CAMBRIDGE, MASS. -- Four golf student-athletes who recently competed at the 2009 America East Golf Championship were named to the America East Golf All-Academic Team by the conference office Tuesday afternoon. All three schools which sponsor the sport and four different majors were represented on the squad.
University at Albany’s Jessica Signorelli (Fairport, N.Y), Boston University’s Ana Johnson (Oconomowoc, Wisc.) and University of Hartford’s Megan Claxton (Calgary, Alberta) and Sadie Heald (New Haven, Conn.) make up the team. While Johnson and Heald are first time honorees, both Signorelli and Claxton were members of the 2008 All-Academic Team as well.
Johnson, who carded the lowest round of the first day, finished second at the conference championship, Claxton and Signorelli finished tied for third and Heald, who carries the highest GPA of 3.89 in Biology, placed 15th at the championship.
The All-Academic squads are a product of the June 2005 Athletics Director meetings, where faculty representatives and athletics directors from each of the conference’s nine member institutions decided to honor the league’s top student-athletes, whom excel equally in the classroom as they do on the playing field.
For the last two academic years, the All-Academic Team has been selected based on a formula. Starting this year, America East has adopted a more subjective approach based on feedback from various coaches’ groups and administrators and approval by the athletic directors. The process will now resemble the CoSIDA’s Academic All-America program. Student-athletes worthy of consideration will now be nominated by member sports information directors and voted on by committee of SIDs, academic advisors and faculty representatives from all nine member institutions.
All-Academic squads for team sports are based on the number of athletes that participate in a contest at one time (example: five golfers participate at the conference championship) or are made up of 10 student-athletes for individual sports. There may be more student-athletes recognized if a tie exists or fewer if eligibility requirements limit the number of nominees. To be nominated for the distinction, student-athletes must be a starter or important reserve for their team and participate in at least 50 percent of their team’s games or competitions. In the classroom, student-athletes must have a 3.30 GPA and have completed at least one calendar year at their institution. Freshmen are not eligible for consideration.
2009 America East Golf All-Academic Team
Name Cl. School Hometown GPA Major
Megan Claxton Sr. Hartford Calgary, Alberta 3.34 Economics and Finance
Sadie Heald Jr. Hartford New Haven, Conn. 3.89 Biology
Ana Johnson So. Boston U. Oconomowoc, Wisc. 3.35 Physical Therapy
Jessica Signorelli Jr. Albany Fairport, N.Y. 3.78 Communication