WATERVILLE, Maine – A total of five recent graduates from North Atlantic Conference (NAC) institutions have been nominated for the conference's 2026 Man of the Year Award.
In alphabetical order, the nominees are
Jameson Bloch from University of Maine at Farmington,
Gregory Gonyea, Jr. from Vermont State University Lyndon,
Trey Marcil from Maine Maritime Academy,
Patrick McKenney from Thomas College, and
James Yamashita from University of Maine at Presque Isle.
The NAC Man of the Year award is modeled after the NCAA Woman of the Year program which honors graduating student athletes who distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletic excellence, service, and leadership. The NAC also selects a Woman of the Year using the same model, nominees for which were released on June 17, 2026. These are the two preeminent awards presented annually by the conference.
Member schools nominate student athletes from their own institution, then NAC Athletic Directors and Senior Woman Administrators vote to select the Man of the Year. Scoring for the academic achievement section is based on the undergraduate cumulative grade-point average of the nominee. Scoring for athletic excellence is based on the nominee's honors and accomplishments including awards and championships, and scoring for service and leadership is based on their involvement in campus and community activities and organizations over the course of their collegiate career. Administrators also consider a short personal statement written by each nominee.
The NAC Man of the Year will be announced on Wednesday June 24 and will be honored on campus during the upcoming academic year.
More information on each of the 2026 NAC Man of the Year nominees is below:
Jameson Bloch
Institution: UMaine-Farmington
Major: Business Psychology (3.81)
Minor: Business Communications and Coaching
Sport: Baseball
Position: Pitcher / Outfield / First Base
Hometown:
Jameson Bloch has demonstrated leadership and service throughout his collegiate career through involvement at the campus, conference, and national levels. He served as captain of the baseball team, secretary of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, a Morgan's Message representative, and the North Atlantic Conference representative on the NCAA Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Bloch also completed internships in athletic administration and athletic communications and helped organize and support campus events, including Beaver Social, Beaver Madness, and the Student versus Staff Basketball Game.
Academically, Bloch maintained a strong 3.81 gpa while majoring in Business Psychology with minors in Business Communications and Coaching. He was a four-time NAC All-Academic Team selection, three-time CSC Academic All-District honoree, and the recipient of the 2026 NAC Baseball Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year award. His academic accomplishments also include six semesters on the Dean's List and four semesters earning High Honors recognition.
Athletically, Bloch was a four-year member of the UMF baseball program, competing as a pitcher, outfielder, and first baseman. During his career, he earned NAC Second Team All-Conference honors, NAC Player of the Week recognition, NAC Pitcher of the Week honors, and Maine Baseball Coaches and Sportswriters Association Player of the Week recognition. His contributions to athletics and campus life were further recognized through the 2026 Julie A. Davis Beaver Pride Award.
Gregory Gonyea, Jr.
Institution: Vermont State University Lyndon
Major: Business Administration – Management (3.94)
Minor: Marketing
Graduate Degree: Master of Business Administration: Organizational Leadership (3.85)
Sports: Men’s Basketball / Men’s Cross Country
Position: Guard
Hometown: Dolgeville, New York
Gregory Gonyea Jr. has demonstrated a strong commitment to leadership and service throughout his collegiate career at Vermont State University Lyndon. He served as Vice President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee from 2023-25 and was a three-year captain of the men's basketball program. Gonyea also contributed to campus life through his work with the Athletics Department Game Crew and participation in community engagement initiatives. His service efforts included organizing and participating in Trunk or Treat events, volunteering at the Caledonia County Fair, assisting community members with wood-stacking projects, coaching youth basketball camps and middle school clinics, and serving as an AAU basketball coach. In 2026, he organized the Violet Classic 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament in his hometown, further demonstrating his commitment to youth development and community involvement. He was also selected to participate in the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum and served as a recruiting host for prospective student-athletes.
Academically, Gonyea excelled both as an undergraduate and graduate student. He earned a degree in Business Administration: Management with a minor in Marketing while maintaining a 3.94 undergraduate GPA and continued his education through a Master of Business Administration in Organizational Leadership, where he maintained a 3.85 GPA. While completing his master's degree, he was a Sales & Quality Control Lab Technician and Executive Leadership Trainee with Gehring Tricot Coporation. His academic achievements include recognition as the 2024-25 NAC Men's Basketball Senior Scholar Athlete, three CSC Academic All-District selections, three NABC Honors Court recognitions, four NAC All-Academic Team selections, and designation as VTSU Lyndon's Outstanding Senior Business Student. He also earned five semesters on the President's List and three semesters on the Dean's List. His accomplishments in academics, athletics, leadership, and service were further recognized through selection as the VTSU Lyndon Alumni Council Outstanding Graduating Senior Award recipient.
Athletically, Gonyea was a four-year member of the men's basketball program and a two-year member of the cross country team. One of the most accomplished players in recent Lyndon basketball history, he earned NAC Rookie of the Year honors, two First Team All-Conference selections, D3hoops.com Region 1 Third Team All-Region recognition, multiple NAC Player of the Week honors, and selection to the D3hoops.com Team of the Week. He was also recognized with the Dudley Bell Outstanding Male Athlete Award and the Michael Tessier Award on multiple occasions. Gonyea concluded his collegiate career as Lyndon's leading scorer in the modern NCAA and NAC era with 1,551 career points while serving as a consistent leader for the Hornets program.
