QUEEN CREEK, AZ – The Silverswords placed 19 student athletes on the 2008-09 PacWest Academic All-Conference Team. Chaminade had six repeat honorees. Four seniors earned the honor for the second year in a row. Audra Takara(W. Tennis), Krystal Walthour (W. XC), Raechelle Pereira (W. Soccer) and Tyler Pickle (M. XC) concluded their careers with the prestigious honor in both 2008 and 2009.
Two Chaminade juniors, Samantha Saito (W. Basketball) and Layne Morita (M. Golf) also made the list for the second consecutive year. Both Saito and Morita along with Senior Audra Takara were also named to Pac West All-Conference Teams earlier in the year for their efforts in athletic competition.
More than 140 student-athletes representing each of the seven Pacific West Conference schools and all 11 of the league sports have been honored.
The honor was announced on Tuesday, June 16, by the conference media relations office in Queen Creek, AZ.
A total of 145 student-athletes earned the academic award for compiling a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.30.
Student-athletes must be in their second year of competition at the school, and must be at least a sophomore or second-year transfer student, to be considered eligible for the award. Freshman, red-shirt freshman and first-year transfers are not eligible.
Grand Canyon University led the PacWest in the total number of athletes earning at least a 3.30 with 33, while Notre Dame de Namur finished second with 22. Dixie State wound up third with 20, followed by BYU-Hawaii (19), Chaminade (19), Hawai'i Pacific (17) and Hawai'i Hilo (16).
The PacWest will now choose a scholar-athlete of the year for each of its 11 sports. Each institution has been presented with an opportunity to nominate one student-athlete from each of its athletic programs. (courtesy of Tom DiCamillo, Pac West Asst. Commissioner/Media Relations)
Chaminade (19) Yr. GPA Major Sport Hometown/High School
Tanya Alvino So. 4.0 Accounting Volleyball Brentwood, CA/Liberty
Jayme Bento So. 3.4 English Women's XC Kailua-Kona, HI/Kamehameha
Casey Boggioni So. 3.3 Crim. Justice Women's Soccer San Diego, CA/U. San Diego H.S.
Marissa Fountain So. 3.8 Biology Women's Soccer Kekaha, HI/Waimea
Melissa Harris So. 4.0 Biology Softball South Surrey, Canada/Semiahmoo Sec.
Erin Keelan So. 3.3 Crim. Justice Softball Pahoa, HI/Pahoa
Chauntelle Maduli Jr. 3.5 Biology Volleyball Honolulu, HI/Kamehameha
Rachel Martin Jr. 3.3 Elem.Ed. Women's XC Waimea, HI/ Waimea
Marissa Minor So. 3.6 For. Science Women's Soccer Captain Cook, HI/Konawaena
*Layne Morita Jr. 3.7 Hist.&Pol.Studies Golf Kapaa, HI/Kauai
*Raechelle Pereira Sr. 3.4 For. Science Women's Soccer Wailua, HI/Wailua
*Tyler Pickle Sr. 3.8 Psychology Men's XC Milwaukie, OR/Rex Putnam
Chelsey Powell Sr. 3.3 Psychology Volleyball Honolulu, HI/St. Francis
*Samantha Saito Jr. 3.7 Elem. Ed. Women's Basketball Honolulu, HI/Sacred Heart
Ashlie Salas-Selem So. 3.7 Elem. Ed. Women's XC Kapolei, HI/Kapolei
Nick Smith So. 3.6 Pre-Law Men's Soccer Waterville, OH/Anthony Wayne
*Audra Takara Sr. 3.9 Comp. Science Tennis Mililani, HI/Mililani
Chelsi Walls So. 3.6 Comm. Softball Modesto, CA/Riverbank
*Krystal Walthour Sr. 3.4 Bio/For.Science Women's XC Anchorage, AK/Polaris
*Academic All Conference Selection in 2008 and 2009
