Each Thursday of the fall semester, we'll be throwing it back and looking at historical and significant moments and individuals from the history of Slippery Rock athletics. For our sixth “Throwback Thursday” feature of the semester, we’re looking at the academic success of SRU student-athletes.

The accolades of Slippery Rock student-athletes on the field, court and track are staggeringly long over the more than 100-year tradition of athletics at The Rock, but even more impressive than those accomplishments are the growing list of academic achievements recorded by the SRU student-athletes. 

Slippery Rock ranks among the very best in Division II and the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference historically in terms of academic achievements. The Rock are ranked in the top 10 in the nation in total number of Academic All-Americans, rank second in the PSAC in total number of Top 10 honorees and have a total of 10 former student-athletes that have been named to the PSAC’s top academic yearly honor, the Pete Nevins Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award. 

Today, we’re looking back at those 10 PSAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year honorees, while also highlighting some of the other major academic successes of Rock student-athletes.

CoSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS

Before we get to the bios of our 10 Nevins award winners, let’s shine a light on one of the most impressive statistics in Slippery Rock athletics. 

Since the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) began its Academic All-America program in 1970, a total of 103 SRU student-athletes have earned the title of “Academic All-American.” Slippery Rock ranks sixth among all NCAA Division II institutions and leads all Atlantic Region schools in that category.

While most coaching organizations recognize and “All-Academic” team nationally each year, only the CoSIDA selections are officially recognized as “Academic All-Americans.” In order to be eligible for Academic All-America selection, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore in athletic and academic standing, must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 or higher and must have significant athletic credentials. It remains one of the top honors a student-athlete can earn and is one of the most difficult to achieve.

The Academic All-America program has previously garnered recognition and national sponsorship from some of the biggest corporations in America, including ESPN, Verizon, General Electric, Google Cloud and Capital One. 

Slippery Rock had six Academic All-America honors in 2019-20 to increase its total to 103 honorees since 1970. To view the complete list of SRU’s Academic All-Americans, click HERE.

PSAC CHAMPION SCHOLARS

Beginning during the 2011-12 academic year, the PSAC started handing out the PSAC Champion Scholar Award at each of its championship events. The honor goes to the student-athlete competing at the championship site that owns the highest overall cumulative grade point average. 

In addition to needing to own the highest GPA, the student-athlete (and in most cases the team) must qualify to compete in the championship and in many cases the team must advance to at least the semifinal round of the tournament for the individual to be recognized.

Since the inception of the award, Slippery Rock has earned the honor a total of 15 times, including seven times since the beginning of the 2018-19 academic year.

To view The Rock’s complete list of PSAC Champion Scholars, click HERE. 

PSAC TOP 10

Since 1994, the PSAC has recognized a “Top 10” in each athletic competition season of the academic year with three total teams each year (fall, winter, spring). 

In order to be eligible for a Top 10 nomination, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore in athletic and academic standing, must own a cumulative GPA of at least 3.50 and have significant athletic credentials. Only five total men and five total women from each of the three seasons are selected to the team, meaning just 15 total men and 15 total women are honored each year. 

Since the program’s inception in 1994, Slippery Rock has a total of 69 student-athletes that have been recognized. The Rock trail only Shippensburg (71) for the most in the PSAC. 

Slippery Rock had a total of four Top 10 selections in 2019-20, including at least one in all three of the seasons. 

To view The Rock’s list of PSAC Top 10 honorees, click HERE.

PSAC PETE NEVINS SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

All PSAC Top 10 honorees since 1994 have had the chance to go on to be named the PSAC Pete Nevins Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The award, which was renamed in 2007 to honor the late East Stroudsburg University sports information director Pete Nevins, goes to just one male and one female student-athlete in the PSAC each academic year. 

Schools can only nominate one male and one female for the award each year and the honorees must have been named to one of the three PSAC Top 10 teams during the year. 

Since the award’s inception, Slippery Rock has had an impressive 10 former student-athletes named as the PSAC Pete Nevins Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Below, we’ll take a brief look at what earned all 10 of those honorees the distinction of being named the top student-athlete in the conference. We’ll start with our most recent winner, Rock football defensive end Marcus Martin in 2017-18, and work back to our first winner, Rock basketball shooting guard Mark Metzka in 1994-95. 

To view the list of The Rock's Pete Nevins Scholar-Athlete of the Year winners and the complete lists of SRU's PSAC Scholar-Athletes dating back to 1997, click HERE.

