ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst Athletic Department has announced the finalist for Male and Female Scholar Athlete of the Year awards. Four female and four male athletes have been recognized for their academic performance, leadership, community service, sportsmanship, and athletic contributions to their team.
The female finalists are Kiersten Brown, Brice Hansen, Emerson Polkowski, and Jenna Van Schaik.
Brown has been an outstanding member of the women's tennis team over four season. She has earned a 4.0 GPA while studying Biology. Brown has excelled as a doubles player, posting a career record of 31-19. She was also named team captain for the 2025-26 season.
Off the court, Brown served as a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and as a resident assistant. As a resident assistant, Brown has helped her peers through tough moments, guiding them with her leadership skills.
Brown has also been involved in giving back to the community even before her days as a Laker. She has volunteered at the local YMCA, Mercy Hilltop Center, and Dafmark Creative Arts Center, giving back to the Erie community.
Hansen, a Sustainability Studies and Environmental Science major with a 4.0 GPA, has made her mark on the volleyball program over the last two and a half years. Joining the program in spring of 2023, Hansen helped the team succeed through the transition to Division I. Hansen and the Lakers were the first Mercyhurst squad to appear in an NEC postseason tournament.
Away from volleyball, Hansen served on the SAAC executive board, organizing the first student-athlete dodgeball tournament that raised over $4,000 for Northwest Pennsylvania's Special Olympics team. She is also a leader for the Ethical Purchasing club on campus.
Hansen has contributed to a plethora of community service project during her time at Mercyhurst, including work with the Erie Food Policy and Advisory Council. She also launched the NEC's first-ever "NEC Fights Food Insecurity Month."
Polkowski has been an integral part of the field hockey team during her four seasons while maintaining a 4.0 GPA in Special Education. She was named captain of the squad in her sophomore season and helped guide the team to their first Division I win in 2025. The Akron, New York native started every game on defense over the last three seasons.
Polkowski was a leader off the field as well, contributing to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee on campus and as a part of the NEC Conference. She is also a member of Kappa Delta Pi, a national professional association and honor society for educators.
Over her time at Mercyhurst, Polkowski has contributed to community service efforts with Erie City Schools, Special Olympics, and contributing to book and clothes drives with the education department.
Jenna Van Schaik, a Business and Competitive Intelligence major with a 4.0 GPA, was integral to the Lakers success during the transition to Division I. This year, Van Schaik served as team captain, leading the program to the second seed in the NEC Tournament and the school's first ever national postseason berth in the WNIT.
Outside of the gym, Van Schaik is a leader in her academic endeavors, mentoring a team of 10 student analyst at the Business Intelligence and Innovation Lab at Mercyhurst. She is also the president of the Competitive Intelligence Club on campus.
Van Schaik has also dedicated her time to serving the local community. She has worked at the YMCA Teen Center, volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, and worked on local beautification projects in the Erie community.
