bearcat men’s swimming and diving team, maintains a 3.728 GPA while majoring in Finance and double-minoring in Mathematics and Statistics. As a four-year member of the program, he helped lead Baruch to four consecutive CUNYAC Championships from 2023 to 2026 and a Metropolitan (Regional) Championship in 2025. He qualified for the ECAC Open Championships in 2026, finishing as a Top-8 finalist in the 200 freestyle relay. Valdivia’s career highlights also include being named CUNYAC Rookie of the Year for 2023 and a four-time CUNYAC All-Star. Known among his teammates for his energy on deck, Valdivia frequently records races and provides enthusiastic commentary, helping teammates review performances and celebrate key moments throughout the season. Outside the pool, he enjoys running and has competed in several local races.

Brooklyn
Sage Bernstein (women's soccer, softball) - A dual-sport athlete, Bernstein carries a 3.71 GPA as an Education major.  In soccer, she was the Sportsmanship Award winner in 2025 and was a CUNYAC First Team All-Star after leading the conference in assists in 2024.  In softball, she started 21 games in her first season in 2025.  Bernstein has served as President of the Brooklyn Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and has led numerous community service projects.  She has also been recognized as Academic All-District by College Sports Communicators.

Ruti Joshi (women's volleyball) - Ruti Joshi carries a 3.78 GPA as an Early Childhood Education and Youth and Children’s Studies double major.  A four-year member of the Bulldogs’ women’s volleyball team and team captain, Joshi amassed 1,082 digs for her career.  She was named CUNYAC Libero of the Year in 2024 and was Second Team All-Conference in 2025.  She helped Brooklyn to title game appearances in 2022 and 2025.  In addition, she was named College Sports Communicators Academic All-District as a junior and senior.  

Nicholai Krylyuk (men's swimming) - Krylyuk carries a 3.74 GPA as a Biology major at Brooklyn. A three-year member of the men’s swimming and diving team, Nicholai helped the Bulldogs to back-to-back second place finishes at the conference championship.  He earned CUNYAC All-Conference honors as a junior and senior and was the recipient of the CUNYAC Sportsmanship Award in 2025.  He was also named College Sports Communicators Academic All-District in 2025.

Aaron Siu (men's volleyball) - Siu carries a 3.75 GPA as a Computer Science major. A three-year member of the Brooklyn College Men’s Volleyball team, Aaron racked up 548 kills in his first two seasons, leading the team in the statistic in 2024 and 2025. He also led the Bulldogs in service aces the last two seasons and led the team in digs 2024. He earned All-CUNYAC accolades in all three seasons, being named Second Team in 2024 and 2026 and First Team in 2025. He helped lead the Bulldogs to a CUNYAC Championship Tournament Semifinal appearance in 2025.

CCNY
Heaven Castillo (women's fencing) - A team captain, Castillo has a dual BA/MA degree in Psychology with a concentration in substance use and mental health counseling within CCNY’s CASAC program.  She has helped lead the Beavers’ fencing team, qualifying for consecutive EWFC and NIWFA championships.  Off the strip, she serves as a CCNY campus visit guide and helps out with branch programs such as CUNY’s Early College Initiative, College Now and Peer Leaders.  Castillo has also worked with GallopNYC, which offers therapeutic riding for people with disabilities.

Joscelyn Ramos (women's basketball) - Ramos is a History major who is minoring in Secondary Social Studies Education.  She was a three-time CUNYAC Sportsmanship Team member and a three-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection.  A member of CCNY Student-Athlete Advisory Committee leadership, Ramos is a member of the Alpha Mu chapter of Phi Alpha Theta and has served as a coach/instructor with Fastbreak Sports, a youth sports center in New York City where kids and teens improve their athletic abilities and get teamwork skills.

Erik Rank (baseball) - A four-year member of the Beavers baseball program, Rank is majoring in Finance.  As a member of the baseball team, has helped lead the program to three straight CUNYAC Championship series as a two-way starter. He has earned consecutive CUNYAC All-Conference honors, as well as CSC Academic All-District honors. Off the field, he held an internship with Mizzen Capital, as a private credit intern. In addition, he serves as the head baseball coach for nationally recognized Flores Baseball training and volunteers with Riverbank State Park, holding youth baseball clinics.

