18 RU Gymnasts Named to EAGL All-Academic Team
Mar 21 | Women's Gymnastics
PISCATAWAY, NJ - Eighteen members of the Rutgers University gymnastics team were selected to the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) All-Academic Team, the league announced Monday. The Scarlet Knights led all EAGL teams with the most honorees.
To be named to the EAGL All-Academic team, student-athletes must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher in the two previous semesters. Freshmen are also eligible if they earned a GPA of 3.0 or higher in the fall semester.
Rutgers also led the conference with the most four-time selections, as seniors Janice Blackistone (Kensington, MD), Tracy Heckler (Laurel Springs, NJ), Jennifer Miksan (Carol Stream, IL), Sveta Shterenberg (Sharon, MA) and Stephanie Zick (Pittsburgh, PA) were selected to the All-Academic squad for the fourth time.
Senior Jessica Orlando (Erie, PA) earned her third selection, while senior Marinelle Antonio (Mt. Laurel, NJ), junior Jamye Shelton (Griffin, GA) and sophomores Shari Evans (Lititz, PA), Beth Fittery (Denver, PA), Lorena Johnson (Lilburn, GA), Nicole Patouhas (Marlton, NJ), Casey Santangelo (Cherry Hill, NJ) and Kelly Straka (Fairless Hills, PA) were all named to the list for the second time in their careers.
Earning their first All-Academic honors were junior Lauren Sisler (Newport, VA), and freshmen Jodi Lebeau (Bristol, CT), Stephanie Pannick (Archbald, PA) and Jacquelyn Verdon (Freehold, NJ).
All 95 gymnasts selected to the EAGL's All-Academic squad will be honored at the annual awards banquet on Thursday, March 24. The 10th annual EAGL Championship meet is set for Friday, March 25, in Raleigh, NC, on the campus of North Carolina State University. The meet is scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m.
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY (18)
Name Cl. GPA Hometown Major
Marinelle Antonio** Sr. 3.39 Mt. Laurel, NJ Nursing
Janice Blackistone (4) Sr. 3.80 Kensington, MD Exercise Science/Sports Studies
Shari Evans** So. 3.22 Lititz, PA Psychology
Beth Fittery** So. 4.00 Denver, PA Undeclared
Tracy Heckler (4) Sr. 3.61 Laurel Springs, NJ Chemical Engineering
Lorena Johnson** So. 3.12 Lilburn, GA Undeclared
Jodi Lebeau Fr. 3.12 Bristol, CT Undecided
Jennifer Miksan (4) Sr. 3.83 Carol Streams, IL Biomedical Engineering
Jessica Orlando*** Sr. 3.66 Erie, PA Criminal Justice/Psychology
Stephanie Pannick Fr. 3.33 Archbald, PA Undeclared
Nicole Patouhas** So. 3.03 Marlton, NJ Undeclared
Casey Santangelo** So. 3.21 Cherry Hill, NJ Undeclared
Jamye Shelton** Jr. 3.63 Lilburn, GA Psychology
Sveta Shterenberg (4) Sr. 3.88 Chestnut Hill, MA Psychology
Lauren Sisler Jr. 3.25 Newport, VA Communications
Kelly Straka** So. 3.30 Fairless Hills, PA Undeclared
Jacquelyn Verdon Fr. 3.16 Freehold, NJ Undecided
Stephanie Zick (4) Sr. 3.72 Pittsburgh, PA Meteorology
* number of career honors
