LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference announced that Kutztown University’s Dr. Rolf Mayrhofer is its nominee for the 2025 NCAA Division II Dr. Dave Pariser Faculty Mentor Award. Mayrhofer is a professor of Chemistry at KU and is vital to the success of many Kutztown student-athletes.
 
The Dr. Dave Pariser Faculty Mentor Award, named after a Bellarmine University physical therapy professor who passed away in 2013, recognizes faculty members at Division II institutions for their dedication to supporting and mentoring student-athletes as well as their commitment to Division II student-athletes’ lifelong learning, competition, and well-being.
 
Dr. Mayrhofer goes above and beyond his day-to-day duties to make sure Kutztown student-athletes have proper guidance. As a former collegiate athlete, he is aware of how hectic student athletes’ lives get during the season and is always accommodating to their schedules. Dr. Mayrhofer also encourages students to maintain balance in academics, athletics, and personal well-being. As an instructor, Mayrhofer teaches with a passion for the subject of chemistry and is always around if any student needs help. He frequently asks every student individually how their course is going, if they have any questions, and if he could do anything to improve his teaching skills. Mayrhofer is deeply knowledgeable about summer internships and research opportunities and genuinely cares about his students and tries to give them every opportunity possible to ensure success in the future.
 
Also considered for recognition from the PSAC were a pair of West Chester University professors: Dr. Shannon McQueen, an Assistant Professor of Political Science, and Christina Croft, a Professor of Business Management.

The NCAA Division II National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee selects the annual recipient of the Dr. Dave Pariser Faculty Mentor Award. This year's recipient will be announced at next week’s annual NCAA Convention which begins Tuesday, January 13 in Washington, DC.