2016-17 D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards
CLEVELAND -- On Monday, the Division 2 Athletics Directors Association (D2 ADA) announced its 2016-17 recipients of the D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards. Among the list of honorees were 22 Academy of Art University Urban Knights dedicated to being well-rounded student-athletes.
Of the 183 institutions that submitted nominees, a record total of 10,644 student-athletes were recognized for their efforts this past year. The winners of the awards came from 12 different Academy of Art University sports. This select group of 22 Urban Knights earned the distinction, representing ART U among its fellow NCAA Division II institutions.
The Academic Achievement Award winners were selected based upon a strict set of criteria. In addition to the athletics director of the Division II institution being a current dues paying member of the D2 ADA, the student-athletes chosen must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher, have attended a minimum of two years (four semesters) of college level work, and have been an active member of an intercollegiate team during his/her last academic year.
Below is an alphabetical list of the Urban Knights earning the D2ADA Academic Achievement Award:
Gatien Airiau – Men's Cross Country/Track & Field
Taisiia Andrieieva – Women's Tennis
Briaunna Caver – Women's Track & Field
Eamonn Coughlin – Men's Golf
McKaela Christenson – Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Madeline Dignadice – Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Silvia Fernstrom – Women's Soccer
Jacob Green – Baseball
Chandler Johnson – Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Hanna Kahn – Volleyball
Luke Lacy – Baseball
Beatriz Martinez Mercado – Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Priscilla Mora – Women's Basketball
Amanda Odesjo – Women's Track & Field
Helena Orts – Women's Basketball
Marion Presigny – Women's Track & Field
Hayley Pryor – Women's Basketball
Bailey Soolsma – Volleyball
Klara Thell-Lenntorp – Women's Tennis
Alma Thell-Lenntorp – Women's Tennis
Maria Fernanda Traboulsi – Women's Golf
Margaret Winkler – Volleyball
In addition to Academy of Art University, student-athletes from 12 other schools within the Pacific West Conference also received honors including Azusa Pacific, Biola, BYU-Hawaii, California Baptist, Concordia, Dixie State, Dominican, Hawaii Pacific, Holy Names, Notre Dame de Namur, Point Loma, and UH Hilo.
"As an Officer for the D2 ADA Board, I have been pleased to see the increase in the number of student-athletes recognized for their academic achievements," said D2 ADA President Scott Wiegandt, director of athletics at Bellarmine University. "This program is a point of pride for our current D2 ADA member institutions and a great way to recognize the achievements of their student athletes. On behalf of the D2 ADA we celebrate these academic accolades and are proud of your accomplishments."
