MOUNTIES' JOSHUA LYTLE, SARAH HENNINGER NAMED FAR AWARD WINNERS
The Faculty Athletic Representatives (FARs) around the AMCC have voted on and selected the 2026 FAR Award Winners. On the men's side is Mount Aloysius College senior men's golfer Joshua Lytle while Mount Aloysius women's softball player and golfer Sarah Henninger represents the women's side. Lytle and Henninger were chosen from among 18 outstanding student-athletes named to the AMCC All-Academic Team, earning the prestigious honor after a successful four years in the classroom, in the community, and in their respective sport.
Lytle graduated from Mount Aloysius in May with a 3.99 GPA in Biology/Pre-Med. He was named the Mount Aloysius Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Lytle led five research studies on campus, graduating with his Bachelor's Degree in just three years, becoming an early admit to the WVU School of Medicine (Class of 2030). He is a Mercy Scholar and Mother Francis Ward Fellowship Recipient. On the golf course, Lytle participated in two AMCC conference championships (2023 & 2024), served as a team captain his senior year, and is a two-time member of the AMCC All-Sportsmanship Team. His campus involvement went far beyond the golf team, as served as a peer tutor for chemistry, biology, biochemistry, and organic chemistry, while also serving as a peer mentor for three students in the biology program. Lytle also served as an RA on campus, was a member of the pickle-ball club and gave campus tours weekly to potential incoming students.
Henninger graduated from the Mount in May with a 3.97 GPA in Biology. She received the Academic Science and Mathematics Faculty Award, is a Mercy Presidential Scholar, a Mother McAuley Award recipient, and a Shine the Light Scholarship recipient through United Electric Cooperative, Inc. Henninger is also a member of the Tri Beta Biological honor society and Chi Alpha Sigma National Honor Society and was named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Team. Athletically, she was named MAC's 2026 Female Athlete of the Year and was an AMCC first team all-conference selection from 2023-25. Henninger was the 2023 AMCC Player & Newcomer of the Year and was a 2025 NFCA All-Region honoree. As a member of the women's golf team, she was a team captain from 2022-25 and was part of the 2025 AMCC Invitational Team Championship. Henninger was also invloved in numerous extra-curricular activities, such as serving as a peer tutor, a supplemental instructor, was a board member of the biology and outdoor clubs, and volunteered for several campus and community-based projects. She also helped establish a seed lending library at the Portage Library and helped coach a local Portage 12u softball team.
MEN:
Alfred State College junior soccer player Eric Spring registered a 3.99 GPA in Electrical Engineering Technology, graduating with a bachelor's degree in six semesters, he played in 51 games in three years, scoring a total of eight goals and recording two assists...Carlow University graduate student Konner Sayre carries a 4.0 GPA in Accounting, while also picking up a minor in Information Technology Management & Business Management, he is a three-time AMCC Peak Performer, CSC Academic All-District, and a three-time member of the USCAA All Academic Team; Athletically, he was a USCAA First Team All-American in 2023 as a forward/midfielder on the Celtic soccer team...Hilbert College senior men's soccer player Jacob Donner graduated with distinction in May with a 3.98 GPA in Accounting, he is a three-time CSC Academic All-District honoree and earned AMCC Academic honors all four years; on the pitch, he was a four year member and team captain of the men's soccer program, he started 51 of 52 games since 2022, recording one goal and one assist during his sophomore season...La Roche University senior men's lacrosse and cross country student-athlete Conner Radecki graduated summa cum laude in May with a 4.0 GPA in middle-level education: matematics, he receieved the Harry G. Austin Scholar Athlete Award, was a Presidents Award Nominee, an AMCC Peak Performer, and a member of the AMCC Academic All-Conference Team; as a lacrosse goalie, he led the NCAA Division III in saves per game (2024), setting a program-record with 561 saves, while also setting the LRU single game saves record (33), he was named to both the AMCC All-Tournament team and the AMCC All-Sportsmanship Team; Radecki was President of Kappa Delta Epsilon and Vice President of SAAC while also serving as an officer in the Gaming Club, a Peer Tutor, a work study in the Admission Office, and also serving as the campus mascot for many events throughout his collegiate career...Mount Aloysius College senior golfer Joshua Lytle graduated in May with a 3.99 GPA in Biology/Pre-Med, he was named the MAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, led five research studies on campus, and is an early admit to the WVU School of Medicine; Lytle participated in two AMCC conference championships (2023 & 2024), served as a team captain, and is a two-time member of the AMCC All-Sportsmanship Team, he is a Mercy Scholar and Mother Francis Ward Fellowship Recipient and was dedicated to giving campus tours weekly to potential incoming students...Penn State Altoona junior men's golfer Daniel Batrus carries a 3.96 GPA in Business, he is an AMCC Academic All-Conference Peak Performer, a GCAA All-American Scholar and earned CSC Academic All-District honors, he was named to the AMCC all-conference third team in 2025 and was named the 2025-26 Penn State Altoona Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year while also being part of the Sheetz Fellows Program...Penn State Behrend senior swimmer Owen Grubbs graduated with a 4.0 GPA in Mathematics, he received the Research Excellence in Mathematics Award, the John Zhniser Male Scholar Athlete Award, the SUNYAC Elite 20 Award, and was named to the SUNYAC Commissioner's Honor Roll; He earned first place in the Engineering/Mathematics Oral Presentation at the Sigma Xi Research Conference and served as the Behrend Schreyer Honors Program Student Marshall; Athletically, Grubbs compted in backstroke and distance freestyle, while earning the team's Most Improved Swimmer award...Pitt-Bradford junior men's soccer player Yihao Xu carries a 3.86 GPA in Exercise Science and was named the 2026 UPB Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, he started 13 out of 16 games he played in this year, scoring four goals, including a game-winning goal against Thiel...Pitt-Greensburg junior baseball player Conner Burkey has a 3.673 GPA in Accounting and is an AMCC Peak Performer, an AMCC first team all-conference pitcher, and is UPG's career strikeout leader.
