4/16/2012 —

Student athletes from the Penn State DuBois varsity sports programs were recognized for their achievements over the past season at the annual All Sports Banquet on Sunday evening in the Student Union.

Coaches and athletes reflected on the highlights of their seasons, including trips to national championships for the men's basketball and wrestling teams. Other highlights of from this year include the men's basketball team winning the Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) Championship, coach Dave Bennett being named the PSUAC Coach of the year, and freshman wrestler Chike Okolo becoming the first Penn State DuBois wrestler to earn the National Collegiate Wrestling Association's (NCWA) All-American honors.

Students received awards for having been named All-American players, All-Conference players, Academic All-American players, and Academic All-Conference players. Student athletes who receive academic honors must have a semester GPA of at least 3.0 or higher during the semester of competition, or a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and a completion of 24 credits.

Chancellor Anita McDonald spoke about the lasting influence athletics has on people's lives. She said, "I see in this room future business people, medical professionals, community leaders, philanthropists, and more. You're going to be successful, in large part, due to the experience you've had here, being involved with athletics."

McDonald also urged the athletes to take the discipline they've developed in their sport, and apply it to being a good citizen and leader. "Be a leader. Be a leader now and in the future, for your community," she said. "Don't ever forget that you have that ability."

Student athletes pictured are: Chike Okolo, Garrett Zarecky, and Head Coach Matt Park