March 31, 2006

Cleveland, Ohio -- The 21 winners of the Fourth Annual Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association Scholar-Athlete Teams were announced this week by the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association (DI-AAA ADA). Thirteen additional student-athletes received honorable mention recognition.

"We are very proud of these winners," says Jean Lenti Ponsetto, chair of the Division I-AAA ADA Scholar-Athlete Team Selection Committee and athletics director at DePaul University. "They personify the definition of `student-athlete' and we are proud to have our Association affiliated with such a quality group of individuals."

Basketball players from all Division I-AAA ADA member institutions are eligible for these prestigious awards. Each of the nominees was required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate study and have been a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletics credentials. He/she must have reached sophomore athletics and academic standing at the nominated institution and have completed a minimum of one full academic year at the nominated institution. He/she must also have participated in 50 percent of the games played at his/her designated position.

Additionally, from the Scholar-Athlete teams, one male and female student-athlete were selected as the Division I-AAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Receiving the women's honor was Allie Quigley, a sophomore from DePaul University, with a 3.83 GPA in physical education; while the men's award went to Anthony Toliver, a junior from Creighton University, with a 3.54 GPA in finance.

A special Review Committee of Division I-AAA athletics directors was responsible for selecting the winners. Completing this task were Committee Chair Jean Lenti Ponsetto, DePaul; Jerry Baker, Charleston; Pete Carlon, Texas Arlington; Gary Cunningham, UC Santa Barbara; Don DiJulia, St. Joseph's; Mike Herman, Niagara; Bill Husak, Loyola Marymount; John Planek, Loyola (Ill.); and Scott Street, Texas Pan American.

Honorable Mention: Michael Bell, Fairfield; Walter Brady Dawkins, Texas Arlington; Brian Hodges, Maryland Baltimore County; Mitchell Henke, Santa Clara; Keith Jarbo, Pepperdine; Joey Kaempf, Santa Clara; Matthew Petersen, Utah Valley State; and Zachary Trader, Texas Pan American.

Honorable Mention: Whitney Cave, Siena; Caitie Goddard, Detroit Mercy; Stacey Gooden, Texas Pan American; Carolyn Kieger, Marquette; and Rachael Vanerwal, Boston University.