CLEVELAND - The National Alliance of Two Year College Athletic Administrators (NATYCAA) is proud to announce Eliana Bommarito from Indian Hills Community College (IHCC) and Sam Antonacci from Heartland Community College (Heartland) as the 2024 NATYCAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year recipients sponsored by Risk Strategies.
 
"This is one of the best times of the year when our Association gets the opportunity to honor deserving two-year college student-athletes with our award," stated NATYCAA Scholar-Athlete Committee Chair Aaron Bouyea, director of athletics at Monroe Community College – Rochester. "Each year, the selection process becomes more difficult as all of the student-athletes nominated are outstanding in their own way. Both Eliana and Sam stood above the rest this year, excelling in not only their respective sports, but also in the community. Their positive impact and leadership qualities are a model for future winners to come."
 
Bommarito is a member of the Indian Hills Community College Women's Wrestling team and has maintained a 3.95 cumulative GPA while pursuing an Associate of Arts degree. Bommarito is a pioneer for the sport of women's wrestling in many ways and demonstrates her servant leadership by putting the needs of her teammates at the forefront through mentorship and positive influence.

The awards and honors she has received are plentiful, including but not limited to the following –
Academic

• Two-time National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-American
• Three-time 1^st Team Academic All Region

Athletics

• Two-time individual national champion
• 2023 Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Women's Wrestling National Invitational Championships
• 2023 The Open Mat NJCAA Freshman of the Year
• 2022-23 Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Female Student-Athlete of the Year
• Earned two world gold medals for Team USA
• First U.S. Wrestler to win U20 Beach World Championships and earned USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week
• The only U.S. wrestler to own two UWW Beach World Series Gold Medals
• Went undefeated during the 2022-23 regular season, including a perfect record in ICCAC Dual action

Antonacci was a member of the Heartland baseball team with a 3.90 cumulative GPA pursuing an Associate of Arts degree. In addition to giving his time as a volunteer coach for a local U13 baseball team, he also volunteered for the Normal Cornbelters, Town of Normal, McLean County Chamber of Commerce, and the Heartland athletic department. Antonacci helps shape student-athlete and campus morale and is a liaison between athletes, coaches, and administrators.

Antonacci has received several notable honors including but not limited to the following –
Academic

• Two-time Academic All-Conference
• Two-time NJCAA All-Academic Team
• Four-time Dean's List recipient

Athletics

• 2022-23 NJCAA DII National Player of the Year
• 2023 NJCAA Region 24 Player of the Year
• Mid-West Athletic Conference (MWAC) Player of the Year
• Two-time NJCAA Region 24 All-American
• Two-time MWAC First Team
• Two-time NJCAA DII 1^st Team All-American

Antonacci is currently playing baseball for Coastal Carolina University.

Both individuals will be recognized at the upcoming NATYCAA Convention, June 9-12 at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, NV.
About NATYCAA: Now in its 36th year, NATYCAA is the professional organization of two-year college athletics administrators and membership open to all two-year institutions from throughout the country. NATYCAA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 59^th year. For more information on NACDA and the 18 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.