PSAC Winter Top 10 Announced
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference is pleased to announce its Winter 2019-20 Top 10 Award recipients, chosen and voted on by the league’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 is given to five males and five females in each athletic season; fall, winter and spring.
The Winter 2019-20 awards winners are Edinboro’s Michaela Barnes, Gannon’s Brent Benedict, West Chester’s Ralph Casper, Bloomsburg’s Becca Cubbler, Seton Hill’s Nathan Davis, Slippery Rock’s Jason Goodman, Pitt-Johnstown’s John Paul Kromka, East Stroudsburg’s Tiffany Lapotsky, IUP’s Paige Mikesell and Edinboro’s Stefanie Parsons.
Cubbler, Davis and Lapotsky are all repeat winners from last winter.
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Michaela Barnes (Lakewood, Ohio / Kenston), Edinboro
Women's Basketball - Senior
Major: HPE - Human Performance
Cumulative GPA: 3.50
Was a WBCA All-American (one of only ten plus HM), along with earning first team Women’s Division II Bulletin All-American honors and D2CCA second team All-American honors, and PSAC West Athlete of the Year … also selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-America second team … first team D2CCA All-Atlantic Region … led the PSAC and ranked second in Division II in scoring at 26.3 ppg., a school record … set school records for game, season and career scoring, with 45 points vs. Slippery Rock and 737 points for the season, the third-highest total in PSAC history (record is 744) … concluded her career as just the 14th player in PSAC history with 2,000 points, finishing at 2,019 points, good for tied for 12th all-time in the PSAC. She also became the leader in scoring at Edinboro – men's or women's – passing Jaymon Mason's men's record of 2,005 points … added 5.2 rpg., and finished second on the team in assists with 96 … shot 47.6 pct. from the floor (253-of-532), making 31-of-86 3-pointers, along with shooting 83.7 percent from the line (200-of-239), ranking third in the PSAC … the 200 free throws made is a school record, as is the 239 attempts … her 253 field goals made is tied for third in a season, and the 532 attempts ranks fifth … was named the PSAC West Player of the Week six times …scored in double figures in all 28 games and 44 games in a row dating back to last year, Barnes scored 20-or-more points in 20 games, 30-or-more points in nine games, and 40-or-more in three games...Two-time WBCA All-American and Women’s Division II Bulletin All-American, earning first team honors as a senior and honorable mention as a junior … 2020 D2CCA second team All-American … 2020 PSAC West Athlete of the Year and 2017 PSAC West Freshman of the Year … three-time All-PSAC West selection, earning first team honors as a junior and senior and second team as a sophomore … one of only seven players in PSAC history to score 600 points in a season more than once. Had 737 in 2019-20 and 609 points in 2018-19, which ranks fifth in a season at Edinboro … averaged 21.0 ppg. as a junior, ranking fourth in the PSAC and 15th in Division II …along with holding school record for career scoring (2,019 points), she is first in field goals made (705), fourth in field goals attempted (1,490), second in free throws made (510), fourth in free throws attempted (612), and 15th in 3-point field goals made (99) … ranks fourth in career scoring average at 17.3 ppg., and played in 117 games, which is tied for sixth … also ranks third in career free throw percentage (.833) and career 3-point field goal percentage (.393), along with standing 17th in career assists (284) … the first Edinboro player with multiple 600-plus point seasons, and also the first to average 20-or-more points in multiple seasons … boosted her season scoring average each season. After averaging 8.0 ppg. as a freshman, improved to 14.2 ppg. as a sophomore, before averaging 21.0 ppg. as a junior and 26.3 ppg. this past season.
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Brent Benedict (Corry, Pa. / Corry), Gannon
Men's Swimming - Senior
Major: Sport Management & Marketing
Cumulative GPA: 3.59
PSAC Swimmer of the Year... PSAC Championships Most Outstanding Swimmer... 6 total gold medals at PSACs – 4 individual and 2 relays...Broke PSAC conference records in four events – 50 free, 100 back, 200 back and 100 fly... Broke Gannon program records in six individual events and all five relays...Earned NCAA A cut in 50 free, and B cuts in 100 free, 200 free, 100 back, 200 back and 100 fly...NCAA All-American in 100 fly, finishing 10th at shortened NCAA Championships...2x PSAC Swimmer of the Year...3x NCAA All-American – 2019-20-100 fly; 2018-19-100 fly, 50 free...PSAC record holder in four events – 50 free, 100 back, 200 back, 100 fly...Gannon record holder in 11 events – 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 100 back, 200 back, 100 fly, all five relays.
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Ralph Casper (York, Pa. / York Suburban), West Chester
Men's Indoor Track and Field - Junior
Major: Exercise Science
Cumulative GPA: 3.65
NCAA qualifier in shot put … ranked fourth nationally in the shot put … PSAC champion in the shot put … placed second at PSAC Track & Field Championships in the weight throw … broke PSAC record in the shot put with a distance of 61-11 ¾ … best weight throw performance was at PSAC Indoor Track & Field Championships with a throw of 59-5 … Casper competed in 12 events over the course of the 2019-20 Indoor season and was able to finish in the Top 5 every time ... Named PSAC Male Field Athlete of the Year ... Named USTFCCCA Atlantic Region Athlete of the Year ... Selected USTFCCA All-Atlantic Region ... Was named Field MVP at PSAC Indoor Championships ... Earned ECAC Athlete of the Month Honors ... Received PSAC Athlete of the Week honors three times in a four-week span this past winter.
