BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Vera Sjöberg, a junior from Boston University, was voted the 2025 Patriot League Women’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year when the League office announced the honor. Voting for men’s and women’s scholar-athlete of the year was conducted by the athletics communications staff from each of the League’s member institutions.
The Stockholm, Sweden native obtained her bachelor’s degree in three years from Boston University with a 3.97 cumulative GPA as an English major and women, gender and sexuality minor. Last week, she became the highest-placing student-athlete in Patriot League history at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, finishing second in the 5,000 meters with a time of 15:34.77. Sjöberg also finished 11th in the 1,500m final at the NCAA Outdoor Championships as one of just two athletes to double in the 1,500m and 5,000m.
“I am so proud of Vera for earning Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year,” said Grant Cartwright, Boston University’s Director of Track and Field and Cross Country. “Her resume of work in the Patriot League is historic on both the conference and national levels. She has accomplished all this while being an excellent scholar. She is a true role model and a shining example of the type of person we want representing Boston University.”
Sjöberg is the third Terriers’ women’s student-athlete to receive the prestigious League award, joining Caitlin Coker (softball, 2023) and Allison Barwise (outdoor track and field, 2014). She is also the 10th women’s track and field student-athlete to receive the accolade, with Navy’s Annie Taylor and Bucknell’s Christine Bendzinski winning in 2024 and 2018, respectively.
The Patriot League Women’s and Men’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year is presented annually. The Patriot League Men’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year was announced on June 17. The candidates for these honors are comprised of student-athletes selected as the scholar-athlete of the year in their respective sports. For the 2024-25 academic year, there were 22 different candidates from 24 Patriot League sports.
2024-25 Patriot League Women’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Vera Sjöberg, Boston University, Jr., Cross Country/Indoor Track and Field/Outdoor Track and Field, Stockholm, Sweden/Rudbeck
* Sjöberg earned Patriot League Women’s Cross Country, Indoor Track and Field and Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year, graduating in three years with a cumulative GPA of 3.97 as an English major and women, gender and sexuality minor.
*The Stockholm native won the Patriot League Cross Country individual title to earn Runner of the Meet honors before finishing 42nd at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, the highest placement for a League runner.
*Sjöberg won the mile, 3,000m and 5,000m at the Patriot League Indoor Track and Field Championships, setting a meet record in the mile (4:40.14) and 5,000m (16:21.28) before finishing eighth at the NCAA Championship to earn All-America honors in the indoor mile.
*The junior was one of two athletes to qualify for the 1,500m and 5,000m at the NCAA Outdoor Championships after winning both races, in addition to being part of BU’s gold-medal-winning 4x800m relay team at the Patriot League Championship to collect Track Athlete of the Meet. She set the meet records in the 1,500m (4:14.37) and 5,000m (16:11.40) events.
*She was named BU’s Woman of the Year at their Scarlet & White awards after earning a spot on the Dean’s List in the fall and a 4.0 GPA during the spring.
Student-athletes eligible for the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and be a starter or key player in their sport. Freshmen or student-athletes in their first academic year at their respective institutions are not eligible for this honor.
Each sport-specific Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year award winner is eligible to collect the end-of-the-year honor. The 2024-25 women’s field included Maddie Albrecht (Lehigh women’s basketball), Christy Chen (Boston University women’s golf), Tori DiCarlo (Navy women’s lacrosse), Whitney King (Bucknell women’s tennis), Lily Mead (Loyola Maryland women’s swimming and diving), Tenlea Radack (Navy women’s rowing), Kasey Ricard (Boston University softball), Katie Schiano (Bucknell women’s soccer), Abby Shadwick (Colgate volleyball) and Bryn Underwood (American field hockey).
