A distinctive student-athlete experience combining athletics excellence, rigorous academics, and the culminating expression of knowledge though ΊΪΑΟΙηβs signature Independent Study program gives Fighting Scots an edge among College scholars. Thirteen ΊΪΑΟΙη senior student-athletes have been selected for the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship over the last five academic years, placing the College third for most recipients, behind Stanford University and Johns Hopkins University, per results compiled from public NCAA releases. ΊΪΑΟΙη has three top-five finishes for most recipients since 2018, including 2021-22, when the Scots tied for first in the entire NCAA.
NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipientsβreceiving a now $10,000 awardβrepresent student-athletes across the country who not only excel academically and athletically but also show strength as involved members of their College communities, leaders, and volunteers who reflect characteristics that thrive through graduate study. Only 21 men and 21 women are selected by the NCAA each sport season. ΊΪΑΟΙηβs five-year run is extraordinary, as the 13 recipients are two more than the entire Ivy League and five more than all current schools in the New England Small College Athletic Conference. ΊΪΑΟΙηβs success helped the North Coast Athletic Conference with 41 recipients to a No. 3 ranking for conferences using 2024-25 alignments, trailing just the Southeastern Conference (81) and Atlantic Coast Conference (58).
βThis is a truly remarkable achievement for a college of our size,β shared Lynn Holleran, ΊΪΑΟΙηβs director of athletics and physical education. βOur Fighting Scots excel both athletically and academically. Our NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipients distinguished themselves with a commitment to their sport and discipline that is unmatched.β
Award winners represent 15 of ΊΪΑΟΙηβs 23 varsity sports since 2018. This distinct group had 16 different academic majors. Signature non-athletic passions that were instrumental in successful applications included leading ΊΪΑΟΙηβs student government, groundbreaking research as part of I. S., traveling abroad to work with international governmental advocacy organizations, research or internships at the nationβs leading research institutions and Fortune 500 companies, working as health coaches in the community through the Collegeβs partnership with ΊΪΑΟΙη Community Hospitalβs Community Care Network, plus much more. Athletic and academic excellence is just as important to be selected. The majority of ΊΪΑΟΙηβs recipients earned All-NCAC honors and beyond and graduated with at least a 3.9 GPA.
ΊΪΑΟΙηβs NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship nomination process is led by the Collegeβs faculty athletic representativesβDrew Pasteur, professor of mathematics, and Shelley Judge, professor of earth sciencesβwho solicit nominees from administrators and coaches in the athletics department each season. They work closely with each nominee to review the process and formulate a plan for a hopeful successful nomination.
βThe same credentials that have opened doors for Fighting Scots alumni at Princeton, Oxford, and Cambridge also make them great candidates for this prestigious award,β shared Pasteur. βΊΪΑΟΙη sets our graduates up for successβ¦Every year, we see that ΊΪΑΟΙηβs top scholar-athletes are the equal of those at the most selective colleges and universities in the nation.β
βDrew and I are delighted each season to nominate our student-athletes for the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship,β added Judge. βOur student-athletes shine brightly, cheered on by a village here at ΊΪΑΟΙη that supports each nomination. Working with such a dedicated team has been an outstanding experience, and it is the strength of this synergistic collaboration that has supported our student-athletes throughout the application process.β
The NCAA awards up to 126 postgraduate scholarships annually. The scholarships are awarded to student-athletes who excel academically and athletically and who are at least in their final year of intercollegiate athletics competition. The one-time, non-renewable scholarships of $10,000 are awarded three times a year, corresponding to each sport season (fall, winter, and spring). There are 21 scholarships available for men and 21 scholarships available for women for use in an accredited graduate program each sports season. All former student-athletes who earned an undergraduate degree from an NCAA member school are eligible to be nominated by their alma mater, regardless of when they received their undergraduate degree.
ΊΪΑΟΙηβs past recipients of the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship since 2018 include Lake Barrett β23, Titas Bera β18, Syd Case β22, Wilson Freije β21, Noah Golovan β23, Isabelle Hoover β23, Emily Howerton β17, Patrick Mohorcic β18, Jack Redick β21, David Roney β21, Brooke Swain β22, Athena Tharenos β24, Wesley Wagner β20, Miura Wiley β21, and Andreas Xenofontos β21. ΊΪΑΟΙη to learn more about their achievements at ΊΪΑΟΙη and after graduation.
Featured image includes Lake Barrett β23 and Athena Tharenos β24.