The East Coast Conference announced the creation of the Elite 20 award, which will be presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average competing in each of the ECC's 20 championships.
The Elite 20 Award is modeled off of the NCAA's Elite 90 Award. The NCAA describes the award, which is awarded to a student-athlete at each of its 90 National Championship tournaments, as recognizing the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers.
Winners of the Elite 20 Award will also have to meet the same minimum criteria as the Elite 90 Award. To win the award, student-athletes must meet the following criteria.
1. Student-athlete must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, and in at least his or her second year (in any sport) at his or her current institution.
2. Student-athlete is an active member of the roster and eligible for the championship.
3. Credits completed shall only consist of those credits accumulated at the current institution and shall not include transfer or AP credits.
4. Only undergraduate GPA is applicable. If the student-athlete has graduated and is in graduate school, he or she is still eligible for the award but consideration will be based strictly on an undergraduate GPA. Graduate students must be in good academic standing with the university.
5. Each student-athlete is only eligible to win the award once per academic year, even if he or she participates in more than one sport
2023-24 ECC Elite 20 Award Winners
|
Men's Cross Country
Phillip Ceccarelli
Daemen, Sr.
Math. Adolescent Ed.
4.0
|
Women's Cross Country
Iyanna Jackson
District of Columbia, Jr.
Accounting
4.0
|
Women's Tennis
Claudia Bahamon-Lopez
District of Columbia, Jr.
Mechanical Engineering
3.92
|
Men's Soccer
Eduardo Costa
Mercy, Sr.
Bus. Adm./Sports Mngmt.
4.0 |
|
Women's Soccer
Cierra Barber
D'Youville, So.
Physical Therapy/PHT
4.0
|
Volleyball
Madison Wakley
Molloy, Jr.
Psychology
4.0
|
Men's Indoor T&F
Mike McGerry
Holy Family, So.
Criminal Justice
3.98
|
Women's Indoor T&F
Lydia Ware
Roberts Wesleyan, Sr.
Biochemistry
4.0 |
|
Men's Basketball
Caudy Desmornes
Queens, Sr.
Psychology
3.92
|
Women's Basketball
Shanell Haskins
District of Columbia, Sr.
Psychology
3.97
|
Women's Bowling
Megan Hanaway
Kutztown, Sr.
BSED Elementary Ed.
3.98
|
|
|
Men's Tennis
Oskar Karos
District of Columbia, Jr.
Architecture
4.0
|
Men's Outdoor T&F
Eric Anderson
Molloy, Sr.
Child. Ed., Engl./Spec. Ed.
3.97
|
Women's Outdoor T&F
Alexandra Tucker
Roberts Wesleyan, Sr.
Nursing
3.99
|
Men's Lacrosse
Nate Jones
Frostburg State, Jr.
Political Science
4.0 |
Women's Lacrosse
Shawna Lesmerises
Roberts Wesleyan, Jr.
Chemistry
3.99 |
Softball
Kristina Verruso
Queens, Sr.
Nutrition & Exer. Science
4.0
|
Baseball
Jason Schwartz
Molloy, Sr.
Management
3.98
|
|