BETHLEHEM, Pa. – A pair of Patriot League basketball graduates, Colgate’s Zach Light and Lafayette’s Naomi Ganpo-Nkwenkwa, were awarded the Victory Scholarship through the Sport Changes Life Foundation (SCLF).
 
Light and Ganpo-Nkwenkwa become the 24th and 25th Patriot League student-athletes to receive the scholarship that allows them to continue their studies and play basketball at one of the prestigious universities in Ireland or Northern Ireland during the 2022-23 academic year.
 
Light will head to Cork, Ireland where he will attend Munster Technological University. Ganpo-Nkwenkwa will attend South East Technological College in Carlow, Ireland.
 
The Victory Scholarship, awarded by the Sport Changes Life Foundation, provides student-athletes the opportunity to continue their athletic and academic careers by playing on a club team and studying in a graduate program at a university in Ireland or Northern Ireland. As a Victory Scholar, the student-athletes will also work in the wider community with young people gaining valuable life experiences that will help them develop on a personal and professional level. The Patriot League has partnered with the Victory Scholar Program since 2008.
 
"We are thrilled to welcome two more Patriot League Victory Scholars to Ireland,” says Gareth Maguire CEO of Sport Changes Life. “Zach and Naomi are two of our top selections this year and we are confident that they will flourish in their placements. Zach, a championship winner from Colgate University, will study for a master's in International Finance at the University of Galway. He will play basketball with the University of Galway Maree, which plays in the Men’s Superleague. Naomi, a biology major from Lafayette College, will join Zach and study for a master’s in Human Resource Management. She will play with the University of Galway Mystics, who are newly promoted to the top flight Irish Women’s Superleague. Most importantly Zach and Naomi will work as inspirational role models while coaching and mentoring young people in Galway. We're confident that Zach and Naomi will shine in the classroom, on the floor, and in the community and we are excited for them to have a life-changing experience and get started making a difference in young people's lives." 
 
The Patriot League entered into a partnership with the Sport Changes Life Foundation in December of 2009 to facilitate opportunities for student-athletes to secure a Graduate Development International Scholarship.
 
2022-23 Patriot League Victory Scholarship Recipients
Naomi Ganpo-Nkwenkwa | Lafayette Women’s Basketball | Bachelor of Science in Biology (’22)
* Ganpo-Nkwenkwa averaged 7.2 points per game and finished ninth in the Patriot League in rebounding (8.0) and first in blocked shots (2.2).
* Ganpo-Nkwenkwa founded Cocoa Talks and was a leading member of Dear Lafayette College, both organizations focused on empowering the minority community attending Lafayette College.
* She was an associate member of Tri-Beta, an honor society for undergraduates dedicated to improving the understanding and appreciation of biological study.
 
Ganpo-Nkwenkwa on the opportunity…
“This opportunity means the world to me, this year will serve as my gap year, and I plan on making the most of it! This is a big risk that I have taken, moving to another country even further from home. So, I plan on taking the best advantage of this opportunity, especially due to the fact that it is all covered and paid for. I don't know what more I could have asked for a gap year. What I hope for myself is to grow as an individual, and learn as much as I can from the Irish community, which is what comes when you move to another region. Having done so before, when I transitioned from Canada to the United States, I know that my experiences will be wonderful. In terms of Basketball. I started practices last week, and although there have been a lot of shifts in style of play and practices compared to what I am used to, I am so happy to have a supportive team to help me adjust to the transition, and I also think that we have a talented team capable of accomplishing a lot. Overall, even though I am miles away from home, knowing that I have all this support, and also have family in proximity countries around Europe, have all made me feel more confident that my time here will be successful.”
 
Zach Light | Colgate Men’s Basketball | Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Government (’22)
* Light played in 16 games for the Patriot League Champion Raiders during his senior season. He made one start, against Navy.
* Light was awarded the Men’s Basketball’s Jack Mitchell Academic Excellence Award for the 2021-2022 academic year and earned the Men’s Basketball Hasan Brown Spirit Award for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 academic years.
* He also earned Honors Court distinction from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) for his cumulative GPA of 3.33.
 
Light on the opportunity…
"I am extremely grateful to be selected as an ambassador for the Victory Scholar Program of the Sport Changes Life Foundation. I have been in Ireland for about two weeks now, and the experience so far has been incredible. While I am still getting used to my new environment, I feel as if I am adjusting quickly. I have the Sport Changes Life founders, fellow Victory Scholars, and club teammates to thank for that. At first, it seemed daunting trying to acclimate to a new lifestyle, but I am thankful to have such helpful teammates (both in the program as well as Galway) that are willing to make my transition as smooth as possible. My expectations for the year align perfectly with the mission statements of Sport Changes Life as well as my former school, Colgate University. I hope to leave a lasting impact in the classroom, on the court, and, in the community. While classes and basketball have already started, I look forward to engaging with and inspiring those in the community to realize the important life values that one can experience through participating in sports. As for what this opportunity means to me, I believe that helping children and adolescents in their personal development is ultimately the greater goal, and being a part of a team that values this goal is something that I take great pride in. I am eager for the future opportunities that await and I can't wait to get to work!"
 
Past Patriot League Victory Scholarship Participants
Men’s Basketball (8)
Matt Betley, Lafayette (2008-09)
Paul Cummins, Lafayette (2009-10)
Darryl Shazier, Bucknell (2011-12)
Jim Mower, Lafayette (2012-13)
Jared Mintz, Lafayette (2013-14)
Cory Starkey, Bucknell (2015-16)
Tom Rivard, Colgate (2018-19)
Zach Light, Colgate (2022-23)
 
Women’s Basketball (16)
Sarah McGorry, Lafayette (2012-2013)
Christine Ganser, Holy Cross (2014-15)
Nicole Krusen, Loyola Maryland (2014-15)
Claire Sullivan, Holy Cross (2015-16)
Randyll Butler, Colgate (2016-17)
Steph Poland, Colgate (2017-18)
Madelyn Ganser, Holy Cross (2017-18)
Patricia Byrne, Holy Cross (2018-19)
Ellen Graham, Lafayette (2018-19)
Amy Hasenauer, Holy Cross (2018-19)
Summer King, Colgate (2019-20)
Patricia Byrne, Holy Cross (2019-20)
Ellen Graham, Lafayette (2019-20)
Kaitlyn Slagus, Bucknell (2019-20)
Rachel Thompson, Colgate (2021-22)
Naomi Ganpo, Lafayette (2022-23)

Men’s Soccer (1)
Ryan Sappington, Bucknell (2012-2013)
 
ABOUT SPORT CHANGES LIFE
Sport Changes Life offers American companies, academic and sporting organizations and individuals a unique opportunity to get involved in a Graduate Development International Scholarship package. They assist in getting the very best students a scholarship package to study at masters' level in Irish universities. Companies and individuals are invited to invest in these scholarships. These graduates will be the future leaders of companies throughout the United States and will have gained valuable international life experiences which will give them a globalized perspective crucial for transatlantic business development. The Sports Changes Life Foundation is a not-for-profit organization.
 
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athlete 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.