MADISON, N.J. --- Juniors Brendan Close (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom HS) , Abigail Schaffer (Easton, Pa./Easton HS) and Gary Zack (Mountain Top, Pa./Crestwood HS) and sophomore Shannen Mohr (Slatington, Pa./Parkland HS) from Moravian College have been named to the 2011 Landmark Conference Spring All-Academic Team announced by the conference office.
The Landmark Conference has selected 32 student-athletes for the 2011 Spring Landmark All-Academic Team. Two male and two female athletes from each of the eight Landmark institutions were selected for the team which honors athletes who have excelled athletically and academically. Nominees could compete in any of the winter sports and must be a sophomore or older with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or better.
The Spring All-Academic Team is heavily populated with seniors as 14 student-athletes earn the distinction in their final season. The additional honorees are 10 juniors and four sophomores. This is a second selection or more for seven All-Academic picks, and three of the choices have been selected to All-Academic teams on three or more times. In addition all eight spring sports sponsored by the Landmark Conference are represented with at least one selection. The Landmark Conference selects an All-Academic Team for each of the three athletics seasons during the year. Due to administrative issues one institution is not represented, but eligible students will be honored in the future.
Close had a dominant season on the diamond for Moravian, earning All-America honors from the American Baseball Coaches Association and D3baseball.com. Close was also named Landmark Conference Pitcher of the Year after going 10-0 with a 1.00 ERA, four shutouts and 100 strikeouts. He has twice earned Landmark Academic Honor Roll honors while studying financial economics.
Schaffer won a pair of National Championships in the pole vault for Moravian over the past year. She won the title at both the Indoor and Outdoor NCAA National Championships, setting meet records in both, and also won the event at the Landmark Indoor and Outdoor Championship. Schaffer is pursuing a degree in management and marketing and was a Landmark Academic Honor Roll choice.
Zack also won an NCAA Division III Track & Field National Championship, as he bested the field in the javelin at the 2011 NCAA meet. His winning toss of 67.36 meters set a new school record and he also won the javelin at the Landmark and ECAC Championships. Zack is a four-time Academic Honor Roll selection and is working towards a degree in nursing at Moravian.
Mohr has enjoyed a prolific first two seasons for Moravian softball. She was picked as the Landmark Conference Co-Player of the Year in 2011, and went on to also be named a second team All-American. Mohr hit .500 for the year with 51 hits, 32 runs, 11 doubles and three homers. She earned Landmark Academic Honor Roll status this spring, and has a strong GPA through two years as a biology major.
The Landmark Conference Office contributed to this release.
