PSAC Fall Top 10 Honorees Announced
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference is pleased to announce its 2021 Fall Top 10 Award recipients, chosen and voted on by the league’s sports information directors.
The PSAC Top 10 was initiated in the 1998-99 academic year, given to men and women who excel in both the classroom and in athletic competition.
The winners for the Fall semester are Hannah Barbush (East Stroudsburg), Rece Bender (East Stroudsburg), Ali Finch (East Stroudsburg), Chayce Macknair (Shippensburg), Ricky Robinson (Shepherd), Lauren Sampson (Gannon), Beckham Sibiski (Lock Haven), Jenna Sluymer (Shippensburg), Sidney Warden (Mercyhurst), and Sydney Wolf (Seton Hill).
Hannah Barbush
School: East Stroudsburg
Hometown: Manheim, Pa. / Manheim Central
Sport: Field Hockey
Major: Special Education / Early Childhood Education
Cumulative GPA: 3.92
Hannah Barbush started all 21 games for the Warriors in 2021 and was an All-PSAC First Teams selection along with an NCAA All-Tournament Team pick. She recorded three goals and had team-highs in assists (8) and defensive saves (5) as a back. Academically, Barbush was the NCAA Elite-90 Award Winner in 2021, a PSAC Champion Scholar this year and is a five-time PSAC Scholar Athlete. She is also a three-time NFHCA DII Scholar of Distinction honoree.
Rece Bender
School: East Stroudsburg
Hometown: Lancaster, Pa. / Manheim Central
Sport: Football
Major: Sport Management
Cumulative GPA: 3.80
In 2021, Bender was a CoSIDA Academic All-American, a CoSIDA Super Region 1 All-District honor and a First-Team All-PSAC selection. He was second in the PSAC in all-purpose yards per game (120.73). He led ESU and was fourth in the conference in receiving yards (795) while averaging 19.4 yards per reception which was 19th in the nation. Over the years, Bender is a three-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete and a Three-Time Athletic Directors Honor Roll member.
Ali Finch
School: East Stroudsburg
Hometown: Cadillac, Mich. / Cadillac
Sport: Volleyball
Major: Communication Sciences & Disorders
Cumulative GPA: 3.95/4.0
Finch was a D2CCA All-Atlantic Region First Team selection and the PSAC East Athlete of the Year for Volleyball after playing in all 29 matches finishing with a team-high 204 kills, 855 assists, five triple-doubles and was second on the roster in digs with 335, and blocks with 83.0. She was a CoSIDA Academic All-American and a PSAC Scholar-Athlete.
Chayce Macknair
School: Shippensburg
Hometown: Lewistown, Pa. / Mifflin County
Sport: Cross Country
Major: History/Social Studies Cert.
Cumulative GPA: 4.0
Macknair was the 2021 PSAC Men’s Cross Country Champion, a PSAC First-Team honoree, an All-Region Honoree and a 2021 NCAA Championships National Qualifier. He is a three-time All-PSAC runner and a USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honoree.
Ricky Robinson
School: Shepherd
Hometown: Mathias, W.Va. / East Hardy
Sport: Football
Major: Business Administration (UDG), MBA (GRAD)
Cumulative GPA: 3.88 (UDG) / 4.0 (GRAD)
Robinson recorded 45 tackles (27 solos) as he helped lead Shepherd to a 13-2 mark and an appearance in the national semifinals. He added a sack (-11 yards), a pair of quarterback hurries, and a blocked kick. He earned second team All-PSAC East honors in 2021. He is a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-American.
Lauren Sampson
School: Gannon
Hometown: Hilliard, Ohio
Sport: Volleyball
Major: Biology
Cumulative GPA: 3.916
Sampson was an All-America honoree by the AVCA, an All-Atlantic Region selection, a CoSIDA Academic All-American, the PSAC West Athlete of the Year and a First-Team All-PSAC member. Just the third Gannon volleyball athlete to earn All-America and Academic All-America Honors in same season.
Beckham Sibiski
School: Lock Haven
Hometown: Kutztown, Pa. / Kutztown
Sport: Men’s Soccer
Major: UNDG Secondary Education/Mathematics, GRD: Teaching and Learning/Instructional Technology
Cumulative GPA: 3.905 UNDG / 4.0 GRD
Sibiski is a First-Team USC All-American and a D2CCA All-American while also being a PSAC East Athlete of the Year and All-Atlantic Region honoree. He was also the USC National Scholar Player of the Year. He started in all 19 games, tallied 12 assists and seven goals. His 0.63 assists per game were tops in the PSAC.
Jenna Sluymer
School: Shippensburg
Hometown: Nieuw-Vennep, The Netherlands / Haarlemmermeer Lyceum, Hoofddorp
Sport: Field Hockey
Major: Marketing & Management (Dual)
Cumulative GPA: 3.75
A First-Team NFHCAA All-American and a member of the DII National Championship Field Hockey Team. Ranked second in the nation in goals per game (1.2) and points per game (2.9). Had the game-winning goal in the National Championship Game. She is a two-time All-American and a three-time All-PSAC Selection.
Warden was a CoSIDA Academic All-American and All-District honoree after being named PSAC West Athlete of the Year. He also earned D2CCA All-American honors and All-Region honors. He finished third in the nation in goals with 18 and led the conference in goals and points (40).
Wolf was the PSAC Cross Country Individual Champion and finished fourth at NCAA Atlantic Regional helping the Griffins to a second-place finish. She earned All-Region honors as well.
ABOUT THE PSAC
Headquartered in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference is an NCAA Division II Conference comprised of 18 institutions in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The member institutions are Bloomsburg University, California University of Pennsylvania, Clarion University, East Stroudsburg University, Edinboro University, Gannon University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown University, Lock Haven University, Mansfield University, Mercyhurst University, Millersville University, The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, Seton Hill University, Shepherd University, Shippensburg University, Slippery Rock University and West Chester University.