2022-23 D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards
CLEVELAND – The NCAA Division 2 Athletics Directors Association (D2 ADA) announced its 2022-23 recipients of the D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards on Thursday. Among the list of honorees were 29 Academy of Art University Urban Knights who thrived in the classroom.
Of the 196 institutions that submitted nominees, a record total of 19,646 student-athletes were recognized for their efforts this past year. The winners of the awards came from 10 different Academy of Art University sports and this select group of 29 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 D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards:
Michaela Andrews – Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Raquel Calvo Mendez – Women's Soccer
Aitana Comas Adam – Women's Tennis
Elle Edeker – Softball
Britney Flint – Women's Soccer
Chris Fung – Baseball
Katharina Goetschl – Women's Track & Field
Sydney Harmon – Softball
Erica Hellbe – Women's Tennis/Soccer
Davis King – Men's Soccer
Brian Kraft – Baseball
Viktoria Leth – Women's Tennis
Elly McInerney – Volleyball
Hannah Moore – Women's Soccer
Brooklyn Morera – Women's Soccer
Hayato Niki – Baseball
Julia Ortega – Women's Tennis
Nicole Peoples – Women's Soccer
Napat "Plern" Rattanaprakarn – Women's Golf
Amalie Rupertova – Volleyball
Cannon Secrist – Baseball
Yun "Nicole" Shiau – Women's Tennis
Reyna Valencia – Women's Soccer
Nina Vallejos – Softball
Haley Vaughan – Women's Soccer
Brooklyn Villapudua – Women's Soccer
Jillian Wheaton – Volleyball
Katie Williams – Women's Soccer
Giulio Zanichelli – Men's Golf
In addition to Academy of Art, 882 student-athletes from eight other schools within the Pacific West Conference also received honors including Azusa Pacific, Biola, Chaminade, Concordia, Dominican, Hawaii Pacific, Point Loma, and UH Hilo.
"This program continues to showcase the amazing student-athletes, and the impactful support of their coaches and staff, across our Division 2 landscape. I want to congratulate all the recipients for earning the D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award," said D2 ADA President Kirby Garry, director of athletics at Cal State Monterey Bay. "While the number of deserving student-athletes continues to increase annually, the number of institutions recognizing these individuals on campus also continues to trend upwards. We look forward to eclipsing the 200-institution barrier next year."
