CHESNAVICH AND ROTZ NAMED TO PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER AREA ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Courtesy of Bob Heller, USP SID
Philadelphia, Pa. (May 3, 2009) - University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's basketball players Erin Chesnavich and Melissa Rotz have been named to the 2008-09 Philadelphia Inquirer Area All-Academic Team. Chesnavich and Rotz are amongst the seven student-athletes selected to this year's women's basketball area All-Academic team. The team is voted on by the sports information offices of the 28 area institutions in the Philadelphia-metropolitan area.
Chesnavich (Bishop O'Reilly High School/Pittston, Pa.) , a junior, is a repeat selection having earned the honor in 2007-08. Rotz (Central Dauphin High School/Harrisburg, Pa.), a sophomore, earns her first selection to the area all-academic team.
Rotz, a pharmacy major in her first professional year (third overall) in the university's Doctor of Pharmacy program, currently sports a 4.00 grade point average. Melissa was recently awarded the Rho Chi Achievement Award. The Rho Chi Achievement Award is given to a third-year pharmacy student with the highest class GPA for the first two years of the University's pre-professional curriculum. Rotz still maintains a 4.00 g.p.a. and has earned Dean's List honors in each of her five semesters at the institution. Melissa has earned several honors this year, including being named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 2 Women's Basketball team as a third team selection and to the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Women's Basketball All-Academic Team.
Basketball wise, Melissa is a sophomore athletically, having red-shirted her first year, She moved into a starting role midway through this season after being the first guard off the bench. Melissa was second on the team in assists (63) and third in three-point field goals made (9) while playing in all 28 games this season. The Harrisburg, Pennsylvania native recorded a career-high 16 points against Nyack College earlier in season.
Chesnavich, a double major (biology and physician assistant), currently has a 3.35 overall grade point average and has earned Dean's List honors the last two semesters. She is currently in her third year both academically and athletically. Erin also was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 2 Women's Basketball team as a third team selection
A two-time All-CACC First Team honoree, Chesnavich was also named to Daktronics NCAA Division II East All-Region Women's Basketball Team. She finished the season as the Devils' leading scorer, shooter and rebounder. Erin was the only CACC player ranked in the top eight in a total of seven different categories, ranking third in rebounding (9.3/gm.), seventh in blocked shots (1.14/gm.), eighth in free throw percentage (80.9%); fourth in defensive rebounds (6.25/gm.) and eighth in offensive rebounds (3.07/gm.). The junior forward earned CACC and ECAC Player of the Week honors in January and was named to the CACC honor roll five other times during the season. Chesnavich also earned honorable mention for the WBCA Player of the Month honors in January
Joining Rotz and Chesnavich on the Philadelphia Inquirer Area All-Academic Team are Maria Getty of Villanova University, Gabriela Marginean of Drexel University, Morgan Robertson of La Salle University, Jessica Romano of Philadelphia University, and Kathryn Stockbower of Swarthmore College. Marginean was selected as the Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Women's Basketball Performer Of The Year. Chesnavich, Romano and Marginean are repeat selections to this year's team.