SUWANEE, Ga. – In an announcement made this afternoon, Sophia Slovenski of University of Southern Maine, and Noah Campanelli of St. John Fisher (N.Y.) University were recognized as the recipients of the second annual Division III Commissioner's Association (DIIICA) Women's Sport and Men's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year awards, respectively.

The two emerged as the national winners from a pool of 20 regional honorees which were announced earlier in the month.

"On behalf of the Division III Commissioners Association, it is an honor to recognize both Sophia Slovenski and Noah Campanelli with these prestigious awards," said D3CA Awards Committee chair and Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference commissioner Dwayne Hanberry. "Out of all the amazing student-athletes that compete under the umbrella of Division III, to be recognized as the best of the best when factoring for academic achievement, athletic accomplishments, leadership on campus, and service within the community – that is quite the achievement and an honor that should make both Sophia and Noah extremely proud."

A champion in competition, the classroom and in community service, Slovenski, who was recently named the Little East Conference Women's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year and the University of Southern Maine's NCAA Woman of the Year, achieved the pinnacle of success in each endeavor – earning the title of NCAA Division III National Champion, NCAA All-American, and Academic All-American. A two-time All-American in the javelin, Slovenski won the 2021 NCAA Division III National Championship in the same event, while also earning the title of All-America in the pole vault at the 2020 NCAA Division III Indoor National Championships.

"Sophia is truly the embodiment of what we mean when we speak of the DIII student-athlete model," said Little East Conference commissioner Pamela Samuelson. "For her to stand out from a pool of candidates that consists of so many dedicated and talented student-athletes from across the nation is a tremendous achievement. On behalf of the entire Little East Conference, congratulations!"

Concluding her tremendous career as a University of Southern Maine track & field student-athlete as one of the most decorated and accomplished women to wear a Husky uniform, Slovenski was recently named a 2023 College Sports Communicators (CSC) First Team Academic All-American, making her the first Husky student-athlete to earn first team honors twice in their
 
career (previously earning first team Academic All-American honors in 2020-2021). She is also the first female student-athlete in University of Southern Maine history to earn multiple Academic All-America nods. Slovenski also earned the 2022 Department of Exercise, Health, and Sport Sciences Outstanding Health Sciences Student Award and was named the 2021-22 USM Most Outstanding Student Leader of the Year.

A two-time winner of Huskies' Athletics' Paula D. Hodgdon Leadership Award, Slovenski was an easy choice for nomination for the national NCAA Woman of the Year and LEC Student-Athlete of the Year honors. A leader for the Huskies' Athletics throughout her career in competition and in the community, Slovenski was a two-time team captain for the perennially successful track & field program, served as president of USM's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and established the University's Strong Girls United chapter – a non-profit organization that promotes participation and retention in girls' sports. In her leadership roles, Slovenski spearheaded several activities promoting mental health, including SAAC's "Mental Health Sundays" and "Husky Fri-Yays," as well as organizing programming and providing mentorship and mindfulness activities to girls in the Gorham area communities through Strong Girls United. 

Earning her bachelor's degree in health science with a minor in holistic & integrative health this May, Slovenski graduated with a 3.96 cumulative grade point average. In addition to advancing to the national ballot for the DIIICA Woman Student-Athlete of the Year award, Slovenski will present the LEC and the University of Southern Maine on the national ballot for the 2023 NCAA Woman of the Year accolade. Slovenski's future plans include graduate school with the goal of becoming a naturopathic doctor focusing on women's health.

"Receiving this award fills my heart with so much joy and gratitude," said Slovenski. "I am proud to have been a Division III athlete, which allowed me to focus on my academics and pursue extracurriculars that filled my social and emotional tanks, while training alongside and competing against exceptionally dedicated and hardworking athletes. Going to a DIII institution challenged me to be a better student, athlete, and citizen. When I think about my time at USM and how it helped me grow as a person, I feel like I could write a book. The support from the athletic department staff at USM is next level, and all have left a lasting impact on me. Yes, they helped me exceed in athletics, but more importantly they taught me how to navigate life."

St. John Fisher's Campanelli, who was also named the inaugural 2022-23 Empire 8 Man of the Year, recently graduated summa cum laude with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.94 as a finance and accounting double major.

