2024-2025 GWYNEDD MERCY UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MALE SENIOR STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Root is a three-time honoree with a Second Team selection in 2023 and a First Team selections in 2024 and 2025. He finishes his collegiate career with a .329 (115-for-350) batting average (AVG), a .433 on-base percentage (OBP), and a .391 slugging percentage (SLG). He scored 64 runs and knocked in 75 in 124 games played (103 games started) with 115 hits (98 singles, 12 doubles, 5 triples), 62 walks (BB), eight hit-by-pitch (HBP), and four steals. The two-year captain (2024, 2025) is one of two Griffins all-time to record 100 hits and 100 strikeouts as he also took the mound for 198.2 innings (46 appearances – 27 games started). Root sported a 7-15 record, a save, and a 4.80 earned run average (ERA) while allowing 106 earned runs on 236 hits, 59 walks, and 16 hit batsman. He threw three complete games and held his opponents to .297 batting average (BAA).
Â
Root took a monumental step forward during his sophomore campaign (2023), earning All-AEC Second Team recognition, American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings All-Region 5 First Team at the utility position, and the D3Baseball.com Region 5 Second Team. He was the Griffins' most consistent hitter in the lineup with a .395 (34-for-86) batting average that ranked second among his AEC peers. He also ranked in the AEC Top-10 for OPS (9th, .968), OBP (6th, .480), and strikeouts (T4th, 11). Root was equally effective on the mound, with AEC Top-10 numbers in innings pitched (9th, 52.2), wins (T9th, 4), BAA (7th, .260), earned runs allowed (6th, 21), runs allowed (5th, 25), ERA (5th, 3.59), and BB (2nd, 13). He finished with 16 runs and 42 (RBI) with a slash line of .395 (34-of-86)/.480/.488 (AVG/OBP/SLG). Root was equally effective on the mound, with AEC Top-10 numbers in innings pitched (9th, 52.2), wins (T9th, 4), BAA (7th, .260), earned runs allowed (6th, 21), runs allowed (5th, 25), ERA (5th, 3.59), and BB (2nd, 13).
Academically, the marketing major is a two-time member of both the Gwynedd Mercy University Athletics Academic Elite (F2023, F2024) and the AEC All-Academic Team (2022-2023, 2023-2024).
