Finalists Announced for NE10 Man & Woman of the Year

NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – The Northeast-10 Conference announced its list of finalists for the Man and Woman of the Year awards on Monday afternoon – choosing the top three candidates for each honor among the 25 institutional nominations previously announced on May 12.

Finalists for the NE10 Man and Woman of the Year awards represent six different schools and five different sports. The announcement of award recipients will be made the night of Tuesday, June 3, as part of the NE10 Banquet at Fratello’s Events in the Millyard in Manchester, N.H. 

The NE10 Man and Woman of the Year awards honor student-athletes for their excellence in competition, in the classroom and in the community. The Woman of the Year award winner will be forwarded to the NCAA for its National Woman of the Year award, serving as the NE10’s nomination.

Each of the league’s 11 member institutions nominated at least one student-athlete for each award.

NE10 Man of the Year Finalists
 

Joseph Vitale, New Haven
Sport: Football
Undergraduate Major: Health Science
Undergraduate GPA: 3.9
Graduate Major: Masters in Healthcare Administration
Graduate GPA: 4.0

Vitale has been a model student-athlete during his time at New Haven and in the NE10. He served as team captain during the 2024 season, as the New Haven football program won its second consecutive league championship and its third in the past four seasons. Vitale was a First Team All-Conference selection for the first time in his career, while being named the winner of the Elite 24 Award and Sport Excellence Award for football. He has earned a 4.0 GPA for a Masters in Healthcare Administration. Vitale has also excelled as a member of the community, assisting in initiatives for Team IMPACT, Make-a-Wish, Be The Match and West Haven Meal Donations and City Cleanups – as well as Goodwill clothing drives and as a volunteer at a soup kitchen. He is a two-year member of New Haven’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). 

Alexandre Rajao da Cunha, Southern Connecticut
Sport: Men’s Soccer
Undergraduate Major: Business Administration, International
Undergraduate GPA: 3.85

da Cunha, a multi-year team captain for the Southern Connecticut men’s soccer program, is a four-time All-Conference selection  – including a two-time First Team honoree in 2022 and 2024. He has earned a 3.85 GPA in his major of Business Administration (International) while serving as a student ambassador for the School of Business on campus. da Cunha has been active in his community, as he has served in Team IMPACT initiatives, volunteered at youth soccer clinics and participated in University Day of Service projects to support the New Haven area. 

Preston Neal, Southern New Hampshire
Sport: Men’s Soccer
Undergraduate Major: Graphic Design & Media Arts
Undergraduate GPA: 3.98

Neal enjoyed a successful athletic career at Southern New Hampshire on the men’s soccer team, earning NE10 Goalkeeper of the Year while helping the Penmen to their first league championship since 2015. Arguably his biggest accomplishment, however, was being named the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America Team Member of the Year in 2024 – earning Neal the title of top Academic All-American in Division II men’s soccer. He was also named the NE10 Sport Excellence Award winner for his combined academic and athletic performance. A 3.98 GPA as a Graphic Design & Media Arts major, Neal contributed his time on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and in multiple roles for the Windham travel soccer team. 

NE10 Woman of the Year Finalists
 

Maggie Whitmore, Bentley
Sport: Women’s Basketball
Undergraduate Major: Management
Undergraduate GPA: 3.61
Graduate Major: MBA – Leadership
Graduate GPA: 4.0

Whitmore has been an instrumental part of four-straight Bentley women’s basketball teams to win the NE10 Championship, as she is a three-time All-Conference selection in that time. Following the 2024-25 season, she was named an All-American by the WBCA. A two-year team captain, Whitmore led Bentley to the Division II Elite Eight this past season. She has achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA in her MBA (Leadership) program. Whitmore has also donated much of her time to community events, including clothing and food donation drives, the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, coordinated fundraising opportunities for the RACE Cancer Foundation, and organized and ran a youth basketball clinic for a Boys & Girls Club. 

Aino Martikainen, Franklin Pierce
Sport: Women’s Soccer
Undergraduate Major: Psychology
Undergraduate GPA: 3.9
Graduate Major: MBA (Concentration in Health Administration)
Graduate GPA: 3.66

Martikainen, a two-time First Team All-American and one-time First Team Academic All-American, has been a standout student-athlete at Franklin Pierce throughout her career. She helped lead the Ravens to the NE10 title and the Division II national semifinals in 2024, while earning her second-career nod as NE10 Defensive Player of the Year. In addition to being a three-year team captain, Martikainen has served in a leadership role on campus as E-Board Secretary of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Not only has she competed for Franklin Pierce athletics, but she has also worked in the athletic department – both as a graduate assistant for the general athletics office and for the Raven Sports Network. Martikainen has achieved a 3.66 GPA as she pursues her MBA in Health Administration. 

Krista Dietz, Pace
Sport: Field Hockey
Undergraduate Major: Digital Cinema & Filmmaking
Undergraduate GPA: 3.84

Dietz, a four-time NFHCA All-American, had a remarkable athletic career as a member of the Pace field hockey team, which included being named NE10 and NFHCA East Region Player of the Year in 2023. She finishes her career as a Top-10 scorer in NE10 history. A Digital Cinema and Filmmaking major with a 3.84 GPA, Dietz served as team captain in 2024 and assisted as team manager for two years – assisting with team functions and a variety of tasks for the coaching staff. Her community intiatives include participating in Pace’s annual spring field hockey clinic, Pace’s Make a Difference Clean-Up Day, multiple toy drives and a two-year participant in Able Athletics – providing one-on-one support to athletes with disabilities. 

ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 11 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.

Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
 
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