University of Vermont junior Amy Cochran and University of Maine senior Aaron Izaryk were chosen as the 2004-05 America East Women’s and Men’s Scholar-Athletes of the Year. Cochran, a forward for the women's soccer team, and Izaryk, a catcher for the America East Champion baseball team, were distinguished from the Scholar-Athletes in the 22 conference sports by a committee of athletics administrators and NCAA Faculty Athletics Representatives at America East institutions.
Cochran, a junior with a 3.98 grade-point average in physics, led America East in scoring (31 points) and goals (13) in 2004, setting school records in each category. A two-sport athlete who also competes on Vermont's nationally-ranked Alpine Ski Team, Cochran was one of only two student-athletes in the nation named an ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American in two sports in 2004-05. The Keene, N.H. native was the first Catamount women's soccer player named to an Academic All-America team and also became the first Catamount since 1997 to be selected to the NSCAA All-Northeast Region team.
Izaryk, a four-time all-conference selection as a catcher, graduated with a 3.65 grade-point average as a kinesiology and physical education major. He helped lead the Black Bears to two conference championships and two NCAA appearances. Last season Izaryk batted .332 with 30 RBI to help lead Maine to a 35-19 record. He was named to the America East All-Championship team for the third time in his career, after leading the Black Bears to the championship and an appearance at the NCAA Regional in Oxford, Miss. The Markham, Ontario native was the winner of the 2005 Dean Smith Award, given to Maine's top scholar-athlete, and was also a second-team ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American.
Cochran and Izaryk were chosen from the 22 America East Scholar-Athletes named in July. Those 22 recipients were chosen from the nearly 3,500 student-athletes at America East institutions, who averaged a 2.98 grade-point average in the 2004-05 season.
Other scholar-athletes included: Andy Allstadt (men's cross country, men's outdoor track and field), Jill Friedman (women's golf), Stephan Hall (men's soccer), Kevin Rae (men's lacrosse) and Susan Spierre (volleyball) of University at Albany; Hui-Jue Cai (women's swimming and diving), Dan Hanegby (men's tennis), Robert Kaczynski (men's swimming and diving) and Jeff Wolniewicz (men's golf) of Binghamton University; Aimee Charest (women's tennis), Jamie Haas (softball), Marisa Ryan (women's indoor track and field) and Lauren Vendetti (field hockey) of Boston University; Kim Corbitt (women's basketball) and Erin Hatch (women's outdoor track and field) of Maine; Adam Grossman (men's indoor track and field, men's outdoor track and field) of UMBC; Caitlin Hayes (women's cross country) and Katie Leland (women's lacrosse) of University of New Hampshire; and David Hehn (men's basketball) of Vermont.