2025-2026 University Credit Union Student-Athletes of the Month
MARCH 2026
Recognizing the outstanding achievements of our University of Southern Maine student-athletes is something we are proud to do. Since January of 2022, Huskies' Athletics and University Credit Union have partnered up to highlight the varied and vital contributions USM student-athletes make in competition, in the classroom and in the community. Whether its big-time performances for their team, or big steps in their academic and career goals, or our student-athletes commitment to Community Service, USM & UCU are ready to celebrate our Student-Athletes of the Month.
Chosen by members of the Athletic Department administration, recipients of this honor successfully embody the Five Pillars of USM Athletics: Academic Excellence, Athletic Achievement, Personal Growth, Professional Development and Service to Community.
During the month of March, the student-athletes from the Huskies' women's lacrosse team and the men's track and field team were selected based upon their outstanding individual performances and outstanding character:
Katelyn D'Appolonia &
Ryker Paradis.
Ryker Paradis | Freshman | Finance | Lewiston, Maine
Ryker Paradis
Off to an outstanding and record breaking start to his career as a Husky,
Ryker Paradis set the men's track & field record in the shot put multiple times during the indoor season, and competed as the only freshman in the 2026 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships in Birmingham, Ala. During the indoor season, Ryker claimed the Little East Conference and Maine State title in the event. He was also named the LEC Field Rookie of the Year and earned the DIII New England Walter Slovenski Award. Ryker has continued to excel in the early part of the 2026 outdoor season, breaking his own record, yet again, in the shot put at the Emory Thrills in the Hill Invitational. Earning outdoor Rookie of the Week honors once already this season, Ryker placed second in the shot put and third in discus at the Jim Boulanger Invitational hosted by UNH recently. He is a Finance major.
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Katelyn D'Appolonia | Grad. | Master's in Digital Marketing Analytics | Yarmouth, Maine
Katelyn D'Appolonia
Graduate student Kateyln D'Appolonia made an immediate impact joining the women's lacrosse team in 2025 and earning conference Rookie of the Year honors. In her second season and as one of the team captains, Katelyn has the Huskies off to an 8-3 start and a 3-0 mark over Little East Conference opponents. Earning LEC Player of the Week honors to start the season, Katelyn leads Southern Maine with 47 points on 26 goals and 21 assists. She also leads the Huskies in ground balls with 40, caused turnovers with 25, and in draw controls with 52. Katelyn is working towards her Master's degree in Digital Marketing Analytics.
The Huskies are currently tied for first place in the LEC standings with WestConn.
WHAT IS THE UNIVERSITY CREDIT UNION/ATHLETIC DIRECTOR STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE MONTH?
Throughout each academic year as Huskies' Athletics moves from fall to winter to the spring competition, Southern Maine student-athletes are consistently recognized at the state, conference, regional and national level for their outstanding and noteworthy performances on the field of competition.
Academically, Huskies are also known for their superior performances earning All-Academic team honors from a variety of awards bureaus as well as the University. During the 2024-25 academic year, USM student-athletes combined for a department grade point average of 3.2. Each year, Husky student-athletes receive recognition for their athletic, academic and community service activities.
Proudly supporting and emphasizing the Division III student-athlete model, Huskies' Athletics focuses its goals on five key areas for each of its nearly 450 student-athletes: Academic Excellence, Athletic Achievement, Personal Growth, Professional Development and Service to Community.
Many of USM student-athletes play big roles not only on their teams, but also in life - as student employees, mentors, student organization leaders, civic rights activists, residence life assistants, and more. With that in mind, former Director of Athletics
Al Bean partnered with University Credit Union to create a new way to honor and amplify the remarkable contributions of our student-athletes that go far beyond the stat sheet with the UCU Athletic Director Student-Athlete of the Month recognition.
"As a department, Huskies Athletics believes in the development of the overall student-athlete. As soon as they become a Husky, we are investing in their future. The goal for a USM student-athlete is for each and every one to realize their full potential academically, athletically, personally, professional and civically. Our student-athletes are leaders on and off of the field and in the community. With the creation of the UCU Athletic Director Student-Athlete of the Month honor, we are seeking to establish a tangible way to congratulate and encourage the work of student-athletes both inside and outside of the competitive arena."
The UCU Athletic Director Student-Athlete of the Month (one male, one female) will be chosen based upon Huskies' Five Key Pillars: Academic Excellence, Athletic Achievement, Personal Growth, Professional Development and Service to Community. Members of the Huskies' Athletic Administration will nominate and choose those student-athletes to be recognized.
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