46 Winter Student-Athletes Earn Academic All-Big Ten

Photo by: (Ben Solomon/Rutgers Athletics)

46 Winter Student-Athletes Earn Academic All-Big Ten

Mar 20 | General, Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Women's Gymnastics, Women's Swimming & Diving, Wrestling

PISCATAWAY – A school-record 46 Rutgers student-athletes were recognized by the Big Ten Conference as Winter 2019 Academic All-Conference on Wednesday after a record-setting 85 were honored by the league in the fall. Among the winter honorees are 22 repeat selections, RU's first five-time honoree in wrestling graduate student and four-time NCAA Championships qualifier Nick Gravina, and eight three-time selections.

"Our student-athletes continue to set records in the classroom," said Director of Athletics Pat Hobbs. "We remain proud of their hard-work and dedication and grateful for the support provided them by our coaches and academic support staff. Rutgers Athletics continues to rise, and with the Gary and Barbara Rodkin Academic Success Center on the horizon, even greater success lies ahead."

Rutgers' three-time Big Ten All-Academic honorees are Victoria Harris from women's basketball, Riahanah Ali and Eriel Santagado from gymnastics, Rachel Byrne, Vera Koprivova and Francesca Stoppa from swimming & diving, and Jordan Pagano and John Van Brill from wrestling.

To be eligible for Academic All-Big Ten selection, students-athletes must have been enrolled full-time at the institution for a minimum of 12 months and carry a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher.

Eighty-eight percent (14/16) of eligible gymnastics student-athletes received recognition, while 71 percent (12/17) of swimming & diving and 63 percent of both men's basketball (5/8) and wrestling (12/19) student-athletes earned the designation. Swimming and diving boasts three, three-time honorees who are 2019 NCAA qualifiers, while wrestling features four selections slated to compete at NCAA Championships, including three-time All-American and Big Ten champion Anthony Ashnault. Five all-academic selections is the most for men's basketball since 2012.

Men's Basketball (5)
Geo Baker, So., Human Resource Management
Shaquille Doorson, Gr., Adult and Continuing Education
Joey Downes, Jr., English (2^nd selection)
Myles Johnson, So., Electrical and Computer Engineering
Luke Nathan, So., Marketing

Women's Basketball (3)
Mael Giilles, So., Communication
Victoria Harris, Sr., Public Health (3^rd selection)
Khadaizha Sanders, Sr., Sport Management (2^nd selection)

Gymnastics (14)
Riahanah Ali, Sr., Psychology (3^rd selection)
Sophia Atienza, So., Public Health
Chloe DeVries, Jr,. Criminal Justice (2^nd selection)
Emily Drauss, So., Materials Science and Engineering
Shannon Farrell, Jr., Labor Studies and Employment Relations
Kaitlyn Hall, Jr., Labor Studies and Employment Relations
Belle Huang, So., Biological Sciences
Emma Karas, Jr., Human Resource Management (2^nd selection)
Rachel Ley, Jr., Public Health
Erin McLachlan, Jr., Journalism and Media Studies (2^nd selection)
Polina Poliakova, Jr., Psychology (2^nd selection)
Hannah Prieto, So., Psychology
Eriel Santagado, Sr., Evolutionary Anthropology (3^rd selection)
Toni Williams, So., Sport Management

Swimming & Diving (12)
Marin Bloise, Sr., Communication (2^nd selection)
Lauren Boone, So., Journalism and Media Studies
Alexis Brewer, Jr., Exercise Science (2^nd selection)
Rachel Byrne, Sr., Biological Sciences (3^rd selection)
Sarah Davis, Jr., Nutritional Sciences (2^nd selection)
Alexandra Fabugais-Inaba, Jr., Journalism and Media Studies (2^nd selection)
Vera Koprivova, Sr., Psychology (3^rd selection)
Clare Lawlor, Jr., Exercise Science (2^nd selection)
Nadia Nabhan, Jr., Human Resource Management (2^nd selection)
Abbey Saunders, Sr., Planning and Public Policy (2^nd selection)
Francesca Stoppa, Sr., Design (3^rd selection)
Maggie Tibbitt, So., English

Wrestling (12)
Anthony Ashnault, Gr., Global Sports Business
Nick DeNora, So., Human Resource Management
Kyle DiNapoli, Jr., Labor Studies and Employment
Brett Donner, Jr., Sport Management
Luke Ecklof, So., Pre Business
Zach Firestone, Jr., Human Resource Management
Nicholas Gravina, Gr., Counseling Psychology (5^thselection)
Joseph Grello, Jr., Human Resource Management
Shane Metzler, So., Human Resource Management
Jordan Pagano, Sr., Psychology (3^rd selection)
John Van Brill, Gr., Human Resource Management (3^rd selection)
Michael Van Brill, Jr., Human Resource Management

Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook (Rutgers Athletics), Twitter (@RUAthletics) and Instagram (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates.