Baseball | 7/15/2026 1:50:00 PM

Grant Russo (Sugarloaf, Pa./Hazleton Area) – Baseball
Following one of the most accomplished seasons in recent program history, redshirt sophomore Grant Russo (Sugarloaf, Pa./Hazleton Area) has been named the 2025-26 Danny Litwhiler Underclass Male Athlete of the Year, recognizing the top underclassman in Bloomsburg Athletics.
 
Named in honor of Bloomsburg baseball legend Danny Litwhiler, the award is presented annually to the department's most outstanding male student-athlete who has eligibility remaining.
 
Russo emerged as one of the nation's top players during the 2026 season, earning PSAC Eastern Division Athlete of the Year honors to become the first Husky to receive the award since John Stillo in 1997. He also garnered First Team All-PSAC East recognition after leading the conference in hits (63), runs scored, stolen bases, on-base percentage, and hit-by-pitches.
 
Batting out of the leadoff spot, Russo finished the season with a .429 batting average and a conference-best .551 on-base percentage. He led the PSAC in hits (63), runs scored (53), stolen bases (36) and hit-by-pitches (20), while adding 12 doubles, three triples, three home runs and 26 RBI. His 36 stolen bases established a new Bloomsburg single-season record, surpassing a mark that had stood since 1997. Russo also struck out just seven times all season while posting a .991 fielding percentage in the outfield.
 
Russo's outstanding season earned national recognition as he was named First Team All-Atlantic Region by the ABCA/Rawlings, NCBWA and D2CCA before receiving D2CCA All-America Honorable Mention honors.
 
Away from the diamond, Russo excelled in the classroom as a finance major, earning CSC Academic All-America Second Team honors with a perfect 4.00 GPA.
  Kelly Leszcynski (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) – Women's Basketball and Track & Field
After another outstanding year as one of the nation's premier two-sport student-athletes, Kelly Leszcynski (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) has been named the 2025-26 Joanne McComb Underclass Female Athlete of the Year. It marks the third time Leszcynski has earned the honor after also receiving the award in 2022-23 and 2024-25.
 
Named in honor of former Bloomsburg standout Joanne McComb, the award recognizes the department's top female student-athlete who has eligibility remaining.
 
Leszcynski excelled once again in both women's basketball and outdoor track & field, continuing to establish herself as one of the most accomplished student-athletes in Bloomsburg Athletics history.
 
On the basketball court, Leszcynski started all 28 games for the Huskies and enjoyed the best offensive season of her career, averaging a career-high 9.6 points per game while continuing to serve as one of the conference's top playmakers and defenders. She finished fifth in the PSAC with 107 assists and sixth in assists per game (3.8), while ranking eighth in steals per game (2.1) and 10th with 58 total steals. She capped her season with a career-high 19 points and seven assists in Bloomsburg's PSAC Tournament victory over Shepherd and recorded a career-best six steals against Kutztown.
 
When basketball season concluded, Leszcynski returned to the javelin runway and once again proved herself among the nation's elite throwers. She successfully defended her PSAC Outdoor Championship in the javelin with a winning throw of 47.05 meters before earning her third career USTFCCCA All-Region selection.
 
At the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Leszcynski secured her third career All-America honor with a throw of 46.02 meters to finish ninth nationally. During the season, she posted four throws over 47 meters, including a season-best mark of 47.87 meters at the Bison Outdoor Classic.
 
Her accomplishments also extended into the classroom. Leszcynski was named a PSAC Scholar-Athlete for the third time and earned CSC Academic All-District honors for women's basketball, further highlighting her excellence as both a student and athlete. She earned PSAC Spring Top 10 honors for the second-straight season in 2026.
 
With another year of standout performances across two sports, Leszcynski became just the second three-time recipient of the Joanne McComb Underclass Female Athlete of the Year award, further cementing her legacy as one of the most accomplished student-athletes in Bloomsburg Athletics history. Kody Besser (Lacey Township, N.J./Lacey Township) – Men's Soccer
Following one of the most accomplished careers in Bloomsburg men's soccer history, senior defender Kody Besser (Lacey Township, N.J./Lacey Township) has been named the 2025-26 Robert B. Redman Senior Male Athlete of the Year. Previously, Besser earned the Danny Litwhiler Underclass Male Athlete of the Year honors twice – 2024 and 2025.
 
Named in honor of legendary Bloomsburg football coach Robert B. Redman, the award is presented annually to the department's top senior male student-athlete. Besser becomes the latest Husky to earn the distinction after serving as the cornerstone of the most successful era in program history.
 
A four-year starter and defensive leader, Besser helped transform the Huskies into a regional and national contender. During his career, Bloomsburg tied the program record with 14 wins in 2022, captured its first NCAA Tournament victory in 2023, won the program's first-ever PSAC Championship while setting a school-record 15 wins in 2024, and advanced to another PSAC Tournament semifinal in 2025. He finished his career with 72 appearances, 56 starts, 13 goals, nine assists and 35 points while anchoring one of the top defensive units in NCAA Division II.
 
Besser leaves Bloomsburg as one of the most decorated players in school history. He earned All-America honors two times, highlighted by First Team United Soccer Coaches All-America recognition in 2024 and Second Team honors in 2025. He was a four-time All-PSAC selection, including three consecutive First Team honors, and collected five all-region selections between the United Soccer Coaches and D2CCA, the most by any player in program history. He also became just the third player in program history to earn All-PSAC recognition four times.
 
