By: Stephen Gorchov
Hempstead, NY - Ten Hofstra University student-athletes representing the field hockey, men's golf, women's golf, men's lacrosse, women's lacrosse, and wrestling programs have been selected to the College Sports Communicators At-Large Academic All-District Team it was announced by the organization.
Earning the award from Hofstra are:
Vincent Apostolico (men's golf),
Mac Gates (men's lacrosse),
Katie Kelly (women's lacrosse),
Cami Larsson (field hockey),
Taylor Mennella (women's lacrosse), Â
Daniel Ochs (men's lacrosse),
Chase Patterson (men's lacrosse),
Trey Rogers (wrestling),
Merlijn van der Vegt (field hockey), and
Savannah Weyrauch (women's golf).
Apostolico, a sophomore from Sparta, New Jersey, owns a 3.95 grade point average as an accounting major. He was a member of the Provost's list (4.0 GPA) this past fall and ranked fourth on the team in scoring average this past season (78.35). He has been a member of the Hofstra Athletic Director Scholars Academic Honor Roll and the CAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll.
Gates, a senior from San Francisco, California, has a 3.85 GPA as he works towards his master's degree in marketing. Gates has earned multiple academic honors during his career, including the CAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll, the Dean's List, and the Hofstra Athletic Director Scholars Academic Honor Roll. Gates started all 14 games this season and made 154 saves with a save percentage of .510. He added 19 ground balls and six caused turnovers, with a goals against average of 10.65.Â
Kelly, a senior community health major from Commack, New York, has a 3.91 grade point average. This season she played in 15 games with nine starts and totaled 40 points on 23 goals and 17 assists. Kelly also added 39 draw controls and nine ground balls. She also earned Provost's and Dean's List honors, Athletic Director Scholars Academic Honor Roll accolades, CAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll  honors, and the IWLCA Division I Academic Honor Roll award.Â
Larsson, a fifth-year senior from Cordoba, Argentina, owns a 3.90 GPA as a computer science major. A 2022 All-Colonial Athletic Association First Team honoree and four-time All-CAA Second Team selection, Larsson is a five-time member of the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division I National Academic Squad and was named a 2022 NFHCA Division I Scholar of Distinction after leading the Pride with points (13) and goals (five) and finishing second on the team with three assists.
Mennella, a senior from Smithtown, New York, has a 3.83 GPA majoring in accounting. The Pride's leading scorer she tallied 54 points on 31 goals and 23 assists and started 15 of the 16 games she played in. Mennella also had seven ground balls and four caused turnovers this season. She is a member of the Dean's List at Hofstra, and a trio of academic honor rolls including the Hofstra Athletic Director Scholars Academic, CAA Commissioner's, and the IWLCA Division I Academic.Â
Ochs hails from Syosset, New York, and carries a 3.73 GPA as a political science major. A member of the All-CAA First Team this season, he posted 23 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers, while starting all 14 games. He is a member of both the CAA Commissioner's Academic and Hofstra Athletic Director Scholars Academic Honor Rolls, as well as being a Dean's List student.Â
Patterson, a senior from Richboro, Pennsylvania, has a 3.86 GPA as a marketing major. One of the nation's top face-off specialists, he ranks 14th nationally in face-off percentage (59.5%) and 10th nationally in ground balls per game (8.57). Patterson is a Dean's List student and a member of the CAA Commissioner's and Hofstra Athletic Director Scholars Academic Honor Rolls.
Rogers, a senior from Hastings, Minnesota, carries a 3.93 grade point average as a pre-medical studies major. He is now a three-time Academic All-District selection, as well as a three-time NWCA Scholar All-American. The fifth-place EIWA finisher at 197 pounds, Rogers won 21 matches, was 10-0 in dual matches, and qualified for the NCAA Championships for the second time in his career. He also was the recipient of an EIWA Academic Achievement Award for the fifth time in his career. Rogers was also honored as the 2023 Dr. James M. Shuart Award recipient as the Hofstra Scholar-Athlete of the Year from a men's team.Â
A geology major with a 3.73 cumulative GPA, van der Vegt is a senior from Utrecht, The Netherlands, and started 15 games between the posts for Hofstra, tallying 85 saves and a 1.60 goals-against average. A four-time NFHCA Division I National Academic Squad selection, van der Vegt was named an NFHCA Division I Scholar of Distinction this past season.
Weyrauch, a junior from Bloomington, Illinois, owns a 3.98 grade point average as an accounting major. She was a member of the Provost's List (4.0 GPA) this past fall and was a nominee for the Dr. Sylvia J. Giallombardo Award as the Hofstra Scholar-Athlete of the Year from a women's team. On the course, Weyrauch averaged 76.83 strokes per round to rank second on the team. She won two tournaments in 2022-23.Â
All 10 Hofstra student-athletes are now eligible for Academic All-America honors. The national teams will be announced on June 21 (men's) and June 22 (women's).
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