The Italian American Baseball Foundation (IABF) is proud to announce that 24 college student-athletes committed to playing baseball and softball at the collegiate level have been awarded scholarships for 2026, totaling more than $105,000.

This marks the largest single year of scholarship giving since the Foundation launched its scholarship program in 2021 and is a significant milestone in IABF’s 10th anniversary year. Since the inception of the scholarship fund, the organization has awarded nearly $250,000 in scholarships to deserving student-athletes across the United States and Italy.

The IABF scholarship program recognizes student-athletes who demonstrate academic excellence, financial need, a commitment to baseball or softball, and pride in their Italian heritage. Scholarships are available to American and Italian students who meet eligibility requirements, including maintaining at least a 3.0 GPA, competing on a collegiate baseball or softball roster, possessing at least 25% Italian heritage, demonstrating financial need, and maintaining IABF membership through themselves or a parent.

“This year’s scholarship class represents everything the Italian American Baseball Foundation stands for: excellence on the field, achievement in the classroom, pride in our heritage, and a commitment to building a brighter future,” said Carmine Gangone, President of the Italian American Baseball Foundation. “To award more than $105,000 during our 10th anniversary year is a remarkable accomplishment and a testament to the generosity of our supporters, donors, and members who believe in investing in the next generation of leaders. We are honored to play a role in helping these young men and women pursue their educational and athletic dreams.”

The scholarship recipients were selected through a competitive application process overseen by the IABF Scholarship Committee.

“The growth of this program has been extraordinary,” said Joseph DiMartino, Chair of the IABF Scholarship Committee and Treasurer of the organization. “When we launched the scholarship initiative, our goal was to create meaningful opportunities for student-athletes who embrace both academic success and their Italian heritage. Reaching nearly $250,000 in total scholarship awards in just a few years is something our entire board takes great pride in. This year’s recipients represent an exceptional group of student-athletes, and we are excited to support their continued success.”

2026 IABF Scholarship Recipients

• Samuele Bruno — Hastings College (Italian native)
• Filippo Venditti — Valley City State University (Italian native)
• Madelayna Vomero — Stony Brook University
• Jacob Marcario — Mercy University
• Viktor Consiglio — Kingsborough Community College (Italian native)
• Skyler Secondino — Adelphi University
• Nicholas Fancellu — Adams State University (Italian native)
• Lorenzo Cimino — Binghamton University
• Izabella Cimino — University of North Florida
• Severino Napolitano Jr. — Queens College
• Ava Zicchinelli — Hofstra University
• Edoardo Cornelli — Northern Kentucky University (Italian native)
• George Greene — Northeastern Junior College (Italian native)
• Federico Tiburtini — Park University (Italian native)
• Tommaso Franceshelli — Millenia Atlantic University (Italian native)
• Ricardo Staurenghi — North Central Missouri College (Italian native)
• Pietro Verzin — Highland Community College (Italian native)
• Rachele Iovine — Lake Region State College
• Milena Ouly Pouye — Lake Region State College (Italian native)
• Mattia Bernardis — Arizona Western College (Italian native)
• Matthew Pizza — Muhlenberg College
• Josephine Polisi — St. Thomas Aquinas College
• Christian Castillo Scuderi — Southern University
• Jacob Vaccariello — Stony Brook University

Founded in 2016, the Italian American Baseball Foundation is dedicated to growing the game of baseball and softball while preserving and celebrating Italian American and Italian baseball heritage. Through scholarships, international competitions, cultural exchanges, youth development initiatives, and educational programming, IABF continues to create opportunities for student-athletes worldwide.

For more information about the Italian American Baseball Foundation and its scholarship program, visit the Foundation’s website or follow IABF on social media.