BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — John “Jack” Donnelly (Sr., Temecula, Calif./Chaparral), Thomas Squeglia (Sr., Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) and 2019 graduate Brett Rehrer (Chino Hills, Calif./Chino Hills) of the Gannon University men’s water polo team are among 144 Golden Knights’ student-athletes to garner 2018-19 Division 2 Athletics Directors Association (D2 ADA) Academic Achievement Awards.
In order for a student-athlete to receive an Academic Achievement Award, the athletics director of the Division II institution must be a current dues-paying member of the D2 ADA.
Also, the student-athlete must:
• have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale
• have attended a minimum of two years (four semesters) of college level work
• have been an active member of an intercollegiate team during his/her last academic year
In total, there were 11,660 student-athletes from 185 institutions recognized for the 2018-19 Academic Achievement Awards. This set the record for the most participation from institutions and the largest number of student-athletes being nominated.
“I am very excited to see the highest number of student-athletes get recognized for their academic achievements this past year,” said D2 ADA President Chris Ratcliff, director of athletics at Rogers State University. “The number of institutions recognizing their student-athletes’ academic achievements continues to rise. As a Board, this is perhaps one of our biggest initiatives. We see the value of acknowledging academic achievements. This a way for our member institutions, through D2 ADA, to recognize our student-athletes.”
About D2 ADA: The D2 ADA is the first organization of its kind to provide educational and networking opportunities; enhancement of acceptable operating standards and ethics; and establishment of the overall prestige and understanding of the profession of Division II athletics directors. For more information about the D2 ADA, please visit www.div2ada.com. The D2 ADA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 55th year.
