CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – Boston University sophomore Andrea Claeson and Army West Point senior Ben Petrella were named as the Patriot League Women’s and Men’s Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athletes of the Year, respectively when the League office announced academic honors on Friday. Claeson and Petrella were also named to the 10-member women’s and men’s indoor track and field academic All-Patriot League teams.
Voting for the Patriot League Indoor Track and Field Men’s and Women’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Academic All-Patriot League teams are conducted by the League’s men’s and women’s indoor track and field sports information directors.
The Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year for each sport comprises the pool of nominees for the Patriot League Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards given out over the summer. One male and one female are selected for this honor. To be eligible for the Scholar-Athlete of the Year award and the Academic All-Patriot League Team, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and be a starter or key player in his/her sport. Freshmen or students in their first academic year at their school are not eligible for the honor.
2020 Women’s Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Andrea Claeson, Boston University, So., Lulea, Sweden/Dragonskolan, Umea
*Claeson is a sophomore public relations major, carrying a 3.70 cumulative grade point average (GPA).
*The two-time First-Team All-Patriot League selection claimed gold in the mile (4:59.03) and the 3,000 meters (9:43.22) at the 2020 Patriot League Indoor Track and Field Championships.
*Claeson was named the Patriot League Women’s Track Athlete of the Meet and the highest point-scorer of the meet honor.
2020 Men’s Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Ben Petrella, Army West Point, Sr., Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool
*Petrella is a senior physics major with a 3.939 cumulative GPA.
*He claimed silver in the 3,000 meters (8:22.96) and the 5,000 meters (14:32.34) to earn second-team All-League in both events at the League championship meet.
*Petrella is a four-time League scholar-athlete of the year, receiving two for indoor track and field and two for cross country and was also a CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team selection in 2018.
Women’s Indoor Track & Field Academic All-Patriot League Team
Lynne Mooradian, Army West Point, Sr.
Anna Tovkach, Army West Point, So.
Haley Watson, Army West Point, Sr.
Bridget Bishop, Boston University, Jr.
Andrea Claeson, Boston University, So.
Alexandra Butz, Bucknell, Jr.
Susie Poore, Lehigh, Jr.
Senna Ohlsson, Loyola Maryland, Jr.
Kara Kakascik, Navy, Sr.
Sam Orie, Navy, Jr.
Army West Point senior Lynne Mooradian (mechanical engineering, 4.152 GPA), a four-time Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year, makes her third appearance on the indoor track and field academic team. Black Knights’ senior Haley Watson (political science, 3.716 GPA) makes her second indoor track and field academic team while sophomore teammate Anna Tovkach (environmental engineering, 3.996) earns honors for the first time. Loyola Maryland junior Senna Ohlsson (biology and English, 3.767 GPA) and Navy junior Sam Orie (chemistry, 3.83 GPA) both received All-Academic honors for the second-straight indoor season. Claeson makes her first appearance, along with Terriers’ junior teammate Bridget Bishop (business administration and management, 3.77 GPA). Bucknell junior Alexandra Butz (global management, 3.84 GPA), Lehigh junior Susie Poore (political science, 4.00 GPA) and Navy senior Kara Kakascik (aerospace engineering, 3.23 GPA) made the team for the first time.
Men’s Indoor Track & Field Academic All-Patriot League Team
Ben Petrella, Army West Point, Sr.
Michael Renard, Army West Point, Sr.
Ethan Dunne, Bucknell, Jr.
Warren Carter, Colgate, Sr.
Tyler Hubeny, Lafayette, Sr.
Joey Kelly, Lehigh, Sr.
Kyle Sult, Lehigh, Sr.
Ashwin Briggs, Navy, So.
Jake Brophy, Navy, Sr.
Sean Casey, Navy, So.
Three-time academic team selection Petrella was joined by Army West Point teammate senior Michael Renard (electrical engineering, 3.687). Lehigh senior Kyle Sult (mechanical engineering, 3.86) and Navy senior Jake Brophy (computer science, 3.62), the 2020 track athlete of the meet both make the squad for the second-consecutive season. Junior Bucknell Ethan Dunne (computer engineering, 3.90), Colgate senior Warren Carter (molecular biology, 3.65), Lafayette senior Tyler Hubeny (philosophy & psychology, 3.81), Lehigh senior Joey Kelly (bioengineering, 3.76), along with Navy sophomores Ashwin Briggs (operations research, 3.66) and Sean Casey (aerospace engineering, 4.00) all made their debut on the League’s all-academic team.
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.