May 27, 2005

Senior Shaunnah Wark (Exeter, N.H.), who coxed Navy's varsity boat to a Patriot League title and the highest finish in school history at the Eastern Sprints, has been named to the ESPN the Magazine's Academic All-District II Women's At-Large First Team, it was announced Thursday by the College Sports Information Directors of America. Wark now joins the first-team selections from the additional seven districts across the country on the national ballot for Academic All-America honors.

"Shaunnah is the best coxswain I have worked with in my 30 years of coaching," said Navy head coach Mike Hughes. "She really studied the sport and the position of coxswain and applied what she learned to her boat. She had a great understanding of everything going on in the boat. She also could steer as well as anyone."

A systems engineering major, Wark recorded a 4.0 grade-point average in both semesters of her senior year -- the second and third 4.0 terms of her academic career -- to raise her cumulative GPA to 3.79. She will graduate Friday ranked 45th in her class and will be commissioned as an ensign (surface warfare officer) in the Navy.

This is the second academic honor Wark has garnered from a national organization this week. Monday she was recognized as a National Scholar-Athlete by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association, the second-straight year she has received the accolade.

Wark and Navy's varsity boat placed 10th at the 2005 Eastern Association of Women's Rowing Colleges Championship, the highest finish by the Navy boat in the nine years the Mids have competed at the prestigious Eastern Sprints. In addition, the crew was selected as the 2005 Patriot League Boat of the Year after winning the inaugural Patriot League Championship by 21 seconds. Wark's boats have also won titles at the Murphy Cup, the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta and at a pair of Navy Day Regattas in her career.

Nominees for district honors must be of at least sophomore standing, have a minimum 3.2 cumulative GPA and be either a starter or an important reserve on their team. The women's at-large team comprises student-athletes from bowling, crew, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming, tennis and water polo.

ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District II At-Large First Team
Name ... School ... Sport ... Yr. ... Hometown ... GPA* ... Major
Deirdre Dlugonski ... Penn State ... Swimming ... Sr. ... Washington,
Pa. ... 3.95 ... Kinesiology
Leah Geib ... Delaware ... Field Hockey ... Sr. ... Schwenksville, Pa.
... 3.920 ... Communications
Jennifer Irby ... Towson ... Swimming ... Sr. ... Elkridge, Md. ...
3.73 ... Early Childhood Education
Catherine Koontz ... West Virginia ... Tennis ... Jr. ... Lexington,
N.C. ... 4.00 ... Biochemistry
Colleen McCrosky ... Duquesne ... Crew ... Sr. ... Solon, Ohio ... 4.00
... Occupational Therapy
Mandy Pascual ... Maryland ... Gymnastics ... Jr. ... Aiea, Hawaii ...
3.909 ... Chemical Engineering
Naomi Campano Radio ... Mt. St. Mary's ... Lacrosse ... Gr. ...
Schnecksville, Pa. ... 4.00 ... Political Science
Karie Walton ... Drexel ... Field Hockey ... So. ... Spring City, Pa.
... 4.00 ... Biological Sciences
Shaunnah Wark ... Navy ... Crew ... Sr. ... Exeter, N.H. ... 3.77 ...
Systems Engineering
Erin Weibley ... Lock Haven ... Field Hockey ... Sr. ... Loysville, Pa.
... 3.966 ... Health Science
* GPA through the end of the fall semester