LOWELL, Mass. – Two River Hawk student-athletes were honored during an awards celebration as part of the 2026 Commencement festivities.

Audra Hansen (Stamford, Ct.) of the UMass Lowell women's lacrosse team and Jackson Rudo (Owings Mills, Md.) of the men's lacrosse team were both honored with the University Scholar-Athlete Award for having the highest cumulative GPA among graduating student-athletes.

"Jackson and Audra represent the best of what it means to be a River Hawk – balancing academics and athletics and excelling at both," commented Senior Associate Athletic Director for Student Athlete Excellence Alison Quandt Westgate.

Hansen graduated with a degree in environmental science from the Kennedy College of Sciences, boasting a 3.972 cumulative GPA, while Rudo graduated with a degree in Political Science from the College of Fine Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, also boasting a 3.972 cumulative GPA.