PSAC Releases 2014 Fall Top 10 Award Recipients
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Lock Haven, Pa. – The PSAC is honored to announce its 2014 Fall Top 10 Award recipients chosen by the PSAC's sports information directors. The PSAC Top 10 Awards are designed to recognize student-athletes who excel in both the classroom and in athletic competition.
Initiated in the 1997-98 academic year, the Top 10 Award recipients are given to five male and five females in each athletic season: fall, winter and spring. The Fall 2014 award winners are Robbie Bennett of Gannon, Chelsea Crockett of California, Aaron Dinzeo of California, Cody Harris of Edinboro, Lucy Kauffman of Shippensburg, Meghan Kelly of Edinboro, Colin Kimball of Mercyhurst, Nicole Krueger of Slippery Rock, Liam Nadler of Gannon, and Laura Subject of Clarion.
Bennett, Kimball, Nadler and Dinzeo are repeat honorees from the 2013 fall season. Dinzeo, the NCAA Division II cross country runner-up, has been named to five Top 10 teams during his collegiate career - making him just the second male in PSAC history to clinch the honor on five occasions.
Seven recipients were named to their respective CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-America teams, including five First Team selections. Subject was tabbed volleyball's Academic All-America of the Year, while Bennett, Kimball, Kelly, and Crockett also landed First Team accolades.
Kauffman is the only 2014 Fall Top 10 recipient to have also earned a PSAC Champion Scholar award this fall. Kauffman earned the award at the PSAC field hockey championship while holding a 3.9 grade point average as a biology major.
Kelly and Krueger both lead the group with perfect 4.00 grade points averages, while Bennett, Kimball and Subject’s GPAs are higher than 3.9.
To be a candidate for the PSAC Top 10 Awards, a student-athlete must have achieved a minimum of a 3.50 cumulative grade point average and must be a starter or key reserve with legitimate athletic credentials for their respective team. The fall sports eligible for consideration for the Fall Top 10 Awards are men's and women's soccer, field hockey, volleyball, football and men's and women's cross country.
At the conclusion of the academic year, all Top 10 Award winners from each season are eligible for the PSAC Pete Nevins Scholar-Athlete of the Year Awards, given to one male and one female candidate at the end of the academic year.
Listed below are biographies for the 2014 Fall PSAC Top 10 Award winners:
Robbie Bennett, Gannon
Men’s Soccer, Senior
Pinetown, South Africa / St. Benedict School
Major: Sport Psychology
3.93
Totaled 11 goals, 4 assists, 26 points, 2 game-winning goals, three game-tying goals this season… Is a two-time PSAC Top 10 Award winner … Three-time Capital One Academic All-American, including a pair of first-team selections as a junior and senior … Became the first Gannon men's soccer student-athlete in school history to become an Academic All-America first-team member as a junior … PSAC Scholar-Athlete and received the NCAA Division II Athletics Directors Association (ADA) Academic Achievement Award every year during his collegiate career … Ranked third among PSAC student-athletes in goals per match (0.65) and fourth in points per match (1.53) … Finished 34th among all NCAA Division II players in goals per match and 35th in points per match … Two-time All-American on the field, earning Daktronics honorable-mention accolades last season and National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) third-team honors as a sophomore … Seven-time all-region first-team selection, securing Daktronics honors during all four years of his collegiate career and NSCAA accolades the last three seasons … Four-time All-PSAC first-team selection … Named to the All-Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) first team this season.
Chelsea Crockett, California
Women’s Soccer, Senior
Gilmanton, N.H. / Gilford
Major: Sport Management
3.89
Tied for first in the PSAC with 30 points … Ranked second in the league with 12 goals and led the conference with six game-winning goals … Scored a goal in six-straight games in October, including four game-winners … Capital One First-Team Academic All-American (2014) … Three-time NSCAA All-Region (First Team 2013-14, Second Team 2011) … Three-time Daktronics First-Team All-Region (2012-14) … Four-time All-PSAC (First Team 2012-14, Third Team 2011) … Two-time Capital One Academic All-District (2013-14) … Finished career ranked fourth all-time in school history with 34 goals and fifth with 90 points … Three-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete … Two-time D2ADA Academic Achievement Award recipient.
