Senior Athletes Leave Behind Legacy of Athletic, Academic Success

Senior Athletes Leave Behind Legacy of Athletic, Academic Success

From Christendom's volleyball team reaching its first National Championship to the rugby team earning trips to two separate National Championships, the 2018-19 academic year was full of defining moments for Christendom Athletics. At the center of these moments were 37 senior student-athletes who earned numerous honors during their four years, leaving behind a legacy of sportsmanship and perseverance that the college will remember for years to come.

Of this year's graduating senior athletes, 11 were USCAA Academic All-Americans multiple times during their four years at Christendom (Helena Briggs, Sophie Adams, Gemma Youngman, Emily Weichert, Alexandra Hill, Emily Farabaugh, Clare Hepler, David Snyder, John Echaniz, Shane McCrum, and Ben Dunphy). Two were given the incredible honor of being named Student Athlete of the Year by the USCAA (Helena Briggs and Emily Farabaugh), and four were named USCAA All-Americans (Celina Albisu, Gemma McMahon, Sophie Adams, and Pete Day).

For the rugby team, Tim Marra was an NSCRO All-Star and winner of the NSCRO Student Leadership Award, while both he and Jerome Norton were instrumental parts of bringing home Christendom's first National Championship in 2016. Both helped the Crusaders earn trips to the NSCRO 15s National Championship this April and the NSCRO 7s National Championship this June as well in their final season.

Five graduating seniors were part of the National Championship runner-up volleyball team, with Helena Briggs, Celina Albisu, Gemma McMahon, Georgie Messing, and Anna Cook leading the team to unprecedented success.

In the midst of all these athletic achievements, each team also held a minimum GPA of 3.0, which is unheard of at the collegiate level today. Christendom's seniors truly stood out as student-athletes, setting an example for other classes to follow in the future.