BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- Moravian College is joining with schools across the country in celebration of NCAA Division III Week, which officially runs from Monday, April 1 and runs through Sunday, April 7.
This eighth annual event will celebrate student-athletes' academic achievements and athletic accomplishments, in addition to their campus leadership and their involvement in community service.
Approximately 24 percent of Moravian's student body competes on one of Moravian's 21 intercollegiate athletic teams. During the past fall semester, 173 of the Greyhounds' student-athletes achieved Dean's List honors from Moravian with a 3.50 GPA or higher, accounting for 38 percent of Moravian's total student-athletes and 23.8 percent of the overall Dean's List from the College.
Moravian kicked off its participation in Division III Week early on Friday, March 29 with the second class to be honored into Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society. Chi Alpha Sigma works with NCAA and NAIA member institutions to recognize outstanding college student-athletes for their successes both on the field of competition and in the classroom. To be eligible, student-athletes must be a junior and/or senior with a 3.4 or higher GPA and have earned a varsity letter. The Greyhounds had 62 honorees Friday, and the group received a certificate and medallion with the 28 seniors also receiving honors cords to wear at graduation in May.
D3 Week officially began on Monday, April 1 with a Dunkin Donuts break for all student-athletes in Johnston Hall in the morning.
On Tuesday, the Greyhounds will be taking over the Landmark Conference's social media accounts to give a behind the scenes look at the day in the life of a student-athlete in Bethlehem. Moravian will be posting videos and photos to the Landmark's Instagram account (https://www.instagram.com/landmark_conf/) throughout the day.
Wednesday, April 3 is Landmark Conference Gear Day. All student-athletes from across the conference are being asked to wear their school colors and post pictures to social media with the hashtag #LCgearday and #D3week while Moravian will be using the hashtag #LCGearDayMC. The best post on Twitter/Instagram will win a prize, and the Greyhounds have time set aside in afternoon for pictures in the HUB Lounge with Amos the Greyhound mascot.
On Friday, April 5, the athletic department is hosting an event where student-athletes can purchase chances to spin a wheel for prizes including an opportunity to pie a member of the staff. All the money from the chances is being donated to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Sunday, April 7 will see Moravian host a dinner for all of its student-athletes in Johnston Hall. During the event, awards will be given for the male and female teams with the highest GPA, the team of the year, the most improved team, community service, best moment or game, and breakthrough athlete as voted on by the Greyhounds' Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
The Greyhounds will also extend their D3 Week festivities an extra week and host Moravian's 7th Annual Special Olympics Basketball Tournament on Sunday, April 14 in Timothy Breidegam Fieldhouse. Moravian's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will serve as the officials during the tournament.
Moravian will also have a student-athlete from each team answer the question as to why they chose to come to Moravian and Division III. Their answers will be posted as videos to the Greyhounds' Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MoravianCollegeAthletics), Twitter (https://twitter.com/MCGreyhounds) and Instagram (http://instagram.com/moravianathletics) accounts.
For more information D3 Week and the NCAA, visit http://www.ncaa.org/d3.