Aaron Dinzeo, California
Men’s Cross Country, Senior
Sidney, Ohio / Sidney
Major: Anthropology
3.89
Finished second overall at NCAA National Championships, earning All-America status for third time in career … Earned individual title at both PSAC and NCAA Regional Championships … Selected PSAC and USTFCCCA Atlantic Region Athlete of the Year … Captured a combined five individual crowns and recorded a pair of runner-up finishes in seven races this fall …Helped Vulcans set a program-best team finish at NCAA Regional Championships… Two-time Capital One First-Team Academic All-American (2013-14) … Four-time PSAC Top 10 selection (2x outdoor, 1x indoor, 1x cross country) … Six-time USTFCCCA All-Academic (3x cross country) … Seven-time NCAA All-American (3x cross country) … Two-time PSAC Athlete of the Year (Outdoor Track & Field 2014, Cross Country 2014) … Competed at 2014 USATF Outdoor Championships in Sacramento … Four-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete … Two-time D2ADA Academic Achievement Award recipient.
Cody Harris, Edinboro
Football, Senior
Waldo, Ohio/Marion Pleasant
Major: Human Performance
3.87
Completed 238 of 342 passes for 2,344 yards with 18 TDs and 3 INTs in 2014 … L the PSAC and ranked second in Division II in completion percentage (69.6) and also led PSAC and was 11th in completions per game … Two-time second team All-PSAC selection (2011 & ’12) … Started 43 games in his career … completed 891 of 1,294 passes for 9,605 yards with 73 TDs and just 25 INTs … Tied for fourth in Division II among active players in passing yards … Ranks second in career total offense with 10,147 yards … Holds career completion percentage record (68.9 pct.) while ranking second in all other categories … Concludes career ranked in the top ten in the PSAC in career passing yards and career total offense … Has two of the top six seasons for passing yards (3rd and 6th) and four of the top eight single-game figures, including second with 460 yards vs. Clarion in 2012 … Has three of the top nine seasons in total offense (3rd, 8th, and 9th) and three of the top seven single-game figures, incl. 2nd (474 vs. Clarion in ’12) and 3rd (455 vs. Bloomsburg in ’13) … A five-time Edinboro Scholar-Athlete and four-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete.
Lucy Kauffman, Shippensburg
Field Hockey, Senior
Dillsburg, Pa. / Northern
Major: Biology
3.899
Shippensburg’s lone 2014 NFHCA First Team All-American … 2014 All-PSAC First Team Honoree … 2014 PSAC Champion Scholar ... 2014 USA Field Hockey Division II Player of the Year ... Played an integral role in a defensive unit that tied a school record with just 13 goals allowed this season … Significant factor on offense through penalty corners and other set plays – leading the team with eight assists … Only goal was the lone tally in a 1-0 PSAC Quarterfinal victory over Slippery Rock … Played in all 82 games for SHIP from 2011-14, making 45 starts … Anchored 2014 defense that set (tied) school record for fewest goals allowed in a season (13)… Career totals include 5 goals, 17 assists, 27 points, 2 GWG … 2013 NFHCA Second Team All-American … 2013 PSAC Second Team Honoree … 2013 NCAA Elite 89 Award Winner … Three-time Gladiator by SGI/NFHCA Division II National Academic Squad … Member of Shippensburg’s 2013 NCAA D-II Field Hockey Championship team.
Meghan Kelly, Edinboro
Women’s Soccer, Senior
Mars, Pa. / Mars
Major: Early Childhood / Special Education
4.00
Earned NSCAA All-Atlantic Region third team and All-PSAC third team honors as a senior after leading Edinboro to fourth straight appearance in PSAC Tournament … Started all 19 matches, ending the year with 10-7-2 record with 1.02 GAA and four shutouts … Played all but 17 minutes in goal … Named to the 2014 Capital One Academic All-America® Division II Women’s Soccer first team after earning All-District 2 honors for the second time … Led Edinboro to four PSAC Tournament appearances and three NCAA playoff appearances during her career … Holds school records for career wins (41) and shutouts (21), ranking tenth in PSAC history in the latter category ... Career 1.03 goals against average stands second at Edinboro … Finished with a 41-23-7 career record while starting 70 matches, and also holds the school record for minutes in goal (6,497) … Finished second in career saves with 300 … Four-time Edinboro Scholar-Athlete and three-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete.
