Liberty League commissioner Tracy King has announced that
Megan Bell of the University of Rochester and
Luke Aquaro of Hobart College have been named the recipients of the 2024-25 Liberty League Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards.
Established following the 2012-13 academic year, the recipients of the Liberty League Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards are selected in a vote by the Liberty League member institutions. The awards are presented to graduating student-athletes – one female and one male – who have demonstrated excellence in academics, athletics and service/leadership throughout their time as student-athletes. Bell is the third women’s track and field honoree and the third from the University of Rochester. Aquaro is the fourth honoree from Hobart College. While ice hockey is not a Liberty League sport, the league also honors student-athletes that do not have an opportunity to earn similar recognition in the sports in which they compete. He is the third honoree from a non-Liberty League sport to be selected, joining former ice hockey teammate Artem Buzoverya and Vassar men's volleyball All-American Matt Knigge.
“I am excited to announce that Megan Bell and Luke Aquaro have been selected as the Liberty League Scholar-Athletes of the Year,” said King. “Megan and Luke represent the very best of the Liberty League and intercollegiate athletics – individuals who have achieved at elite levels academically and athletically while emerging as leaders on their campuses. Both are NCAA champions, have earned national recognition for athletic and academic success and are individuals of great character. It is only fitting that we recognize the dedication and commitment that they have demonstrated to their academic and athletic pursuits over the past four years.”
By virtue of her selection as the Liberty League's Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Bell will also be the league’s nominee for the prestigious NCAA Woman of the Year award. Bell and Aquaro will also be the league’s nominees for the Division III Student-Athletes of the Year as selected by the Division III Commissioners Association.
One of the most decorated athletes in the University of Rochester women's track & field program history,
Bell is a 10-time United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-American, an 18-time USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region selection and a 17-time All-Liberty League honoree, in addition to her 10 First-Team All-America honors and two National Championships in the indoor 4x400-meter relay.
This past season, Bell, a team captain, added four USTFCCCA First-Team All-America, seven All-Region and seven All-Liberty League accolades to her tally, placing second outdoors and third indoors in the 800 meters at the NCAA Division III Track & Field Championships, as well as sixth indoors and eighth outdoors in the 4x400-meter relay. Bell was also named the Liberty League Women's Track Performer of the Meet at both the indoor and outdoor championships and ranked in the top 15 in eight events on the NCAA Division III Indoor and Outdoor Performance Lists. The senior is a 13-time Liberty League Track Performer of the Week and a one-time USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week, and graduates holding eight school records, four conference records, four conference championship records and two All-Atlantic Region meet records.
Additionally, Bell was a member of Rochester's indoor 4x400-meter relay that holds the Division III national record (3:44.84), set back at the 2023 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships, and ranks in the top 15 on the All-Time DIII Top-25 Individual Event Rankings in six events, having set top-10 marks in both the indoor and outdoor 800 meters this year.
Off the track, Bell, a biomedical engineering major, is a three-time Liberty League All-Academic selection, a three-time CSC All-Academic selection and a three-time USTFCCCA All-Academic honoree. Bell was named one of UR's Lysle 'Spike' Garnish Scholar-Athletes this past fall and received the department's Merle Spurrier Award this year, awarded to the top female senior athlete, and is UR's nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year.
The Wynantskill, N.Y., native was also elected Phi Beta Kappa, served as President of Tau Beta Phi, was a member of Alpha Eta Mu Beta, and was previously selected as one of UR's Provost Circle Scholars. She served an internship at Regeneron for the past two years while also serving as a teaching assistant for numerous programs at the University of Rochester.
Aquaro, who hails from Yardley, Pa., helped the Hobart ice hockey team to three straight NCAA Division III national championships. He graduated summa cum laude with a degree in economics in May. Aquaro is a three-time AHCA All-American Scholar and a three-time NEHC All-Academic selection. He is a two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-America First-Team selection.
One of the top offensive threats in program history, Aquaro recorded 70 goals and 64 assists for 134 points in 111 career games. He ranks third on Hobart's all-time goals list, fourth in points and sixth in assists. Aquaro played in all 31 games in 2024-25, finishing second on the team in goals (16) and points (34). He scored the game-winning goal in overtime in the national quarterfinals and assisted on the game-tying goal in the national championship as the Statesmen went on to beat No. 6 Utica 2-1 in overtime. Aquaro scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in the 2024 national championship game, a 2-0 triumph over No. 3 Trinity. He is a two-time AHCA All-American (2023 1st team, 2025 2nd team) and earned a spot on the All-NEHC teams three times (1st team in 2023 & 2025, 3rd team in 2024). Aquaro was the NEHC Player of the Year and a finalist for the Sid Watson Award in 2023.
Aquaro served as team captain for the Statesmen this past season after serving as one of the squad's assistant captains as a junior. He was a member of the school's Finance Society while also representing Hobart hockey on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and serving as a student representative on the Statemen Athletic Association. He served as a volunteer with the Geneva Recreation Complex, the Geneva Youth Group, the Geneva Generals Hockey Organization in addition to participating as a volunteer for the HWS Day of Service.
Liberty League Scholar-Athletes of the Year
2024-25
Megan Bell, University of Rochester, Track & Field
Luke Aquaro, Hobart College, Ice Hockey
2023-24
Madeline O’Connell, University of Rochester, Track & Field
Artem Buzoverya, Hobart College, Ice Hockey
2022-23
Karson Saunders, Union College, Softball
Matt Lecky, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Cross Country / Track & Field
2021-22
Julia Keogh, William Smith College, Soccer
Ryan Puglisi, Union College, Lacrosse
2020-21
Mekayla Montgomery, William Smith College, Lacrosse
Walker Anderson, Hobart College, Tennis
2019-20
Sophie Nick, Vassar College, Women's Basketball
Garrett Renslow, University of Rochester, Baseball
2018-19
Monica Feeley, Vassar College, Field Hockey
Edvinas Rupkus, Skidmore College, Basketball
2017-18
Taryn Cordani, Ithaca College, Cross Country / Track & Field
Matthew Knigge, Vassar College, Volleyball
2016-17
Caroline Conboy, William Smith College, Swimming & Diving
Kent Curran, Union College, Baseball
2015-16
Tara Lamberti, University of Rochester, Field Hockey
Jamie Jackson, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Men's Golf
2014-15
Madeline Buckley, William Smith College, Soccer
John Coleman, Clarkson University, Basketball / Baseball
2013-14
Olivia Zitoli, William Smith College, Soccer
Richie Bonney, Hobart College, Basketball
2012-13
Emily D'Addario, William Smith College, Cross Country
Adam Updegrove, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Soccer / Swimming & Diving