WOMEN:
Alfred State College junior women's volleyball player and track & field student-athlete Gabriella Thurmond recorded a 3.97 GPA in Business Management, graduating with a bachelors degree in six semesters, she started in all 27 volleyball matches and was named to the AMCC all-conference third team, she is in the 1,000 assists club, while finishing the season first in the conference in service aces per set (.72) and first in assists per set (8.94); Thurmond was a student commencement speaker and was a founding member of the National Resident Honorary Hall through NEACURH...Carlow University senior cross country and track & field student-athlete Ella Cloak graduated with a 4.00 GPA in Human Biology, she is a three-time USCAA Indoor & Outdoor All-Academic and CSC Academic all-district honoree, and a 2026 UE Elite 21 Indoor and UE Elite 20 Outdoor recipient, as well as an AMCC Peak Performer; Athletically, she set school records in the 4x400 Indoor and 4x400 Outdoor, while also holding several top-10 times in both indoor and outdoor in the 800; Additionally, she volunteered her time at a local 5k race, helping to set up and tear down, while assisting with additional duties throughout the race...Hilbert College senior women's lacrosse player and cross country runner Madeleine Cook graduated with a 3.99 GPA in Forensic Science/Crime Scene Investigation, she is an active member in the Hilbert Honors program, earned AMCC academic honors each year, and is in the Chi Alpha Sigma and National honor society; Athletically, she was named Most Valuable Player/Runner for her team in both lacrosse and cross country, while also earning the Coaches Award in cross country and serving as team captain on the lacrosse team...La Roche University senior women's soccer and lacrosse player Gabriella Fazio graduated summa cum laude with a 3.944 GPA in Exercise and Sports Science, she was a departmental honors student, the R. Lance Shaeffer "Carpe Diem" Award recipient, the Patricia D. O'Donoghue Award for Academic Excellence in the Sciences recipient, the President's Awards for Leadership and Scholarship Nominee, while also being an AMCC Academic All-Conference member and Peak Peformer; Athletically, she was a member of the 2025 AMCC women's lacrosse championship team and served as a two-year team captain of the women's soccer team; On campus, she served as a Resident Assistant, a tutor, mentor, group fitness instructor and an athletic training work study student...Mount Aloysius College senior softball player and women's golfer Sarah Henninger graduated with a 3.97 GPA in Biology, she received the Academic Science and Mathematics Faculty Award, is a Mercy Presidential Scholar, a Mother McAuley Award recipient, and a Shine the Light Scholarship recipient through United Electric Cooperative, Inc, while also being part of the Tri Beta Biological honor society and Chi Alpha Sigma National Honor Society; Athletically, she was named MAC's 2026 Female Athlete of the Year and was an AMCC first team all-conference selection from 2023-25, Henninger was the 2023 AMCC Player & Newcomer of the Year and was a 2025 NFCA All-Region honoree. As a member of the women's golf team, she was a team captain from 2022-25 and was part of the 2025 AMCC Invitational Team Championship; She was invloved in mulitple extra-curricular activities such as, serving as a peer tutor, a supplemental instructor, was a board member of the biology and outdoor clubs, and volunteered for several campus and community-based projects...Penn State Altoona junior women's volleyball player Lia Simanski carries a 4.00 GPA in Business with a minor in Entrepreneurship, she's a member of the AMCC Academic All-Conference Team, was named CSC Academic All-District and is a member of Chi Alpha Sigma National Honor Society; Athletically, she was named AMCC first team all-conference as an outside hitter, was a 2025 team captain and named to the AMCC all-tournament team, she is part of the Sheetz Fellows Program, is a member of SAAC, a member of the PSA Christian Athletes, and has parcipated in other community service projects...Penn State Behrend senior women's soccer player Lindsey Pawlawski graduated with a 4.00 GPA in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Biomedical Engineering, she was named the 2026 Most Outstanding Mechanical Engineer and the 2025-26 Behrend Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, she received the Evan Ough Scholar Award, served as the School of Engineering Marshall and is a member of Chi Alpha Sigma; Athletically, she was a two-time AMCC all-conference performer, earning first team all-region honors in 2025, was named to the 2025 AMCC all-tournament team, and earned the Iron Pride Award; She also volunteered her time coaching youth soccer and assisted with the Behrend Soccer Youth Tournament...Pitt-Bradford junior softball player Miranda Groll carries a 3.94 GPA in Sports & Exercise Sciences, she was named the 2026 UPB Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the 2025 UPB Outstanding Sophomore Student, she is a three-time NFCA Scholar All-American and AMCC All-AMCC Academic Team and Peak Performer, as well as a two-time AMCC all-conference performer and was named to the 2026 AMCC All-Tournament Team, Groll also spends her time volunteering for McKean County Care...Pitt-Greensburg junior softball player Mia Dalessandro holds a 3.72 GPA in Data Analytics and Information Technology, she is an AMCC Peak Performer and is a member of Chi Alpha Sigma and Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Societies, she is an AMCC first team all-conference perfomer as a utility player and serves as Treasurer of the Residence Hall Association, is an athletics intern, and a peer leader on campus.