BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Boston University junior Hanako Kawasaki and Lafayette senior Brendan Cronin were named 2021 Patriot League Women’s and Men’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year, respectively when the League office announced academic honors on Tuesday.
Kawasaki and Cronin both claimed spots on the five-member men’s and women’s Academic All-Patriot League Teams. Boston University, Lafayette and Navy each had two Academic All-Patriot League selections, while Bucknell, Lehigh, Loyola Maryland and Richmond had one apiece.
Voting for the Patriot League Golf 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 golf sports information directors.
The Patriot League Men’s and Women’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Academic All-Patriot League Team honors student-athletes who excel both on and off the field. To be eligible for the Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards and the Academic All-Patriot League Team, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (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.
2021 Men’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Brendan Cronin, Lafayette, Sr., Sutton, Mass./St. John’s
*Cronin, a three-time Patriot League Academic Honor Roll selection, is a senior civil engineering major with a 3.69 cumulative GPA.
*The Sutton, Mass. native tied for third place at the 2021 Patriot League Championships by carding an 11-over par 221 to receive First Team All-Patriot League and help the Leopards to a third-place team finish.
*He has served as the Chair of Sustainability for Lafayette College’s Student Government for two years, an athlete peer mentor for three years and a volunteer with Boys and Girls Club of America.
2021 Women’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Hanako Kawasaki, Boston University, Jr., Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam/British International School
*Kawasaki, a two-time Dean’s List and Patriot League Academic Honor Roll selection, is a business administration and management and hospitality administration double major with a 3.63 cumulative GPA.
*The two-time First Team All-Patriot League honoree finished tied for fourth at the 2021 Patriot League Championship with a 14-over par 230, helping the Terriers to a second-place team finish.
*She led BU with a 76.5 scoring average in six events while earning Patriot League Golfer of the Week honors twice this season. Kawasaki earned the individual title and rookie of the year honors in 2019.
Berger and Quinn Earn Academic Honors for Second Time
Lafayette senior Cole Berger (economics, 3.7 GPA) and Lehigh graduate student Owen Quinn (technical entrepreneurship, 3.98 GPA) made the Academic All-Patriot League Team for the second time. Berger and Quinn both earned all-academic team honors in 2019.
Eight All-League Honorees Earn Academic All-Patriot League Recognition
Eight members of the Men’s and Women’s Academic All-Patriot League Team received All-League honors following the 2021 Patriot League Championship, including four men and four women. Berger, Cronin, Loyola Maryland senior Evan Brown (finance, 3.486 GPA) all made the first team, while Navy junior Nicholas Klock (history, 3.58 GPA) was a second-team honoree. Kawasaki, sophomore teammate Alice Fan (economics, 3.80 GPA), Navy sophomore Angelina Chan (operations research, 3.79 GPA) and Richmond junior Emily Ward (biology, 3.7 GPA) were all First Team All-Patriot League members.
Eight Student-Athletes Receive Academic Honors for the First Time
This season saw eight Patriot League men’s and women’s golfers receive academic team honors for the first time, with three new honorees on the men’s side and all five members of the women’s squad garnering accolades for the first time. Cronin, Brown and Klock were first-time selections on the men’s team, while Kawasaki, Fan, Chan, Ward and Bucknell senior Casey Morrow (biology, 3.54 GPA) collected their initial women’s academic squad honor.
2021 Men’s Golf Academic All-Patriot League Team
Cole Berger, Lafayette, Sr.
Brendan Cronin, Lafayette, Sr.
Owen Quinn, Lehigh, Gr.
Evan Brown, Loyola Maryland, Sr.
Nicholas Klock, Navy, Jr.
2021 Women’s Golf Academic All-Patriot League Team
Hanako Kawasaki, Boston University, Jr.
Alice Fan, Boston University, So.
Casey Morrow, Bucknell, Sr.
Angelina Chan, Navy, So.
Emily Ward, Richmond, Jr.
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.