SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The post-season accolades continue to roll in for senior Julia Serena (White Plains, N.Y./Valhalla). The Oneonta softball All-American was recently named the 2025 SUNYAC Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Serena became Oneonta's first softball National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-American as a third-team selection and was a four-time NFCA All-Region honoree. Additionally, Serena was the third-ever Red Dragon to earn the SUNYAC Player of the Year award and the first to win the conference triple crown (leading the league in batting avg., HR, and RBI). Serena is the first Oneonta softball player to receive this recognition.
"I'm so proud of Julia for this much-deserved recognition as the SUNYAC scholar-athlete of the year," said SUNY Oneonta Director of Athletics Ryan Hooper. "She is the true definition of what it means to be a scholar athlete. To have achieved the historic success she has in her sport, only to be surpassed by her success in the classroom, is truly something special. We are honored to have Julia represent us as a Red Dragon. A huge congratulations to her on this amazing accomplishment."
Serena started all 39 games for the Red Dragons and was first in hits (60), home runs (10), RBI (43), doubles (16), total bases (108), batting average (.480), on-base percentage (.556), and slugging percentage (.864)
Serena graduated with a degree in exercise science, with a focus on pre-nursing, and achieved a 3.56 cumulative GPA. She was a College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District selection and is a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma National Honor Society.
"I could not be more proud of all that Jewels has accomplished!" said head softball coach Sara Curran-Headley. "A phenomenal player and she also got it done in the classroom! She deserves all of the accolades!"
In order to be eligible for the SUNYAC Scholar Athlete of the Year award, student-athletes must prove both academic and athletic excellence by obtaining a minimum 3.30 overall GPA, be a starter or significant reserve for their team, and be at least a sophomore.
