(06-29-09) SOUTH EASTON, Mass. - The Northeast-10 Conference (NE-10) has released its 2009 Spring All-Academic Teams, and seven University of New Haven student-athletes in three different sports have been recognized. Jimmy Rivas and Tom Rombilus of the baseball team, Shannon Gagne of the women's track and field team, and Brigid Brady, Ashley Ferrandiz, Brianna Kenworthy and Kristine Lambracht of the women's lacrosse team were all honored.
Rivas, an electrical engineering major with a 3.36 grade point average, led the team with four home runs, 43 runs batted in, 13 doubles and a .444 slugging percentage this season. A Third Team All-East Coast Conference honoree a season ago, Rivas ranked in the top-10 in the NE-10 in runs batted in and doubles. The senior catcher was named All-NE-10 Second Team after started the season with 15 RBI in his first eight games.
Rombilus, an accounting major with a 3.45 grade point average, ranked in the top-10 in the conference in batting average (.335), hits (62) and stolen bases (20). The third baseman started all 43 games for the Chargers and put together two nine-game hitting streaks throughout the season. Rombilus, a sophomore, stole a base in seven consecutive games at one point this season and ranked first on the team with 33 runs scored from his leadoff position.
Gagne, who owns a 3.92 grade point average following her junior year in the classroom and became the first CoSIDA Academic All-American in women's track and field history, became a two-time All-American this spring as she finished fifth in the 200-meter dash at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. With a time of 23.91 seconds, Gagne finished two one-hundredths out of fourth place. In the prelims of the national meet, she broke the UNH record and now holds the mark at 23.71 seconds. Gagne was also recently named the women's East Region Track Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), becoming the first women's track and field student-athlete to earn the distinction.
An Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) All-North Region Second Team selection, Brady was an IWLCA All-American Second Team selection a season ago and Second Team All-Northeast-10 Conference selection this season. The Islip Terrace, N.Y. native has a 3.56 grade point average in political psychology and was second on the team with 53 goals this season and fourth on the team with 56 points. She finished the year with a .589 shooting percentage and led the Northeast-10 Conference with 18 free-position goals. Brady finished her career at New Haven as the all-time leader in career goals and points.
Ferrandiz, a Second Team All-American selection by both the IWLCA and womenslacrosse.com and First Team All-Northeast-10 Conference selection, was the team leader in points (97), goals (57), assists (40) and ground balls (64) this season. She set the record for points and assists in a season while moving into second on the single-season goals list. In two seasons at New Haven, Ferrandiz has already accumulated 161 points to rank third all time. She also ranks third in career goals (105) and second in career assists (56). Ferrandiz is a psychology major with a 3.37 grade point average.
Kenworthy, who has a 3.96 grade point average in business administration, had her best season statistically in 2009, ranking third on the team with 57 points on 46 goals and 11 assists. She also ranked second on the team with 56 draw controls and third with 44 ground balls. For her career, Kenworthy ranks fourth all-time at New Haven with 129 points, 103 goals scored and 26 assists. Her 46 goals this season is also good for eighth all time in single-season history.
Lambracht, who has a 3.92 grade point average in accounting, was a NE-10 Second Team selection on defense. She helped the Chargers lead the conference in both caused turnovers per game and goals against average. Lambracht started all 20 games for New Haven this past season, causing 20 turnovers and picking up 26 ground balls. In limited offensive duty, she scored five goals and tallied one assist.