MARCUS MARTIN (FOOTBALL, 2017-18)

The 2017 NCAA Division ll Ron Lenz National Defensive Player of the Year became the first player in PSAC history to win four straight major postseason awards after being named Rookie of the Year in 2014 and Defensive Player of the Year in 2015, 2016 and 2017. In addition, Martin became just the eighth player in conference history to earn four straight first team All-PSAC honors. 

Martin became the only player in the country to be a two-time national finalist for the Gene Upshaw Lineman of the Year Award, which he won by a record margin in 2017. He holds the NCAA all-time record in career sacks among all players at any level with 56.0. He also holds the NCAA Division ll career tackles for loss record at 92.5. Additionally, Martin is the SRU and PSAC single-season record holder in sacks (16.0) and is the SRU, PSAC and Super Region One career leader in both sacks and tackles for loss. He also owns the SRU single-game records for sacks (4.5) and tackles for loss (6.5). 

The four-time Super Region One Player of the Year was a consensus All-American in each of his last two seasons and a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American.

Brief Career Accomplishments:
•          Double-digit All-America honors
•          NCAA all-division career record holder in sacks
•          NCAA Division II career record holder in tackles for loss
•          SRU record holder in single-season sacks
•          SRU record holder in single-game sacks and tackles for loss
•          Didn’t miss a single start, starting 48 games over his career
•          A three-time finalist for the Cliff Harris Award (top small college defensive player)
•          The only PSAC player to ever be named a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy (known as the academic Heisman)
•          Earned an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship and was honored alongside the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2017 at the National Football Foundation’s Annual Banquet in New York City.
•          Played in the East/West Shrine Game (and caught a TD pass), becoming the second SRU player ever to accept an invite to the Shrine Game.
•          Recorded a sack during the 2018 NFL preseason while playing for the Rams. Spent time on the Rams practice squad in 2018.

SABRINA ANDERSON (TRACK & FIELD, 2015-16 and 2016-17)

A two-time PSAC Pete Nevins Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Anderson became just the fifth woman in conference history to win the award twice when she won the 2017 honor. She earned her third straight Academic All-America honor and her second straight first team selection in 2017. Anderson became one of only four women in the nation to earn three Academic All-America honors in track and field during that period. 

Battling through two torn ankle ligaments that required surgery following the PSAC Outdoor Championships, Anderson competed in both the indoor and outdoor season her senior year. She won the pentathlon title at the indoor meet and battled through the injury to place second in the heptathlon at the outdoor championships, marking her sixth straight All-PSAC finish in the multi-event competition at PSAC Championship events. 

Anderson earned All-Region honors for owning one of the top multi-event marks in the region during both the indoor and outdoor season.

She completed equally impressive feats in the classroom, earning 30 graduate credits while taking classes 30 miles from campus in less than one year while competing during her final year of eligibility. The six-time PSAC Top 10 honoree was named to the team in every season she was eligible.

Brief Career Accomplishments:
•          Second student-athlete in PSAC history to be named to six PSAC Top 10 teams
•          All-time PSAC record holder in the pentathlon indoor with 3,818 points
•          First team All-American in the indoor pentathlon in 2016
•          Graduated with a degree in exercise science in just three years with a 3.91 GPA and 143 credits completed
•          Finished her entire MBA graduate degree in less than one year, posting a 4.0 GPA
•          Earned Dean’s List honors every semester
•          A USTFCCCA All-Academic selection each year
•          Named as one of the three NCAA Division II national finalists and the nine total national finalists for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award

DAVID REINHARDT (TRACK & FIELD, 2016-17)

Reinhardt became the first SRU male student-athlete to win the Pete Nevins Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award since Tim Kusniez in 1999-00 and just the fourth male in SRU history to win the honor when he won the award in 2017. His win also gave Slippery Rock a sweep of both the male and female top scholar-athlete honors with Sabrina Anderson claiming the women’s honor. 

Reinhardt was named a first team Academic All-America selection for the third time in his career in 2017, becoming the only male in the nation to earn that recognition. 

Reinhardt earned his second career All-America honor in the javelin in 2017 after also winning the PSAC title and qualifying for nationals in the hammer throw, where he finished one spot shy of earning an All-America recognition in that event as well. His first All-America honor in the javelin came in 2014 when he shocked the field to win the national title.

As a senior, Reinhardt broke the SRU record in the hammer throw when he won the event at the PSAC meet with the ninth best throw in the nation in 2017 at 61.59 meters. He scored 16 points at the PSAC Championships by placing in the hammer, javelin and discus to help The Rock finish second in the 2017 PSAC Outdoor Championship team standings. 

