PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The University of Rhode Island had 10 student-athletes honored at the State House Monday as part of the annual Scholar-Athlete Awards, held in the House Chamber of the R.I. State House. Also honored were men's track and field alumnus Pete Sherman and longtime radio play-by-play man Steve McDonald.

The URI athletes honored were Hannah Benavides (women's swimming & diving); Anaelle Dutat (women's basketball); Sydney Federico (women's track & field); Greg Gaines III (football); Jason Morrill (men's soccer); Klara Nelander (women's tennis); Braeden Perry (baseball); Casey Phelps (women's lacrosse); Josiah Tong (men's golf); and Jarrett Young (men's track & field).

A 1997 URI graduate, Sherman received the Distinguished Alumni Award. McDonald, the play-by-play radio voice for URI football and basketball for more than three decades, received the K. Joseph Shekarchi Award for contributions to a school.

Information about each of the honorees is provided below.

Distinguished Alumni Award – Pete Sherman (track & field)
A 1997 graduate of URI, Pete Sherman was a team captain for the men's track & field team. During his senior season, he was the Atlantic 10 champion in the hammer throw, beating the rest of the field by more than 15 feet. After graduating with a degree in Business Administration/Finance, he took over his family's business, Newport Propane, which he has run for the last 21 years. Very active in the community, Sherman and Newport Propane support numerous organizations, including URI Athletics, the Seven Castle Club Scholarship Drive, the Newport Public Education Foundation, the Three Angels Fund, Newport Mental Health, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and many more. Newport Propane also provides propane at events for the Newport Gulls and Special Olympics Rhode Island.

K. Joseph Shekarchi Award – Steve McDonald
A legendary Rhode Island media figure, Steve McDonald has been synonymous with URI athletics for multiple generations of sports fans. The Rhode Island Radio Hall of Famer has long been interwoven in the fabric of URI, serving as the radio play-by-play voice for the University's football and men's basketball programs for more than three decades, using his wit and institutional knowledge to paint a verbal picture for listeners. Known to many as Jim Shorts on Sports from the Paul and Al Show on WHJY, McDonald has been active in community service throughout the state for years, coaching youth sports and serving as emcee for banquets at all levels.

Hannah Benavides - Women's Swimming & Diving         

• A native Hope Valley, Rhode Island, Hannah is a Nursing major with a 3.77 GPA
• She was undefeated in dual meets this year in the 200-yard Breaststroke
• At the Atlantic 10 Championship, she was part of URI's 400 Medley Relay Team that broke the school record
• Hannah also reached the A-10 finals in both the 100- and 200-yard Breaststroke races

 
Anaelle Dutat – Women's Basketball         

• A native of Cesson, France, Anna Elle is a Biomedical Engineering major with a 3.52 GPA
• She has made the Dean's List in five out of her six semesters
• This year she was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Defensive Team 
• She started all 33 games this season, averaging 7.9 points and 7.9 rebounds per game

Sydney Federico – Women's Track & Field              

• A native of Westerly, Rhode Island, Sydney led the women's track and field team to its first New England Indoor Championship in program history.
• A PharmD major with a 3.18 GPA, Sydney was a two-time individual champion at this year's Atlantic 10 Indoor Championship
• She won both the 400-meter dash and was part of U-R-I's champion 4x400 meter relay
• A two-year team captain, Sydney is a six-time New England medalist and a four-time A-10 medalist

Greg Gaines III – Football    

• A native of Tampa, Florida, Gaines has a 3.22 GPA and is a member of the CAA Football Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll
• He helped the football team win its first CAA title in program history and make the FCS playoffs for the first time in 39 years.
• Greg started 13 games at wide receiver
• He was a significant part of the offense, catching 50 passes for 603 yards and three touchdowns

Jason Morrill – Men's Soccer             

• A native of Cromwell, Connecticut, Jason has a 3.91 GPA in Finance
• He is a two-year starter for the men's soccer team, starting 17 of the 24 matches he played over the last two seasons
• He was a key part of a defense that allowed just 1.24 goals per game
• Before he graduated, he had a job offer from Charter Dilligence Group in Stamford, Conn.

 
Klara Nelander – Women's Tennis                 

• A native of Skanor, Sweden, Klara has a 4.00 GPA in Finance with a minor in Leadership Studies
• A two-year captain, she has helped turn the tennis program around, leading the team to 29 wins over the last two seasons
• Klara ranks 10th in program history with 42 career singles wins
• She has been invited to participate in Harvard University's National Conference for Women in Finance

 
Braeden Perry – Baseball    

• A native of North Kingstown, Rhode Island, Braeden has a 3.72 GPA in Civil Engineering
• He was a member of the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team in 2023
• After missing 2024 with an injury, he returned this season and is a key part of the pitching staff
• The baseball team is currently in first place in the Atlantic 10 and is one of the league favorites to win the conference title later this Spring

 
Casey Phelps – Women's Lacrosse              

• A native of Olney, Maryland, Casey has a 4.0 GPA in Computer Science
• She is the starting goalie for the lacrosse team, which is in its first season as a Division I N-C-A-A program
• Casey leads the Atlantic 10 with 10.53 saves per game
• Led the team to an 8-8 record in its first season of NCAA Division I play

 
Josiah Tong – Men's Golf      

• A native of Alberta, Canada, Josiah has a 4.0 GPA in Management
• He is a two-year starter for URI, competing in eight of the team's nine events this year.
• Josiah helped the Rams win five team titles this season, one of the best season's in program history
• He helped the team earn a bid to the GolfWeek Postseason Invitational in Arizona next month

 
Jarrett Young – Men's Track and Field         

• A native of Haverhill, Massachusetts, Jarrett has a 3.35 GPA in Communications
• He is a two-year team as well as the Vice President of URI's Student-Athletic Advisory Committee
• He has led the track team to seven straight Atlantic 10 team titles, four during the Indoor season and three more during the outdoor season. Hopefully this Spring, it will be eight in a row
• He holds the program record in the 400 meter dash, the spring medley relay and the 4x100 relay. Jarrett also is a four-time individual Atlantic 10 champion, making him one of the most decorated athletes in program history