Emily Fagundo Named 2022 GNAC Woman of the Year

WINTHROP, Mass. – The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is pleased to announce Emily Fagundo (WVB Bio), recent graduate of Regis College and four-year letterwinner in volleyball, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field, as its 2022 GNAC Woman of the Year honoree. 

Fagundo was one of seven finalists for the GNAC Woman of the Year award along with Jillian Miele of Johnson & Wales, Alice Najimy of Simmons, Nora Newman of Elms, Elise Stanbury of Lasell, Cassandra Stapelfeld of Saint Joseph's College, and Miranda Seacord of Dean. Nominees must be a graduating female student-athlete, and the selection process is based upon service & leadership, academic achievement, athletics excellence, as well as a personal statement.

Fagundo was named Regis College Class of 2022 Co-Valedictorian after completing her Bachelor of Science degree in nuclear medicine with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Graduating summa cum laude, she received the Maria Leonard Book Award at the Honors Induction Ceremony as well as the prestigious Crimson and Gold tassel during the Baccalaureate Mass and Awards Ceremony and the Senior Scholar-Athlete Award at the Athletics Awards Presentation.

As a setter for the volleyball team, Fagundo became the sixth player in team history to collect at least 1,000 career assists, finishing with 1,010 helpers. During the 2021 season, she played a significant role as the volleyball team accumulated the second-most victories in a season in program history (23), leading the squad with 557 assists as the Pride advanced to the semifinals of the GNAC Women's Volleyball Tournament.

In track and field, Fagundo finished fourth in the long jump at the 2022 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Indoor Track and Field Championships. She earned All-GNAC honors at the 2020 GNAC Indoor Track and Field Championships with a second place finish in the long jump thanks to a personal-best mark of 4.92 meters (16' 1.75"), plus she was selected to represent Regis on the GNAC Women's Track and Field All-Sportsmanship Team. In 2019, she compiled three individual top-six finishes to score points for the Pride and help the women's team win the GNAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

In December 2021, Fagundo became the first student-athlete in any sport to represent Regis College on a CoSIDA Academic All-America® Team as she was a Third Team selection to the CoSIDA Division III Academic All-America® Women's Volleyball Team. In June 2022, she earned Second Team honors to the CoSIDA Division III Academic All-America® Women's Track & Field/Cross Country Team after collecting her third career CoSIDA Academic All-District® Award.

Fagundo served as the student member of the Regis College Nuclear Medicine Advisory Committee in 2020-21 as well as a member of the Regis College Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) throughout her four years. Also during her undergraduate career, she tutored high school students studying remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, plus she volunteered at the Regis College Children's Center and the Stray Pets in Need (SPIN) Animal Shelter in Natick, Mass.

Fagundo's personal statement: "When I started school at Regis in the fall of 2018, most people would have described me then as the shy girl. The one who didn't speak in class unless she was called on or the one at practice that didn't really have anything to add to the huddle. I had the opportunity to compete on both the volleyball and track and field teams at Regis and, surprisingly enough, it did not take me long to feel comfortable amongst all my teammates. I felt at home on the court and on the track and immediately noticed an atmosphere founded in unity, togetherness, and reliability. I felt safe to be my true self and to speak up more. Whether that was just cracking jokes at team dinners or advocating for myself in a given situation, being a student-athlete helped me grow into a more confident person. I realized this was the culture I not only wanted to be a part of, but I also wanted to continue myself in my years at Regis.

I was lucky enough to be a part of record-setting occasions and GNAC championships in my career while also earning my Bachelor of Science degree in nuclear medicine. The great balancing act of extra-curricular activities, athletics, and academics was always a challenging one, but I constantly felt guided by coaches and professors and supported by teammates every step of the way. I was able to hold leadership positions on my teams and became a member of SAAC, which helped me venture further outside of my comfort zone and have a more active voice on campus. My teammates were always there for me and I wanted to be there for them in any way I could. Being a leader on my teams inspired me to become more involved in the Honors Program at my school. I was able to take this newfound confidence, as well as values of community, support, and understanding, and apply them to helping others who needed it most.

Being a part of a team, participating in service, and holding these roles in my community not only helped me find my voice, but also helped me define my passions to help others in life. I am still that shy girl from four years ago, but I am a more confident version who is unafraid to tackle life's obstacles with the goal of also helping others do the same."

Fagundo, a three-time Academic All-GNAC honoree, is one of 151 nominees selected by conference offices across NCAA Divisions I, II, and III for the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year Award. The NCAA Woman of the Year Selection Committee will choose the top 10 honorees in each division in October, followed by the top three finalists in each division. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will select the NCAA Woman of the Year from those nine finalists, and the announcement will be made during an award ceremony at the NCAA Convention in January.

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 14 member institutions and over 3,500 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 22 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience. Regis College joined the GNAC July 1, 2017, and sponsors 20 intercollegiate sports within the league.