CAA Announces Recipients Of 2025-26 Leadership And Sport Excellence Awards
Rob Washburn
RICHMOND, Va. (July 2, 2026) – The CAA has announced the 19 recipients of the prestigious Leadership and Sport Excellence Award for the 2025-26 academic year.
The award mimics the Chuck Boone Leadership Award in football and the Dean Ehlers Leadership Award in men’s and women’s basketball. One student-athlete, who represents the highest standards of teamwork, integrity, leadership, and sportsmanship in his or her academic and athletic achievements, was selected in each of the other sports sponsored by the Conference. Nominees must be at the junior, senior or graduate academic level.
After evaluating the nominees, the CAA’s Faculty Athletic Representatives voted on the winners.
The 2025-26 CAA Leadership and Sport Excellence Award winners are as follows:
Baseball:
Lawson Wheeler, Elon – Wheeler earned a 3.77 GPA while majoring in Exercise Science with a minor in Psychology. A member of the Elon SAAC group and a participant in the Phoenix Leadership Academy, he assisted with several service projects, including a baseball clinic for youth in the Dominican Republic. A Phi Beta Kappa inductee, Wheeler was a three-time member of the Elon President’s List. On the field, Wheeler appeared in 41 games this season and batted .200 with nine runs scored, six RBI’s and four stolen bases. He was elected as a team captain for the 2026 campaign.
Men’s Cross Country:
Nate Mars, Elon – Mars achieved a 3.82 GPA while majoring in Finance and Business Analytics. A three-year secretary for the Elon SAAC organization, he was also an officer in the Beta Alpha Psi Honor Society. Mars, who was four-time member of the Elon President’s List, worked as a business analyst intern and financial planning & analysis intern during his time at the university. On the course, Mars was chosen as the team MVP for the 2025 Elon cross country team after recording the top Phoenix performance at the CAA Championship and the NCAA Southeast Regional. Mars received the Team Leadership Award in 2024.
Women’s Cross Country:
Cayden Crismon, Charleston – Crismon compiled a 3.78 GPA while majoring in Biology. A member of the Alpha Epsilon Delta honors society, she made the President’s List and the Dean’s List in three semesters. Crismon helped organize Run Your City Charleston, a team-based youth running program for more than 100 families, and took part in the Cougar Launch Program, a leadership program to mentor female student=athletes in their desired field of work. Crismon was chosen a team captain for the Charleston women’s cross country team and competed three times at the CAA Championship and the NCAA Southeast Regionals. She broke the school record in the 10,000 meters in outdoor track & field.
Field Hockey:
Kelly Levengood, Hofstra – Levengood owns a 3.86 GPA while majoring in Bioengineering. A four-time member of the Dean’s List, she was named to the NFHCA National Academic Squad in 2024 and 2025. Levengood is a member of the Hofstra SAAC group and worked as the Pride Cup coordinator. She has participated in numerous community service projects, with several of them involving children with disabilities. On the field, Levengood started all 18 games in 2025 and ranked third on the team with four goals, including one game-winner. She is a three-year letterwinner for the Pride.
Men’s Golf:
Gray Mitchum, UNCW – Mitchum achieved a 3.66 GPA while earning a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and is working on a master’s in supply chain management. A three-time Dean’s List member, he was a UNCW Chancellor’s Cup nominee in 2026 and received the UNCW Soaring Seahawk Award for leadership in 2025. On the course. Mitchum helped lead the Seahawks to CAA championships in 2023 and 2026. He earned first-team All-CAA accolades in 2026 after making the All-CAA second team in 2025. He claimed individual titles at the ECU Intercollegiate and the Seahawk Intercollegiate this season.
Women's Golf:
Ashley Lafontaine, Elon – Lafontaine repeats as a Leadership and Sport Excellence Award winner after compiling a 3.99 GPA while majoring in Accounting. A seven-time President’s List member, she received the A.L. Hook Scholar-Athlete Award in 2025 and the Browne Leadership & Sportsmanship Award in 2026. A member of Elon’s SAAC group and a graduate of the Phoenix Leadership Academy, Lafontaine has served as a campus tour guide and student office assistant. On the course, the two-year team captain earned first-team All-CAA honors in 2026 and received team MVP honors for the second year in a row. She has the lowest career scoring average in Elon program history and is a three-time WGCA All-America Scholar.
