CLEVELAND – The Division 2 Athletics Directors Association (D2ADA) announced the 2017-18 recipients of the D2ADA Academic Achievement Awards on Monday afternoon, with 40 Sunbirds making the list. The Academic Achievement Awards is a program that recognizes the academic accomplishments of student-athletes at the Division II level. 
 
"We continue to place a high emphasis on academics, so to see this many of our student-athletes recognized for their hard work in the classroom is an exciting thing for our department," Director of Athletics Aaron Henderson said. "Sunbird Athletics continues to soar to new heights, and we are hoping for even more of our athletes to receive academic awards in the future." 
 
In total, 10,219 student-athletes from 165 institutions, including all 14 PacWest Conference members, were recognized for the 2017-18 Academic Achievement Awards. 13 of FPU's 14 sports are represented on the list, with women's swimming and diving leading the way with seven honorees. 
 
"As an Officer for the D2 ADA Board, it has pleased me to see the number of student-athletes recognized for their academic achievements continue to increase," said current D2 ADA President Jim Johnson, Director of Athletics at Pittsburg State University. "This program is a point of pride for our current D2 ADA member institutions and a great way for their student-athletes' achievements to be recognized nationally. On behalf of the D2 ADA, we congratulate and celebrate these academic distinctions and are proud of your accomplishments."
 
In order for a student-athlete to receive an Academic Achievement Award, the athletics director of the Division II institution must be a current dues-paying member of the D2 ADA. Additionally, the student-athlete must:

- have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale
- have attended a minimum of two years (four semesters) of college level work
- have been an active member of an intercollegiate team during his/her last academic year

About D2ADA: The D2 ADA is the first organization of its kind to provide educational and networking opportunities; enhancement of acceptable operating standards and ethics; and establishment of the overall prestige and understanding of the profession of Division II athletics directors. For more information about the D2 ADA, please visit www.div2ada.com. The D2 ADA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 54th year. For more information on NACDA and the 17 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.
 
To view the complete list of honorees from the Division 2 Athletic Directors Association, please click here.
 
Fresno Pacific honorees
 
Baseball
Jarrett Anton 
Derek Arkelian
Bryan Honley 
 
Men's Basketball
Jake Straughan
 
Women's Basketball
Bree Alvarez
Barbara Keomany
Megan Lee
 
Women's Cross Country
Jonnie Montano
 
Men's Soccer
Bruno Brumati
Loren Friesen
 
Women's Soccer
Rachel Anderson
Vanessa Casillas
Brittney Chow
Jordyn Ryfiak
 
Men's Track and Field
Clint Harris
Jaeden Herms
Scott Hickam
Joshua Valenzuela
 
Women's Track and Field
Allie Austin
Brie Couseault
Annie Regier
 
Volleyball
Greta Dobenecker
Christina Tran
 
Men's Swimming and Diving
Austin Hussain
Kyle Jones
Caleb McGough
Collin Moore
Bryce Peden
Kyle Sugimoto
 
Women's Swimming and Diving
Leah Allen
Rhoda Anderson
Bavindeep Basra
Daria Belova
Hannah Freeman
Madison McGinnis
Olga Tovstogan
 
Men's Water Polo
Erik Brown
Garrett Pickford
 
Women's Water Polo
Julia Ponce
Sam Witt