Twelve Pioneers Named to CSC Academic All-District At-Large Teams

Photo by: © Sacred Heart University 2024

Twelve Pioneers Named to CSC Academic All-District At-Large Teams

6/17/2025 10:22:00 AM | Field Hockey, Men's Fencing, Men's Golf, Men's Ice Hockey, Men's Lacrosse, Men's Volleyball, Women's Bowling, Women's Fencing, Women's Golf, Women's Lacrosse, Women's Rowing, Men's Wrestling

SHU had student-athletes from 12 different teams recognized

By: Samantha Carey

FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Sacred Heart University demonstrated strong academic and athletic achievement with 12 student-athletes named to the 2024 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District At-Large Teams, as announced this afternoon.

Megan Albert (field hockey), Maria Alvim (fencing), Dakota Asuncion (men's wrestling), Jacob Bartel (fencing), Jessie Burch (women's golf), Paige Donovan (women's bowling), Leah Durkin (women's lacrosse), John Jaworski (men's ice hockey), Doria Lukasik-Drescher (rowing), Will Moulton (men's lacrosse), Ethan Phillips (men's golf), and Jaron Popp (men's volleyball) all received Academic All-District recognition this afternoon.

Albert continues to excel both academically and athletically with her first CSC Academic All-District selection. She started in all 18 games this season with the Pioneers while contributing one goal, two assists, and a defensive save. A standout in the classroom, she is a three-time NFHCA Scholar of Distinction and has been named to the NFHCA National Academic Squad three times. Albert has also earned spots on both the NEC Commissioner's Honor Roll and the NEC Academic Honor Roll twice during her career. The Lansdale, Pa. native graduated this spring with a degree in Marketing, holding a GPA of 3.975.

Alvim adds another honor to her impressive senior campaign as she recently earned NFC All-Academic honors and honorable mention All-Region recognition. She posted a top 20 finish at the NCAA Regionals, competed at the Senior World Cup in Barcelona in February, and went 18-1 in epee to win the NFC Championship in November, earning First Team All-Conference honors. Alvim who hails from Lisbon, Portugal, concluded the year with a 3.828 GPA as a General Studies major.

Asuncion brought in his second academic honor this year as he was also named Scholar All-American by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) back in April. The senior finished the 2024-25 season with an impressive 11-10 record, which was a career-best. The Dix Hills, N.Y. native claimed titles at the 2024 Journeymen Classic and the 2024 Big Red Invitational and entered the EIWA Championships as the No. 4 seed. Asuncion was honored as the 2025 Dr. Gary Rose Scholar-Athlete Award recipient, recognizing his academic, athletic, and leadership excellence. As an exercise science major, Asuncion graduated this spring with a GPA of 3.965.

Bartel played a key role on the foil squad for the men's fencing team, appearing in eight meets throughout the season. He delivered strong results on the strip, highlighted by a first-place finish at the NEIFC Championship and sixth-place finishes at the NEIFC Big One and the NFC Championship. His performance earned him a spot on the All-NFC Second Team. In the classroom, Bartel excelled as a Political Science major, earning NFC All-Academic honors and graduating with a cumulative GPA of 3.814.

Burch collects her first Academic All-District recognition after a career season on the links for the Pioneers. The junior from Dublin, Calif., owned an adjusted average of 79.6 and notched her first collegiate win at the Intercollegiate at Prospect Bay in March. Burch owns a cumulative GPA of 3.87 as a Finance major.

Donovann had a stellar season on the lanes for the Pios, earning her first National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association (NCBCA) Honorable Mention All-America and CSC Academic All-District nod. The graduate student from Seaford, N.Y., ranked 30th in the country in average frame average at 20.26 and 39th in strike percentage at 50.8%. Donovann ended her collegiate tenure with a perfect 4.0 GPA while earning a master's in Speech and Language Pathology.

Durkin capped her SHU career by earning her first CSC Academic All-District honors. The Dracut, Mass. native started in 13 games and played a pivotal role in the draw circle, winning 24 draw controls on the season, finishing second on the team in that category. In addition to her draw control success, Durkin contributed defensively with two caused turnovers and added a ground ball pickup. She ended her senior year with a 3.926 cumulative GPA as a Strategic Communications, Public Relations, and Advertising major.

For the second straight year, Jaworski receives this academic honor from CSC. The graduate forward maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.83 while earning a Master of Business Administration. On the ice, Jaworski capped his collegiate career by ranking second on the team with 31 points, 13 goals, and 18 assists, all of which are new career highs. He was key to the Pioneers' 21-13-5 overall record and earning the No. 2 seed in the Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) Tournament.

Lukasik-Drescher earned the second CSC Academic All-District honor of her career following another impressive year. A junior on Sacred Heart's first varsity eight (1V8), she is a two-time MAAC All-Academic Team selection and was named to the All-MAAC First Team in 2024. The Marana, Ariz. native majors in Electrical Engineering and holds an outstanding 3.952 GPA.

Moulton, a junior from Birmingham, Alabama., appeared in 15 games with 14 starts, helping lead the men's lacrosse team to the 2025 MAAC Regular Season Championship. A three-time MAAC Academic Honor Roll selection, Moulton tied for second on the team in goals (23) and ranked third in points (30). In the classroom, Moulton holds a cumulative GPA of 3.95, while majoring in Exercise Science.

Phillips continues to collect postseason recognition, as today's honor comes three weeks after he was named NCAA Division I PING All-Region in the Northeast. The graduate transfer had an outstanding first campaign with the Pioneers, being named All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) First Team after posting a win and ranking second on the team with a 73.2 adjusted average. Academically, he earned a perfect 4.0 GPA while pursuing a Master's in Business Analytics.

Popp was a consistent contributor for the Pioneers in 2025, appearing in 23 matches and making a strong impact on both sides of the net. He ranked second on the team in kills (187), service aces (20), and solo blocks (8) while also finishing third in digs (76), block assists (31), and total blocks (39). Popp recorded eight matches with double-digit kills, including a season-high 17 at George Mason, and posted six matches with multiple service aces. He also notched five matches with four blocks, showcasing his all-around value on the court. Off the court, Popp excelled academically with a 3.895 cumulative GPA while majoring in Marketing.