News

Finalists Named for Landmark Female Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year

TOWSON, Md. - Four Landmark Conference female student-athletes have been named finalists for the 2023-24 Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Finalists are selected from the league's sports Senior Scholar-Athletes from the academic year. The final selections will be considered for the league's Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the Division III Commissioners Association (DIIICA) National Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Finalists:

  • Apolline Gaspers (Catholic University)
  • Amira Hadri (Drew University)
  • Belle St. Jean (Goucher College)
  • Maddy Buhler (University of Scranton)
  • With an impressive 3.94 grade point average, Gaspers graduated from Catholic University in three years with a degree in economics and minors in computer science and politics. Her academic achievements include being named a College Sports Communicators (CSC) All-District selection (2022-23, 2023-24), consistently earning Dean's List with Distinction honors, being recognized as a Landmark Academic Honor Roll selection, and holding memberships in both the University's Honors Program and the Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society.

    Gaspers held various leadership roles, including Co-Chair for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) in 2022 and 2023, Treasurer of the University's United Nations Club (2022-23), and Event Director for the International Affairs Club (2021-22). She was also active in community service initiatives such as the Mother Teresa Day of Service and Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.

    Notably, Gaspers orchestrated a remarkable fundraising effort, raising over $15,000 for the "Girl Up & Power in Pink 5k," which supports women's shelters, breast cancer research, and educational opportunities.

    On the track, Gaspers's accomplishments were equally impressive. She earned Landmark All-Conference selections twice, securing First Team honors by winning the mile at the indoor meet in 2024 and receiving Second Team recognition in 2023 as part of the Distance Medley Relay squad. Adding to her accolades, Gaspers set a new program and conference record in the DMR with a remarkable time of 11:51.84. She additionally earned an All-Conference nod for her performance at the 2023 Landmark Cross Country Championship.

  • Hadri finished her four-year career with the Rangers, contributing significantly to the team's success. She was part of the championship-winning team in 2022, clinched 13 Landmark Conference gold medals, earned recognition on the All-Conference teams 22 times (13 First Team, 6 Second Team, 3 Honorable Mention), and was honored as the league's Rookie of the Year in 2021.

    Beyond her aquatic achievements, Hadri graduated from Drew with a finance degree and minors in data science and psychology, boasting an impressive 3.94 grade point average. She was recognized as a Baldwin Honors Scholar and Action Scholar, and she received the Francis Asbury Scholarship. In the Spring of 2023, Hadri was inducted into the National Economics Honor Society and received the Finance Award at Drew, an acknowledgment reserved for the top finance student.

    Excelling academically, Hadri earned a spot on the Dean's List every semester and achieved a perfect 4.00 GPA in the last three semesters. Additionally, she was named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District team (2023) and the conference Spring Academic Honor Roll (2022, 2023).

    Actively engaged within the Drew campus community, Hadri served as a Peer Tutor and Academic Coach at the Center for Academic Excellence for Statistics, Economics, and Data Science courses. She also held the position of Managing Director of The Fund, a student investing club, and served as an International Ambassador for the International Student Orientation.

  • Starting in all 17 games for Goucher and anchoring a defense that posted a 1.00 goals-against average and five shutouts, St. Jean earned an impressive third All-Landmark selection in 2023, becoming only the second player in the program's history to do so.

    Academically, St. Jean graduated from Goucher with a psychology degree and a perfect 4.00 grade point average and was a Goucher College Dean's List honoree, a two-time College Sports Communicators All-District selection (2022, 2023), and a United Soccer Coaches Scholar (2022, 2023).

    St. Jean volunteered as a research and office assistant with the Goucher Prison Education Program, providing academic tutoring and support for students completing their degrees while incarcerated.

  • Buhler had an impressive career, earning All-Conference First Team honors in 2022 and 2023, and Second Team honors in 2024. The two-time team captain was named Landmark Conference Player of the Year and medalist in 2023. Her contributions helped the Scranton women's golf team achieve third-place finishes in 2022 and 2024, and fourth-place finishes in 2021 and 2023.

    Academically, Buhler maintained a perfect 4.00 GPA as a finance major, earning a spot on the University of Scranton dean's list seven times. She was named to the 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-America team and was a Landmark Conference Academic Honor Roll selection every year she was eligible.

    Buhler's involvement on campus extended beyond academics and athletics. She was a member of the National Jesuit Honor Society, Women's Business Honor Society, Economics Honor Society, and Business Honors Society. She also served as Co-President and Head Portfolio Manager for the University of Scranton Investment Club (PRISM), was a four-year member of the Scranton Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and served as the Executive Chair of the Kania School of Management Student Advisory Board.