Cabrini student-athletes continued a trend of excellence on the field and in the classroom over the past year, achieving an average GPA of 3.06 in the Fall 2019 semester. Cavaliers have earned 20 individual academic honors along with five team-wide national and regional awards.
“It is tremendously rewarding to see our Cavalier student-athletes receive regional and national validation for the incredible combination of work ethic, ambition and enthusiasm that I’ve seen them display every week,” said Brad Koch, Director of Athletics and Recreation.
Cabrini student-athletes have earned 1,015 conference, regional, and national academic awards since 2014-15, including 679 Colonial States Athletic Conference/Atlantic East Conference All-Academic Team honors.
Team-Wide Recognitions for Scholastic Excellence
- Women’s swimming: For the fifth consecutive semester in Fall 2019, women’s swimming earned a Scholar All-America Team honor— for teams that achieve an average GPA of 3.0 or higher—from the Collegiate Swim Coaches Association of America (CSCAA).
- Men’s cross country: The team posted a 3.56 overall GPA in Fall 2019, the best among men’s cross country teams in the Atlantic East Conference (AEC), to earn the AEC Men’s Cross Country Team Academic Award.
- Field hockey: The National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) recognized the Cavaliers as one of its National Academic Team winners for 2019. Given to teams with an average GPA of 3.0 or higher, this was the sixth such award in seven years for the Cavaliers field hockey squad.
- Men’s and women’s soccer: Each team received the Team Academic Award from the United Soccer Coaches Association for posting a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Less than a third of institutions receiving a Team Academic Award had both its men’s and women’s programs honored.
Student Standouts
- For the first time in school history, a Cabrini student-athlete was granted an NCAA postgraduate scholarship. Nicholas Waligurski (’18, MS’19), a men’s lacrosse midfielder pursuing a master’s degree in Leadership, was one of just 21 student-athletes nationwide to receive the scholarship this past fall. Waligurski maintained the 3.20 GPA minimum required for the scholarship while playing an integral role in the Cavaliers’ first NCAA Division III title.
- The Philadelphia Inquirer named soccer student-athletes senior Marissa Portelli and junior Josh Cunningham to its Academic All-Area Women’s and Men’s soccer teams. Two of 22 student-athletes to make the cut, Portelli and Cunningham were voted in by the sports information offices of 30 institutions from the Philadelphia area. Cunningham was also named to the United Soccer Coaches Division III Scholar All-East Region Third Team, an honor given to upperclassmen who have earned a 3.30 GPA or above, while playing in at least 50 percent of their team’s games.
- Of the 20 individual academic honors since the start of the 2019-20 school year, 11 went to Cabrini field hockey players: Shannon Agnew, Trisha Billig, Kathleen Emche, Holly Gremmel, Kaylee Lamaine, Allison Martin, Lindsey Pozaic, Katya Simonsen, Olivia Sims, Maura Tumelty and Lauren Vanstone from the Cavaliers field hockey team were named to the NFHCA National Academic Squad, with each earning a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or greater through the Fall 2019 semester.
- Softball players Darian Caputo (’19), senior Alexandra Schell, junior Jess Redding, and sophomores Faith Pitsikoulis and Grace Stairiker also showed their academic talent. Each was named 2019 Easton/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America Scholar Athletes, finishing the 2018-19 school year with GPAs of 3.5 or above.
As Assistant Director of Athletics-Academic Services, Laura Patton tracks the academic progress of student-athletes throughout the year.
“The coaches require a lot from the student-athletes on the field and the professors require a lot from them in the classroom,” she said. “It’s important that they have additional support so they are able to perform at the highest level in both areas.”
Patton works with students individually on the transition to college, time management, and coursework to help them reach their full potential in school and sport.
“I am incredibly proud of the many academic honors and accolades our Cavaliers have earned to date and share their sadness in having the spring sports season cut short because of coronavirus precautions,” Koch added. “I am confident our student-athletes will continue Cabrini’s trend of academic excellence throughout their academic careers.”