SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Union College junior Amy Gagliardi was named to the 2025-26 Academic All-America® Women's At-Large third team on Tuesday, becoming the first Union women's crew student-athlete to earn the prestigious award from College Sports Communicators (CSC) and the first Union women's student-athlete to receive a spot on an At-Large All-America team.
Unlike most sport-specific categories, the Women's At-Large program is arguably the most competitive Academic All-America program, encompassing athletes from 13 different sports: beach volleyball, bowling, crew, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, water polo and wrestling.
To be nominated for College Sports Communicators Academic All-America honors, student-athletes must first be named to an Academic All-District team by reaching a minimum participation threshold (varies by sport), maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher, and reaching sophomore athletic and academic standing at the school. Select Academic All-District winners move onto the Academic All-America ballot, where they are voted on by College Sports Communicators members for a spot on one of three Academic All-America teams.
Gagliardi was recognized for her work on the water and in the classroom along with 45 other Division III student-athletes. Of the 46 D-III Academic All-Americans this year, Gagliardi was one of only three crew athletes and one of 13 juniors or sophomores. In addition to being the women's crew team's first Academic All-American, Gagliardi is only the the second women's student-athlete at Union to earn Academic All-America honors before her senior year and is just the 39th Academic All-America honoree overall (spanning 15 sports) in Union history.
The biology major from Armonk, N.Y. was one of 11 Academic All-America winners with a 4.00 GPA in undergraduate studies. She helped to propel the women's crew team to success this season, earning All-Liberty League first-team honors. At the New York State Championships, she helped the Varsity 4+ crew place third in the Grand Final against all Division I boats after winning its heat against four D-I crews. Gagliardi also led the Garnet Chargers to a second-place finish in the D-II/D-III Varsity 4+ race at the historic Dad Vail Regatta to end the season.
Away from the boathouse, Gagliardi excelled in the classroom and as a member of the EMS Club, the Scholar's Program, and Colleges against Cancer. She also serves as a biochemistry lab assistant and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa in 2026. Election into Phi Beta Kappa is based on scholarship and character, with particular attention given to intellectual maturity and breadth, and is one of the biggest distinctions given for academic achievement.