CNBNews

Rider 22^nd in the nation

LAWRENCEVILLE—Nine members of the Rider University softball team were honored for having at least a 3.5 grade point average, it was announced by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association this past week. “We constantly stress the importance of a student athlete’s performance in the classroom and that effort shows not only on the softball team but with each team at Rider,” said head coach Tricia Carroll.

“We are very proud of the consistent level of academic excellence of the Rider softball program,” said Director of Athletics Don Harnum. “It is a tribute to the recruiting efforts of the coaching staff and the many efforts of the student-athletes.”

As a team, Rider ranked 22^nd in the nation with a 3.354 g.p.a. Last year, over half of the 355 student-athletes at Rider accumulated over a 3.00 g.p.a.

Honored for the 2006-07 academic year were seniors Ashley Boulden (Brooklawn, N.J./Gloucester City High School ) and Desiree Harbaugh (Frederick, Md./Gov. Thomas Johnson), juniors Tiffany Day-Neutill (Agoura Hills, Calif./Oaks Christian), Jessica Holland (Hatboro, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham), Aimee Schiller (Moreno Valley, Calif./Moreno Valley) and Mandi Sekly (Canyon Country, Calif./Canyon).

Also honored were sophomores Laci Landrum (Grand Praire, Texas/So. Grand Praire)Seattle, Wash./Mount Rainier) and freshman Megan Kozlowski (Richboro, Pa./Council Rock-North). and Katy Mills (

Boulden had a 3.97 g.p.a., for the year and graduated with a degree in Elementary Education/Psychology with Harbaugh also graduating with an Elementary Education/Psychology and a 3.80 g.p.a.

Day-Neutill is majoring in Biopsychology and had a 3.81 g.p.a., Holland is a Communication major with a g.p.a. of 3.72, Schiller is a Marketing major with a 3.79 g.p.a. and Sekly is an Advertising major with a 3.86 g.p.a in 2006-07.

Landrum is a Management major (3.60 g.p.a.), Mills is a Psychology major (3.69 g.p.a.) and Kozlowski is majoring in Biology with a 3.80 g.p.a.

In the fall of 2006, the softball team finished with the highest team g.p.a. of Rider’s 20 varsity teams, accumulating a 3.44 g.p.a., the third time in the last six semesters that the softball team had the highest team g.p.a.

“We recruit players who want to be successful,” Carroll added. “You have two jobs, academics and athletics and the expectation is that you are going to do both of those things well. The effort that our Academic Support Coordinator Sonya Hurt has done with the team has been phenomenal. The department has made a commitment to academics and it shows.”

The softball team opens the 2008 season at the Virginia Tech. tournament February 22-24.

-RU-