Patriot League All-Time Women's Scholar-Athlete of the Year Honorees
| Year |
Female Scholar-Athlete |
Sport |
Cl. |
GPA |
Major |
| 1992 |
Lauren Gubicza, Fordham |
Cross Country/Track and Field |
Jr. |
3.93 |
Accounting |
| 1993 |
Lauren Gubicza, Fordham |
Cross Country/Track and Field |
Sr. |
3.61 |
Accounting |
| 1994 |
Jen Smith, Colgate |
Basketball |
Jr. |
4.02 |
History/Psychology |
| 1995 |
Jen Smith, Colgate |
Basketball |
Sr. |
3.98 |
History/Psychology |
| 1996 |
Jill Altshuler, Lehigh |
Lacrosse |
Sr. |
3.80 |
Psychology |
| 1997 |
Kathy Courtney, Holy Cross |
Basketball |
Sr. |
3.86 |
Mathematics |
| 1998 |
Amy O'Brien, Holy Cross |
Basketball |
Jr. |
3.43 |
Psychology/Spanish |
| 1999 |
Nicole Aunapu, Navy |
Soccer |
Sr. |
3.87 |
Mech. Engineering |
| 2000 |
Lori Houck, Bucknell |
Basketball |
Sr. |
3.60 |
Accounting |
| 2001 |
Alison Fisher, Lafayette |
Field Hockey/Lacrosse |
Sr. |
3.59 |
Biology |
| Becki Marshall, Bucknell |
Cross Country/Track and Field |
Jr. |
3.75 |
Civil Engineering |
| 2002 |
Kate Macfarlane, Navy |
Soccer |
Sr. |
3.92 |
Mathematics |
| 2003 |
Karla Kucerkova, American |
Volleyball |
Jr. |
3.98 |
Bus. Admin./Finance |
| 2004 |
Karla Kucerkova, American |
Volleyball |
Sr. |
4.00 |
Bus. Admin./Finance |
| 2005 |
Lauren Wible, Bucknell |
Softball |
Jr. |
3.76 |
English |
| 2006 |
Julie Jorgensen, Army |
Soccer |
Sr. |
4.21 |
Mathematics |
| 2007 |
Kirsten Andrews, Navy |
Track and Field |
Sr. |
3.91 |
Quantitative Economics |
| 2008 |
Kelly Zahalka, Navy |
Swimming and Diving |
Jr. |
4.00 |
Honors History |
| 2009 |
Lizzie Barnes, Navy |
Soccer |
Sr. |
3.90 |
Computer Science |
| 2010 |
Beth Reed, Navy |
Soccer |
Sr. |
3.95 |
Mech. Engineering |
| 2011 |
Elise DeRoo, Colgate |
Cross Country/Track and Field |
Jr. |
3.93 |
Molecular Biology |
| 2012 |
Elise DeRoo, Colgate |
Cross Country |
Sr. |
3.97 |
Molecular Biology |
| 2013 |
Brigid Byrne, Navy |
Outdoor Track & Field/Cross Country |
Sr. |
3.83 |
English |
| 2014 |
Allison Barwise, Boston U. |
Outdoor Track & Field |
Gr. |
3.85 |
Speech-Lang. Pathology |
| 2015 |
Jen Dumiak, American |
Basketball |
Gr. |
4.00 |
Mathematics |
| 2016 |
Ellen Bradford, Navy |
Swimming and Diving |
Sr. |
4.00 |
Honors Systems Eng. |
| 2017 |
Natalie Konerth, American |
Field Hockey |
Sr. |
4.00 |
Applied Mathematics |
| 2018 |
Christine Bendzinski, Bucknell |
Cross Country/Track and Field |
Sr. |
3.84 |
Cell Bio/Biochemistry |
| 2019 |
Kristen Yanchoris, Loyola |
Women’s Lacrosse |
Sr. |
3.97 |
Bus. Admin/Marketing |
| 2020 |
Not Awarded |
Due to COVID-19 Pandemic |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 2021 |
Elli Kluegel, Loyola |
Women’s Lacrosse |
Sr. |
4.00 |
Biology |
| 2022 |
Elli Kluegel, Loyola |
Women’s Lacrosse |
Gr. |
4.00 |
Emerging Media |
| 2023 |
Caitlin Coker, Boston U. |
Softball |
Sr. |
3.87 |
Biology |
| 2024 |
Annie Taylor, Navy |
Outdoor Track & Field |
Sr. |
4.00 |
Mathematics |
| 2025 |
Vera Sjöberg, Boston U. |
Cross Country/Indoor Track and Field/Outdoor Track and Field |
Jr. |
3.97 |
English |
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes 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 who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.