News and Notes 3/21/13: All-Academic Team

 Bowdoin's Dan Weiniger

 With four  - Williams (1), Amherst (2), Middlebury (4), Bowdoin (6) - of the top six ranked liberal arts colleges (according to U. S. News and World Report) in the nation, the NESCAC prides itself on academic excellence.  The trio of Hamilton, Wesleyan and Colby come in at 16,17, and 18, respectively, to put most of the conference in the top 20. Tufts is the lone 'CAC school on the separate ranking of larger schools  ("National Universities"), clocking in at number 28. Rounding out the NESCAC appearances on the Liberal Arts list are Trinity at 38 and Conn. College at 41.

In this spirit of academic excellence, the NESCAC released its All-Academic team for winter sports this week. To qualify, students  "must have reached sophomore academic standing and be a varsity letter winner with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.35. A transfer student must have completed one year of study at the institution."

A total of 871 student athletes made the list, including 81 men's hockey players. Middlebury men's hockey had the most with 11, followed by Amherst (10), Colby (10), Connecticut College (10), Wesleyan (10),   Williams (8), Trinity (7), Tufts (7),  Bowdoin (5) and Hamilton (3).

Six members of the men's hockey All-Sporstmanship team also made the All-Academic team: Bowdoin's Dan Weiniger (F, Sr.), Colby's Jake Billiar (F, Sr.), Conn College's  Kevin Kelly (F, Jr.), Middlebury's  Eric Zagorski (G, Sr.), Trinity's Tim Shea (F, So.) and Wesleyan's Donald Kleckner (F, Sr.).

Amherst's Johnny Van Siclen (F, Sr.) has some academic game to go with his name and hockey game. The 2nd team All-NESCAC selection was one of only two men's hockey players to make both the All-Conference and All-Academic teams.

The other, Bowdoin's Dan Weiniger (F, Sr.), was one of only seven athletes across all winter sports to make the All-Conference, All-Sportsmanship and All-Academic teams. The senior from New Jersey made his second career 1st team All-NESCAC team this season and finished his career in Brunswick with 116 points (57-59-116).

NESCAC Official Release and full list of 2013 winter All-Academic Team. 

Amherst Release
Bowdoin Release
Colby Release
Conn College Release
Hamilton Release
Middlebury Release
Tufts Release