Colin Kimball, Mercyhurst
Football, Senior
Erie, Pa. / McDowell
Major: Graphic Design
3.972
Finished third on team with a career-best 63 tackles (53 solo, 10 assisted) … set a new career-high and led team in interceptions (7) and interception return yards (184)…Led the PSAC in interceptions, interception return yards, and interceptions returned for touchdowns…Was a finalist for the 2014 Cliff Harris Award as the Small College Defensive Player of the Year…Capital One First Team Academic All-American® in both 2013 and 2014 and was a Capital One First Team Academic All-District in 2013 and 2014…2013 & 2014 PSAC Fall Top Ten Award winner…Earned a number of on-the-field accolades in 2014, including: Daktronics First Team All-American, Beyond Sports Network Second Team All-American, AP Little Third Team All-American, ECAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year, All-PSAC West First Team, Daktronics All-Super Region I First Team, Beyond Sports Network All-Super Region I First Team, and an ECAC All-Star.
Nicole Krueger, Slippery Rock
Women’s Soccer, Senior
Scottsdale, Ariz. / Horizon
Major: Exercise Science
4.00
Started nine of 17 games played … Named to the 2014 Capital One CoSIDA Academic All-America Team … Helped lead SRU to 19th consecutive winning season … Produced 14 points in 2014 off of a team-high six goals and two assists … 12 of 20 shots were on goal … Scored the game-winning goal in a 2-1 SRU victory at Seton Hill … Scored three goals and had two assists against Pitt-Johnstown … Also scored two goals against Lock Haven … SRU was 8-0-1 in games Krueger started…. Has recorded a perfect 4.0 GPA throughout all four years of her collegiate career … A four-time PSAC Scholar Athlete … Ranks 22nd in Slippery Rock history for points in a career with 34 (13 goals / eight assists) … Started 31 of 65 games played over her Slippery Rock career … A part of 56 wins at Slippery Rock … Helped SRU win one PSAC championship and advance to the third round of the NCAA Tournament three times … A member of the Slippery Rock Athletes for Forgotten Angels service group that traveled to Kiserian, Kenya in January of 2014 for a 10-day trip to teach sports clinics and assist in service projects at Hekima Place, an orphanage for African girls.
Liam Nadler, Gannon
Football, Junior
Leipsic, Ohio/Leipsic Local
Major: Political Science
3.87
Completed 199 of 318 passes for 2750 passing yards, 21 passing TDs, 4 interceptions, 62.6 completion percentage, 154.5 passing efficiency, 386 rushing yards, 12 rushing TDs, 74 points, 3136 total offense in 2014…Named to the PSAC Top 10 as a sophomore … Was one of two quarterbacks in the country named a Capital One Academic All-American this season … Is a two-time Academic All-District first-team selection … Has been named a PSAC Scholar-Athlete and received the NCAA Division II Athletics Directors Association (ADA) Academic Achievement Award every year during his collegiate career … Is a two-time All-PSAC Western Division selection … Accumulated a conference-best 313.6 yards of total offense per game … Is Gannon's all-time leader in passing yards (8,519), 300-yard games (12), 200-yard games (22), pass completions (665) and passing touchdowns (58) … Ranks second all-time at Gannon in total offense (9,126) and seventh in points (164) … Named to the Beyond Sports Network (BSN) All-Super Region One honorable-mention team this season.
Laura Subject, Clarion
Volleyball, Senior
Novi, Mich. / Novi
Major: Athletic Training
3.94
Second in PSAC and 20th in NCAA D-II in set assists per set with 11.27 … 12th in PSAC with 0.39 service aces per set … Led Clarion to a second straight PSAC West title and to the NCAA D-II playoffs for the sixth straight year (2nd round for second straight season) … 2014 NCAA Division II Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America of the Year in women’s volleyball … 2014 and 2013 PSAC West Athlete of the Year in women’s volleyball … 2014 Honorable Mention Daktronics All-America … 2014 Daktronics Atlantic Region Player of the Year … 2013 & 2014 Capital One/CoSIDA First Team Academic All-District … 2013 & 2014 AVCA First Team All-Region … 2013 Daktronics First Team All-Region … Three-time PSAC West First Team Setter … Helped Clarion achieve the highest GPA in women’s volleyball in the PSAC in both 2012 and 2013 including having the highest GPA of any team regardless of sport in the PSAC in 2013-14 school year.