In the classroom, Reinhardt took 20 700-level doctoral credits during the spring semester of his senior year alone, most of which were in a clinical setting 60 miles from campus. All of the success in the 2016-17 academic year came just one year after Reinhardt missed the entire 2015-16 indoor and outdoor track and field seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow. 

Brief Career Accomplishments:
•          NCAA Division II national champion in javelin (2014)
•          Two-time NCAA Division II All-American in javelin
•          All-Region selection in the hammer and javelin during senior outdoor season
•          All-Region selection in the weight throw during senior indoor season
•          A four-time PSAC Top 10 honoree
•          Finished with a 3.82 graduate GPA after completing 82 credits in the doctor of physical therapy program at SRU
•          Earned Dean’s List honors every semester
•          Named Field MVP at PSAC Championships in 2014
•          PSAC champion in hammer throw in 2017 

JEN BLASKO (VOLLEYBALL, 2008-09)

Blasko earned the Pete Nevins PSAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award following a stellar career that culminated with an exercise science degree and a 4.0 undergraduate GPA. Additionally, she earned her graduate degree in Slippery Rock’s nationally renowned physical therapy program.

On the court, Blasko earned several honors including Daktronics All-Region honors and American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Region honors following the 2008 season. She ranked ninth in the PSAC in kills (2.96 per game) and led the team in kills, digs (3.02 per game) and service aces (52). 

The four-year starter was a three-time All-PSAC Western Division selection and a two-time AVCA All-Region selection. Blakso helped lead The Rock to a 26-12 record and a fourth consecutive berth in the NCAA Tournament in 2008, as well as a berth in the PSAC Tournament for the second time in her career. 

Additionally, she is one of only three players in Rock volleyball history to have played in the NCAA Tournament in all four seasons of her collegiate eligibility. 

Blasko furthered her accolades after being named the 2008-09 NCAA Division ll Conference Commissioners’ Association’s Atlantic Region Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The regional honor came on the heels of her first team selection to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America team. She was also the PSAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and earned PSAC Fall Top 10 honors that same season. 

Brief Career Accomplishments:
•          Two-time All-Region selection
•          Three-time All-PSAC selection
•          D2CCA Atlantic Region Scholar-Athlete of the Year
•          Ranks fifth all-time at SRU in points (1,848)
•          Tied for fifth in career kills at SRU (1,585)
•          Ranks sixth at SRU in service aces (173) and seventh in career digs (1,612)

JEN HANSEN (TRACK & FIELD, 2007-08)

Hansen earned the Pete Nevins Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award after a sophomore season that saw her become the PSAC pole vault champion in both the indoor and outdoor season. In addition to her individual championship, Hansen was named the Outstanding Field Athlete of the 2008 PSAC outdoor meet. 

Hansen placed third at the Division II National Championships both indoor and outdoor to earn a pair of first team All-America honors in 2008. She would finish her SRU career as a six-time All-American in the pole vault, which included four All-America awards during the outdoor season. Additionally, she was named to the PSAC Winter and Spring Top 10 and as an ESPN The Magazine first team Academic All-American in 2008.

Hansen is still the SRU, PSAC championship meet and all-time PSAC outdoor record holder in the pole vault with her championship effort in 2008 (4.10 meters).

In the classroom, Hansen was equally as impressive, adding USTFCCCA All-Academic honors and the Division ll Conference Commissioner’s Association Atlantic Region Scholar Athlete of the Year award to her PSAC award.

Brief Career Accomplishments:
•          SRU, PSAC Championship Meet and all-time PSAC record holder in outdoor pole vault (4.10m)
•          Six-time NCAA Division II All-American (four outdoor, two indoor)
•          Two-time All-Region selection
•          Seven-time PSAC champion in pole vault (four outdoor titles, three indoor)
•          Five-time PSAC Top 10 honoree
•          Two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American

KARYN McCREADY (TRACK & FIELD, 2003-04)

McCready garnered the Pete Nevins Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award following the 2003-04 season after a dominant performance in the javelin. McReady was named to the Spring Top 10 after winning the NCAA Division II title in the javelin by a margin of 15 feet at the national meet. Her performance was good enough to qualify her for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials in the event. 

In addition to being name the PSAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, McCready added CoSIDA Academic All-America honors during the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons. The four-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete earned her undergraduate degree in health and physical education with a 3.91 cumulative GPA. 

McCready’s national title came on a javelin throw of 164 feet, breaking a 19-year-old conference record by more than four feet. In addition to breaking a two-decade old conference record, McCready won her third consecutive PSAC individual championship in the javelin and also won the javelin title at the Penn Relays.

