Annville, PA - The Middle Atlantic Conference released on Tuesday the recipients of the 2012 Spring Scholar-Athletes, with Messiah's
Rachel Dirksen being among the award winners.
The Scholar-Athlete award is given to a senior in each men's and women's sport of each sport season. Nominees much have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least a 3.20 (4.0 scale). Historically, recipients hold GPA's north of 3.80 and are regarded as academic leaders in their respective sport.
The MAC Awards Committee bases selection of recipients on an even balance (50-50) of both academic and athletic prowess.
Dirksen is one of five seniors on the Falcons' women's lacrosse team in 2012. A four-year starter for Messiah, Dirksen has led the Falcons to a program-record #8 ranking in the most recent
Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Top 20 poll. This season, she also became the Falcons'
all-time leader in career goals scored and career points. Through Saturday's 21-6 win over Alvernia University, Dirksen has accumulated 225 goals and 320 points.
Her MAC Scholar-Athlete recognition is Messiah College's second such award in 2011-12, with senior women's soccer player
Kelsey Gorman earning the award in the fall season.
A native of Glenside, Pa., Dirksen has earned
First Team All-MAC honors for women's lacrosse in each of her first three seasons. She was also the 2009 MAC Rookie of the Year. In 2011 Dirksen was
elected First Team All-Metro Region, one year after her Second Team All-Metro recognition.
In addition to her program records and accolades, Dirksen will enter Wednesday's game with Lycoming just three assists and four draw controls shy of tying Messiah's program records in those categories.
The Falcons are currently first in the Commonwealth Conference with a record of 12-2, including 4-0 in league play. They host Lycoming College on Wednesday, April 25, at 5:00 p.m. The Falcons' regular season finale is scheduled for Saturday, April 28, against Albright College at 1:00 p.m.
This season, the Falcons are looking to
defend their 2011 conference championship and improve upon their
run into the Second Round of the NCAA Championships Tournament.
Sport - Name - School - Major - GPA - Hometown
Baseball - Matt Ruch - Wilkes University - Accounting - 3.87 - Dallas, Pa.
Softball - Christine Petrilla - DeSales University - HIstory/Secondary Education - 3.74 - Hamilton, N.J.
Women's Lacrosse -
Rachel Dirksen - Messiah College - Marketing - 3.58 - Glenside, Pa.
Men's Lacrosse - Victor Marchetti - Lycoming College - Business Finance/Mangement - 3.51 - Cortland, N.Y.
Women's Tennis - Anna Mitchell - Wilkes University - Spanish - 3.71 - Montclair, N.J.
Men's Tennis - Michael Capozzi - Manhattanville College - Finance - 3.98 - Santo Domingo, D.R.
Golf - Steve West - Albright College - Business Administration - 3.80 - Lancaster, Pa.
Men's Outdoor T/F - Russell Speiden - Elizabethtown - Engineering - 3.73 - Brookeville, Md.
Women's Outdoor T/F - Cassie Harmon - DeSales University - English - 3.71 - Charlton, Ma.
