NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Sharaya Keele (Adams, Mass.) of the Albertus Magnus College women's basketball team and Skylar Arent (Ridgefield, Conn.) of the softball team were both named finalists for the 2024-25 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Athlete of the Year in Women's Sports.
The GNAC Athlete of the Year award is modeled after the NCAA Woman of the Year award. It recognizes graduating student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership.
Keele - who is also the school's nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award - graduated in the spring with a 3.89 GPA while majoring in sports management. Keele was also the president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) as well as the Falcons' representative on the GNAC Commisioner's Council and completed various acts of community service both on and off campus. She has also been named to the GNAC All-Academic Team three times. As a four-year member of the women's basketball team, she helped her team win 76 games across her career, including four straight GNAC semifinals appearances.
Arent finished up her softball career in the spring of 2025, graduating with a 3.75 GPA while majoring in biology and health and science. In the classroom, Arent has been named to both the GNAC All-Academic Team three times and the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team twice. On the field, Arent reached two big career milestones this past season as she struck out her 200th batter and recorded her 100th career hit. She was also named to the All-GNAC second team as a pitcher. Arent is a three-time member of the All-GNAC team in her career.
Sharaya Keele Personal Statement
My name is Sharaya Keele and I am a graduate of Albertus Magnus College with a degree in Sports Management and minors in Management and Sociology.
When I was looking into colleges, I was mostly looking for places where I could play basketball and had a sport-related major. During my entire academic career at Albertus, I have been a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and served two years as the Secretary and the last two as President.
I just don't know that I would've grown like this somewhere else. I feel like this community has given me the opportunity to grow the way I did.
However, there have been challenges along the way. When I was younger, I was diagnosed with hypotonia, so basically my feet turn in. They didn?t think that I was going to be able to walk ever in my life. However, I just don't see my life without sports.
During my collegiate career, I suffered a significant injury that missed the majority of my junior season. However, I was fortunate to be selected to the Division III Student Immersion Program at the NCAA Convention in Phoenix.
I feel like I learned so much and gained so much insight into the NCAA and college basketball through that experience. Once I got notified that I was going to be going, I was shocked. I felt proud of myself and felt like my parents were proud. It meant a lot to me.
I am proud to have returned to the court this year. When I got injured last year, I didn't feel the same anymore. I felt like basketball was taken away from me. This year was really important for me to get back out there.
As I prepare for a future career in the sports industry, I look back with appreciation for my time as a student-athlete. Sometimes I think 'who is that person that was there freshman year. Why wasn't she doing more?' I don't know that I would have grown like this somewhere else. This community has given me the opportunity to grow the way that I did.
Skylar Arent Personal Statement
Throughout the past four years, I've found myself thrust into high-pressure situations, whether it was taking a challenging exam in the classroom, coaching or playing in a tight game, conducting lab experiments, or providing care to a patient in the back of an ambulance. These experiences throughout my collegiate career have taught me to stay focused, think critically, and lead with confidence.
I've always focused on excelling academically and helping others do the same. Being a part of the Honors Program at Albertus gave me insight into how rewarding it is to work with faculty members in a one-on-one setting. As a Biology and Anatomy & Physiology tutor on campus, I worked closely with students to help them succeed in difficult courses, using the same collaborative approach I learned from the Honors Program. Later on, I became an embedded tutor assisting faculty during lectures. I coordinated with the director of the Germain Center to establish daily science study halls for students to strengthen their understanding of the material. As a result, I was recognized with the 2025 Outstanding Female Student-Athlete Involvement Award.
My off-campus success began when I secured an internship as a Research Assistant in the Entomology Department at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. I have continued this work post-graduation, studying patterns of genetic diversity in mosquitoes to understand their molecular, ecological, and evolutionary impacts. This work has led to the achievement of my first scientific publication and to receiving the Academic and Research Achievement in STEM Award at the Laurel Commencement Awards.
After my freshman year, I became a certified EMT and have since volunteered over 200 hours with Monroe EMS. Responding to 911 calls taught me to stay calm, act with compassion, and confirmed my goal of becoming a healthcare provider. It also shaped how I lead and work with others beyond athletics.
Beyond my work as an EMT, coaching youth softball over the past three summers has been another meaningful leadership experience. As head coach of a 16U team, I helped players grow both on and off the field. Watching their confidence build reminded me how powerful mentorship can be. It's been a full-circle moment to give back to the sport that shaped me, passing on lessons I've learned as a collegiate athlete.
Finally, my commitment to a healthcare career led me to the Atlantis program, where I spent two weeks shadowing doctors across various specialties at Coimbra Hospital and University Centre in Portugal. This experience offered firsthand insight into clinical decision-making and international patient care. At the conclusion of my trip, I was honored with the Atlantis Excellence Award.
Alongside these responsibilities, I played four years of Albertus softball, served as captain my senior year, and received the softball MVP award and Female Performance of the Year. I'm deeply grateful to my family, friends, teammates, coaches, and professors who supported me every step of the way. These roles have not only prepared me to meet high expectations, but to exceed them and lift others as I do.
