CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Six student-athletes who demonstrated excellence both on the field and in the classroom during the Fall 2009 semester were named America East Scholar-Athletes by the conference office on Wednesday. The six Scholar-Athletes include Stony Brook University’s Alex Felce (Stroud, England/Archway Comp.) and Holly Van Dalen (Wanganui, New Zealand/Wanganui Collegiate) in men’s and women’s cross country, University of New Hampshire’s Colin O’Donnell (Springfield, Mass./Minnechaug Regional) and Boston University’s Emily Pallotta (Andover, Mass./Andover) in men’s and women’s soccer, University of Vermont’s Kristen Heavens (Harwinton, Conn./Lewis Mills) in field hockey and University at Albany volleyball student-athlete Valerie Sourbeer (Valley Center, Calif./Valley Center).
The Scholar-Athletes were members of teams in the six championship sports which America East sponsored in the fall season including men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer, field hockey and volleyball. Member institutions of America East Conference for the 2009 fall season included University at Albany, Binghamton University, Boston University, University of Hartford, University of Maine, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), University of New Hampshire, Stony Brook University and University of Vermont. Fairfield University was an associate member in the sport of field hockey.
A committee of athletic administrators and NCAA Faculty Athletics Representatives chose an honoree in each of the six fall championship sports. Each America East Scholar-Athlete was a starter or prominent reserve and carries a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.20.
Felce is a three-time recipient of the men’s cross country Scholar-Athlete award. A senior with a 3.57 GPA in mechanical engineering, Felce placed fifth at the 2009 America East Cross Country Championship. He has finished in the top 10 in all four years he has competed, earning All-America East accolades each year. Felce, also minoring in business management, has also been named to the America East All-Academic Team in all three years he has been eligible, and was on this fall’s America East Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
The conference is recognizing Van Dalen, a junior with a 3.77 GPA in English/sociology, with the women’s cross country award for the second straight year. She has helped her team capture the America East Cross Country Championship in each of the last three years, placing second individually in each of the last two conference championships. Van Dalen finished second at the 2009 ECAC Championships and was named to the Northeast All-Region Team. She is a two-time honoree on the America East All-Academic Team and three-time recipient of Commissioner’s Honor Roll status. Van Dalen was inducted into the Golden Key International Honour Society in November 2009.
O’Donnell, a junior occupational therapy major with a 3.36 GPA, earned 2009 America East Goalkeeper of the Year and led the Wildcats to the program’s first-ever outright regular-season title in men’s soccer. He topped the conference in goals-against-average and saves percentage, and recorded five shutouts in 2009. O’Donnell was honored on the America East Academic Honor Roll for both 2008 and 2009, and was recently elected to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Scholar All-East Region First Team for his academic performance.
Pallotta, who owns a 3.76 GPA in business adminstration and management with concentrations in law and finance, was the 2009 America East Midfielder of the Year while leading the Terriers to the conference title. The senior was voted to the All-Conference, All-New England and All-Northeast first teams this fall and is expected to graduate Summa Cum Laude this May. CoSIDA and ESPN The Magazine recognized her for both her academic and on-field excellence this fall with Academic All-District 1 First Team and Academic All-America Third Team distinction, while the NSCAA named her a Third-Team Scholar All-American. Pallotta earned America East Commissioner’s Honor Roll status every fall of her collegiate career.
A senior physical education major with a 3.55 GPA, Heavens was named the 2009 America East Field Hockey Goalkeeper of the Year. The netminder third in the nation with a 9.76 saves per game average and sixth in Division I with a save percentage of .802. Heavens also leaves the Catamounts program second all-time in career wins (27) and goals against average. She is a two-time Commissioner’s Honor Roll member in 2007 and 2009, and has twice been named to the NFHCA Division I National Academic Squad. Heavens has been a member of the America East All-Academic Team in each of the last two years.
Sourbeer, a senior outside hitter for the Great Danes, carries a 3.65 GPA in business administration. She helped lead Albany to its second straight undefeated conference season and was named to the all-conference first team. Sourbeer averaged a team-best 3.09 kills per set while recording a .270 hitting percentage. She was also named to the All-Academic squad for the second straight year and was the only unanimous selection to the team in 2009. A three-time America East Honor Roll recipient, Sourbeer earned a spot on the Commissioner’s Honor Roll in 2007 and 2009.
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