Feb. 29, 2008

Academic All-Conference Team

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - La Salle's Rachel Papin and Ryan Jank of Charlotte have been named the Atlantic 10 Student-Athletes of the Year in men's and women's indoor track & field, respectively, in voting conducted among the Conference's sports information directors.

Papin earned Most Outstanding Track Performer honors at the 2008 Atlantic 10 Indoor Track & Field Championship on Feb. 16 after winning the 5,000m run in a meet and facility record-time of 16:32.14. The time provisionally qualified her for the NCAA Indoor Championships on Mar. 14-15 at the University of Arkansas.

The Philadelphia, Pa., native also ran the anchor leg of the Explorers' distance medley relay which captured gold in a Championship and facility-record time of 12:05.44. A member of the Dean's List, Commissioner's Honor Roll and three-time Academic All-Conference selection, Papin boasts a 4.0 grade-point average in La Salle nursing graduate school program.

Papin is joined on the 2008 Atlantic 10 Women's Indoor Track & Field Academic All-Conference team by teammate Carolyn Lipovsky; Dayton's Sarah Allen, Stacy Chew and Megan Sweeney; Brittany Bakanowsky and Christina DeRosa of Massachusetts; Laura Coyer and Laura Hamilton of Saint Louis; Charlotte's Lamarra Currie and LaJarsha Moses; Brittney McRae of Temple; Saint Joseph's Andrea Florida; Samantha Howard of Duquesne; and Rhode Island's Stephanie Gregory.

Jank finished second in the 5,000m run (14:33.98) and fourth in the 3,000m run (8:31.06) on Feb. 16 at the 2008 A-10 Indoor Track & Field Championships as Charlotte captured its second team title in three seasons. Jank also placed ninth overall in the 5,000m run at the Penn State National Open on Jan. 26 with a time of 14:50.72. A resident of Spartanburg, S.C., the junior maintains a 3.806 grade-point average while majoring in business.

Joining Jank on the 2008 Atlantic 10 Men's Indoor Track & Field Academic All-Conference team are David Alfano and Andrew Wagoner of La Salle; Rhode Island's Brian Alexander, Thomas Barek, Michael Bernardo and Stephen Mateka; Matt Alexander, Austin Critchlow and David Whelan of Saint Louis; Massachusetts Nathan Barksdale, Ryan Durkin and Ian Hackney; and teammates Clifton Hilario and Matt Lowenthal of Fordham.