Rodriguez Named NEC Cross Country Scholar-Athlete

For the second consecutive year the NEC Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year resides in New Britain. Central Connecticut State graduate student Mark Rodriguez was tabbed as the winner of the award; it was announced Wednesday afternoon.

The NEC also announced the 2025 Fall NEC Fall Academic (3.2 GPA) and Commissioner (3.75 GPA)Honor Rolls. Across the six fall sports: Football, Women's Soccer, Men's Soccer, Volleyball, Men's Cross Country and Women's Cross Country, the Blue Devils had 120 student-athletes named to the Academic Honor Roll, with 48 earning Commissioner's Honor Roll.

Rodriguez, a native of Cromwell, CT, led the Blue Devils to a third consecutive NEC Championship by winning the individual crown at the 2025 Championship. He ran with a group of four over the first three loops of the race, before pulling away in the final portion to capture the title with a run of 25:34.2. He is the third consecutive individual winner for the Blue Devils.

The NEC Cross Country Most Outstanding Performer, Rodriguez graduated in May 2025 with a 3.92 cumulative GPA. He is working towards his Master's in Artificial Intelligence and maintains a 4.0 GPA in that program.