Ten Big Green student-athletes on winter sports teams received All-Ivy academic honors on March 22.
The 80 men and women chosen for the award were selected from a pool of student-athletes that consisted of starters or key reserves on any officially recognized varsity team with 3.0 or better cumulative grade point averages.
A trio of past and current roommates -- Cam Fortin '05 (squash), Mike Liddy '05 (basketball) and Sean Robinson '05 (swimming and diving) -- were among the honorees.
Liddy said that living with Fortin and Robinson, all three members of Psi Upsilon fraternity, was a positive influence that helped steer him toward the academic All-Ivy distinction.
"It's nice having roommates that are also athletes because they understand the demands of balancing academics and athletics too," Liddy said. "We have definitely always been there to support each other and I know I owe a lot to them for being able to receive this award."
Fortin said he was excited to receive the award in part because it caught him off-guard.
"I was not aware that I was being considered for it, and had no idea I was going to get it," Fortin said.
Fortin said that once he received news of the honor, he was particularly thrilled since the nod came from an "overarching authority recognizing both academic and sports achievement," and because his two close friends joined him on the list.
It is "great that my two roommates both got it," Fortin said. "I know they struggled to do well in school and sports as their sports require more time than squash, and I am very proud of them for doing so well in both sports and school."
Joining Fortin, Liddy and Robinson on the men's academic All-Ivy list were Mike Mozur '05 (track and field) and men's hockey captain Lee Stempniak '05.
The academic All-Ivy bid was Stempniak's second such honor in as many years. Moreover, the nod further added to the laundry list of awards the distinguished forward has racked up over his Dartmouth career.
Stempniak, in this season alone, parlayed his 43-point effort into First Team All-ECACHL and All-Ivy honors. The forward was also named ECACHL Academic All-league performer.
"I think that Lee is one of the most unbelievable kids I've ever met," men's hockey coach Bob Gaudet '81 said. "He's as good a hockey player I've ever coached in 22 years and he works so hard academically."
On the women's side, Tessa Clare '05 (track and field), Dana Charles '06 (swimming & diving), Tiffany Hagge '06 (ice hockey), Angie Soriaga '06 (basketball) and junior Jessica Tory '06 (squash) were recognized.
Hagge, who recently returned from her squad's NCAA Frozen Four appearance, said that she was flattered to hear news of her selection to the academic squad.
"It's a great honor and I'm very happy that my academic work has not gone unnoticed," Hagge said. "Sometimes athletes get the reputation of not deserving to be at Dartmouth, or not keeping up in the classroom, and I think that this proves you can excel at a sport and school at the same time."
