July 12, 2006
RICHMOND, Va. (July 11, 2006) - Old Dominion senior field hockey playerJanelle Engle (Mt. Joy, PA.) was chosen as the Colonial Athletic Association Female Scholar-Athlete and UNC Wilmington senior swimmer Michael Krayer (Hattersheim, Germany) was selected as the CAA Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year for 2005-06 in voting by the league's 12 sports information directors.
The conference selected a Scholar-Athlete in each of its 21 championship sports this season, and each of those winners was placed on the ballot for the Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. All of the winners were a starter or important reserve on their team and had a cumulative grade point average of 3.37 or higher. Among the contenders for the award, four were Academic All-Americans in 2005-06 and three were named to national All-Academic teams in their respective sports. Not only did the finalists excel in the classroom, but also as athletes, with 17 of the Scholar-Athletes earning All-CAA honors this season.
Engle, the CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year in field hockey, was chosen to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America at-large first team and was named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Academic Honor Roll for the third year in a row. The music education major is first violinist in the Diehn String Quartet and concertmaster of the ODU Symphony. Engle was chosen to the USA TODAY All-USA College Academic team and received the Tom Scott Award as ODU's top senior scholar-athlete. Her accomplishments were just as impressive athletically, earning CAA Player of the Year and first team All-America accolades in field hockey after topping the conference with 20 goals. Her efforts helped lead the Lady Monarchs to the CAA title and the semifinals of the NCAA Field Hockey Championship.
Engle, who graduated last May with a perfect 4.0 grade point average wasco-winner with teammate Mary Cate Gordon of the prestigious Jack Wilkins/James Howard Female Scholar Athletes of the Year at ODU. She was also the ODU Alumni Association's Female Athlete of the Year and the Norfolk Sports Club's Tom Scott award winner.
Krayer was the CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year award winner for men's swimming and diving in 2005 and 2006. The marine science and chemistry major earned the CAA Commissioner's Academic Award four times and made the Dean's List each semester at UNC Wilmington. Krayer is a five-time recipient of the UNCW Chancellor's Achievement Award for maintaining a perfect 4.0 grade point average while carrying 15 or more academic hours and has earned the Golden Seahawk Award three times. In the pool, Krayer played a prominent role in the Seahawks' capturing their fifth straight CAA swimming and diving title. He was a member of four different relay teams that posted first-place finishes (200 free relay, 200 medley relay, 400 free relay, 400 medley relay) for the second year in a row. Krayer also placed second in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle and the 800 freestyle relay
Others receiving votes for the Male Scholar Athlete of the Year award were William & Mary junior Keith Bechtol (Alexandria, Va.), a distance runner who was the CAA track champion in the 10,000 meters and earned all-conference honors in cross country; Drexel junior Adam Crystal (Baldwin, N.Y.), an all-conference defender in men's lacrosse; Hofstra senior Nikola Djordjevic (Belgrade, Serbia), a second team All-CAA selection in men's tennis who also earned first team Academic All-America honors; UNC Wilmington senior John Goldsberry (Vandalia, Ohio), a four-year starter and two-time All-CAA selection in men's basketball; Delaware junior Matt Haney (Newark, Del.), a three-year starting defender in men's soccer who received first team Academic All-America honors; George Mason junior Dan Hurley (Leesburg, Va.), a second-team All-CAA pick in men's golf; Rider senior Joe Maroney (Bensalem, Pa.), an NCAA qualifier in wrestling and a member of the NWCA All-Academic team; and UNC Wilmington senior Matt Poulk (Morehead City, N.C.), an All-CAA and All-East Region honoree in baseball.
Others receiving votes for the Female Scholar Athlete of the Year award were Old Dominion senior Laura Beeman (Chalfont, Pa.), the CAA Player of the Year in women's soccer and an all-region honoree; William & Mary junior Meghan Bishop (Blue Bell, Pa.), an all-conference and all-region selection in cross country and track and field; UNC Wilmington senior Lindsey Hess (Fayetteville, N.Y.), a four-time ITA Academic All-American and three-time All-CAA singles selection in women's tennis; UNC Wilmington senior Michelle Jarman (Wilmington, N.C.), a four-time all-conference standout and three-time NGCA All-American Scholar in women's golf; Georgia State senior Meghan McCoy (Powder Springs, Ga.), a first-team All-CAA performer and second team Academic All-American in softball; UNC Wilmington junior Melissa Milstead (Wilmington, N.C.), a top-eight finisher in six different swimming events at the CAA Championships; Hofstra senior Tessa Sphar (San Jose, Calif.), a three-time first-team All-CAA choice in volleyball; Towson senior Becky Trumbo (Eldersburg, Md.), a four-time All-CAA honoree in women's lacrosse and UNC Wilmington junior Michaela Vezenkova (Botevgrad, Bulgaria), a two-time CAA All-Academic team selection in women's basketball.
CAA SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR WINNERS
2002-03:Male: Pedro Nieto, Tennis, VCUFemale: Kristine Austgulen, Basketball, VCU
2003-04:Male: Adam Hess, Basketball, William & MaryFemale: Nataly Cahana, Tennis, Old Dominion
2004-05:Male: Chris Looze, Baseball, George MasonFemale: Michelle Jarman, Golf, UNC Wilmington
2005-06:Male: Michael Krayer, Swimming, UNC WilmingtonFemale: Janelle Engle, Field Hockey, Old Dominion