54 Silverswords honored with Academic Achievement Award
Now in its 16th year, the Division 2 Athletic Directors Association (D2 ADA) Academic Achievement Award is a program that recognizes the scholastic accomplishments of student-athletes at the Division II level. This year, a record 54 Silversword student-athletes were honored with the award, eclipsing last year’s number of 52.
“Intercollegiate athletics is an important component of the student experience at Chaminade,” says President Dr. Lynn Babington. “As a Marianist, Catholic institution, we value the development of the whole person, and athletics creates the opportunity for our students to not only excel in sports, but to learn teamwork and leadership and provide school spirit to the campus.”
To be honored with the D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award, the school’s athletic director must be a current dues-paying member of the D2 ADA. Also, a student-athlete must have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale, have attended a minimum two years (four semesters) of college level work ,and have been an active member of an intercollegiate team during his/her academic year.
Eleven Silverswords posted 4.00 grade-point averages during their time at Chaminade with two senior student-athletes—Peyton Oshiro (men’s cross country) and Hoku Schatz (women’s soccer)—wrapping up their playing careers with perfect GPAs.
In all, a record-breaking 19,646 student-athletes from across 196 NCAA Division II institutions were recognized with the award.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our student-athletes, who earned the prestigious honor of being a D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award winner,” said Chaminade Athletic Director Tom Buning. “Having a school record number of awardees is a testament to our Silverswords dedication to excellence in the classroom and competition. This accomplishment is even more noteworthy when considering that travel for the PacWest Conference competition requires extended absences from class.”
Of the more than 1,100 NCAA member universities and colleges, about 300 classify their athletics programs in Division II.
Division II is all about balance. Students participate in highly competitive athletics, have the best access ratio to NCAA championships of any division and can earn athletics scholarships, but their college experience includes so much more than sports participation. The balanced approach in athletics, academics and community engagement allows Division II student-athletes to focus on their academic pursuits, internships, studies abroad and all that interests them.
Among the most distinguishing features in Division II is its athletics scholarship model, which awards partial scholarships that students combine with academic or need-based grants to construct their financial aid package. Division II believes it is important to acknowledge and financially reward students’ athletics abilities. This partial scholarship model keeps athletics budgets more closely proportioned with the total institutional budget.
The following Silversword student-athletes were recipients of the D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award (listed by sport):
Men’s Basketball
Isaac Amaral-Artharee
Scott Ator
Dorian Harris
Kameron Ng
Braden Olsen
Patrick Renane
Kobe Young
Women’s basketball
Olivia Crigler
Mia Ming
Emma Morris
Men’s Cross Country
Elijah Bernardo-Flores
Peyton Oshiro
Peter Jan Ramos
Josiah Rodrigues
Women’s Cross Country
Leila-Jayne Casison
Montserrat Lanfranco
Eri Leong
Ashley Yoshikawa
Men’s Golf
Kal O’Brien
Schuyler Peterson
Men’s Soccer
Kekoa Kuloloia
Kaulana Navares
Daniel Villalva
Brandon Yasue
Women’s Soccer
Lece Aviles
Gracie Bowers
Ruby Burroughs
Caili Cain
Gracie Knowd
Jenna McLean
Kira Nishiki
Dayna Nishimura
Hoku Schatz
Clara Slate-Liu
Kyla Takazono
Nicole Vontsolos
Women’s Softball
Kobe Brown
Taryn Fujioka
Kailah Gates-Coyaso
Taylor Genera
Haley Hayakawa
Bailey Jacobsen
Kieren Lopez
Chasity McKean
Cheyne Obara
Keolani Takemura
Women’s Tennis
Sydney Danielson
Emily Ramirez Miranda
Women’s Volleyball
Alexia Byrnes
Sasha Colombo
Greta Corti
Brooklen Pe’a
Kaybrie Pe’a
Sophie Schilling
