Posted: Mar 08, 2019
HADLEY, Mass. – A total of 866 student-athletes have been named to the 2019 NESCAC Winter All-Academic Team. To be honored, an individual must have reached sophomore academic standing, and be in good standing in their sport with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.50 or equivalent on a 4.0 scale. Transfers must have completed one year of study at the institution.

COMPLETE LIST OF ALL-ACADEMIC HONOREES

Of the 866 student-athletes named to the team, 317 were honored for the second time in their career, while 224 were recognized for the third time. In addition, 59 members of the group garnered both All-Academic and All-NESCAC accolades this winter, led by 16 student-athletes from Amherst. A total of 36 individuals were named to both the All-Sportsmanship and All-Academic Teams.

Five individuals were selected to all three squads. That elite group included Amherst junior Hannah Fox (women’s basketball), Middlebury junior Jacob Ellen (men’s squash), Trinity senior Jenny Haley (women’s squash), Wesleyan senior Sophia Antonio (women’s swimming & diving), and Williams junior Ellie Sherman (women’s swimming & diving).

The 2019 Winter All-Academic Team includes four NESCAC Players of the Year, a NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year, and a NESCAC Diver of the Year.

Williams sophomore Meghan Halloran (Darien, Conn.) was named the NESCAC Women’s Ice Hockey Player of the Year. Halloran helped the Ephs claim the 2019 NESCAC Championship and earn a record-tying 20 wins for the season, the most since 2001. Halloran, also an All-NESCAC First Team selection, leads the league in points (36), goals (18), and assists (18). The Ephs face Plattsburgh in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.

Wesleyan junior goaltender Tim Sestak (Darien, Conn.) earned NESCAC Player of the Year honors for men’s ice hockey after leading the Cardinals to a 16-8-2 record. He finished as the conference leader in save percentage (.950) and was second in goals against average (1.58). He is the third goalie in as many years to earn the conference’s top honor.

Amherst sophomore Lindsey Ruderman (Durham, N.C.) was named the NESCAC Diver of the Year for the second year in a row after winning both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events at the 2019 NESCAC Championships. Ruderman earned runner-up finishes from both boards at the 2019 NCAA Diving Regional Championships to qualify for the NCAA Championship for the second consecutive season.

Hamilton junior Kena Gilmour (New Paltz, N.Y.) was named the 2019 NESCAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year after leading the Continentals to their second consecutive season with more than 20 wins. Gilmour, the 2017 NESCAC Rookie of the Year, is part of a Hamilton squad that has advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. He ranks second in the conference in scoring, averaging 19.2 points per game while collecting 5.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. Gilmour is an All-NESCAC First Team honoree for the second straight year and is making his second appearance on the NESCAC All-Academic Team.

Wesleyan senior guard Jordan Bonner (Houston, Texas) is the second straight Cardinal to be named Defensive Player of the Year in men’s basketball. He started 25 games for Wesleyan, contributing 14.6 points per game while ranking second in the NESCAC on the boards averaging 9.6 rebounds per game. He led the Cardinals to a spot in the NESCAC Tournament for the fifth consecutive year. Bonner has been named to the NESCAC All-Academic Team three times.

Williams senior John Fitzgerald (Greenwich, Conn.) was tabbed as the NESCAC Men’s Squash Player of the Year. Fitzgerald, who played No. 1 for the Ephs, helped Williams finish as the runner-up at the 2019 NESCAC Championship for the 10th time in program history. He earned a spot on the All-NESCAC First Team for the second year in a row after being named to the Second Team in 2016 and 2017. Fitzgerald earns NESCAC All-Academic recognition for the third time in as many years.

Founded in 1971, the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) consists of 11 liberal arts colleges and has consistently reflected its commitment to the values of athletics and academic achievement. The member colleges of the conference are Amherst College, Bates College, Bowdoin College, Colby College, Connecticut College, Hamilton College, Middlebury College, Trinity College, Tufts University, Wesleyan University, and Williams College.