His impact extended far beyond postseason accolades. Besser scored the game-winning goal in Bloomsburg's historic first NCAA Tournament victory over Southern New Hampshire in 2023 and played a pivotal role in establishing the Huskies as one of the nation's elite defensive programs. During his junior and senior seasons, Bloomsburg finished among the top 10 nationally in goals-against average, including a seventh-place national ranking in 2025.
  Nicole Ilkovic (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy High School) – Women's Tennis
Following one of the finest careers in program history, senior Nicole Ilkovic (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy High School) has been named the 2025-26 Eleanor Wray Senior Female Athlete of the Year, recognizing the top senior female student-athlete in Bloomsburg Athletics.
 
Named in honor of longtime Bloomsburg educator and athletic administrator Eleanor Wray, the award is presented annually to the department's most outstanding senior female student-athlete.
 
Ilkovic leaves Bloomsburg as one of the most accomplished women's tennis players to ever wear the Maroon and Gold. Over four seasons, she helped guide the Huskies to one of the most successful stretches in program history, including back-to-back 15-win seasons, a PSAC East regular-season championship in 2025, consecutive appearances in the PSAC Tournament semifinals, and an NCAA Atlantic Regional appearance.
 
Her senior campaign was the best of her career. Ilkovic was named the 2026 PSAC Eastern Division Athlete of the Year, becoming the first Bloomsburg player to earn the conference's top individual honor since Katie Hasyn in 2008. She posted a career-best 21-6 singles record while finishing 16-9 in doubles play, going undefeated (5-0) at No. 1 singles in conference action and compiling a 16-4 record in dual matches.
 
Ilkovic also earned First Team All-PSAC East honors in singles for the second consecutive season and captured her third straight First Team All-PSAC doubles selection. Partnering primarily with Dasha Nakonechna (Spain/IOC), the duo finished 5-3 together and posted a 3-1 record in PSAC play at No. 1 doubles.
 
Her career consistency set her apart among the program's all-time greats. Ilkovic closed her career with 42 singles victories and 38 doubles wins while earning four All-PSAC First Team selections—twice in singles and three times in doubles. She established herself as the Huskies' leader at the top of the lineup, producing winning records in each of her final three seasons and finishing her career with a combined 80 victories.
 
Beyond her individual accomplishments, Ilkovic's leadership helped elevate Bloomsburg into one of the premier programs in the PSAC. The Huskies posted a 15-6 record during her senior season and reached the PSAC semifinals after advancing as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Division.
 

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Outstanding Senior Scholar Male
Sam Blumberger (Colchester, Conn./Bacon Academy) – Men's Soccer
Senior Sam Blumberger (Colchester, Conn./Bacon Academy) has been named the 2025-26 Outstanding Senior Scholar Male Athlete of the Year, recognizing his exceptional accomplishments in the classroom and on the soccer field throughout his career at Bloomsburg.
 
A finance major, Blumberger established himself as one of the department's premier student-athletes, excelling academically while playing a key role during the most successful four-year stretch in Bloomsburg men's soccer history.
 
On the field, Blumberger appeared in 72 career matches, making 53 starts while helping lead the Huskies to a share of the program-record 14 wins in 2022, the program's first NCAA Tournament victory in 2023, its first-ever PSAC Championship and a school-record 15 wins in 2024, and a fourth consecutive PSAC Tournament appearance in 2025.
 
After transitioning from an attacking role to the midfield during his senior season, Blumberger became a vital piece of Bloomsburg's success, earning his first career All-PSAC East selection while helping anchor one of the top defensive teams in NCAA Division II.
 
His excellence extended well beyond the pitch. Blumberger was named a CSC Academic All-District selection, earned PSAC Scholar-Athlete honors three times (2022-23, 2023-24 and 2025-26), and received the NCAA Division II Athletics Directors Association (D2 ADA) Academic Achievement Award, recognizing his sustained success in the classroom.
 

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Outstanding Senior Scholar - Female
Taylor Kranzley (Northampton, Pa./Northampton) – Softball
 
Senior Taylor Kranzley (Northampton, Pa./Northampton) has been named the 2025-26 Outstanding Senior Scholar Female Athlete of the Year, recognizing her exceptional achievements in the classroom and on the softball field throughout her career at Bloomsburg.
 
A consistent leader both academically and athletically, Kranzley leaves Bloomsburg as one of the program's most accomplished student-athletes. Over four seasons, she appeared in 204 games while serving as a fixture in the Huskies' infield and helping lead the program to three consecutive NCAA Atlantic Regional appearances and multiple PSAC Tournament berths.
 
Kranzley concluded her career with back-to-back outstanding offensive seasons. As a senior, she started all 46 games and batted .344 with 55 hits, 38 runs scored, 15 RBI, nine doubles, two triples and a home run to earn First Team All-PSAC East honors. She followed a junior campaign in which she hit .340 with 50 hits, 31 runs scored and 22 RBI while helping the Huskies advance to the NCAA Atlantic Regional. Earlier in her career, she earned Second Team All-PSAC East honors in 2024 after batting .309 with a team-leading 17 doubles and 29 RBI while being named PSAC East Athlete of the Week.
 
Away from the diamond, Kranzley compiled an equally impressive academic résumé. She was a two-time CSC Academic All-District selection, a four-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete (2023, 2024, 2025, 2026), an Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete and a recipient of the NCAA Division II Athletics Directors Association (D2 ADA) Academic Achievement Award.
 
Kranzley's sustained excellence in the classroom matched her consistency on the field, where she developed into one of the PSAC's premier middle infielders and one of Bloomsburg's most dependable offensive performers.