RICHMOND, Va. – Elon University athletics had a league-best four student-athletes recognized as the 2024-25 CAA Leadership and Sport Excellence Award as announced on Friday morning, June 20.
 
The award mimics the Chuck Boone Leadership Award in football and the Dean Ehlers Leadership Award in men's and women's basketball. One student-athlete, who represents the highest standards of teamwork, integrity, leadership, and sportsmanship in his or her academic and athletic achievements, was selected in each of the other sports sponsored by the Conference. Nominees must be at the junior, senior or graduate academic level.
 
After evaluating the nominees, the CAA's Faculty Athletic Representatives voted on the winners. In all, 20 athletes throughout the league were honored for the prestigious award with Oskar Antinheimo (men's tennis), Ashley Fafontaine (women's golf), Madison Synowiec (women's cross country) and Evan Taylor (men's cross country) representing the Phoenix.
 
Elon was one of six schools with multiple winners and paced the CAA for the third time in the past four years. It is also the fourth consecutive year in which Elon has received at least four honorees.
 
Antinheimo majored in finance and accounting while recording a 3.96 GPA. A member of the Beta Gamma Sigma, Omicron Delta Kappa and Beta Alpha Psi Honor Societies, he has been chosen as an ITA Scholar-Athlete for the past three years and has made the President's List five times. Antinheimo is an Elon SAAC member and has participated in the Phoenix Leadership Academy. On the court, the three-year team captain earned third team All-CAA honors in singles in 2024 and made the All-CAA second team in doubles in 2025. He was chosen team MVP in 2024.
 
Lafontaine achieved a 3.99 GPA while majoring in accounting. A six-time member of the President's List and Athletic Director's Honor Roll, she received the A.L. Hook Scholar-Athlete Award in 2025 for possessing the highest cumulative GPA among Elon female student-athletes. A member of Elon's SAAC group, she has volunteered with the Boys and Girls Club. On the course, Lafontaine placed fifth at the CAA Women's Golf Championship to earn All-Tournament honors. The Phoenix captain and team MVP had a 74.4 scoring average in 2025.
 
Synowiec earned a bachelor's degree in exercise science with a 3.984 GPA and has a 4.0 GPA while working on a master's degree in business analytics. A member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, she has made the President's List in each semester.  Synowiec, a team captain, placed 16th at the CAA Cross Country Championship. She was on the podium twice at the CAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship, finishing second in the 5,000 meters and third in the 10,000 meters. Synowiec also competed at the NCAA East Regional Championship.
 
Taylor compiled a 3.994 GPA while majoring in political science and philosophy. A six-time member of the President's List and Athletic Director's Honor Roll, he was presented the A.L. Hook Scholar-Athlete Award in 2025 for possessing the highest cumulative GPA among Elon male student-athletes. A member of the Elon SAAC group, he volunteered with the Boys and Girls Club. Taylor received all-conference honors in 2024 following a team-best 13th-place finish at the CAA Men's Cross Country Championship. He was also the individual winner at the Phoenix Invitational.