Alana Picard Named Finalist for Women's GNAC Athlete of the Year Award
WINTHROP, Mass. - Alana Picard (Windsor Locks, Conn.) of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) women's soccer and women's lacrosse teams has been named a finalist for the 2025-26 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Athlete of the Year award for women's sports, the league office announced Wednesday, July 22. Picard is one of just 10 female student-athletes from across the GNAC selected as finalists for this prestigious honor.
Modeled after the NCAA Woman of the Year program, the GNAC Athlete of the Year award recognizes graduating student-athletes who have demonstrated excellence in academics, athletics, service and leadership throughout their collegiate careers. The winner will be announced Tuesday, July 28, and will be submitted as the conference nominee for the Division III Commissioners Association (D3CA) Women's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year award.
Picard graduated from USJ with a 3.58 GPA while earning her degree in nursing. She was a two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection and a three-time GNAC All-Academic Team honoree. During her time at USJ, Picard was also a member of the Student Nursing Association.
The two-sport standout leaves behind a remarkable legacy, highlighted by becoming the first All-American in USJ women's lacrosse history after earning USA Lacrosse Magazine All-America honorable mention honors this past season. In addition, Picard was named to the 2024 GNAC All-Rookie Team, earned Third Team All-GNAC honors in 2025 and First Team All-GNAC recognition in 2026. On the soccer pitch, she was a 2025 All-GNAC Second Team selection after earning Third Team honors in 2024 and All-Rookie Team recognition in 2023.
In the community, Picard gave back through service, participating in numerous events and fundraisers hosted by the USJ Student Nursing Association.
About the GNAC
The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 14 member institutions and over 4000 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 20 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience.
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