BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Boston University’s Vera Sjöberg and Karsen Vesty were named the Patriot League Women’s and Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athletes of the Year when the League office announced academic honors on Tuesday. Sjöberg and Vesty were also among the 42 student-athletes named to the women’s and men’s Academic All-Patriot League Teams.
Twenty-one women’s and 21 men’s track and field student-athletes were named to the academic All-League teams. Boston University combined to place 10 student-athletes on the two teams, while Army West Point garnered nine total nominees. Bucknell and Navy each had five honorees. Holy Cross (4), Lehigh (3), Colgate (2), Lafayette (2), Loyola Maryland (1) and American (1) rounded out the All-League squads.
Voting for the Patriot League Outdoor Track and Field Men’s and Women’s Scholar-Athletes of the Year and Academic All-Patriot League Teams are conducted by the League men’s and women’s outdoor track and field sports information directors.
The Patriot League Men’s and Women’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year for each sport comprises the pool of nominees for the Patriot League Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards given out over the summer.
To be eligible for the Scholar-Athlete of the Year award and the Academic All-Patriot League Team, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and be a starter or key player in their sport. Freshmen or students in their first academic year at their school are not eligible for the honor.
2025 Patriot League Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Vera Sjöberg, Boston University, Jr., Distance, Stockholm, Sweden/Rudbeck
*Sjöberg carries a 3.97 cumulative GPA as an English major.
*The Stockholm native established Patriot League records in the 1,500m (4:14.37) and the 5,000m (16:11.40) at the 2025 Championships.
*She was named 2025 Patriot League Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Athlete of the Meet for the second straight outdoor season.
*She also anchored the Terriers’ 4x800-meter relay that set a League record mark at 8:39.22
*Sjöberg ranks 15th nationally in the 1,500m and 28th nationally in the 5,000m.
2025 Patriot League Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Karsen Vesty, Boston University, So., Distance, Havelock North, New Zealand/Havelock North
*Vesty is a sophomore Mechanical Engineering major who carries a 3.95 cumulative GPA.
*He won gold as a member of the Terriers’ 4x800-meter relay team at the 2025 Patriot League Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
*The New Zealand native also logged a runner-up finish in the 1,500m (3:50.67).
Men’s Academic All-Patriot League Team Breakdown
Colgate’s Cole Blair (international relations & Spanish, 3.60 GPA) and Ethan Eisner (philosophy & economics, 3.77 GPA), Holy Cross’ Brian Fennelly (chemistry, 3.78 GPA) and Lehigh’s Patrez Thomas (accounting, 3.74 GPA) all received Academic All-Patriot League honors for the third-consecutive outdoor season. Prior to 2025, there had only been three other student-athlete in League history to earn Academic All-Patriot League honors three or more times. Colgate’s Blair was also the gold medalist in the long jump at the 2025 Patriot League Outdoor Track and Field Championships, becoming the first student-athlete in League history to earn four-consecutive gold medals in the event.
Several honorees appeared on the Men’s Outdoor Track and Field First-Team All-Patriot League squad alongside their All-Academic selection. Army West Point’s Nathan Davis (chemical engineering, 3.53 GPA) and Javan Guevara-Cragwell (chemical engineering, 3.37 GPA) each took home gold medals with Davis winning the 3,000-meter steeplechase and 5,000m and Guevara-Cragwell winning the triple jump.
Boston University saw four Men’s Outdoor Track and Field First-Teamers also earn All-Academic honors. Owen Faulha (business administration & management, 3.50 GPA), Steven Franco (advertising, 3.32 GPA), Shamiso Sikaneta (mathematics, 3.68 GPA) and Karsen Vesty (mechanical engineering, 3.95 GPA) each took home gold medals over the weekend.
Bucknell’s Wade Shomper (international relations & economics, 3.77 GPA) was selected to both teams after winning gold in the shot put. Meanwhile, Navy’s Sheldon Ulmer (robotics & control engineering, 3.40 GPA) also appeared on both teams following his gold medal in the high jump.
Overall, five men’s student-athletes were selected to the outdoor track and field academic All-League team for the second time, while 12 were selected for the first time.
Women’s Academic All-Patriot League Breakdown.
Holy Cross’ Haley Murphy (chemistry, 3.89 GPA) became just the fourth three-time All-Academic honoree in League history. The senior also earned First-Team All-Patriot League honors with her 400-meter hurdles gold medal that established a League record with a career-best 59.08 mark.
Army West Point’s Emily Fink (civil engineering, 3.36 GPA) makes the team after her League-record setting performance in the women’s shot put at the outdoor championships, while teammate Charlotte Richman (engineering psychology, 3.67) made an appearance on both squads after winning gold in the women’s 10,000m race. Boston University’s Peace Omonzane (psychology, 3.87 GPA) and Sjöberg each earned both Academic All-League and All-Patriot League honors. Omonzane established League records in the long and triple jumps, while Sjöberg broke the League records in the 1,500m and 5,000m. Bucknell’s Evelyn Bliss (biology, 3.25 GPA) repeated as the javelin champion and earned Academic All-League honors for the first time.
Overall, six honorees earned Academic All-League honors for the second time, while 14 student-athletes appeared for the first time.
2025 Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Academic All-Patriot League Team
Nathan Davis, Army West Point, Jr.
Javan Guevara-Cragwell, Army West Point, Sr.
Jaxon Hammond, Army West Point, So.
Brian McSweeney, Army West Point, Sr.
Owen Faulha, Boston University, Jr.
Steven Franco, Boston University, Sr.
Ryan Rosenberger, Boston University, Sr.
Shamiso Sikaneta, Boston University, So.
Karsen Vesty, Boston University, So.
Keenan LaMontagne, Bucknell, Jr.
Wade Shomper, Bucknell, Jr.
Braden Stryker, Bucknell, Sr.
Cole Blair, Colgate, Sr.
Ethan Eisner, Colgate, Sr.
Brian Fennelly, Holy Cross, Sr.
Titan Casey, Lafayette, Jr.
Jonathan Bennett, Lehigh, Sr.
Patrez Thomas, Lehigh, Sr.
Joe Hurt, Navy, Sr.
Sheldon Ulmer, Navy, So.
Caleb Walker, Navy, Sr.
2025 Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Academic All-Patriot League Team
Lorelei Bangit, American, So.
Mikayla Cheney, Army West Point, So.
Zoe Eggelston, Army West Point, Sr.
Emily Fink, Army West Point, Sr.
Jordan Hecht, Army West Point, So.
Charlotte Richman, Army West Point, Jr.
Ijeoma Ezechukwu, Boston University, Jr.
Asia Hamilton, Boston University, Sr.
Alli Lofquist, Boston University, Gr.
Peace Omonzane, Boston University, Jr.
Vera Sjöberg, Boston University, Jr.
Evelyn Bliss, Bucknell, So.
Kaitlyn Segreti, Bucknell, Sr.
Ella Grey, Holy Cross, Sr.
Haley Murphy, Holy Cross, Sr.
Maura Switzer, Holy Cross, Sr.
Ida Moczerniuk, Lafayette, So.
Laura Reigle, Lehigh, Jr.
Kylie Maddalena, Loyola Maryland, Sr.
Gracie Emerick, Navy, So.
Alex Wercinski, Navy, Sr.
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athlete can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League's athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.