Men’s Lacrosse:
Robbie Smith, Stony Brook – Smith earned a 3.95 GPA while completing a double major in Business Management and Economics and minoring in Real Estate and Insurance. A Stony Brook Society of Distinguished Scholar Athletes member, he made the Dean’s List in seven semesters. Smith participated with the SAAC Community Outreach Committee and has taken part in a variety of service projects. On the field, Smith helped the Seawolves capture their first CAA championship in 2026 by leading the team with 122 face-off wins and 67 ground balls. He earned second-team All-CAA accolades in 2025 after topping the league with 128 face-off wins and ranking second in FO% (.604) and ground balls (82).
Women’s Lacrosse:
Mia Zebley, Elon – Zebley owns a 4.0 GPA while double majoring in Sport Management and Media Analytics. A member of the President’s List in five semesters, she received the Rising Phoenix Award in 2025 and the A.L. Hook Scholar-Athlete Award in 2026. Zebley has been inducted into four honor societies, including Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa. She serves as vice president of the Elon Sport Management Society, is a participant in the Phoenix Leadership Academy and is a member of the analytics team for the Elon News Network. On the field, Zebley contributed two goals, six assists and 12 ground balls over 17 games for the Phoenix lacrosse team in 2026. She has 35 goals and 29 assists in her career.
Rowing:
Sam Staubach, Monmouth – Staubach owns a 3.26 GPA while majoring in Health Studies. She has been recognized on the CAA Commissioner’s Honor Roll in seven semesters. A member of the Monmouth SAAC group, Staubach has taken part in numerous community service projects as well as working as a Resident Assistant. A three-year captain of the Monmouth rowing team, Staubach is a two-time recipient of the Team Leadership Award and has been honored as the Hawks’ team MVP. She earned all-conference accolades in 2025.
Men’s Soccer:
Jackson Leavitt, Elon – Leavitt compiled a 3.80 GPA while earning his degree in Business Administration with a double major in Finance and Business Analytics and is currently working on a master’s in business analytics. A four-time member of the President’s List, he received second-team Scholar All-America and first team Scholar All-South Region honors from the United Soccer Coaches in 2025. Leavitt, who completed internships in private equity and as a financial analyst, was a member of Elon’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes group. On the field, Leavitt helped lead Elon to a CAA championship as the team’s starting goalkeeper, ranking in the top 10 nationally in goals against average and save percentage. He was named to the All-CAA first team, the CAA All-Tournament team and the All-Atlantic Region second team. Last March, Leavitt was recognized as the 2025-26 CAA Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Women’s Soccer:
Madisyn Strange, Hampton – Strange owns a 4.08 GPA while majoring in Biology on the pre-medicine track. She has made the Dean’s List in each semester and received an Academic Achievement Award in 2024. Strange serves as vice president of the Honors College, where she organizes a variety of events, and contributes as a huddle leader for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She also volunteers at Riverside Regional Medical Center and the Red Cross. On the field, Strange saw action in 15 games and became the first Hampton player to record a hat trick against a Division I opponent when she scored three times against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Softball:
Payton Swart, Elon – Swart achieved a 3.91 GPA while majoring in Marketing and Business Analytics. She made the President’s List in five semesters. Swart is an active member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and participated with Morgan’s Message, promoting student-athlete mental health awareness. On the field, Swart started all 51 games for the Phoenix in 2026, batting .261 with 20 runs scored, 13 RBI’s and six stolen bases. The four-year letterwinner also played a key role on Elon’s team that captured the CAA championship in 2025.
