Bridgeport, Pa. - The Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) has announced its men's varsity Scholar-Athlete Team for the 2013 season, honoring student-athletes with at least a 3.2 GPA or higher.  The Fordham Rams had ten players earn that distinction, as each of them picked up their second academic award of the season.
 
Like the ACWPC All-Academic Team that was announced a couple of weeks ago, the CWPA designates three types of All-Academic Awards as Outstanding (4.00-3.71), Superior (3.70-3.41), and Excellent (3.40-3.20).  The Rams had two players, Bobby Wurtz and Sean Sullivan, receive "Superior" status and eight earned "Excellent" status.  That group included Nicholas Allen, Dan Kearney, Eric Mullery, R.J. Simmons, Landon Kern, Mike Hay, Patrick Lenihan, and Davis DeFontes.
 
Wurtz, an Engineering Physics major, received Scholar-Athlete honors for the second straight year from the ACWPC, earning "Superior" standing.  He played in all 34 games this season, netting 13 goals and 16 assists for 29 points.  He also added 15 steals and three blocks on the defensive end.
 
Sullivan, a Business Administration major, earned his first Scholar-Athlete honor, after serving as one of the Rams' goalkeepers.  He appeared in two contests in 2013, making one save.
 
Allen, a Psychology major, received his first Scholar-Athlete honor this season, after earning Second Team CWPA All-Northern Division accolades.  He registered a career-high 74 goals and 117 points to lead the Rams, while finishing second in assists with 43.  Allen also registered 27 steals and 14 blocks defensively, while having a team-best 18 goals with the man-advantage.
 
Kearney, a Psychology major, earns his third straight listing on the CWPA Scholar-Athlete team.  He appeared in 32 of the Rams' 34 games, netting five goals and two assists to go with 18 steals.
 
Mullery, a Political Science major, earned his first Scholar-Athlete honor as a senior.  He was one of the Rams' back-up netminders, as he saw action in a personal-best 11 games, recording 31 saves with three assists, three steals, and two penalty blocks.
 
Simmons, who has yet to decide on a course of study, was the Rams' lone freshman on this year's squad.  He earns Scholar-Athlete status after appearing in 30 games.  He recorded 18 goals and 17 assists for 35 points, while finishing third on the team with 34 steals.
 
Kern, a Business Administration/Finance major, played in a personal-best 33 games this season, as he picks up his first Scholar-Athlete honor from the CWPA.  He tallied four goals and three assists for seven points, and added 15 steals.
 
Hay, an English major, became a big contributor in his second season with Fordham and earned his first Scholar-Athlete award.  After scoring just three goals as a freshman, he netted 16 goals in year two to go with nine steals, and four blocks.
 
Lenihan, a Biological Sciences major, earns his second Scholar-Athlete award, after finishing his second campaign with the Rams.  He finished third on the team in goal scoring as a sophomore with 45 markers to go with 19 assists.  He also ended up second the team with 36 steals, and was the team leader in field blocks with 15.
 
DeFontes, who has yet to decide on a major course of study, received his second Scholar-Athlete award in the "Excellent" category.  He was once again one of the top offensive threats for Fordham in his second season, finishing with 29 goals and 15 assists, while posting a team-high 47 steals.