KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University athletics department recognized 40 student-athletes Thursday afternoon as a part of a new class of the Pennsylvania Alpha Omega Chapter of Chi Alpha Sigma in the National College Athlete Honor Society. The luncheon recognized those student-athletes who excel in both the classroom and competition.
 
Chi Alpha Sigma was founded in 1996 by then DePauw University head football coach Nick Mourouzis. His goal was to provide outstanding student-athletes with an opportunity to become connected within a fraternal association that aligns their educational and athletic successes for a lifetime.
 
In order to be inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, a student-athlete must attend a four-year accredited college or university that is a member of the NCAA, NAIA, USCAA or NCCAA. The honoree also must achieve at least junior academic standing by the fifth semester or seventh quarter, as determined by the certifying institution, and must have achieved a minimum cumulative grade-point average of a 3.4 (on a 4.0 scale).
 
The Golden Bear student-athletes awarded include:
 
Acrobatics & Tumbling
Cecilia Marshall (Bellingham, Mass./Home Schooled)
Jordyn Osner (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown)
Maddie Welsh (York, Pa./Central York)
 
Baseball
Nick Varda (Columbia, Md./Atholton)
 
Women's Basketball
Leila Hurley (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe)
Olivia Smelas (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe)
 
Field Hockey
Grace Harrold (York, Pa./Central York)
 
Football
Brandon Hile (Winfield, Pa./Selinsgrove)
Austin Leyman (Elmer, N.J./Woodstown)
Judd Novak (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central)
Freddie Retter (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown)
 
Women's Golf
Gabby Cohen (Jeffersonville, N.Y./Sullivan West)
 
Women's Lacrosse
Brynn Axe (Landisville, Pa./Hempfield)
Marisa Bragg (Ringoes, N.J./Hunterdon Central)
Rowan Hall (Sloatsburg, N.Y./Suffern)
Katie Yocum (Hanover, Pa./South Western)
 
Women's Soccer
Skyler Jordan (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth)
Caroline McDonald (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East)
Charlotte Rauch (Bellport, N.Y./Bellport)
Natalie Ryan (North Wales, Pa./Wissahickon)
 
Softball
Jenna Piatkiewicz (Fogelsville, Pa./Parkland)
Morgan Slomkowski (Toms River, N.J./Toms River East)
Alexa Stevens (Covington Township, Pa./North Pocono)
 
Women's Swimming
Paige Heck (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin)
Jena LaTorres (Allentown, Pa./William Allen)
Alexandra Wetzel (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion)
 
Men's Tennis
Lucas Cherniak (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Escuela Superior de Comercio Carlos Pellegrini)
Emmitt Robinson (Ingersoll, Ontario/Ingersoll District Collegiate Institute)
 
Men's Cross Country/Track & Field
Adam Brocato (Reisterstown, Md./Calvert Hall)
Michael Fellin (Sheppton, Pa./Marian Catholic)
Owen Weaver (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker)
 
Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Sophia Knerr (Columbia, N.J./North Warren Regional)
 
Women's Volleyball
Mallory Hoch (Zionsville, Pa./Southern Lehigh)
Maddie Ruhland (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove)
Emma Stalsitz (Allentown, Pa./Parkland)
Tessa Van Dam (Little Falls, N.J./Passaic Valley)
 
Wrestling
Bailey Gimbor (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg)
Dalton Gimbor (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg)
Wayne McIntyre (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg North)
Alex Ward (Manassas, Va./Battlefield)