College Outdoor Track & Field
29 Broncs MAAC All-Academic

LAWRENCEVILLE--A total of 29 student-athletes from the Rider University men's and women's track and field teams were recognized for their efforts in the classroom, earning Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference All-Academic honors it was announced Sunday afternoon.

From the Rider men's team, 12 student-athletes were recognized with 17 members of the Rider women's team honored.

"When we recruit, we look for students who are well rounded academically," said head coach Bob Hamer.  "We want them to fit on both the athletic level and in the classroom."

To be eligible for the MAAC All-Academic Team, a student-athlete must complete two semesters at their institution and hold a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 on a 4.0 scale. 

For the Rider men, grad student Michael Soroko (Kinnelon), seniors Michael Lindner (Whitehouse Station/Hunterdon Central) and David South (Sergeantsville/Hunterdon Central), juniors Dave Brown (Ewing), Sean Donohue (Cliffwood Beach/Matawan), Nick Dorkin (Briarcliff Manor, N.Y./ Briarcliff Manor), Sean McCullough (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./La Salle), Kurt Morrison (Deptford) and Greg Wesh (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) and sophomores Billy Hackmeister (Coatesville, Pa./ Coatesville), Anton Pokras (Secaucus) and Matthew Sampson (Manasquan) were recognized.

For the Rider women, seniors Heather Giovagnoli (Royersford, Pa./Spring Ford), Kelli Kaelin (Little Egg Harbor/Pinelands Regional), Kristen Perrine (Brick/Brick Memorial) and Laura Staples (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham), juniors Megan Elgin (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East), Erin Fitzgibbons (Sayreville), Jordyn Horning (Milford, Pa./Delaware Valley), Ashley Hunter (Northampton, Pa./Northampton), Paige McAtee (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa), Erin McMullin (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy), Mia Riley (West Caldwell/James Caldwell), Jillian Shutt (Lawrenceville, Pa./Williamson), Nicole Tassello (Suffern, N.Y./Suffern) and Kimberly Thompson (Schwenksville, Pa./Spring Ford) and sophomores Jeana Sabatini (Levittown, Pa./Conwell-Egan), Corina Santiago (Ewing/Notre Dame) and Katie Williams (Franklin/ Wallkill Valley) were honored.

Sabatini is a Secondary Education/History major with a 3.94 grade point average, Tassello is an Elementary Education/Psychology with a 3.90 g.p.a., Elgin is a Psychology major with a 3.89 grade point average, Sampson is an Accounting major with a 3.87 g.p.a., Perrine is an Elementary Education/Psychology major with a 3.80 grade point average, Hunter is an Elementary Education/Psychology major with a 3.80 g.p.a., Soroko is a Business major with a 3.78 grade point average, Riley is a Business Administration major with a 3.78 g.p.a., Horning is an Elementary Education/History major with a 3.77 grade point average and Staples is a Journalism major with a 3.75 g.p.a.

Shutt is a Publication Relations major with a 3.74 grade point average, Fitzgibbons is an Elementary Education/Psychology major with a 3.64 g.p.a., Dorkin is a History major with a 3.62 grade point average, Thompson is a Psychology major with a 3.58 g.p.a., South is a Finance major with a 3.58 grade point average, Giovagnoli is an Elementary Education/Psychology major with a 3.53 g.p.a., McMullin is a Communication major with a 3.48 grade point average, McAtee is a Journalism major with a 3.47 g.p.a., Donohue is a Journalism major with a 3.44 grade point average, Morrison is a Computer Information Systems major with a 3.41 g.p.a. and Santiago is an Accounting major with a 3.41 grade point average.

Hackmeister is a Secondary Education/Mathematics major with a 3.36 g.p.a., Kaelin is a Marine Science major with a 3.36 grade point average, Williams is an Elementary Education/Psychology major with a 3.36 g.p.a., Wesh is a Business Administration major with a 3.32 grade point average, Pokras is a Finance major with a 3.31 g.p.a., Lindner is a Finance major with a 3.26 grade point average, Brown is an Accounting major with a 3.24 g.p.a. and McCullough is a Finance major with a 3.24 grade point average.

"I'm a coach first but I'm also part of an educational institution," said Hamer.  "I take that role very seriously and the team does as well.  We strive to foster an environment that promotes education as well as athletics, fitting in with the mission of Rider University."

The Rider men placed runner-up at the 2012 MAAC Outdoor Track and Field championships with the Bronc women finishing third.

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