Trey Marcil
Institution: Maine Maritime Academy
Major: Marine Transportation Operations (3.72)
Sport: Men’s Lacrosse
Position: Midfield / Attack
Hometown: Gansevoort, New York
Trey Marcil's collegiate experience has been defined by leadership both on campus and within Maine Maritime Academy's Regiment of Midshipmen. He served as captain of the men's lacrosse team while holding multiple leadership positions within the regiment, including Alpha Company Commander, Assistant Officer in Charge, and Striker leadership roles. Through these positions, Marcil supervised, trained, and mentored more than 100 midshipmen while assisting with staffing, scheduling, and operational responsibilities. He also served as a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and as a student tutor, supporting fellow students both academically and personally.
Academically, Marcil maintained a 3.72 GPA while pursuing a degree in Marine Transportation Operations. His accomplishments include CSC Academic All-District honors, four NAC All-Academic Team selections, eight semesters on the Dean's List, successful completion of the U.S. Coast Guard examination process, and recognition as the 2026 NAC Men's Lacrosse Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year. He was also selected as Maine Maritime Academy's 2026 Mariners Leader of the Year. Marcil holds certifications in USCG 3rd Mate Unliminted Tonnage upon Oceans, lifeboatmen, TWIC card, first aid/CPR, Vessel and Facility Personel, Basic Safety Training, MMC and firefighting.
Athletically, Marcil was a four-year member of the men's lacrosse program and helped lead the Mariners to NAC Championships in 2023 and 2025. He earned NAC Second Team All-Conference honors in 2025 and First Team All-Conference recognition in 2026. During his career, he became just the sixth player in program history to surpass 200 career points, broke the program record for career assists with 139, and established a new single-season assists record with 59 assists during his senior campaign.
Patrick McKenney
Institution: Thomas College
Major: Sports Management (3.72)
Minor: Coaching
Sport: Cross Country / Track and Field
Position: Distance
Hometown: Norridgewock, Maine
Patrick McKenney has been actively involved in leadership and service throughout his time at Thomas College. He served as Vice President of Student Senate, a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, a student assistant with the field hockey program, and an Athletics Operations and Event Management Intern. His campus involvement also included participation in the Winter Carnival Committee, Summer Send-Off Committee, Thomas College Investment Society, and CRU. In addition, McKenney volunteered at youth basketball camps, track and field clinics, community meal programs, fundraising events, and YMCA programming. As captain of both the cross country and track and field teams, he played an important role in fostering team culture, accountability, and mentorship among fellow student-athletes.
Academically, McKenney pursued a degree in Sports Management with a concentration in Coaching while earning multiple Dean's List recognitions. His contributions across campus were recognized through several institutional honors, including the Thomas College Unsung Hero Award and the Thomas College Terrier Award, the institution's highest athletics honor recognizing achievement in athletics, academics, sportsmanship, leadership, and campus involvement. He was also voted by his peers as Thomas College's Dedicated Dog, a recogniztion shown to the most dedicated fan at Thomas College contests.
Athletically, McKenney competed in both cross country and track and field for the Terriers. He earned multiple NAC First Team and Second Team All-Conference honors, contributed to conference championship relay teams, and helped Thomas College capture the 2026 NAC Men's Track and Field Championship. His accomplishments also include a fifth-place finish at the Division III New England Championship as part of the 4x800-meter relay and a first-place finish at the Colby-Sawyer Invitational.
James Yamashita
Institution: UMaine-Presque Isle
Major: Exercise Science (3.54)
Sport: Men’s Basketball
Position: Guard
Hometown: Tokyo, Japan
James Yamashita has demonstrated leadership and service throughout his time at the University of Maine at Presque Isle through his involvement with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the men's basketball program. He served as SAAC Vice President during the 2024-25 academic year before being elected SAAC President for 2025-26. In addition, Yamashita served as captain of the men's basketball team during his senior season. In addition to his campus leadership roles, Yamashita has been involved in youth sports coaching, mentoring young athletes, and community service efforts, experiences that have helped shape his commitment to leadership and service.
Academically, Yamashita pursued a degree in Exercise Science while maintaining a 3.54 GPA. He earned NAC All-Academic Team recognition during both the 2024-25 and 2025-26 academic years, reflecting his commitment to academic success while balancing the demands of collegiate athletics and leadership responsibilities.
Athletically, Yamashita was a four-year member of the UMaine-Presque Isle men's basketball program, competing as a guard from 2022-26. During his career, he was recognized with the Christopher L. Smith Work Ethic Award in 2026. As a senior captain, he helped lead the Owls while exemplifying the values of teamwork and sportsmanship throughout his collegiate career. This past season, he also played a part in helping the Owls advance to their first-ever NAC Men’s Basketball Championship game since joining the conference in 2018.