Hunter
Katherine Hanin (women's fencing) - Hanin is a Biological Sciences major at Hunter with a minor in Religion boasting a 4.0 GPA.  A four-year member of the Hawks fencing program, Hanin compiled 160 career victories competing against fencers from all three NCAA divisions. She earned a bronze medal at the 2023 West Point Invitational and qualified for the Northeast Regional Championships four times, while being named EWFC Second Team All-Conference twice.  Hanin is a four-time EWFC and NIFWA All-Academic Team member.  She volunteers at a pain management clinic and manages social media for the Harm Reduction Club, aligning with her long-term goal of attending medical school and pursuing a career in pain management.

Benjamin Landheim (men's cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field) - Landheim has a cumulative GPA of 3.81 as a Psychology major, and is a two-time conference All-Star.  He was named to the CUNYAC Winter/Spring Honor Roll and is a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma honor society.  The Utah native was part of the second place 4x400 relay team in last season’s indoor championship, while in outdoor he was the conference champion in the 400 meter hurdles.

Lily Mattison (women's volleyball) - Mattison is a McCaulay Honors Human Biology major with a minor in Psychology.  The aspiring nurse practitioner holds a 3.72 GPA.  She was a CUNYAC champion in her freshman year, competing in the NCAA tournament.  A four-year starter, Mattison is a two-time First Team All-Star and has earned several weekly awards.  She holds two jobs as a pharmacy technician and as a medical assistant at Midtown OB/GYN.  Outside of school, she volunteers at Crossroads NYC, an inclusive community that provides warm meals, groceries and a safe shelter for New Yorkers.  Mattison studies abroad in Split, Croatia where she shadowed international doctors and learned about global healthcare systems.

John Jay
Kelly Fajardo (softball) - A constant fixture for the John Jay softball program, Fajardo possesses a 3.86 GPA while majoring in Philosophy and minoring in Law.  She has been a member of three CUNYAC championship teams on the diamond, winning conference Rookie of the Year in 2023.  Off the field she is heavily involved in the community, serving on the Executive Board for the John Jay Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as well as on the conference SAAC.  Fajardo has also been a member of the DeWitt Clean-Up and coached softball at For the Community Clinic.

Samir Ghimire (men's tennis) - A multi-time team captain, Ghimire owns a 3.7 GPA majoring in Law and Society and minoring in Public Administration.  As a member of the men’s tennis team, he was a CUNYAC Second Team All-Star last season and his drive and determination in building up the program outweigh his personal accomplishments.  He is the men’s tennis representative on the John Jay SAAC , has worked as an intern for the Major League Baseball corporate public relations office and YMCA of Greater New York, and also been a teen advisor with the YMCA.

Maxwell Law (men's volleyball) - A boisterous student-athlete, Law owns a robust 3.88 GPA while majoring in Criminal Justice (Insttutional Theory and Practice) and minoring in Police Studies. He has appeared on the Dean’s List and is a CUNYAC Scholar-Athlete in seven semesters, all while being a mainstay on the men’s volleyball team.  This season he appeared in18 matches and handed out 148 assists for the Bloodhounds.

Natalie Simonds (women's basketball) - Going from last-player off-the-bench to playing limited minutes, to starting junior year, and being a captain senior year, John Jay Simonds is the definition of the growth of a four-year student-athlete. In addition her growth on the court, her dedication to her studies has been instrumental, carrying a 3.775 GPA while double majoring in Criminal Justice (Institutional Theory and Practice) and International Criminal Justice while minoring in Psychology. A multiple-time Dean’s List recipient and CUNYAC Scholar-Athlete, she has applied to John Jay to continue her education in Master’s Program.

Lehman
Alain Abreu Esteva (men's volleyball) - Abreu Esteva is a team captain majoring in Psychology with a 3.76 GPA.  This season he was a one-time CUNYAC Player of the Week, and led the Lightning in sets played, digs and service aces.  He plans on going on to graduate school to pursue a master’s degree in Child Psychology.

Kimarea Brown (women's volleyball) - Brown is a team captain with a 3.675 grade point average who will be completing her master’s degree in Science Education after an undergraduate degree in Health Education and Promotion. She currently works as a HS biology teacher at Crotona International High School. Brown was a former President of Lehman SAAC and three year member of SAAC as well as the CUNYAC SAAC Treasurer.

