2017-18 D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards
CLEVELAND -- On Monday, the Division 2 Athletics Directors Association (D2 ADA) announced its 2017-18 recipients of the D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards. Among the list of honorees were 24 Academy of Art University Urban Knights dedicated to being well-rounded student-athletes.
Of the 165 institutions that submitted nominees, a record total of 10,219 student-athletes were recognized for their efforts this past year. The winners of the awards came from 11 different Academy of Art University sports. This select group of 24 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
Casey Childers – Women's Soccer
Ben Clegg – Baseball
Madeline Dignadice – Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Jarred Gregory-Grimes– Men's Cross Country/Track & Field
Chandler Johnson – Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Emma Johnson – Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Han-Chuan "Vicky" Kuo – Women's Golf
Lawrence Liang – Men's Golf
Beatriz Martinez Mercado – Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Victor Moreau – Men's Cross Country/Track & Field
Helena Orts – Women's Basketball
Swann Phelippeau – Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Marion Presigny – Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Hayley Pryor – Women's Basketball
Bailey Soolsma – Women's Volleyball
Alma Thell-Lenntorp – Women's Tennis
Klara Thell-Lenntorp – Women's Tennis
Marvin Thomas – Men's Cross Country/Track & Field
Alexander Tombach – Men's Soccer
Maria Fernanda Traboulsi – Women's Golf
Margaret Winkler – Women's Volleyball
In addition to Academy of Art University, student-athletes from 13 other schools within the Pacific West Conference also received honors including Azusa Pacific, Biola, California Baptist, Chaminade, Concordia, Dixie State, Dominican, Fresno Pacific, Hawaii Pacific, Holy Names, Notre Dame de Namur, Point Loma, and UH Hilo.
"As an Officer for the D2 ADA Board, it has pleased me to see the number of student-athletes recognized for their academic achievements continue to increase," said current D2 ADA President Jim Johnson, director of athletics at Pittsburg State University. "This program is a point of pride for our current D2 ADA member institutions and a great way for their student-athletes' achievements to be recognized nationally. On behalf of the D2 ADA, we congratulate and celebrate these academic distinctions and are proud of your accomplishments."
