FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, April 8, 2005

CONTACT: Ted Breidenthal 816/474-7264 tbreidenthal@d3independents.org www.d3independents.org

Association of Division III Independents
Names March Student-Athlete of the Month Award Winners

KANSAS CITY, MO.--- Andrea Herbert, the NCAA’s indoor triple jump champion from New Jersey City University, and Scott Akamine, a pitcher from Chapman University, were named today as the recipients of the Association of Division III Independents Student-Athlete of the Month awards for March.

A junior from Paterson, NJ, Herbert leaped into NCAA history March 12 as she soared 39 feet, 10 ½ inches (12.15 meters) to win the indoor triple jump title. At the time, Herbert became the second individual in NJCU history in any sport to win an NCAA Division III national title, but only for a short while as Anthony Miles won the men's 55-meter-dash title an hour later. Herbert’s 12.15 meters mark was the best in Division III this season and ranks eighth all time. It also was the third time Herbert earned First-Team All-America honors in indoor and outdoor track, after receiving previous honors as a member of NJCU’s relay teams.

Akamine, from Anaheim, CA, had a stellar month on the mound as the senior notched three straight victories in March for second-ranked Chapman. For the month, he posted a 1.05 earned-run average in 25.2 innings. He collected 32 strikeouts in those starts and became Chapman’s career strikeout leader March 5 when he collected his 249 th strikeout. Akamine threw a complete game five-hitter in a 3-2 win over Cal Lutheran. He also stuck out 11 in seven innings as Chapman defeated Whittier, 9-1.

The Association of Division III Independents consists of 17 Division III independent institutions that have joined together to recognize student-athletes at independent institutions, and to provide exempted postseason championship competition in seven sports in 2004-05. The Association recognizes outstanding athletic achievements of its student-athletes on a weekly, monthly and annual basis. For the first time, the Association provides statistical services for its members in seven sports. In addition, it also will announce all-Independent teams at the conclusion of 11 sports this year.

All student-athletes from the Association’s 17 members were eligible for the award. Each school was allowed to nominate its top performing male and female student-athletes from March. The award recipients were selected after a vote of the Association’s Student-Athlete Recognition Committee.

More information about the Association of Division III Independents is available at http://www.d3independents.org.

 

# # # # #