Scholar-Athlete of the Year

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Staff report

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. — Recent California University of Pennsylvania and Sidney High School graduate Aaron Dinzeo was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Pete Nevins Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Wednesday morning, announced the league office.

The Pete Nevins Scholar-Athletes of the Year, which are selected by the league’s sports information directors, are presented to the top student-athletes who have achieved at least a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) while competing at an outstanding athletic level. To be eligible for the Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards, a student-athlete must have been recognized as a fall, winter or spring PSAC Top 10 award winner in the same academic year.

Dinzeo becomes the fifth student-athlete, and first from cross country/track & field, from Cal U to receive the honor and the first since 2005-06.

Originally from Monroeville, Pennsylvania, Dinzeo maintained a 3.89 GPA and earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology with concentrations in archaeology and forensic. Last month, he became the first student-athlete in school history to be selected the Capital One Academic All-American of the Year, while also being selected Capital One First-Team Academic All-American for the third time in his career — another first in school history.

Dinzeo finished second overall during the fall at the NCAA National Championships after helping lead the Vulcans to their highest-ever team finish at the NCAA Atlantic Regional Championships. He captured five individual crowns and registered a pair of runner-up finishes while competing in seven races. Dinzeo swept the individual titles at the PSAC and NCAA Atlantic Regional Championships en route to being named the both U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Atlantic Region and PSAC Athlete of the Year.

One of the most decorated student-athletes in school history, Dinzeo finished his career as a seven time NCAA All-American despite missing the indoor and outdoor track & field seasons this year due to injury. He joins former national champion Brian Ferrari as the only three-time All-Americans in cross country, while also earning All-America status in both the 5,000-meter run and 10,000-meter run in track & field.

Dinzeo was named to the PSAC Top 10 for the fifth time in his career during the fall, while no other Cal U student-athlete has received the honor more than twice. He also received USTFCCCA All-Academic laurels in cross country for the fourth time in his career.

The PSAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards are now in their 25th year of existence. In 2007, the awards were renamed to honor East Stroudsburg’s long-time sports information director Pete Nevins, who passed away earlier that year.

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