MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University nursing student Madison Davis of Lakeland, physics students Ariel Nicastro of Franklin, Connor Trexler of Smyrna and Joseph Mego of Jackson have been selected to participate in the inaugural Conference USA Stars of Tomorrow program as part of the 2025 CUSA Basketball Championships this week in Huntsville, Alabama.

Stars of Tomorrow is an exclusive initiative that combines sports and career development to offer top students from member institutions a unique opportunity to engage with industry professionals and explore exciting career opportunities in Huntsville.  

The program will cover the travel and accommodation expenses for students from each of the league’s 10 member institutions. During their March 10-12 visit, students will have the chance to explore job opportunities within the Huntsville corporate community, with a full day dedicated to connecting with employers in their field of interest.

“At MTSU, we are committed to supporting student opportunities — to attend college, succeed in the classroom, earn a college degree and begin productive careers after graduation,” MTSU Provost Mark Byrnes said. “So, we are particularly proud of the four outstanding students selected to participate in the Stars of Tomorrow program. This is an amazing opportunity for these future alumni to build their networks for productive and fulfilling careers.”

Mark Russell, Huntsville Sports Commission executive director, said “Huntsville has so much opportunity and provides a great quality of life that we are excited to showcase with all of the Stars. This is a tremendous opportunity for our city to partner with all 10 CUSA schools to build new relationships, develop deeper ties within our community and create a lasting legacy from the tournament.”

Joel Lamp, Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau Sports Development manager, said “the partnership with CUSA goes beyond the court and the Stars of Tomorrow program enables us to tell the Huntsville story in a different way. Thanks to our friends at the Huntsville Chamber of Commerce, we are able to introduce our city to all of these students with an immersive program that lets them see why this is a great city to live, work and play.”

In addition to career-building opportunities, the students will be honored at halftime during the Tuesday, March 11, basketball games in Von Braun Center Propst Arena as the Stars of the Game, recognizing their academic achievements and hard work in the classroom.

The students will also be interviewed live on ESPN+ during the game, further showcasing their talents and accomplishments to a national audience.

MTSU’s honorees

• Madison Davis, 21, a junior, has made the MTSU Dean’s List multiple times, she is a member of the Student Nurses Association helping with community projects and is proud to have made it into the nationally recognized School of Nursing program and first in her family to pursue a career in a medical field. 

• Joseph Mego, 23, an applied physics major planning to graduate in May, is president of Phi Kappa Delta Debate Honor Society and is a two-time captain of the MTSU Debate Team. He has been an MTSU tour guide and written for the student newspaper Sidelines and other campus publications.

• A junior Honors College Buchanan Fellow (the university’s top academic scholarship), Ariel Nicastro, 21, received a Gilman Scholarship for an upcoming study abroad program in Toronto and Montreal, Canada, was named a 2024 Goldwater Scholar, was a URECA Gold winner in undergraduate research at MTSU and 2024-25 Scholars Week co-chair, a weeklong event showcasing student research.

• Connor Trexler, 28, an applied physics major planning to graduate in May, transferred to MTSU from Motlow State Community College. He has taken Honors courses and conducted research for the Department of Engineering Technology. He previously worked at Nissan but returned to the university to continue pursuing his bachelor’s degree.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)