NEW YORK – A pair of Georgetown student-athletes have been named winners of the BIG EAST Sport Excellence Award, as announced on Monday.
Maja Lardner (Women's Soccer) and
Melissa Riggins (Women's Indoor Track & Field) each earned the honor, which recognizes academic and athletic achievement as well as community service.
The Sport Excellence Awards are given to one student-athlete in each BIG EAST-sponsored sport based on academic credentials, athletic accolades or performances and volunteer service to the community. Student-athletes who have attained junior academic standing and a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 are eligible. The winners are chosen by the BIG EAST Faculty Athletics Representative Council.
MAJA LARDNER, BIG EAST SPORT EXCELLENCE AWARD - WOMEN'S SOCCER
- On the field, Lardner capped her 2025 campaign with BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year honors for the second-consecutive season, earning First Team All-BIG EAST recognition after recording 14 goals and three assists.
- She also earned United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-America honors in 2025, following a 2024 season in which she was named a First Team Scholar All-American and BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year
- Lardner was named the 2026 BIG EAST Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, earning the conference's top academic honor and a $4,000 postgraduate scholarship.
MELISSA RIGGINS, BIG EAST SPORT EXCELLENCE AWARD - WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
- Riggins led the 2025-26 cross country season by winning the BIG EAST 6k individual title (19:47.7), becoming the sixth champion in program history.
- She placed third at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional (19:31.7) to lead the Hoyas to the national meet, where she finished 50th overall. She also won the 6k at the Paul Short Run (19:34.8).
- On the track, she added another conference crown to her resume by winning the 1,500m title (4:14.89) at the BIG EAST Outdoor Championships before advancing to the NCAA East Preliminary.
- Off the track, Riggins earned USTFCCCA All-Region honors in cross country, alongside CSC Academic All-District and USTFCCCA All-Academic honors for outdoor track.