Romulo Valadez (men's swimming) - A member of the Lehman Scholars Program Valadez will be graduating this spring with a GPA of 3.9, and a degree in Nursing. A fou-year swimmer on the college team, Romulo claimed a Bronze Medal in the 200 Backstroke (2:22.88) at 2024 CUNYAC Championships.   In 2025 he was selected to the CUNYAC Sportsmanship Team and won Silver Medals in the 200 and 400 Free Relays and a Bronze in the 200 Medley Relay. This past winter, he was part of the Bronze Medal 200 Freestyle Relay Team at CUNYAC Championships.

Gisely Velez (women's swimming) - A leader, Velez has a 3.9 GPA with a major in Nursing. As a member of the Lightning women’s swimming team, she has demonstrated dedication, discipline, and a strong commitment to both her academic and athletic excellence. She is currently interning in the Emergency Department at BronxCare Hospital, gaining valuable experience as work towards her goal of becoming an emergency room nurse.

Medgar Evers
Joash Beaton (men's basketball) - Beaton is a Business Administration major sporting a 3.62 GPA.  He is a member of the CHAMPSS program that helps transfer students or associate degree holders ease their transition to college. He has volunteered at a Breast Cancer Awareness walk in Flushing and playing the drums at two churches.  This past season he was a member of the men’s basketball Sportsmanship Team.

Taye Simon (men's soccer) - Simon has been one of the Cougars’ men’s soccer program’s most dependable student-athletes over the past four seasons. This past season, while boasting a 3.76 GPA as a Business major with a minor in Economics, he appeared in seven games for MEC, scoring a goal and providing much-needed leadership, doing his best to take young players under his wing and lead by example. His love for the game of soccer is always evident when he is on the pitch, and his stellar efforts on the field are matched by the excellence that he has exhibited in the classroom.

York
Keanna Clouden (women's cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field) - Clouden has a 3.388 GPA as a Health Science major at York.  She has twice been honored on the CUNYAC Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll and is also a Dean’s List honoree.  In cross country, she is a two-time Sportsmanship Team member and been the Cardinals’ top runner eight times.  She was also the Sportsmanship Award winner in indoor track last season, while in outdoor, she helped York to silver in the 4x100 relay in 2024.  Clouden played in 11 games as a member of the women’s basketball team in 2025-26.

Bryan Godette (men's basketball) - A Business Administration major, Godette has constructed a 3.131 GPA.  In men’s basketball, he appeared in 38 games over two seasons and averaged 3.7 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. This season he started 10 games as the Cardinals earned the No. 2 seed in the conference championship.  In outdoor track and field he appeared in three meets last season and earned Field Athlete of the Week after a 1.95-meter high jump, and brought his 6-foot-5 frame to the men’s volleyball team this spring.

Julia Wyman (women's swimming, women's tennis) - Wyman has earned a 3.642 grade-point average as a Health Science major at York College. Finalizing her third season with the women’s tennis program (2023-25), Wyman starred in 2025, registering four singles victories at the No. 3 level and racking up a pair of doubles victories on the No. 1 court. Alongside women’s tennis, Wyman also swam in seven meets for the women’s swimming program during the 2023-24 campaign. At the CUNYAC’s year-end-meet, Wyman produced a trio of top-nine results, accumulated five points, and placed herself in the York history books. Wyman native landed on the 2023-24 Sportsmanship Team for her merits, and also collected the York College Women’s Swimming Most Outstanding Award. Academically, Wyman is a two-time Dean’s List member and was named to the Fall 2023 CUNYAC Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll.

Michael Zhang (men's cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field) - Zhang has constructed a 3.923 cumulative grade-point average while studying Clinical Laboratory Science and Medical Technology at York College. He has been named to the Dean’s List five times as a Cardinal, claimed the 2024-25 York College Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and is a three-time CUNYAC Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll representative. Zhang’s academic wizardry extends as a member of the men’s cross country and track & field programs. In 14-career cross country meets for York (2023-25), the Brooklyn native has produced eight first-place team results. Zhang landed on the CUNYAC Men’s Cross Country Sportsmanship Team. Across 16 indoor meets (2023-26), Zhang became a fixture in the 800-meter, mile, and 3,000-meter events. Running in three CUNYAC year-end meets, the senior generated 18 total points. His best effort came in the 2025 Indoor finale, as he claimed one point in the 800-meter category (2:25.25, 8th), three points in the 3,000-meter event (11:08.00, 6th), and helped the squad earn silver in the distance medley relay (11:58.86, 7 points). At the 2025-26 CUNYAC Championships, Zhang crossed the finish line in the mile race at a career-high 5:20.55 (4th), earning five points.

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