PRESQUE ISLE, ME
The North Atlantic Conference Revealed the finalists for the Woman and Man of the Year awards, a highly prestigious honor that recognizes athletes who stood out in many different areas.
From the NAC Website: "(This Award) honors graduating student athletes who distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletic excellence, service, and leadership."
For UMPI it was Softball Student-Athlete Zoe Stewart, and Men's Basketball Student-Athlete James Yamashita who were nominated to represent UMPI. Stewart joins seven other female nominees from across the conference, while Yamashita is one of five male nominees.
Zoe Stewart:
As a resident of Prince Edward Island, Stewart has made an impact both at home and at UMPI through her commitment to service, leadership, academics, and athletics. A Pre-Med major who graduated with highest honors and was recognized as UMPI's Outstanding Biology Graduate, she finished with a GPA of Stewart dedicated countless hours to tutoring, teaching swim lessons, coaching youth softball, and mentoring younger 4-H members. On campus, she served as captain of the softball team while earning NAC All-Academic recognition in all four years of her career. Her accomplishments on the field included an all-conference selection in her freshman and senior seasons, as well as earning and UMPI's Senior Athlete of the Year and Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards. Most recently in her senior season, she batted .409, with 29 runs batted in and eight home runs. With her standout on field performances as well as dedication to community service makes her a more-than fitting representative for the University.
James Yamashita:
Yamashita, a native of Tokyo, Japan, distinguished himself through his leadership, academic achievement, and commitment to the UMPI community throughout his four-year career with the Owls men's basketball program. An Exercise Science major and two-time NAC All-Academic Team selection, Yamashita served as captain of the men's basketball team during his senior season while also taking on leadership roles within the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, including serving as Vice President and President. This spring, he was recognized with the Christopher L. Smith Work Ethic Award, Yamashita embodied the dedication, discipline, and service that define the NAC Man of the Year award, consistently using his experiences as a student-athlete to mentor others and contribute positively to the campus community.
The North Atlantic Conference is expected to release the winners of both awards soon.
