2024-25 SENIOR VIDEO 

WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation honored the accomplishments of its 57 senior intercollegiate student-athletes and nine club sports seniors at its annual Senior Intercollegiate Athletics and Club Sports Awards Reception April 23 in the University Commons Ballrooms.
 
In addition to celebrating each of the seniors, the Pioneers bestowed several individual awards during the event. Volleyball senior Paola Molina (Hatillo, Puerto Rico/Colegio San Felipe) and women's basketball graduate student Brianna Smith (Hillsdale, N.J./Pascack Valley) were named the co-recipients of the Roland Watts Award, given to a student-athlete who has demonstrated outstanding dedication and effort in his or her sport.
 
Molina, a three-year Pioneer (2022-24) after transferring from Coffeyville Community College, was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America Honorable Mention and the AVCA All-Region IV First Team while winning the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Defensive Player of the Year award as both a junior and senior (2023, 2024). Also a three-time all-conference honoree (2023 and 2024 second teams, 2022 honorable mention), she finished her time in Wayne first in career digs (1,563) and digs per set (5.03), posting three of the top five single-season digs (608, 2024, first; 491, 2023, third; 464, 2022, fifth) and digs per sets (5.43, 2024, second; 4.86, fourth, 2023; 4.73, 2022, fifth) totals in program history. A two-time member of the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team (2023, 2024), she is a five-time Dean's List student, an inductee into national student-athlete honor society Chi Alpha Sigma, and a selection to the 2023-24 Academic All-NJAC Honorable Mention. She is a dual major in sport medicine and exercise physiology, and graduates this May Magna Cum Laude.
 

Smith spent five seasons (2020-25) on the hardwood after transferring from Bloomsburg University, finishing her career with 1,621 points to place sixth on the WP career list. A three-time all-NJAC selection (2023-24 first team, 2022-23 and 2024-25 second teams), she also garnered spots on the 2023-24 D3hoops.com All-Region Third Team, 2024-25 All-Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association (MBWA) Third Team and 2025 ECAC All-Tournament Team. Smith placed among the top five on the WP career charts in games played (115, first), three-point field goals made (201, third), three-point field goals attempted (610, third), minutes played (3,395, fourth), field goals attempted (1,337, fourth), games started (103, fifth) and free throws made (364, fifth). Inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, Smith was a seven-time Dean's List student, and a three-time member of the CSC Academic All-District Team (2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25) and Academic All-NJAC Honorable Mention (2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24). She graduated Magna Cum Laude in January with bachelor's degrees in elementary education and liberal studies, and currently is pursuing a master's in special education.
 
Women's soccer student-athlete Brianna De La Cruz (Clifton, N.J./Clifton) received the Senior Scholar-Athlete Award, given to the graduating senior student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA. She competed in 67 career matches as a four-year Pioneer (2021-24), registering four goals and five assists while starting 37 times. A Chi Alpha Sigma inductee and a Dean's List student every semester at WP, she garnered spots on the CSC Academic All-District Team (2022, 2024), 2023-24 Academic All-NJAC Second Team and 2022-23 Academic All-NJAC Honorable Mention. De La Cruz will graduate Summa Cum Laude this May with a bachelor's in sport medicine.
 
Thomas Swartwout of the ice hockey team was the club sports' recipient of the Senior Scholar-Athlete Award. Swartwout is a four-time Dean's List student who will graduate Magna Cum Laude this May, finishing his bachelor's in marketing in three years at William Paterson.
 

Madelynn Spink (Bellmawr, N.J./Audubon) was named the winner of the Pioneer Spirit Award, given to the senior student-athlete who exhibited unparalleled pride and enthusiasm for the Orange and Black. A four-year member of the women's soccer program (2021-24), she posted seven goals during 74 career appearances and 20 starts. She also competed once for the Pioneer tennis team, and has worked on campus in a variety of roles, including as the mascot, Pio. A Chi Alpha Sigma inductee and a six-time Dean's List student, she earned spots on the 2024 CSC Academic All-District Team and 2022-23 and 2023-24 Academic All-NJAC Honorable Mentions. She will graduate Magna Cum Laude in May with a bachelor's in physical education.
 
In addition, 50 WP seniors were acknowledged as recipients of the Academic Excellence Award for maintaining an undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.000 or better.
 
For all of the latest information on the Pioneers, visit http://www.wpupioneers.com and http://www.wpupioneers.com/socialmedia.
 
