Saint Francis University men's volleyball player Peyton Blain (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) became the first male athlete in Saint Francis history to be named the Northeast Conference (NEC) Male Team Student-Athlete of the Year. The Red Flash swept the honors after Rachel Marsden (Erie, Pa./McDowell), from the Red Flash softball team, garnered the NEC Female Team Student-Athlete of the Year Award.

Since the 2014-15 academic year, when the NEC started recognizing male and female student-athletes, no school had won both honors until this year. 

"We are absolutely thrilled that Rachel and Peyton are recognized as the premier male and female student-athletes by the Northeast Conference," said Saint Francis Director of Athletics James Downer. "Their athletic accomplishments this past year obviously warranted consideration, but above all, their academic achievements and contributions to the community make them truly remarkable ambassadors to the institution. Rachel and Peyton are beyond deserving of this recognition, and as a department, we are immensely proud to have them represent the Red Flash."   

The criterion for selecting the winner is broken down into four parts: academic achievement (30 percent), athletic excellence (30 percent), service and leadership (30 percent), and a personal statement (10 percent). The selection committee comprises the NEC Commissioner and the Student-Athlete Athletic Committee (SAAC) chairs, athletic directors, faculty athletic Representatives, and Senior Women's Administrators. 

"This award represents the unwavering support that Saint Francis has given me and the high expectations for myself that Saint Francis has instilled in me," said Blain. "I have worked diligently every day to be the best athlete, teammate, and competitor I can be. While achieving a record number of wins and reaching significant individual milestones are highlights of my athletic career, they do not fully define it. My commitment to leadership, both on campus and within the conference, has allowed me to make a meaningful impact over the past four years."

Academics
Blain graduated in May with an accounting degree and a 3.94 grade point average. He was named to the President's List (4.0 GPA) five times and to the Dean's List nine times (3.5+ GPA). In the last two years, he was named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team, the NEC Comissioner's Honor Roll (3.75+ GPA), and the NEC Academic Honor Roll (3.20+ GPA). In 2022, Blain earned EIVA All-Academic Team honors.

Athletics Performance
Blain was named the NEC Defensive Player of the Year for the Red Flash men's after setting a program record with 318 digs in 2024. His season digs total led all of NCAA Division I and II while ranking fourth nationally for digs per set. The senior was also named to the All-NEC second team and earned a spot on the NEC All-Tournament team after helping Saint Francis finish the regular season undefeated in league play to earn its second-straight NEC regular season title in the two years the NEC has sponsored the sport. Blain was named the NEC Defensive Player of the Year six times, an NEC Prime Performer 11 times, and the Off The Block National Libero of the Week for March 25.

Blain helped the Red Flash to three straight postseason appearances after playing in the EIVA Tournament as a sophomore and assisting the team in reaching the NEC Championship Game in the last two seasons. He finished his career with 561 digs, moving into fifth place in program history.

Leadership/Community Service
Blain was the men's volleyball captain and the 2023-24 Saint Francis SAAC Vice President. A three-year member of SAAC, Blain was the finance chair in 2023 and an Apple Team Leader in 2022. He also served as the NEC SAAC co-chair in 2023 and a member of the 2023 task force on campus.

Full Peyton Blain Quote:
"I am honored to receive the NEC Male Team Student-Athlete of the Year award. Being the first male athlete from Saint Francis University to win this award is truly an honor. This award represents the unwavering support that Saint Francis has given me and the high expectations for myself that SFU has instilled in me. I have worked diligently every day to be the best athlete, teammate, and competitor I can be. While achieving a record number of wins and reaching significant individual milestones are highlights of my athletic career, they do not fully define it. My commitment to leadership, both on campus and within the conference, has allowed me to make a meaningful impact over the past four years. Being named NEC Male Student-Athlete of the Year holds tremendous significance for me because it underscores the importance of consistency and passion. Striving to be the best athlete, student, teammate, and leader has always driven me, and this award is a culmination of that dedication. I thank the Northeast Conference and Saint Francis University for providing me with this remarkable opportunity and for recognizing my efforts with this prestigious award."

What They Are Saying About Peyton Blain:
Noreen Morris, Northeast Conference Commissioner
"Not only has Peyton achieved incredible success in the classroom and excelled for SFU in the Northeast Conference's newest sport, but he has also done so while engrossing himself on campus and in local communities. Peyton has embraced what it means to be a student-athlete and has gone above and beyond that role by using his exceptional leadership skills to make a difference. I've had the privilege of seeing his leadership skills at work in his role as the NEC SAAC Co-Chair, where his contributions were invaluable. The NEC Male Team Student-Athlete of the Year Award is a tribute to Petyon's unbelievable commitment and dedication to his academic, athletic, and community service efforts."

Mike Rumbaugh, Saint Francis Men's Volleyball Head Coach
"I am grateful that NEC recognizes Peyton Blain as its Male Team Student-Athlete of the Year. Peyton came to Saint Francis with a great attitude and work ethic. It paid off for both him and his team. He knew we had a history of top-notch liberos in the recruiting process. Gabe Woffindin and Ryan Alu were two of our best and were graduating. He and Matt Menoski became co-operation buddies. They pushed each other daily in the gym, weight room, and classroom. Co-operation means that our team cooperates to push each other to be better while at the same time competing as hard as possible. Matt and Peyton are so good at this that they push ahead in battle, but in 2023, they split time on the court.  Matt would be the serve-receive libero, and Peyton would enter to play defense. It hurt both of them for their stats and recognition, but they were about what was best for the team. The pair created the best libero in the conference but did not get recognition since they split the role. Matt graduated without individual awards but knew he had helped the team win the NEC regular season championship and prepared Peyton to carry the load the next year. This award means a lot to the two of them. Peyton excelled this season as a team leader, a role model, and someone I will refer to when I tell future players the expectations from them. Peyton made his teams better by bringing them in for extra reps, helping them study for business classes, and, most importantly, holding them accountable when they needed to hear it.  Peyton is the ultimate team player."

John Krimmel, Saint Francis Senior Associate AD for Student-Athlete & Leadership Development
"Peyton has made a tremendous impact since he first stepped foot on campus and has been the epitome of what a student-athlete is all about. He has not only excelled on the court and in the classroom but has made a big impact on campus and in the community. His leadership ability is unmatched, and we were blessed to have him as a part of the Saint Francis University community during his time here. Our university, our department, his fellow student-athletes, and myself are all better because we have been around Peyton. He is truly the best of the best and deserves this prestigious honor."  

Saint Francis And The NEC Team Student-Athlete Of The Year
Blain also has a connection to one of the other former Red Flash winners. Blain is the second Saint Francis athlete to hail from Harrisburg, Pa., joining Sara Phelan (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt), who won the award in 2019-20 as a member of the Saint Francis women's track and field team. Marsden is the third Saint Francis female student-athlete from Western Pennsylvania to earn this recognition. Swink (Connellsvlle, Pa./Connellsville) and Saban (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) are also from the western part of the state.

The NEC Student-Athlete of the Year award began in 2002-03. In the first 12 years of the award, the NEC named one student-athlete (11 females, one male). Since 2013-14, a male and a female are honored yearly, but 2023-24 marks the first time the same school has received both honorees in those 10 years.

Saint Francis' five female winners are the second most in the NEC behind Wagner, with six female winners in the 22-year history.Wagner also leads the overall count with 10 (six female, four male), while Saint Francis is second with six. CCSU is third with four female winners (no males). Robert Morris is the only other school with multiple female winners (2), while St. Francis Brooklyn has three male winners.