HBU Athletics Stacks Up Academic Awards in 2019-20

The News Magazine of HCU

HBU Athletics Stacks Up Academic Awards in 2019-20

Two-thirds of HBU’s more than 350 student-athletes were recognized for their achievements in the classroom during the 2019-20 academic year.

Steve Moniaci
Director of Athletics, Steve Moniaci

“We are so proud of our student-athletes’ performances academically this past year,” HBU director of Athletics Steve Moniaci said. “An unprecedented number of Huskies received recognition from the conferences, coaches associations and other organizations. During a difficult period in their lives and college careers, our student-athletes were able to remain focused on their education and finish strong.”

Volleyball, Women’s Cross Country, Men’s Golf and Women’s Golf were each recognized with the NCAA APR Public Recognition Award for ranking among the top 10 percent nationally in Academic Performance Rate. Women’s Basketball ranked seventh in the nation with a 3.723 GPA to make the WBCA Top 25 Team Honor Roll and Men’s Basketball earned an NABC Team Academic Excellence Award with a 3.19 team GPA. Volleyball and Beach Volleyball each earned the USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award by posting team GPAs above 3.30.

In the fall, 89 student-athletes were named to the Southland Conference Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll, then a school-record 136 Huskies made the list in the spring.

Andre Walker

Defensive end Andre Walker was the FCS ADA Scholar-Athlete of the Year and made the FCS ADA Academic All-Star Team, was a CoSIDA Academic All-American and made the Southland Conference All-Academic Team. He was joined on the league’s all-academic team by wide receiver Jerreth Sterns and linebacker Brennan Young.

Two Huskies were named the Southland Conference Student-Athlete of the Year in their respective sports, with Sara Zrnikova claiming the honor in women’s golf and Ian DuBose in men’s basketball. Zrnikova led HBU’s four selections to the Southland All-Academic Team, joined by Grace Cassity, Alisa Chong and Tiffany Nguyen. Zrnikova, Nguyen, Aysis Azarcon and Caylee Senn were tabbed WGCA All-American Scholars.

DuBose led a group of seven Huskies on the NABC Honors Court, tying for the most in NCAA Division I. He was joined by Andre Charles Jr., Ty Dalton, Hunter Janacek, Nick Jones, Philip McKenzie and Jackson Stent.

Baseball had three named to the Southland All-Academic Team in second baseman Trent Franson and pitchers Kyle Gruller and Brent Pronger. Gruller also earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors.

Catcher Heidi Jaquez and first baseman/catcher Caitlyn Brockway were selected to the Southland Softball All-Academic Team, while Tori Hinojosa and Kylie Bryan made the Southland Beach Volleyball All-Academic Team.

In men’s golf, Mathew Chairuangdej and Nicko Martinez were tabbed GCAA Srixon/Clevelan Golf All-America Scholars, which requires a 3.2 GPA and a stroke average below 76.0, and Lucas Coapman made the Southland All-Academic Team.

Kaitlin Smith

Kaitlin Smith, Jemira Thomlinson, Scott Boon and Christos Zachariou were voted to the Southland Track & Field All-Academic Team and Smith, Boon and Hudson Hall earned USTFCCCA All-Academic Honors.

Guard Megan Valdez-Crader made the Southland Women’s Basketball All-Academic Team and defender Megan Rickert was selected to the Southland Women’s Soccer All-Academic Team.

Men’s Soccer had thirteen selected to the Academic All-Western Athletic Conference Team: Dequan Thomas, Tim Watson, Dominick Faletto, Thomas Menke, Gianluca Natera, Nick Coburn, Daan Snellink, Jorge Madujano, Elijah Le, Faheem Patel, Andres Rojas, Lucas Vazquez and Hugo von Reis.

WBCA (Women’s Basketball Coaches Association)

NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches)

USMC (United States Marine Corps)/AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association)

FCS ADA (Football Championship Subdivision Athletic Directors Association)

CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America)

WGCA (Women’s Golf Coaches Association)

GCAA (Golf Coaches Association of America)

USTFCCCA (United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association)