WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics would like to congratulate its former student-athletes (who exhausted their eligibility) and departmental staff who received master's degrees May 20 at the Sports and Recreation Center on campus, and bachelor's degrees May 22 at the Prudential Center in Newark. The following 69 individuals completed their degrees last summer, this spring (January or May 2024), or will finish this summer.
 
These 69 individuals earned 65 bachelor's degrees and nine master's degrees, and 18 of the undergraduates earned honors (seven Summa Cum Laude, seven Magna Cum Laude and four Cum Laude). Seven were members of the Honors College, and the Pioneers completed a total of 30 different degree programs.

Softball senior Michaela Raguseo (Woodland Park, N.J./Passaic Valley), a May 2024 summa cum laude graduate with a bachelor of arts degree in mathematics, was selected as the undergraduate student speaker (WATCH). In addition to her four seasons playing at Pioneer Softball Field, Raguseo was the winner of the 2023-24 Academic Excellence and Service Award in Mathematics and the 2023-24 Dean's Award for College of Science and Health, was the head tutor of the Mathematics Learning Center, and was a supplementary instructor in College Algebra. The Math Club Vice President and a member of the Honors Club and Education Club, she was inducted into Pi Mu Epsilon (National Mathematics Honor Society), Alpha Lambda Delta (Honor Society for First Year Success), and Chi Alpha Sigma (National Student-Athlete Honor Society). For the Honors College, she completed an Independent Track with a focus on physics, and her thesis was: Rube Goldberg Through History, Mechanics, and Education. She earned numerous academic awards during her career, including Dean's List, New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) All-Academic Second Team (2022-23) and Honorable Mention (2021-22), and National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America Scholar Athlete (2022 and 2023).
 
BASEBALL
Dan Castaneda (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield); Bachelor of Arts, Sport Management (Magna Cum Laude)
Steven DiGirolamo (Dumont, N.J./Dumont); Master of Business Administration, Business Administration
Jordan Manne (Mahwah, N.J./Mahwah); Bachelor of Science, Exercise Science
Elian Mendez (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack); Bachelor of Science, Management
Nick Nielson (Avenel, N.J./Colonia); Bachelor of Science, Finance
Darmany Rivas (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield); Bachelor of Science, Management
Riley Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional); Master of Business Administration, Business Administration
 
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Michael Gilmore (Teaneck, N.J./Pine Forge Academy); Bachelor of Music
Kevin McNicholas (Blairstown, N.J./Kittitany); Bachelor of Science, Exercise Science
Patrick Monahan (Bloomingdale, N.J./Butler); Bachelor of Arts, Sport Management
Tyreek Montgomery (Neptune, N.J./Admiral Farragut); Bachelor of Arts, Sport Management
Shawn Summers Jr. (Montclair, N.J./Montclair); Bachelor of Arts, Communication
 
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Allison McBride (Ringwood, N.J./Lakeland Regional); Bachelor of Science in Nursing
 
FIELD HOCKEY
Catie Wilson (Oaklyn, N.J./Collingswood); Bachelor of Arts, Liberal Studies
 
FOOTBALL
Alajuwon Bell (Paterson, N.J./Garrett Morgan Academy); Bachelor of Arts, Sport Management
Devyn Blount (Long Branch, N.J./Long Branch); Bachelor of Arts, Criminology and Criminal Justice
Taz Burton (Millville, N.J./Bridgeton); Bachelor of Arts, Political Science
Matt Clarke (Long Branch, N.J./Long Branch); Bachelor of Arts, Criminology and Criminal Justice; Bachelor of Arts, Sociology
Thor Connelly (National Park, N.J./Gateway Regional); Bachelor of Arts, Communication (Magna Cum Laude)
Pat Green (Rahway, N.J./Rahway); Bachelor of Science, Exercise Science
Ariel Higuera (Union City, N.J./Union City); Bachelor of Arts, Sport Management
Daquan Knight (Trenton, N.J./Trenton); Bachelor of Arts, Political Science
James Koegler (Parsippany, N.J./Parsippany Hills); Bachelor of Fine Arts, Art (Cum Laude)
Christopher Leimberg (Kearny, N.J./Kearny); Bachelor of Arts, Sport Management
Ryan Marshall (Andover, N.J./Sussex Tech); Bachelor of Science, Physical Education (Cum Laude)
RJ Massey (Bridgeville, Del./Woodbridge); Bachelor of Science, Marketing
Raul Rivera (Long Branch, N.J./Long Branch); Bachelor of Arts, Criminology and Criminal Justice
Yubir Rojas-Herrera (Matawan, N.J./Matawan Regional); Bachelor of Arts, Criminology and Criminal Justice; Bachelor of Arts, Sociology
Mele' Stallings (Newark, Del./Newark); Bachelor of Arts, Sport Management
Daniel Torchio (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville); Bachelor of Science, Exercise Science
Will Valentine (Washington, D.C./Suitland); Bachelor of Arts, Political Science
Peyton Willey (Millsboro, Del./Sussex Technical); Bachelor of Science, Exercise Science
 