A standout at second base, Campanelli earned countless accolades this Spring for the Cardinals, who won their third straight Empire 8 Championship in 2023. He was named the Empire 8 Player of the Year for the second straight season and garnered D3baseball.com and ABCA/Rawlings Region III Player of the Year accolades. Nationally, Campanelli was named an ABCA/Rawlings First Team All-American and was a D3baseball.com Second Team All-American.

In 2023, Campanelli led all Empire 8 student-athletes with a program record 83 hits, 60 runs scored, 51 stolen bases, 19 doubles, seven triples, 140 total bases, a .435 batting average, .502 on-base percentage, .733 slugging percentage and a 1.235 OPS in 45 games played. In addition, he was fourth in the Empire 8 with eight home runs and 44 RBI. In 18 regular season E8 contests, Campanelli hit .507 with 34 hits, 28 runs scored, 11 doubles, 20 RBI and 1.399 OPS. Campanelli's 51 stolen bases are an Empire 8 single-season record, while he finished second nationally in that category. In addition, he was ninth nationally in hits and ninth in total bases. Campanelli became the fifth student-athlete to be named a two-time Empire 8 Player of the Year.

Campanelli earned his first E8 Baseball Player of the Year honor in 2022 after batting .405 over 47 games played with 75 hits, including 15 doubles, three triples, four home runs and 43 runs batted in. He recorded a .519 on-base percentage, .584 slugging percentage and drew 39 walks, while scoring 63 runs.

In four seasons, Campanelli batted .404 with 226 hits in 559 at-bats, while scoring 194 runs in 140 career contests for the Cardinals. He added 53 doubles, 13 triples and 16 home runs, while driving in 119 runs. He drew 99 career walks and stole a program record 83 bases, while recording a .504 on-base percentage and .631 slugging percentage. Campanelli was a two-time D3baseball.com All-American and three-time All-Empire 8 first team selection.

"Noah has truly embodied what it means to be a Division III student-athlete at the highest levels," said Empire 8 commissioner Chuck Mitrano. "He attained the most elite accomplishments in the classroom, on the diamond and his commitment to service to others is impressive. Empire 8 is incredibly proud of Noah and St. John Fisher for earning this prestigious honor from the Division III Commissioner Association!"

Academically, Campanelli earned Dean's List and Empire 8 President's List accolades in each of his eight semesters at St. John Fisher. Campanelli was named a 2023 College Sports Communicators Baseball First Team Academic All-America selection. He earned several academic scholarships for excellence in the St. John Fisher accounting program, including the Otto A. Schultz Scholarship, DuPlessis/Wolfe Scholarship, Frank Stotz Scholarship and Financial Executive Institute (FEI) Scholarships, all awarded based on academic excellence and character development through extracurricular activities and leadership potential. He was also inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society 2019-2020.

Off the field, Campanelli was a vital and active member of the St. John Fisher University campus community. He was a three-year member of St. John Fisher's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and was on St. John Fisher's Dean's Student Advisory Council as a representative of the College of Business for three years as well. Campanelli served as the Chancellor for the Delta Sigma Pi Business Fraternity in 2021-22 and was a PWC Case Competition Student Advisor and Vice President of Delta Sigma Pi. In addition, Campanelli was an audit intern at Deloitte US.

"It is an incredible honor to be recognized by the Division III Commissioners Association for this award," said Campanelli. "Achieving this honor, would not have been possible without the opportunities presented by St. John Fisher University, Empire 8, the guidance of my coaches, and the support of my family. Being a Division III student athlete has provided me with the ability to grow in all facets of my life and I will forever be grateful for the past four years."

Selection criteria for the DIIICA Student-Athlete of the Year awards included considerations based on academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership and a personal statement submitted by each nominee.

Conferences were permitted to submit two nominations for each award if at least one of the nominations was an international student/ethnic minority. Graduating seniors were the only student-athletes eligible for this award. Selection criteria for the awards included considerations based on academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership and a personal statement submitted by each nominee.

The initial round of voting was conducted by commissioners within each of the ten regions, with the top male and female honoree recognized as finalists for the Awards Committee to select the Division III Commissioner's Association Men's Sport and Women's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year.