BOSTON --Ava Roberts capped a dominant spring season by being named te America East Women's Outdoor Track & Field Performer of the Year, as voted on by the America East coaches, the Conference announced on Wednesday. 

Competing in her first NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship at Hayward Field, Roberts earned Second Team All-America honors with an 11th-place finish in the discus throw. 

After a throw of 54.71 meters on her first try to break her own school record, Roberts proceeded to smash the record on her second attempt with a mark of 55.82 meters. Roberts would go on to place 11th at the event, just .01 meters shy of a top-10 finish. 

Roberts was the first UMBC women's athlete to qualify for nationals since Caitlyn Bobb in 2022 and the first field athlete since Kelechi Nwanaga in 2018. 

At the NCAA East First Round in Lexington, Ky. two weeks prior, Roberts placed 18th in the shot put before snagging the 12th and final qualifying spot in the discus throw. Roberts reset the program record with a 54.37-meter throw. Roberts earned a silver medal in the discus at the America East Championships with a 52.65-meter throw while winning gold in the shot put with a meet record throw of 16.18 meters in the shot put. Roberts cleared Shelby Bigsbee's AE Champ record by nearly a full meter

Roberts redshirted in 2025 after placing 21st in the shot put at the NCAA East First Round in 2024.