The three-time All-America selection helped Slippery Rock win back-to-back PSAC outdoor track and field titles in 2003 and 2004. Her javelin throw of 49.98 meters in 2004 is still the SRU record.

Brief Career Accomplishments:
•          2004 NCAA Division II national champion in the javelin
•          2004 U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier
•          Three-time NCAA All-American in the javelin
•          Three-time PSAC champion in the javelin
•          Two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American

TIM KUSNIEZ (FOOTBALL, 1999-00)

Kusniez earned the Pete Nevins Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award following the 1999-00 season. The offensive tackle was a two-year letter winner for Slippery Rock and garnered several accolades during his career. 

He earned PSAC Fall Top 10 honors and was named a CoSIDA Academic All-American during the 1998-99 season, followed by being named to the Fall Top 10 once again during the 1999-00 season. 

Over Kuzniez’s stretch as a starting offensive tackle for The Rock, SRU compiled a combined 18-5 record in addition to winning the 1999 PSAC Championship and winning the PSAC Western Division in 1999 and 2000.

Kuzniez was a key member of an offensive line that led the way for a rushing attack that combined for 5,269 yards, 64 touchdowns and a 239.5 rushing yards per game over two seasons.

Brief Career Accomplishments:
•          Two-time All-PSAC selection
•          Two-time Division II All-America selection
•          CoSIDA Academic All-America honoree
•          Helped lead SRU football to its highest national ranking ever (No. 2)

DAVE SABOLCIK (FOOTBALL, 1997-98)

Sabolcik earned the Pete Nevins Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award following the 1997-98 football season after picking up PSAC Fall Top 10 honors.

Prior to earning the Scholar-Athlete Award, Sabolcik earned recognition for his work in the classroom and on the field when he was named a CoSIDA Academic All-American as a sport management major. 

After transferring to The Rock from Division l Kent State, Sabolcik earned All-PSAC honors in 1996 while blocking for a rushing attack that went for 1,967 yards for 178.8 yards per game and 20 touchdowns. He followed that up with a second All-PSAC honor and an All-America recognition in 1997 after helping SRU to 11 straight wins over Division II opponents and blocking for an offense that rushed for 3,116 yards for an average of 239.7 yards per game. 

Brief Career Accomplishments:
•          Two-time All-PSAC honoree
•          One-time CoSIDA Academic All-American
•          NCAA Division II All-American in 1997
•          Helped SRU to 11 straight wins and NCAA playoffs in 1997

LORI ROBINSON NUZZO (BASKETBALL, 1995-96)

Robinson Nuzzo earned the Pete Nevins Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award following the 1995-96 season. That season, as a junior, Robinson Nuzzo averaged 15.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. 

A four-year starter for SRU, Robinson Nuzzo ranks fourth in career points (1,479), 3-point field goals made (171) and rebounds (740), along with ranking fifth in free-throws made (276). Robinson Nuzzo’s 78 made 3-point field goals during the 1997-98 season are tied for the most by a Rock women’s basketball player in a single-season. 

In the classroom, she was equally as impressive, earning CoSIDA Academic All-America honors following the 1995-96 and 1997-98 seasons. She also earned PSAC Top 10 honors in 1996.

She was inducted into the SRU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014.

Brief Career Accomplishments:
•          Four-time All-PSAC selection
•          PSAC Rookie of the Year in 1994
•          Second leading scorer in the PSAC her senior year
•          Two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American
•          Two-time PSAC Top 10 honoree
•          Graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA

MARK METZKA (BASKETBALL, 1994-95)

Metzka became the first Slippery Rock student-athlete to win the Pete Nevins Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award when he earned the honor following the 1994-95 men’s basketball season. 

A four-year starter for The Rock men’s basketball program, Metzka averaged 10.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per game over his career. His best season came as a senior, where Metzka averaged 17.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game while shooting 48 percent from the field and 46 percent from beyond the arc. 

In the career ranks at SRU, Metzka is third in 3-point field goals made (182) and 3-point field goal percentage (40 percent), fourth in free throw percentage (84 percent) and fifth in assists (301). 

Metzka was equally as impressive in the classroom, garnering CoSIDA Academic All-America honors following the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons in addition to earning PSAC Top 10 honors as a senior.

He continues to make a significant impact at Slippery Rock, where he serves as an admissions counselor. 

Brief Career Accomplishments:
•          Two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American
•          Two-time PSAC Top 10 honoree
•          Ranks third at SRU in 3-pointers made and 3-point FG percentage
•          Ranks fourth at SRU in free throw percentage and fifth in assists

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