Jostens Trophy Finalist Announcement
SALEM, Va. -- Allegheny College sophomore
Isabella Antonacci (Indiana, Pa./Indiana Area) was named one of 11 finalists for the coveted Jostens Trophy, as announced by the Rotary Club of Salem on Thursday afternoon.
The Jostens Trophy is a national award created by the Rotary Club of Salem and sponsored by Jostens, Inc., which recognizes the most outstanding Division III basketball players of the year. Two awards are presented annually, one for men's basketball and one for women's basketball, with a focus on three major criteria: basketball ability, academic prowess, and service to one's community.
Antonacci was selected after a two-week review process, during which the Rotary Club of Salem narrowed down the pool of applicants from across the country to 22 finalists, 11 for the men's award and 11 for the women's trophy. The finalists will now be reviewed by the Jostens Trophy National Selection Committee. The committee features current and former athletic administrators and head coaches, past Jostens Trophy recipients, and select members of the Division III media.
One of the most dynamic playmakers in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC), Antonacci was voted to the All-PAC First Team after a noteworthy sophomore season. A team captain, she currently ranks sixth nationally in assists per game (5.5), eighth in total assists (143), and 19th in assist/turnover ratio (2.01). She also paced the team and finished third in the conference with 17.1 points per game, while her 445 points are seventh-most in a season in program history. Antonacci reached double figures in 25 of 26 games, highlighted by a 36-point performance in the season-opener against No. 6 Washington and Lee University. She logged three double-doubles and earned a rare triple-double with 13 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 61-45 win over Franciscan University on February 14. Antonacci broke a team record with 16 assists – tied for the most by any D-III women's basketball player in 2025-26 – in Allegheny's 101-37 victory against the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford on January 3.
A biology major with a minor in Spanish, Antonacci carries a 3.98 GPA in the classroom. She received numerous academic honors at the conclusion of her first year, including the James Bennett Porter Prize, which is awarded annually to the student who has earned the highest average in scholarship during their first year at Allegheny. She was also named a Doane Scholar, Distinguished Alden Scholar, and a PAC Spring Academic Honor Roll recipient. In her hometown of Indiana, Pennsylvania, Antonacci has volunteered at Summit Church at various youth and summer camps. She has also volunteered locally with the Special Olympics and the America Reads program at the First District Elementary School. On campus, Antonacci is president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) representative.
Antonacci is the second Gator student-athlete chosen as a finalist for the prestigious Jostens Trophy.
Emily Lauer '25, the second all-time leading scorer in program history, was selected during her sophomore season in 2022-23.
Listed below are the 11 women's finalists for the 2026 Jostens Trophy:
- Isabella Antonacci, Allegheny College
- Riley Corcoran, Bridgewater College (Va.)
- Brianna Fitzgerald, SUNY New Paltz
- Natalie Gricius, Carroll University
- Vanessa Hall, Utica University
- Lexy Harris, Washington University in St. Louis
- Kaci Kranson, University of Scranton
- Macy Miller, Ohio Wesleyan University
- Samaree Perkins, Capital University
- Mary Schleusner, Washington and Lee University
- Elyse Warren, Millsaps College
For more information on the Jostens Trophy, visit
odaconline.com/sports/jostenstrophy.