GOLF
Nicholas Bucci (Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway); Bachelor of Science, Exercise Science (Summa Cum Laude)
Vincent Limone (Little Ferry, N.J./Ridgefield Park); Bachelor of Science, Finance (Cum Laude)
Anthony Slekis (Fairfield, N.J./West Essex); Bachelor of Arts, Mathematics
 
MEN'S SOCCER
Roger Bermejo (Passaic, N.J./Passaic County Technical Institute); Bachelor of Arts, Sport Management
Dylan Fogerty; Bachelor of Arts, Liberal Studies
Thomas Hatch (Kinnelon, N.J./Kinnelon); Master of Business Administration, Business Administration
David Moreira (Pittstown, N.J./North Hunterdon); Bachelor of Arts, Criminology and Criminal Justice
 
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Sabrina Bishara (Port Jervis, N.Y./Port Jervis); Bachelor of Science, Physical Education
Julia Fiorito (Toms River, N.J./Toms River North); Bachelor of Science, Marketing; Honors College Business Track
Hailey Krajewski (Clifton, N.J./DePaul Catholic); Bachelor of Arts, Psychology (Summa Cum Laude); Honors College Cognitive Science Track
Callista Long (Washington Twp., N.J./Westwood Regional); Bachelor of Science, Exercise Science (Magna Cum Laude); Honors College Cognitive Science Track; Department of Kinesiology Exercise Physiology Award
Lorraine Moffitt; Master of Arts, Clinical and Counseling Psychology
Elisa Zuta (Pompton Lakes, N.J./Pompton Lakes); Bachelor of Science, Computer Science (Magna Cum Laude); Department of Computer Science Omicron Omega Award for Excellence in Computer Science
 
SOFTBALL
Jillian Bigos (Red Bank, N.J./Middletown South); Master of Education, Curriculum and Learning
Grace Gaskill (Hamilton, N.J./Steinert); Bachelor of Arts, Psychology; Bachelor of Arts, Elementary Education (Cum Laude)
Carly McDaniel (Lincoln Park, N.J./Boonton); Master of Science, Exercise and Sport Studies
Gianna Mulato (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock Twp.); Bachelor of Science, Sport Medicine
Sydney Pace; Master of Education, Educational Leadership
Michaela Raguseo (Woodland Park, N.J./Passaic Valley); Bachelor of Arts, Mathematics (Summa Cum Laude); Honors College Independent Track; College of Science and Health Dean's Award; Department of Mathematical Sciences Academic Excellence and Service Award in Mathematics
Haley Weinberger (Williamstown, N.J./Hammonton); Bachelor of Arts, Psychology (Magna Cum Laude); Honors College Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology Track
 
MEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING
Brandon Arias (North Haledon, N.J./Passaic County Tech); Bachelor of Arts, Criminology and Criminal Justice
Andrew Colligan (Andover, N.J./Sussex County Tech); Bachelor of Arts, Criminology and Criminal Justice
Anthony Newman (Lake Hiawatha, N.J./Parsippany); Bachelor of Arts, Criminology and Criminal Justice; Bachelor of Arts, Sociology (Summa Cum Laude)
 
WOMEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING
Melody Espin (Colonia, N.J./Colonia); Bachelor of Arts, Criminology and Criminal Justice
Nicole Kahwaty (Lake Hopatcong, N.J./Morris County Tech); Bachelor of Arts, Psychology; Bachelor of Arts, Elementary Education (Summa Cum Laude); Honors College Cognitive Science Track
Hailey Krajewski (Clifton, N.J./DePaul Catholic); Bachelor of Arts, Psychology (Summa Cum Laude); Honors College Cognitive Science Track
Skylar Mancini (Toms River, N.J./Toms River East); Bachelor of Science, Health Studies
Jillian Starace (Toms River, N.J./Toms River East); Bachelor of Science, Health Studies
 
TENNIS
Adrian Dieckman (Little Egg Harbor, N.J./Pinelands Regional); Bachelor of Arts, Psychology
Abigail Malandro (Beach Haven, N.J./Southern Regional); Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Magna Cum Laude)
Jordan Sweet (Camden, N.J./Brimm Medical Arts); Bachelor of Arts, Criminology and Criminal Justice; Bachelor of Arts, Legal Studies
 
DEPARTMENTAL STAFF
Randy Ceballos; Bachelor of Arts, History
Patrick Groh; Bachelor of Arts, Communication (Magna Cum Laude)
Sara Haller; Master of Science, Sport Administration
Hannah Hirst; Master of Science, Sport Administration
Kyla Jones; Bachelor of Arts, Sport Management (Summa Cum Laude); Department of Kinesiology Distinguished Sport Management Student Award
Lorraine Moffitt; Master of Arts, Clinical and Counseling Psychology
Joyce Palacios; Bachelor of Science, Biology
Kourtney Scipio (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield); Bachelor of Science, Speech Language Pathology (Summa Cum Laude); Honors College Cognitive Science Track