HAMPTON, VA – Twenty student-athletes representing ten of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association's (CIAA) eleven member schools have been named to the 13th Annual CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic Team. This year's team defines the total NCAA DII student-athlete experience with each member excelling on their respective playing fields and courts as well as in their classrooms and communities. Chowan's Allie Kolezynski was named to the First Team and CJ Westler was named to the Second Team for the second straight year.
 
“I'm proud of each one of our student-athletes and their commitment and dedication to education,” notes Commissioner Leon G. Kerry.  “In these tough economic times, having the ability to multi-task and treat both their academic and athletic endeavors with devotion will set them ahead of the game of life.”
 
The CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic Team aims to recognize twenty well-deserving student-athletes for their efforts in the classroom, in the community, as well as their contributions to the success of their respective athletic programs. Ten CIAA student-athletes were named First Team CIAA Commissioner's All Academic Team. Those ten student-athletes boasted a 3.95 overall grade point average. The second team also consists of ten student-athletes, averaging a 3.69 overall grade point average. Both Shaw University and Johnson C. Smith University placed three student-athletes on the First Team.  

Allie Kolezynski (Strongsville, OH) represents Chowan on the First Team this year. She was named First Team All-CIAA for softball after helping lead her team to a conference championship. She has maintained a 3.938 grade point average in Business Administration and is a four-semester member of the Chowan President's List. 

CJ Westler is a two-time member of the All-Academic Team. He was named Chowan's Dr. M. Christopher White Presidential Athletics Excellence Award recipient earlier this month. He was also named to the first team All-CIAA for football and the Offensive Player of the Year. He has a 3.562 overall grade point average in Sport Science and Physical Education.
 
The CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic Team is voted on by the CIAA Sports Information Director's Association and is in its 13th year. To be eligible for the team a student-athlete must have completed on academic year at a CIAA institution, earned a minimum 3.2 grade point average, and have excelled as a starter or significant reserve in a CIAA sanctioned sport. 

For a complete listing of the 2010 CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic Team, log onto www.theciaa.com