University of Richmond Athletics
Spider Athletes Honored For Academic Success
11/03/2015 | Academic Services
The Richmond athletics department and deans of the undergraduate schools at the University of Richmond honored student-athletes at the Scholar-Athlete Breakfast on Monday, November 2nd at the Jepson Alumni Center. This is the second year of the event, after holding the initial one in February. The change in timing was to recognize student-athletes for their achievement throughout the entire previous academic year.
The student-athletes invited to attend the banquet are all on pace to graduate on time and with honors. Those student-athletes who could attend invited one professor to join them, and the head coaches of the athletic programs also joined at the tables for breakfast and fellowship. Athletics Director Keith Gill and newly inaugurated University President Dr. Ronald A. Crutcher, were the main presenters for the event.
The highest team grade point average (GPA) on record of 3.15 was established this past year. Over 31 percent of second, third and fourth-year student-athletes at the ceremony posted a 3.4 GPA in the 2014-15 academic year. This figure is up seven percent from three years ago. Over 63 percent of UR student-athletes posted a 3.0 GPA or better and 80 percent of teams recorded GPAs over 3.0 as a unit.
Richmond saw 11 of its sports score a perfect 1000 academic progress rate by the NCAA last year, an all-time record at the institution.
Individually, student-athletes were selected in concert with the department of athletics and the individual dean's offices of the undergraduate schools at UR to receive a special honor.
The Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award was a repeat performer, women's tennis student-athlete Emily Gitman. She is a double major studying pre-med and acounting.
The School of Arts and Sciences Award was given to swimmer Melissa Ross, while the Robins School of Business Award was earned by women's soccer senior Dana Bernetich and senior field hockey student-athlete Taylor Deitrick was honored with the Jepson School of Leadership Studies Award.
Ross volunteers in the Child Life Unit at St. Mary's Hospital in Richmond and spent two summers as an undergraduate researcher at Fox Chase Canter Center in Philadelphia. She is a biology major at UR.
Bernetich is a member of Golden Key and Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society. She majors in accounting and served an internship with Ernst & Young last summer.
Dietrick volunteers at Virginia Home, where she assisted residents living with physical disabilities, and she found time to serve as co-coach of the Panthers United Field Hockey Club, for elementary-aged players in Richmond. She is majoring in leadership studies.
Players Mentioned
