UTICA, NY - Last week, College Sports Communicators released its list of At-Large Academic All-District honorees, recognizing the top total student athletes across the sports not officially sponsored by the CSC Academic All-District program. To be eligible, athletes had to achieve a cumulative grade point average above 3.5 in addition to satisfying specific athletic criteria, typically playing in at least 90% of a team's contests. All the athletes listed below did just that, securing the special honor to wrap up their respective academic years.
 
Lastly, all athletes had to be at least a sophomore athletically, meaning no first-year players were eligible for the awards.
 
Here are the sports sponsored by the CSC Academic All-District program, and thus ineligible for the At-Large selections due to having their own respective Academic All-District teams:
 
Men's Soccer
Women's Soccer
Volleyball
Football
Men's Basketball
Women's Basketball
Men's Swimming & Diving
Women's Swimming & Diving
Men's Tennis
Women's Tennis
Softball
Baseball
Men's Track & Field/Cross Country
Women's Track & Field/Cross Country
 
All other sports fit into the At-Large category. Here are the Pioneers who satisfied all the criteria and achieved the honor:
 
Samantha Young | Field Hockey | Midfielder
 
Field hockey captain Samantha Young had a stellar season in the midfield for a young Pioneer team that benefited from her superb leadership. The Jordanville, New York native racked up an impressive minutes tally of 3015 during her tenure, while netting two goals and grabbing seven assists across her 59 games played. Young made a lasting impact on both offense and defense, often flying all across the field and doing whatever was necessary to help contribute to victory.
 
Tess Barrett | Women's Hockey | Defender
 
Women's hockey captain Tess Barrett was a stalwart presence at the blue line across her four years with the program. The defender from Tewksbury, Massachusetts, managed to accrue the third-most career points by a defender in program history, finishing with 57 total, coming off nine goals and 48 assists. This past season, Barrett capped off her stellar career with the game-winning goal in the Pioneers' 1-0 win during the first round of the UCHC Tournament against Manhattanville.
 
Kelsey Elliott | Women's Hockey | Forward
 
Elliott, another women's hockey captain, controlled the middle of the ice as she helped establish a steady presence in the neutral zone. The Attleboro, Massachusetts native had a standout season, with her five goals and nine assists helping her finish her career with 14 total goals, 21 total assists, and 35 total points. Her dedication to the department also led her to achieve the illustrious Greg Roberts Award.
 
Ella Jentsch | Women's Lacrosse | Defender
 
Graduate defender Ella Jentsch completed her Pioneer career in strong fashion, helping form the backbone of a Pioneer defense that helped the team reach the Empire 8 Semifinals once again this past season. Jentsch was stellar in her final two seasons at the back, causing 10 turnovers in 2025 and a career-high 19 turnovers this past year. She also ends her career with 45 ground balls, helping cement her legacy as one of the most valuable all-around assets in recent years.
 
Alyssa Specchio | Women's Lacrosse | Attacker
 
Sophomore attacker Alyssa Specchio formed a very solid 1-2 punch with fellow forward Maria Stuhlman this season to help power the Pioneer attack. In just two seasons, the sophomore out of Chenango Forks, New York, has posted some incredible totals, having 68 goals and 31 assists across 33 games played for the blue and orange. This past season, Specchio ranked third in the entire conference for goals per game with 2.65 (45 total).
 
Maria Stuhlman | Women's Lacrosse | Attacker
 
Alongside Specchio, Maria Stuhlman ran the Pioneer offense, having excellent control of the game at seemingly every opportunity. The junior led the entire Empire 8 in both draw controls per game (4.81 - 77 total) and goals per game (3.00 - 48 total), while also ranking fifth in the conference for assists per game (1.44 - 23 total). This led the junior from local powerhouse Whitesboro to top the conference in points per game (4.44 - 71 total), leaving her as the most potent offensive force in the league and setting up a much-anticipated senior season.
 
Kyle Curtin | Men's Hockey | Goaltender
 
Men's hockey goaltender Kyle Curtin had a solid season in his one year with the program following his transfer from fellow UCHC side Elmira ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. Curtin served as the main choice in net through the Pioneers' UCHC Tournament run that culminated with a Championship performance against Geneseo, where he only allowed one score to the Ice Knights. Curtin's 2.19 goals allowed average and .905 save percentage helped the team reach the quarterfinal of the NCAA Tournament, cementing the Ontario native as one of the team's top performers in net across its 25-year history.
 
Davis Goukler | Men's Hockey | Defender
 
Veteran blue-liner Davis Goukler helped contribute heavily to a tough Pioneer defense throughout his one season with the program. Goukler slotted in as one of the main options on the depth chart, playing a gritty style of defense that led him to rack up 42 blocks across his 27 games played. He would also finish with one goal, nine assists, and 10 points from the back to complete a spectacular senior season with the blue and orange.
 
Aydin Parekh | Men's Hockey | Defender
 
Junior defender Aydin Parekh continued his strong career for the Pioneers, serving as an alternate captain in his third year to help push the team towards another deep NCAA Tournament run. The Nobleton, Ontario native would continue to play vertically during his junior campaign, grabbing one goal and 13 assists to finish with 14 points. He also kept up his status as one of the top total student athletes in the entire conference, snagging the Empire 8 Men's Hockey Torchbearer award as the top student by GPA who participated in the conference championship.
 
Noah Erickson | Men's Lacrosse | Midfielder
 
Senior midfielder Noah Erickson became one of the main catalysts for the Pioneers' stellar 25th-anniversary campaign that saw them notch their first-ever victory in the Empire 8 Tournament. As one of the team's senior captains, Erickson let his leadership show in various ways, including through his play on the field, as he grabbed eight goals and 14 assists to finish with 22 points. Erickson wraps up his career with 34 goals and 27 assists, and will always be known as an integral part of the stellar 2026 season.
 
Landen Frey | Men's Lacrosse | Midfielder
 
Erickson wasn't alone in midfield, as Accord, New York product Landen Frey also helped control the open field during the 2026 season. Frey utilized a scrappy style of play to make his mark on the Pioneers' many victories, with the senior scooping up a career-high 24 ground balls this past season, in addition to causing 13 turnovers from the midfield position. Frey was an excellent disruptor, helping cause chaos and clinch control for the Pioneers on many occasions.
 
Ryan Hollenbeck | Men's Lacrosse | Attacker
 
Ryan Hollenbeck was an offensive force in his two seasons with the blue and orange, grabbing 36 total goals and 10 total assists to finish with 46 points. Just last season alone, the Baldwinsville graduate scored 17 times and found eight assists to finish with 25 points, helping contribute to a stellar Pioneer offense that helped the team break its long playoff drought. Hollenbeck also tallied 43 ground balls across his two years with the team.