* indicates Academic Excellence Award recipient
# indicates Chi Alpha Sigma inductee 

INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS
Baseball
Giovanni Aresta (Matawan, N.J./Old Bridge) *#
Chase Geisler (Lodi, N.J./Lodi) *#
Austin Jack (Oak Ridge, N.J./Jefferson Twp.) *
Connor Luckie (Hamilton, N.J./Hamilton High West) *
Pat Pantoliano (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus) *#
Tom Radigan (Verona, N.J./Verona) *#
Braden Ramirez (Middlesex, N.J./Union Catholic)
Tyler Ruban (Oak Ridge, N.J./Jefferson Twp.) *
Neel Telidevara (Dayton, N.J./South Brunswick) *
 
Men's Basketball
Shane Geene (Lafayette, N.J./Wallkill Valley Regional)
Tim Gjonballa (Brooklyn, N.Y./Jackson Liberty)
David Martinez (Maywood, N.J./Hackensack) *
Neftali Valentin (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack)
Andre Wells (Matawan, N.J./Matawan)
Willie Woods (Englewood, N.J./Dwight Morrow)
 

Women's Basketball
Jade Martinez (Ridgefield Park, N.J./Ridgefield Park) *
Mackenzie O'Brien (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) *#
Victoria Palladino (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North) *#
Esmeralda Ruiz (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) *
Brianna Smith (Hillsdale, N.J./Pascack Valley) *#
 
Football
Nick Bianco (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) *
Tye Brookins (Oakhurst, N.J./Ocean Twp.)
Taron Gale (Sicklerville, N.J./Winslow)
Jojo Kirby (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen)
Isaiah Leeks (Neptune, N.J./Neptune)
Ethan Mayes (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) *
Tyrell Wigfall (Ocean, N.J./Ocean Twp.) *
Samod Wingo (North Brunswick, N.J./North Brunswick Twp.)
 
Men's Golf
Lorenzo Assante (Montville, N.J./Montville Twp.) *#
Emily Feola (Lake Hiawatha, N.J./Parsippany) *
Jake Lutz (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) *#
 
Men's Soccer
James Alain (Haledon, N.J./Passaic County Technical Institute) *#
Gianfranco Banca (Queens, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy) *#
Diego Navas (Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway) *
 
Women's Soccer
Brianna De La Cruz (Clifton, N.J./Clifton) *#
Julia Fiorito (Toms River, N.J./Toms River North) *
Lauren Hutchison (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) *#
Abby Lonergan (Fairfield, N.J./West Essex) *#
Hailey Nelson (Elmer, N.J./A.P. Schalick) *#
Jordyn Nelson (Totowa, N.J./North Arlington) *#
Madelynn Spink (Bellmawr, N.J./Audubon) *#
Giovanna Stull (Parsippany, N.J./Parsippany) *#
Alexa Teixeira (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) *#
Diana Zuta (Pompton Lakes, N.J./Pompton Lakes) *#
 
Softball
Lindsey Acker (Wenonah, N.J./Deptford) *#
Kylie Bythrow (Deptford, N.J./Deptford) *#
Lauren Hutchison (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) *#
Courtney Schwark (Port Ewen, N.Y./Kingston) *
 
Men's Swimming and Diving
Shane Apito (Lake Hiawatha, N.J./Parsippany) *#
Ricardo Ordinola (Lodi, N.J./Passaic County Tech) *
Jason Peralta (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack) *#
 
Women's Swimming and Diving
Samantha Pricken (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) *#
 

Women's Tennis
Lindsey Acker (Wenonah, N.J./Deptford) *#
Kourtney Hartzel (York, Pa./West York Area) *
Sara Thomas (Lake Hopatcong, N.J./Jefferson Twp.) *#
 
Women's Volleyball
Hope Arce-Reed (New Carrollton, Md./College Park Academy)
Ciara Feliz (Bogota, N.J./Bogota) *
Paola Molina (Hatillo, Puerto Rico/Colegio San Felipe) *#
Beatriz Soares (Harrison, N.J./County Prep) *#
 
CLUB SPORTS
Bowling
Michael Liu
Bradlee Pase *

Cheerleading
Kamiah Gillette
 
Ice Hockey
Matthew Barbieri
George Boyle
Tommy Boyle *
Kevin Brennan *#
Jason Lastra *#
Thomas Swartwout *#