Trio of Blue Devils Named Northeast Conference Fall Scholar-Athletes

Three Central Connecticut student-athletes were named Northeast Conference Scholar-Athlete award winners presented by Certified Financial Services it was announced Thursday by the league office. Senior Charlotte Maurer of the women's soccer team, junior Madelyn Kaprelyan of the volleyball team and sophomore Angie Rafter of the women's cross country team were named the Scholar-Athlete of their respective sports by the league office. The league also named members of the Fall Academic Honor Roll and Commissioner's Honor Roll.

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ACADEMIC HONOR ROLL
COMMISSIONER'S HONOR ROLL 

Maurer, a marketing major, has posted a 3.64 GPA as a Marketing major. A United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America Second Team honoree, she was named the 2018 Northeast Conference Midfielder of the Year, totaling 21 points on eight goals and five assists as a senior. The Northampton, MA native was an All-NEC First Team selection and the top vote-getter among midfielders for the NEWISA Senior Bowl. Maurer has also been named to the United Soccer Coaches All-North Region First Team. 

Maurer helped CCSU finish the season with a 16-2-2 record, including a perfect 8-0 in league play. Central's .850 win percentage ranked 4th nationally in the NCAA. The Blue Devils won their ninth Northeast Conference championship in program history to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time under head coach Mick D'Arcy.

Kaprelyan, a biomolecular sciences major with a 3.50 GPA, is the second straight Blue Devil to earn the NEC Volleyball Scholar-Athlete honor, following Maddie Smith in 2017. Kaprelyan was named the ECAC Offensive Player of the Year and became the first Blue Devil named Northeast Conference Player of the Year. She posted five triple-doubles during the season, which ranked second in the NCAA, and was among the league leaders in hitting percentage, kills per set, and double-doubles.

The Blue Devils earned the NEC Team Sportsmanship Award after posting a 13-13 record and playing in the NEC Tournament semifinals. Central has also earned the AVCA Team Academic Award for 12 consecutive seasons.

Rafter holds a 3.93 GPA and pursuing a degree in English. The elite runner led the women's cross country team to its first Northeast Conference Championship win since 1999 and was named the NEC Most Outstanding Performer after besting the field of 80 runners to win the NEC individual championship with a time of 18:03.6 in the 5K race. The Danielson, CT native ran at the NCAA Regional Championsips and led the Blue Devils placing 66th in a field of 243 runners, completing the 6K course in 23:14.0. Rafter was named the NEC Athlete of the Week three times and defeated a field of 82 runners by over 27 seconds to win the Ted Owen Invitational. She also placed 10th at the NEICAAA Championships and earned a fifth-place finish at the CCSU Mini Meet.

All scholar-athlete award winners must have earned a minimum of 60 semester hours at their institution, maintained a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.20 and participated with distinction as a member of a varsity team.

The NEC announced also announced its Fall Academic Honor Roll across the season's sports, consisting of a record 812 student-athletes with a 3.20 or better grade point average, a 6.1 percent increase from 2017. There were also an all-time high 276 student-athletes named to the Commissioner's Honor Roll, recognizing those superior student-athletes with a 3.75 or better grade point average. The Commissioner's Honor Roll figure represents a 14.5 percent increase from a year ago.