ESU Academic Awards page

EAST STROUDSBURG - East Stroudsburg University redshirt junior Devon Ackerman (football) and senior Emily Howell (field hockey) have been named to the 2016 PSAC Fall Top 10 for athletic and academic achievement, the conference announced Thursday.

Ackerman (Hanover, Pa./Southwestern) and Howell (Bangor, Pa./Bangor) are both repeat selections from the Fall 2015 Top 10.

The conference list honors five male and five female student-athletes among the conference's 18 institutions. The program requires at least a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average to be eligible for nomination, and each school may nominate two male and two female student-athletes each season.

All 30 PSAC student-athletes (15 male, 15 female) selected during the academic year are eligible for consideration for the Pete Nevins Scholar-Athlete of the Year, which is named after longtime ESU sports information director Pete Nevins and is presented to one male and one female in June.

Ackerman, a Biochemistry major with a 4.0 GPA through seven semesters (106 credits), is a three-year starter on ESU's offensive line, starting all 33 games in his career. He moved to center for the 2016 season after two seasons (22 starts) at left guard in 2014 and 2015, following a redshirt year.

Ackerman was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America first team for the second straight season, becoming ESU football's second two-time first team selection. He snapped to two quarterbacks who threw for over 1,200 yards and blocked for redshirt senior tailback Robert Healy, who set ESU single-season records for rushing yards (1,163) and rushing touchdowns (18) in 8.5 games.

Howell, a Health and Physical Education major with a 3.85 GPA, was most recently named the NCAA Division II field hockey selection for the Honda Collegiate Woman of the Year Award.

She was named to the NFHCA All-America first team for the second straight year, and was also selected as the PSAC Defensive Athlete of the Year and Synapse Sports DII Defensive Athlete of the Year. She led ESU to a 15-3 regular season, sharing its second straight PSAC regular season title with a 9-1 record, and a 15-5 campaign overall after helping the Warriors win their first-ever PSAC and NCAA DII championships as a junior in 2015.

As a senior, Howell had six goals and four assists as ESU's top target on penalty corners, and marshalled a defense that posted 10 shutouts in 20 games, and allowed multiple goals just twice in the final 17 games of the season as the Warriors returned to the NCAA Tournament.

A four-year letterwinner and three-year starter, Howell is also in her second year as president of ESU's SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee)

The Warriors have had 34 student-athletes earn a total of 51 honors, fourth-most in the 18-school conference, since the PSAC's sports information directors began selecting the lists  in 1997-98.

Ackerman and Howell are the 14th and 15th ESU student-athletes to earn multiple PSAC Top 10 honors.

Last year, Howell was the second ESU field hockey player to be named to the PSAC Top 10, joining goalkeeper Katie Horst, who was a two-time selection (1997-98).

Ackerman is one of eight ESU football players honored and the third two-time selection, joining quarterback Jimmy Terwilliger (2005-06) and linebacker Matt Freed (2009-10).


2016 PSAC Fall Top 10

Men
Devon Ackerman, ESU (football)
Thom Derks, Mercyhurst (soccer)
Marcus Martin, Slippery Rock (football)
Joe Smith, Seton Hill (soccer)
Josh Smith, Bloomsburg (soccer)

Women
Natalie Cignetti, IUP (volleyball)
Emily Howell, ESU (field hockey)
Jenna Lezanic, IUP (cross country)
Casey Norton, Shippensburg (cross country)
Sam Peters, Bloomsburg (field hockey)