Academic honors
Volleyball receives academic award
The Binghamton volleyball team has been named an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Academic Team for the third year in a row. The award honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that displayed excellence in the classroom during the school year by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team GPA. The Bearcats maintained a 3.43 GPA during the 2016-17 academic year.
“We are proud of the effort of everyone on the team this year, said head coach Glenn Kiriyama. “Their dedication to volleyball but more so their dedication to their academic studies was impressive. They are so committed to excel and achieve at a high level, so this AVCA Academic award is a nice recognition for them.”
The AVCA Team Academic Award, celebrating its 25th year, is the single largest award offered by quantity of schools, players and coaches honored. Since the 2000-01 season, the number of recipients have increased every single year but two, while amassing a 532 team increase over the span of the last decade. Since the award’s inception in 1993, the amount of award winners has increased from 62 to its current number of 822.
Women’s lacrosse posts remarkable 3.31 team GPA
The Binghamton women’s lacrosse team has been recognized as a 2017 Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Zag Sports Academic Honor Squad for strong success in the classroom.
To qualify, teams must have a team GPA of 3.0 or higher for the 2016-17 academic year. Binghamton as a team had a 3.31 cumulative GPA this past year. It is the ninth year since 2005 that the team has received this honor, and the fourth time under head coach Stephanie Allen.
In addition, five Bearcats were selected to the 2017 Zag Sports Division I Academic Honor Roll. Sharon Bossert, Katie Gaudet, Dana Kinel, Jocelyn Penteck and Callon Williams were all honored with this award. To qualify, players must have a 3.5 GPA or higher and be on at least junior standing both academically and athletically.
Bossert and Williams, with a 3.85 GPA and a 3.32 GPA respectively, each earned a place on the honor roll for the second time. Juniors Gaudet (3.83), Kinel (4.0) and Penteck (3.88), each earned a place on the list in their first year eligible.
Track and field pair win academic honors
Recent graduate Joe Miceli and fifth-year senior Keishorea Armstrong have both received All-Academic honors from the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association (USTFCCCA). In addition, both the Bearcat men’s and women’s track & field programs were named All-Academic Teams.
To qualify for USTFCCCA All-Academic status, an individual must have at least a 3.25 cumulative GPA and have participated in a NCAA Regional Meet. Miceli, who previously earned the distinction in 2014 and 2016, placed a career-best 19th in the pole vault at the East Regional Meet back in May. Armstrong, meanwhile, took part in the long jump and earned All-Academic status for the first time in her career.
All teams that attained at least a 3.0 GPA earned All-Academic Team status. With a 3.16 overall GPA, the Binghamton men’s team made the grade for the fourth consecutive year and sixth time during its Division I era. The Bearcat women, meanwhile, had a 3.45 cumulative GPA. They too were honored for the fourth consecutive year and sixth time during their Division I era.
During its 16-year Division I era, Binghamton has now posted six individual USTFCCCA All-Academic selections on the men’s side as well as a pair of women’s honorees. Armstrong is the first Bearcat female selected since Jessica Hennig in 2013. Rory Quiller (2005 and 2007) and Adam Quinn (2012) were the previous men chosen.
Women’s tennis earns academic honors
With a shining 3.76 team grade-point average leading the way during the spring semester, Binghamton women’s tennis easily met the standard (3.2) to become an ITA All-Academic Team for the 2016-17 year. The Bearcats, coached by Libby McGovern, also put six individuals on the Scholar-Athlete team. Only 13 other schools (out of 318) had more individuals honored.
Binghamton held a 3.47 GPA during the fall semester and then produced the lofty 3.76 mark - the highest single-semester GPA of any team during BU’s Division I tenure.
Earning the Scholar-Athlete honors were graduating senior Annie DiMuro, rising seniors Olga Ostrovetsky and Allison Roma, and rising sophomores Michelle Eisenberg, Samara Eisenberg and Maya Haykal. Each achieved the minimum 3.5 year GPA to earn the award.
The Bearcats have had 24 ITA Scholar-Athletes since 2004, including 12 in the last three years. In addition, the team has received the ITA academic award four times in the last five years.
Men’s tennis trio receives national academic honors
Binghamton men’s tennis put three individuals on the ITA Scholar-Athlete Team, the association announced recently. Earning accolades for maintaining a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher were graduated senior Thomas Caputo and rising juniors Ludovico Cestarollo and Valentin Bouchet.
The trio led the Bearcats to a 3.26 team GPA during the spring semester, while pushing head coach Nick Zieziula’s squad to the verge of a MAC postseason berth.
Binghamton men’s tennis has had 51 ITA Scholar-Athletes since 2002, including three in each of the last three years under Zieziula’s guidance.