CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — For the first time in league history, the America East Male and Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year come from the same institution as University of Vermont’s Connor Tobin (Fort Collins, Colo.) and Kristen Millar (Whitby, Ontario) have been named the 2008-09 honorees, respectively. Tobin was chosen the Scholar-Athlete for men’s soccer, while Millar took home the honor in women’s lacrosse.
Tobin, the first Vermont male to take home the award since Chris Shaver in 2001, graduated with a 3.76 grade-point average in mechanical engineering. The men’s soccer Scholar-Athlete for the second straight year, Tobin was named the 2008 America East Defender of the Year and received first-team all-conference honors for the second straight season. An NSCAA All-Region performer, Tobin was named an ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American and an NSCAA College Scholar All-American. Tobin, a member of UVM’s Honors College, was also named to the league’s Commissioner’s Honor Roll for the fourth time and was a All-Academic honoree for the third consecutive season.
Millar, who graduated with a 3.64 GPA in elementary education with a minor in french and nutrition & food science, was chosen the America East Woman of the Year for having best distinguished herself throughout her collegiate career in the areas of academic achievement, athletic excellence, service and leadership. A two-time All-American, three-time All-America East selection and two-time All-Championship choice, Millar has also been named to the America East All-Academic and ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District squads each of the last two years. She received UVM’s Class of 1967 Award at commencement, which is presented to seniors who best exhibit leadership, academic competence and character, and who have earned the respect of faculty and fellow students.
Other Scholar-Athletes included: Alex Felce (Stony Brook men’s cross country), Holly Van Dalen (Stony Brook women’s cross country), Kim Striegler (Vermont field hockey), Marisha Schumacher-Hodge (Boston University women’s soccer), Gulce Nazli Dikecligil (Stony Brook volleyball), Matt Wolff (Boston University men’s basketball), May Kotsopoulos (Vermont women’s basketball), Andre Watson (Boston University men’s swimming & diving), Emily Munday (Boston University women’s swimming & diving), Dominic Devaud (UMBC men’s indoor track & field), Andrea Walkonen (Boston University women’s indoor track & field), Joe Serafin (Vermont baseball), Jessica Signorelli (Albany golf), Garrett Pedley (Albany men’s lacrosse), Meagan Butsch (Albany softball), Sven Vloedgraven (Binghamton men’s tennis), Cornelia Carapcea (UMBC women’s tennis), Valete Graham (Albany men’s outdoor track & field) and Elizabeth Foster (Hartford women’s outdoor track & field).
America East is proud to have one of the most comprehensive academic awards programs in the country. In addition to the Scholar-Athlete program, an All-Academic team comprised of student-athletes that excel both academically and athletically is chosen in each of the conference’s 21 sports by a committee consisting of faculty athletic representatives, academic advisors and sports information directors. Additionally, the conference recognizes all student-athletes who achieve at least a 3.0 GPA on its Academic Honor Roll, with those achieving a 3.5 average or better receiving Commissioner’s Honor Roll status. Finally, the Academic Cup is awarded to the school with the highest cumulative GPA among its student-athletes for that academic year.