Academic honors
Twenty-nine student-athletes inducted into Honor Society
The Binghamton Athletic Department inducted 29 student-athletes into the National College Athlete Honor Society (Chi Alpha Sigma) on Monday evening in the TAU Club Room of the Events Center. This marks the 12th consecutive year that the athletic department has held such inductions.
In order to be eligible for induction into Chi Alpha Sigma, a student-athlete must have achieved junior academic standing by their fifth semester, have attained at least a 3.4 cumulative grade point average and have earned at least one varsity letter in a sport sponsored by the NCAA.
Student-athletes achieve 3.20 GPA in spring
Binghamton student-athletes registered another eye-popping academic number for the spring semester. The group of 414 individuals achieved a 3.20 grade-point average - the second-highest semester mark in program history.
It was the 10th straight semester that the group surpassed a 3.10 GPA and the 3.20 figure was only surpassed by the 3.23 average posted in Spring 2016.
An incredible 69 percent of student-athletes earned a 3.0 or higher GPA and 50.2 percent (268 individuals) were at 3.3 or higher. More than one-third of the group (37%) held down a 3.5 or higher.
Men’s lacrosse standout Moore named Scholar All-American
The United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) named its Scholar All-America selections on Wednesday evening. Tom Moore was one of 55 players named to the list.
Moore is the third Bearcat in Binghamton’s Division I era to be named to the list. He joins current Head Coach Kevin McKeown (2004) and Derrick Danieu (2011).
Moore lead the Bearcats to their most successful season in program history, posting a new Binghamton record with 11 wins on the season. He was also named a USILA Honorable Mention All-American and an Inside Lacrosse Media All-American for the 2017 season.
Ten Bearcats named America East Presidential Scholar-Athletes
Ten graduating Binghamton senior student-athletes have been honored by the America East as Presidential Scholar-Athletes. The award recognizes graduating student-athletes who compiled a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or higher as an undergraduate student and are graduating this spring.
In addition to registering a 3.75 GPA for their college career, honored student-athletes must have attended their institution for a minimum of two years. The 10 selections is the highest single-year total for Binghamton.
From the women’s lacrosse team, Sharon Bossert, Dana Kinel and Callon Williams were honored. Joe Miceli, Danielle McLean, Eileen O’Hara and Alana MacDonald were part of the track and/or cross country programs. Gabby Bracchi played on the softball team, Sarah Ngo was part of the volleyball squad and Kasey Brida was part of the women’s soccer program.
Bossert, Bracchi and MacDonald were named to the America East All-Academic teams for their respective sports.
Swim teams earn national academic honors
The men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs have both been recognized as College Swimming Coaches Association (CSCAA) Scholar All-America Teams. For the first time in the 95-year history of CSCAA more than 700 teams have received scholar All-America recognition. In total, 720 teams, representing 443 institutions achieved a grade point average of 3.0 or higher during the Spring 2017 semester.
“We are very proud of our student-athletes for once again being considered a Scholar All-America team,” said Head Coach Brad Smith. “This is the fifth consecutive semester for both teams. It is not easy to juggle studies and sports especially when our athletes have practice starting at 5:30 am and then they return after classes to practice until 8 pm. They commit so much time and effort to both and I continue to be amazed and inspired at what they are able to accomplish.”
The Scholar All-America award is in recognition of teams’ that achieved a grade point average of 3.0 or higher during the fall semester. The men’s team produced a 3.16 GPA during the spring semester, while the women’s team accumulated a 3.17. Part of the reason for the increase in award-winning teams is the overall growth of the sport of swimming and diving. The number of men’s and women’s institutions sponsoring the sport is at a ten-year high.
Wrestling pair earn national academic honors
The off-mat honors continue this week for redshirt senior Dylan Caruana and freshman Parker Kropman as both were named to the 2017 NWCA Division I All-Academic Team. Caruana and Kropman each also recently earned All-EIWA Academic nods.
To qualify, wrestlers must have at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA, been an NCAA qualifier or won 60 percent of his total schedule and must have competed in at least 60 percent of said schedule. Wrestlers can also earn a spot if they have a 3.0 cumulative GPA and been an NCAA All-American.
Caruana qualified for the NCAA tournament for his first time after a fifth place finish at the 2017 EIWA Championships at 141 pounds. The native of Kenmore, NY went 19-17 overall this season while finishing his career with 65 match wins and 21 pins. Caruana earned the academic recognition for a 3.22 GPA while attaining his masters in education.
Kropman earned a seventh place finish in the 149 pound bracket for his EIWA debut. The freshman finished the season with a 19-13 overall record, recorded five pins and earned a team high 45 points in dual matches for the Bearcats. Kropman found his way onto the list with a 3.60 GPA enrolled in Harpur college with a 60 percent win record for the 2017 season.
Four wrestlers are EIWA All-Academic selections
Audey Ashkar, Dylan Caruana, Parker Kropman and Mark Tracy of Binghamton wrestling have been recognized by the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association receiving Academic Achievement Awards for the 2016-17 season.
To qualify, student-athletes must have achieved a cumulative GPA average of 3.2 and participated in the EIWA Tournament or achieved a cumulative GPA average of 3.0 and qualified for the NCAA Championships through the EIWA.
“This just shows how everything ties together and how everything’s important, athletically, socially and academically,” head coach Matt Dernlan said. “The work these four guys have put in the classroom is a reflection of the lifestyle they committed to since the first day we challenged them. I couldn’t be prouder of their efforts on and off the mat.”