LA PLATA, Md. (Aug. 4, 2016)—Several student-athletes at the College of Southern Maryland have been recognized for their academic achievements by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference (MD JUCO) during the 2015-16 season.
Alejandro Smith of Huntingtown earned the NJCAA Pinnacle Award for Academic Excellence. The Pinnacle Award recognizes student-athletes with a 4.0 grade point average on a 4.00 scale for 36 quarter hours or 24 semester hours. Smith was on the men's cross country team.
Earning the NJCAA Award for Superior Academic Achievement were Corrine Fernald of Mechanicsville, softball; Sydney Schultz of Waldorf; women's soccer; and Austin Staats of La Plata, men's soccer. The Superior Academic Achievement Award recognizes student-athletes with a 3.80 to 3.99 GPA on a 4.00 scale for 36 quarter hours or 24 semester hours.
Earning the NJCAA Award for Exemplary Academic Achievement was Kaitlyn Hilgenberg of Huntingtown, women's lacrosse; Michael Maragh of Lexington Park, men's soccer; Zach Wehausen of Welcome, baseball; and Rachael Yatty of La Plata, women's soccer. The Exemplary Academic Achievement Award recognizes student-athletes with a 3.60 to 3.79 GPA on a 4.00 scale for 36 quarter hours or 24 semester hours.
Six students were named to the Region XX NJCAA All-Academic Team. Student athletes must have completed at least 36 credit hours of college course work, with at least a 3.5 GPA and must have competed in one season of varsity sports in the year they are nominated.
They were Emily Smith of Waldorf, women's volleyball; Sydney Schultz of Waldorf, women's soccer; Diana Cruz of Lexington Park, women's softball; Andrew Fisher of Charlotte Hall, men's lacrosse; Rachael Yatty of La Plata, women's soccer; and Alejandro Smith of Huntingtown, men's cross country.
Eight athletes were named to the MD JUCO All-Academic Team for first-year students. These athletes must have passed 18 credits in two semesters with a GPA of 3.5 or higher and must compete in the varsity sport in the year they are nominated.
They were Austin Staats of La Plata, men's soccer; Michael Maragh of Lexington Park, men's soccer; Zach Wehausen of Welcome, men's baseball; Emily Smith of Waldorf, women's volleyball; Corrine Fernald of Mechanicsville, women's softball; Thomas Jones of Waldorf, men's cross country; Lindsay Calderone of Mechanicsville, women's lacrosse; and Kaitlyn Hilgenberg of Huntingtown, women's lacrosse.
Five athletes were named to the MD JUCO All-Academic Team for second-year students. They must have passed 42 credits in four semesters with a GPA of 3.5 or higher and must compete in the varsity sport in the year they are nominated.
They were Sydney Schultz of Waldorf, women's soccer; Diana Cruz of Lexington Park, women's softball; Andrew Fisher of Charlotte Hall, men's lacrosse; Rachael Yatty of La Plata, women's soccer; and Alejandro Smith of Huntingtown, men's cross country.
"The accomplishments of our student-athletes in the classroom, in the heat of competition and in their everyday lives speak to the character and caliber of the young men and women of CSM who participate in sports while advancing their academic pursuits," said Michelle Ruble, lead director of the student life and athletics department.
About 200 students participate in athletics at CSM, she said.
The college offers men's baseball, basketball, golf, lacrosse and soccer, and women's basketball, cross country, lacrosse, soccer, softball and volleyball. Students must be enrolled at CSM in a minimum of 12 credit hours for the entire time they participate in a sport. This is considered full-time status and is required by the NJCAA.
Those interested in participating in athletics at CSM can learn more about the athletic programs and find a recruitment questionnaire at http://athletics.csmd.edu/navbar-information.
To follow CSM athletics during the 2016-17 academic year, visit the new website for Hawk Athletics at http://athletics.csmd.edu/landing/index.
To view photographs of the athletes who received NJCAA awards for academic achievement, visit http://csmphoto.zenfolio.com/15csmathletes.