Men’s Swimming & Diving:
Sebastian Smith, Drexel – Smith earned a 3.49 GPA while majoring in Exercise Science. A member of the Dean’s List and CAA Academic Honor Roll, he was honored as an Academic All-American by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association. Smith is a member of the Drexel SAAC group, a participant in the Dragon Leadership Academy and is part of the Drexel Athletics DEI board. In the pool, Smith earned six gold medals and a bronze at the CAA Swimming & Diving Championship. He broke a school record in the 100 free and was part of a CAA all-time record in the 400 free relay. This season, he qualified for the NCAA Swimming Championship in the 100 fly.
Women’s Swimming & Diving:
Cassidy Lima, UNCW – Lima achieved a 3.87 GPA while majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in marketing and professional selling. A member of Chi Alpha Sigma and a Dean’s List honoree, she is Secretary of the Sales Club and was the captain of the National Ethics Case Competition Team. Lima reached the finals in a number of national sales competitions. In the pool, Lima was a team captain for a Seahawks’ program that captured three CAA championships during her career. She represented the team as a member of UNCW’s SAAC group.
Men’s Tennis:
Veljko Krstic, Elon – Krstic posted a 3.73 GPA while majoring in Finance and Business Analytics. A four-time member of the President’s List, he was named to the CSC Academic All-District team. A participant in the Phoenix Leadership Academy, Krstic took part in numerous community service activities. On the court, Krstic played No. 1 singles and doubles for an Elon team that captured the 2026 CAA Championship. He earned first-team All-CAA accolades in singles and doubles this season and received seven all-conference honors in his career. Krstic was ranked as high as No. 60 nationally in singles by the ITA and recorded victories over several ranked opponents.
Women’s Tennis:
Gabriela Glickstein, UNCW – Glickstein achieved a 3.63 GPA while majoring in Exercise Science. A four-time Dean’s List member, she received the Pat Howey Student-Athlete Leadership Award and was one of 25 UNCW graduating seniors to earn the Pat Leonard Senior Medallion Award. Glickstein served as President of UNCW’s SAAC group for two years and attended the CAA SAAC Leadership Summit. On the court, Glickstein was a member of a Seahawks’ tennis team that participated in all four CAA Championships and was runner-up in 2023. She was a team captain during the 2025-26 season.
Men’s Track & Field:
Brunner Williams, Northeastern – Williams owns a 3.50 GPA while majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Supply Chain Management and a minor in Chinese. A three-time Dean’s List honoree, he is a member of Northeastern’s SAAC group and has participated in several community service projects. On the track, Williams earned silver medals in the 200m and 4X100 relay at the 2026 CAA Outdoor Championship. In 2025, he collected three top five finishes at the CAA Indoor Championship and broke a school record and took gold in the 4X100 relay at the CAA Outdoor event along with a bronze medal in the 200 meters.
Women’s Track & Field:
Lizzie Lopez, Elon – Lopez compiled a 3.93 GPA while majoring in Biology with a concentration in Foundations for Medical Sciences. A six-time President’s List member, she has been inducted into the Phi Eta Sigma and Tri Beta Biology honor societies. A graduate of the Phoenix Leadership Academy, Lopez spent considerable time doing undergraduate research and volunteered with the Maryland Rehabilitation & Orthopedic Institute, Sparks Physical Therapy and Jacksonville Volunteer Fire Company. On the track, Lopez was the CAA champion in the heptathlon at the 2026 outdoor meet and took second in the pentathlon at the indoor event. In 2025, she was the gold medalist in both the heptathlon and the pentathlon at the CAA Championship.
Volleyball:
Aley Clent, Campbell – Clent earned a 4.0 GPA while earning her Bachelor’s degree in Management and is currently working on a MBA. A member of the President’s List during every semester, she was named to the CSC Academic All-District team. Clent was very active in the Campbell SAAC group, serving as vice president in 2024-25 and president in 2025-26. On the court, Clent was a starter for a Camels’ squad that captured the CAA volleyball championship for the first time in 2025, and she was named to the All-Tournament team. During her career, she contributed over 100 kills in all four seasons and was among the team leaders in blocks each year.