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Hatfield and Lehigh Named D3CA Regional Student-Athletes of the Year

CANTON, Ga. - The Division III Commissioners Association (D3CA) has recognized two United East student-athletes as the Region IV recipients of the 2024–25 Regional Student-Athlete of the Year awards. Quinnten Hatfield (men’s lacrosse, St. Mary’s College of Maryland) and Madelyn Lehigh (softball, Penn State Harrisburg) earned this honor for their distinguished excellence on and off the field.

These prestigious awards, now in their third year, recognize graduating seniors who have demonstrated excellence in athletics, academics, leadership, and service throughout their collegiate careers.

Madelyn Lehigh left behind an extraordinary legacy at Penn State Harrisburg, finishing her career as the program’s all-time leader in nearly every major hitting category, including an impressive .468/.534/.710 slash line. She became the first player in program history to surpass 200 career hits, ending with 236, and stood out nationally as the active NCAA leader in triples (31) across all three divisions. Her dominance earned her numerous accolades, including four All-Conference selections (three First Team), 2022 Rookie of the Year, 2024 Player of the Year, two All-Region honors, and recognition as a two-time NCAA Division III statistical leader. Off the field, Lehigh excelled academically, graduating with a 3.70 GPA in Human Development and Family Studies, earning three College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors and four United East Scholar-Athlete distinctions. A Chi Alpha Sigma honor society member, she was also committed to service, contributing through her four years on SAAC by volunteering with Wreaths Across America and engaging with local elementary schools on enrichment programs and field trips.

Quinnten Hatfield stood out as one of the most accomplished men’s lacrosse players in United East history, serving as a cornerstone of Seahawk success. An iron man on the field, he started 77 of 78 games over four years, excelling as a short-stick midfielder with 153 groundballs and 57 caused turnovers while adding 22 goals and 10 assists. His impact earned him three USILA All-American Honorable Mention honors—making him the first United East player to achieve the feat three times—along with three All-Conference selections. Off the field, Hatfield graduated summa cum laude with a 3.98 GPA, double majoring in Physics and Computer Science with a Mathematics minor. A member of Chi Alpha Sigma and Sigma Pi Sigma honor societies, he served as a Physics teaching assistant and twice received the prestigious Elite 20 Award. Following graduation, he will begin work as a civilian researcher for the U.S. Army Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Center.

Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society, serves as the presenting sponsor of these awards.

“Chi Alpha Sigma is honored to partner with the D3CA in recognizing these incredible student-athletes,” said Kellen Wells-Mangold, Executive Director of Chi Alpha Sigma. “Our mission to celebrate excellence in both academics and athletics perfectly aligns with this initiative. These recipients exemplify the highest ideals of collegiate athletics and leadership.”

Each regional winner now advances to the national ballot for the D3CA Men’s Sport Student-Athlete of the Year and D3CA Women’s Sport Student-Athlete of the Year awards, which will be announced next month.

Award Selection & Criteria
Graduating seniors were the only student-athletes eligible for nomination. Each conference was permitted to submit up to two nominees for each gendered award, provided at least one was an international student or from an ethnic minority background. Selection was based on four key areas:
  • Academic Achievement
  • Athletic Excellence
  • Service and Leadership
  • Personal Statement
Voting took place among commissioners within each of the 10 Division III regions. The top male and female honoree in each region will be considered for the two national awards.
 

2024-25 Regional Student-Athlete of the Year Honorees

Region I
  • Men’s Sport: Justin Finkel, Connecticut College (Swimming and Diving) | New England Small College Athletic Conference
  • Women’s Sport: Hope Shue, Middlebury College (Lacrosse) New England Small College Athletic Conference
Region II
  • Men’s Sport: Nick Harms, Case Western Reserve University (Baseball) University Athletic Association
  • Women’s Sport: Loren Brown, University of Chicago (Indoor & Outdoor Track and Field) University Athletic Association
Region III
  • Men’s Sport: Luke Aquaro, Hobart College (Ice Hockey) | Liberty League
  • Women’s Sport: Megan Bell, University of Rochester (Indoor & Outdoor Track and Field) Liberty League
Region IV
  • Men’s Sport: Quinnten Hatfield, St. Mary’s College of Maryland (Lacrosse) United East Conference
  • Women’s Sport: Madelyn Lehigh, Penn State Harrisburg (Softball) United East Conference
Region V
  • Men’s Sport: Reza Eshghi, Haverford University, (Cross Country, Indoor & Outdoor Track and Field) | Centennial Conference
  • Women’s Sport: Michaela O’Neil, Johns Hopkins University (Basketball) Centennial Conference
Region VI
  • Men’s Sport: Freddy Rogers, University of Mary Washington, (Soccer) Coast to Coast
  • Women’s Sport: Grace Walker, Centre College (Golf) | Southern Athletic Association
Region VII
  • Men’s Sport: Trey Theobald, Ohio Wesleyan University (Track and Field) | North Coast Athletic Conference
  • Women’s Sport: Mary Mason, University of Mount Union (Cross Country, Indoor & Outdoor Track and Field) | Ohio Athletic Conference
Region VIII
  • Men’s Sport: Tate Ivanyo, Anderson University (Basketball) | Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference
  • Women’s Sport: Lauren Huber, Illinois Wesleyan University (Basketball) | Collegiate Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
Region IX
  • Men’s Sport: Daniel Tulchinskiy, Lake Forest College (Tennis) | Midwest Conference
  • Women’s Sport: Hailey Gregg, Bethel University (Indoor & Outdoor Track and Field) | Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 
Region X
  • Men’s Sport: Max Wagener, University of Redlands (Water Polo) | Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 
  • Women’s Sport: Ella Brissett, Claremont McKenna-Harvey Mudd-Scripps Colleges (Tennis) | Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
 

About the D3 Commissioners Association (D3CA)
The D3CA was established in 1992 to provide a collaborative network for Division III commissioners to share knowledge, resources, and best practices. Working alongside key organizations such as the NCAA and NACDA, the association is committed to enhancing the student-athlete experience through innovation and collective leadership.a

About Chi Alpha Sigma
Founded in 1996, Chi Alpha Sigma is the nation’s only honor society dedicated to recognizing four-year college student-athletes for outstanding achievement in both academics and athletics. Today, more than 200 of its 360+ chapters represent NCAA Division III institutions, continuing its mission to honor the ideal balance of scholarly and athletic excellence.
 
 

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