Fairleigh Dickinson senior Melanie Hannon (Cheektowaga, NY/Maryvale) is the 2016-17 women’s bowling scholar-athlete of the year. Hannon, who remarkably just earned the fourth NTCA All-America honor of her career, was named the MVP of the NEC Women’s Bowling Championship last month in leading the Knights to the title and subsequent berth in the NCAA Tournament. A four-time All-NEC first team selection, Hannon has filled 86 percent of her frames this season, posted a 49 percent strike percentage, 20.35 frame average and 201 traditional average. She was tabbed to the All-Tournament team at the UWW Warhawk Classic and Kutztown Invitational, and was a three-time NEC Bowler of the Week. Hannon is a three-time NTCA Academic All-American and a three-time NEC Academic Honor Roll selection. The Nursing major from Cheektowaga, NY has compiled a 3.52 grade point average.

Saint Francis U junior Bryce England (Williamsburg, PA/Williamsburg), who was the men’s cross country scholar-athlete honoree this past fall, adds to his resume by winning men’s indoor track and field scholar-athlete accolades. England put forth a dominating effort in winning the 3,000 meters at the NEC Indoor Track & Field Championships in February, finishing in 8:18.55, over 10 seconds faster than the runner-up. He also finished second in the 5,000 meters (14:45.79) and competed on SFU’s second-place distance medley relay team. England went on to finish 10th at the ECAC Championships in the 5,000 meters. Pursuing a double-major in Biology and Spanish, the Williamsburg, PA native is a four-time member of the NEC Academic and Commissioner’s Honor Rolls. England carries a 3.96 grade point average.

St. Francis Brooklyn’s Annais Cummiskey (Tenafly, NJ/Tenafly) continues her stellar junior campaign with women’s indoor track and field scholar-athlete accolades. Just last fall, she was the recipient of the women’s cross country scholar-athlete award. In February, Cummiskey struck gold in the 5,000 meters at the NEC Indoor Track & Field Championships, crossing the tape in 17:46.47 for the Terriers. She also scored points in the 3,000 meters with a seventh place finish. Cummiskey previously won the 3,000 meters at the Wagner Shootout in December. Cummiskey, a Tenafly, NJ native and Mathematics major, sports a perfect 4.0 grade point average and has been named to the NEC Academic and Commissioner’s Honor Rolls all three of her years in Brooklyn Heights.

Wagner senior Katja Claesson (Fullerton, CA/Troy) is the co-women’s swimming and diving scholar-athlete of the year. Claesson was instrumental in the Seahawks earning a third place finish at the NEC Swimming & Diving Championships back in February. She earned a silver medal in the 200 breaststroke with a school record time of 2:16.46 and took the bronze in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.68). Claesson was part of Wagner’s winning 200 medley relay team that established a program record time of 1:40.73, and also swam on the Seahawks’ runner-up 400 medley relay squad. The Fullerton, CA product has now been named to the NEC Academic Honor Roll four times and the NEC Commissioner’s Honor Roll on three occasions. Claesson majors in Biopsychology and maintains a 3.84 grade point average.

Central Connecticut junior Maddy Garber (Milford, MA/Milford) shares women’s swimming and diving scholar-athlete honors. One of the top swimmers in NEC history, Garber helped spark the Blue Devils to their third consecutive NEC women’s swimming and diving crown this past February in Cambridge, MA. She was named the NEC Swimmer of the Meet after setting new NEC and school records in the preliminaries of both the 100 breaststroke (1:00.01) and 200 breaststroke (2:13.35), before going on to win both events. She also placed second in the 200 individual medley (2:04.00), and swam a leg on CCSU’s first place 400 medley relay (3:43.46) team and runner-up 200 medley relay (1:40.98) quartet.  Garber went on to compete at the NCAA Championships, where she lowered her school record 200 breaststroke time (2:13.12), and placed third in her heat and 28th overall in the 100 breaststroke (1:00.53). The 2016 US Olympic Trials qualifier was a three-time NEC Swimmer of the Week. Garber, a Graphic/Information Design major, carries a 3.44 grade point average. She has twice earned recognition as a member of the NEC Academic Honor Roll.