WALTHAM, Mass. – Bentley University handed out its Outstanding Senior Athlete awards on Friday with football wide receiver
Rashon Bradford (Rahway, N.J./Rahway HS) and softball left fielder
Jordan Krause (San Petro, Calif./San Pedro HS) the recipients.
In addition, the Edward J. Powers Scholar-Athlete Award was presented to women's track and cross country standout
Caitlin Burmester (Willow Grove, Pa./Upper Dublin HS). The Powers Award, which has been presented annually since 1965 to Bentley's premier senior scholar-athlete, is named in honor of the late President of the Boston Garden who was an alumnus and trustee of what was then Bentley College.
Bradford had a tremendous season for the Falcons last fall with Northeast-10 Conference MVP at the top of his list of accolades. He was in the top ten in Division II in receptions per game, receiving touchdowns and receiving yards per game. His season totals included 74 catches for 1007 yards and 13 TDs.
Honors for Bradford included All-Northeast-10 for the second straight season, New England Football Writers Division II-III All-New England and Hansen Football Gazette honorable mention Division II All-America. He'll be returning in the fall for his final year of eligibility.
"Rashon has become an incredible self-made football player," praised head football coach
CJ Scarpa. "He wakes up every day with the focus and drive to get better. He has become consistent with his work which has allowed him to go from good player to great player."
Krause, a fixture in left field for Bentley softball over the last four years, was a standout both at the plate and in the field for the Falcons. A .382 career hitter who owns the Bentley records for hits (224), doubles (51), home runs (23), extra base hits (81), runs (127) and RBI (109), she was also named the 2025 Northeast-10 Defensive Player of the Year.
A four-time All-Northeast-10 honoree who received first team accolades three times, Krause helped lead Bentley to 100 wins over the last four seasons and the first two NCAA tournament appearances in program history. Earlier this month, she earned Division II All-East first team accolades from both the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association.
"In my opinion, Jordan has been the best softball student-athlete ever here at Bentley University" exclaimed head softball coach Terry McDonough. "She has put our softball program on the map, not only in our Bentley community but also outside of our community.
She is not only an amazing athlete, but she is a great person, leader, and role model for all."
Burmester has been a standout in cross country, on the track and in the classroom since her arrival on campus in September 2021. This past fall, she led Bentley to the program's first-ever Northeast-10 championship in cross, ran to victory in the NCAA Division II East Region cross country championships and was the 2024 Northeast-10 Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Year. She competed in the NCAA Division II championships for the second straight year.
A multi-time Academic All-Northeast-10 and USTFCCCA All-Region honoree, Burmester captured four NE10 gold medals as a senior. She finished first in the 800 meters and mile indoors and the 800 and 1500 outdoors. All this athletic success and she also found time to achieve a 3.95 grade point average while majoring in both accounting and liberal studies.
"As an athlete, during her sophomore year, Caitlin and her classmate
Brooke Neri decided they wanted to make the women's cross country team more competitive, and they set out to do so," said track and cross country coach
Kevin Curtin. "Their efforts paid off this fall with cross winning its first-ever NE10 championship. Caitlin's real legacy may be the teammates that she has mentored over the last few years, including 2024 NE10 Outdoor Rookie of the Year
Molly Capece and 2025 NE10 Indoor Rookie of the Year
Lily Tedford. Caitlin has accomplished, and has helped others accomplish, great things during her four years at Bentley."
