2013-14 D2ADA Academic Achievement Awards

Cleveland, OH -- On Friday, the Division 2 Athletics Directors Association (D2ADA) announced the 2013-14 recipients of the DII ADA Academic Achievement Awards. Among the list of honorees were 19 Academy of Art University Urban Knights dedicated to being well-rounded student-athletes.

Of the 156 institutions that submitted nominees, a total of 6,975 student-athletes were recognized for their efforts this past year. The winners of the awards came from nine different Academy of Art University sports. This select group of 19 Urban Knights earned the distinction, representing ART U among its fellow NCAA Division II institutions.

"We are so proud of our artist-athletes," Director of Athletics Colin Preston said. "It's great to continue this tradition of honoring academic success with the Division 2 Athletics Directors Association."

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 DII 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 D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award:

• Aaron Aikman – Men's Basketball
• Daniela Amelunge Antelo – Women's Tennis
• Lindsay Elgin – Women's Volleyball
• Kai Fink – Baseball
• Lennart Fleschhut – Men's Soccer
• Natalie Gabriel – Women's Soccer
• Aaron Garabedian – Baseball
• Jenny Johansson – Women's Tennis
• Elizabeth Khuu – Women's Track & Field
• Sarah Lemp – Women's Tennis
• Jasmin Leonhardt – Women's Soccer
• Mariana Pazos – Women's Golf
• Sophie Meneses – Women's Soccer
• Arianna Michaels – Women's Cross Country
• Deanna Tyndall – Women's Golf
• Luca Theis – Men's Soccer
• Sierra Sanchez – Women's Golf
• Rachael Smith – Women's Volleyball
• Meg Williams – Women's Volleyball

In addition to Academy of Art University, student-athletes from five other schools within the Pacific West Conference also received honors. Dixie State, Dominican, Hawaii Pacific, Notre Dame de Namur, and UH Hilo also had names on the distinguished list.

"As our Association continues to strive to recognize the outstanding student-athletes in our division, we would like to thank and congratulate the institutions that took part in honoring the 2013-14 Academic Achievement Award winners," D2ADA President Eric Schoh, Director of Athletics at Winona State University, said. "This award gives the D2ADA an additional platform to showcase these individuals and their efforts in the classroom, as well as on the playing field."