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Becca Cubbler (Royersford, Pa. / Spring-Ford), Bloomsburg
Women's Swimmming - Senior
Major: Early Childhood Education / Special Education
Cumulative GPA: 3.90
NCAA Division II All-American in 1000-yard freestyle after 10th-place finish (10:02.63) and was in position to earn two more honors as she was ranked 11th in the country in the 500-yard freestyle (4:53.82) and 16th in the 1650-yard freestyle (17:00.21) … won her first career PSAC title by earning gold in the 200-yard freestyle (1:51.14) … was a six-time All-PSAC honoree at the 2020 championships (1st in 200 free; 2nd in 500 free, 1000 free, and 1650 free; 3rd in 800 free relay and 400 medley relay) … broke her own school record in the 1000 free (10:02.35) at the PSAC Championships en route to second-place finish (previous record was 10:09.18) … named PSAC Female Swimmer of the Week on December 10 ... Four-time NCAA Division II All-American ... Three-time All-American in 2019 – first BU female swimmer since Stu Marvin took over as head coach in 2008 to earn All-American honors in three individual events in same year ... PSAC Champion in 200-yard freestyle at 2020 PSAC Championships ... PSAC Champion in 400-yard freestyle relay at 2018 PSAC Championships ... 18-time All-PSAC honoree ... Three-time D2 ADA Scholar-Athlete ... Three-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete ... Three-time NCAA Scholar All-American ... Four-year NCAA Championship qualifier ... 2018-19 Google Cloud Academic All-America® At-Large First Team ... Only female from PSAC to earn First Team honors in At-Large division ... First women’s swimmer (second overall) to earn Academic All-America® status since 2007 ... 2018-19 Google Cloud Academic All-District® At-Large First Team ... 2018-19 PSAC Winter Top 10 Award ... Owns six Bloomsburg women’s swimming school records (200 free, 500 free, 1000 free, 400 medley relay, 400 free relay, 800 free relay).
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Nathan Davis (Bellwood, Pa. / Bellwood Artis), Seton Hill
Men's Basketball - Senior
Major: Spanish
Cumulative GPA: 3.96
Leading scorer for the Griffins, averaging 19.3 points per game, which was fifth in the league . . . was second on the Griffins with 5.7 rebounds per game . . . fourth in the PSAC in three pointers made per game (2.6) and was fifteenth in three point percentage . . . led the league in free throw percentage (92.5%) ... 2020 CoSIDA Academic All American Second Team Selection . . . 2019-20 Second Team All PSAC West Selection . . . scored his1,700th career point and is the second leading scorer in school history . . . 2019 PSAC Winter Top 10 Award winner . . . 2019 CoSIDA Academic All American First Team Selection . . . 2018-19 Second Team All PSAC West selection.
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Jason Goodman (Allison Park, Pa. / Hampton), Slippery Rock
Men's Indoor Track and Field - Junior
Major: Exercise Science
Cumulative GPA: 3.96
PSAC Champion in the heptathlon with NCAA provisional score of 4,872 points … No. 1 heptathlon score in the entire Atlantic Region in 2019-20 to earn All-Region honors … also placed seventh in the long jump at the PSAC meet indoor, competing in eight total events over two days and scoring in both competitions to help SRU place third in the team standings … placed in the top five in all seven events of the heptathlon at the PSAC meet on the way to winning the title … Improved his career-best in the heptathlon by nearly 400 points at the PSAC meet (was 4,474 going into championships) ... Eight-time PSAC qualifier … Dean’s List in every semester … PSAC Scholar-Athlete in every semester … USTFCCCA All-Academic in 2019-20 … owns a 3.963 cumulative GPA in SRU’s rigorous exercise science program.
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John Paul Kromka (Monroeville, Pa. / Gateway), Pitt-Johnstown
Men's Basketball - Sophomore
Major: Engineering
Cumulative GPA: 3.92
15.2 ppg., 8.3 rpg., .614 FG% (183-298), 78 blocks, 71 assists, 32 steals ... Led PSAC in field goal Percentage, total blocks, and blocked shots per game (2.5) ... Ranked fifth Nationally in total blocks, eighth in blocks per game, and 16th in field goal percentage ... 2019-20 First-Team All-PSAC West ... 2019-20 PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Year ... 2019-20 5-time PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week and 3-time PSAC West Athlete of the Week ... 2019-20 Second-Team NABC All-Atlantic Region ... 2019-20 Second Team D2CCA All-Atlantic Region ... 2019-20 Third-Team CoSIDA Academic All-American ... 2019-20 First Team CoSIDA All-District II ... 2018-19 Second-Team All-PSAC West ... 2018-19 PSAC West Freshman of the Year ... 2018-19 PSAC Wests Defensive Athlete of the Year.
