These local athletes have recently excelled on their college or university teams:

— Joseph Giacone of Delmar, helped the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute football team to playoffs. The team was chosen to participate in the Scotty Whitelaw Bowl Championship, a postseason contest, part of the Eastern College Athletic Conference 2016 Division III Football Bowl Championships at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. It is the first ever meeting between the two programs;

— Ryan Gallagher of Schenectady, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business and professional golf management at Delhi, is on the men’s swimming and diving team;

— Ryan Pappalau of Berne, pursuing an associate’s degree in hotel and resort management at Delhi, is on the men’s swimming and diving team;