June 23, 2009

Complete Release

Center Valley, Pa. - Navy's Kelly Zahalka, the 2009 Patriot League Women's Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year, is one of 112 women's swimming and diving student-athletes named to this year's Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.

Zahalka, a senior honors history major, earned a 3.94 grade-point average for the spring term and holds cumulative 4.0 grade-point average. Zahalka has been awarded the Women's Swimming and Diving Scholar Athlete of the Year Award as well as being named First Team All-Patriot League for three consecutive years. She is the only Women's Swimming and Diving student-athlete in Patriot League history to receive the Scholar Athlete Award three years in a row.

Four student-athletes earned a 4.0 grade-point average for the spring term. Bucknell senior Nikki Seaman earned a 4.0 in elementary education, while her teammate Kristen Bucaria, a freshman, earned a 4.0 having yet to declare a major. Colgate's Sarah Sciarrino, a physics major, earned 4.0 grade-point average for the Raiders. Lafayette sophomore Megan Schlitt, a biology major rounds out the list of student-athletes earning 4.0 grade-point averages in the fall term.

Bucknell led all Patriot League schools with 22 student-athletes making the Academic Honor Roll. Lafayette finished close behind with 21. American tallied 15 student-athletes for Honor Roll selection, while Lehigh and Navy were tied with 13.

To be eligible for the Academic Honor Roll, a student-athlete must earn a 3.20 grade-point average in the fall semester and be awarded a varsity letter in one of the Patriot League's seven fall championship sports. The criteria for awarding varsity letters are different at each institution.