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Tiffany Lapotsky (Ashland, Pa. / North Schuylkill), East Stroudsburg
Women's Basketball - Senior
Major: Exercise Science
Cumulative GPA: 3.958
Lapotsky finished her senior season by earning All-PSAC East first-team accolades for the second straight year. She paced the team in field goals, free-throws, points per game, and steals. Lapotsky set a career-high by averaging 18.9 points per contest to go along with 566 points (the second most for a single season in program history). She scored 20 or more points in a game 15 times and netted 10 or more points in 29 games. She matched a career-high by scoring 30 points against Mercyhurst on Dec. 21. She made a career-best 195 field goals and went 139-of-170 (81.8 percent) at the free-throw line ... 2019 PSAC Winter Top 10 award winner … 2x CoSIDA Academic All-District selection … 2x CoSIDA Academic All-America Selection … Pete Nevins Lehigh Valley Small College Organization Women’s Player of the Year ... She finishes her career ranked 6th all-time in program history with 1,486 points and 529 made field goals. She also ranks 5th all-time with 129 3-point field-goals and a 33.2 career 3-point shooting percentage. She became only the seventh player in program history to record 1,400 points in her career and first since Jackie Yandrisevits (2005-09). As a junior, paced the team in field goals, 3-point field goals, free throws, and points per game and was an All-PSAC East first-team selection. As a sophomore earned All-PSAC East second-team accolades and ranked second on the team in scoring and 3-point field goal percentage.
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Paige Mikesell (Clearfield, Pa. / Clearfield Area), IUP
Women's Swimming - Sophomore
Major: Health & Physical Education
Cumulative GPA: 4.0
Most Outstanding Swimmer at 2020 PSAC Championships … Won four PSAC titles including the 100 and 200 butterfly, 200 IM, and was the lead leg in the 800 free relay … Broke two meet records (200 free, 200 fly) … Time in 100 butterfly broke the 8-year record held by former national champion Jackie Hynson … Had one NCAA A standard and four B standard times at PSAC championships … Was set to compete in four events – 100 fly, 200 fly, 200 IM, 200 free – at NCAA Championships … Had second fastest 200 fly in Division II at 1:59.22, just .05 off the top seeded time at the NCAA Championships … Also had fifth fastest time in nation in the 200 free (1:49.32), sixth fastest time in 100 fly (54.09) and 11th fastest in 200 IM (2:02.08) … Led Crimson Hawks with 345 points during the season … Had 26 top-3 finishes, including 17 victories … Broke three school records during the season ... Dean’s List each semester … PSAC scholar-athlete … CSCAA scholar … Part of All-American and school-record breaking 400 medley relay as a freshman at the 2019 NCAA Championships.
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Stefanie Parsons (Acton, Ontario, Canada / Christ the King), Edinboro
Indoor Track and Field - Junior
Major: Exercise Science
Cumulative GPA: 3.70
Was named the PSAC Indoor Track & Field Track Athlete of the Year for the second straight year, and qualified for the NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships in the 1-mile run and 3,000-meter run … won both events at the PSAC Indoor Championships, and owned the ninth-fastest time in Division II in the mile (4:48.99) and 17th in the 3,000 (9:41.92). Her time in the 3,000 broke a 30-year-old school record … won four events at the PSAC Championships, adding the 800-meter run and running the mile leg of the winning distance medley relay team … scored 32.5 points for the Fighting Scots as Edinboro came in third, tied for the second-best finish in school history … owned the fastest times in the PSAC and the Atlantic Region this year in the 800, mile, 3,000, and DMR, along with the second-fastest in the 5,000 … was named the USTFCCCA Atlantic Region Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year and was an All-Region honoree in five different events – the 800, 3,000, 5,000, 1-mile run, and distance medley relay ... An All-American in both cross country and track & field … earned All-American honors in cross country this past fall with a 17th place finish at Nationals, and was a 2019 indoor track & field All-American in the 1-mile run with a sixth place finish … PSAC awards include: 2019 PSAC Fall Top 10, 2019 and 2020 PSAC Indoor Track & Field Track Athlete of the Year; a year ago became just the second individual in the sport to capture two awards in the same season -- named the PSAC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year and Freshman of the Year … was also named the 2018 PSAC Indoor Track & Field Freshman of the Year after being named the PSAC Indoor Track & Field Championships Track Athlete of the Meet … in cross country, was named the 2019 PSAC Cross Country Athlete of the Year and the USTFCCCA Atlantic Region Athlete of the Year after winning both the PSAC and Atlantic Region individual championships … in 2017, was named the PSAC Freshman of the Year … is a three-time All-Atlantic Region and All-PSAC performer in cross country … as a freshman, was second at the PSAC Championships and fourth at the Atlantic Regional … 2018-19 CoSIDA Academic All-District 2 Track/Cross Country honoree and USTFCCCA All-Academic in cross country and track & field.
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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 winter sports eligible for consideration for the Winter Top 10 Awards are men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s indoor track and field, men’s and women’s swimming and wrestling.