May 17, 2007

VILLANOVA, Pa. - At the annual senior student-athlete banquet held on Villanova's campus at the Connelly Center, seniors Lauren Campanelli and Drew Eckman were named the 2007 Villanova Student-Athletes of the Year. Campanelli and Eckman, who both serve as captains for their respective teams, have excelled athletically and academically throughout their careers at Villanova.

The event was highlighted by this year's key note speaker, Christy Hansen, a former Villanova volleyball player now working as an engineer for project development and operation with NASA's Human Spaceflight Program. More specifically, Hansen is currently part of the United Space Alliance work force where she is a certified mission flight controller and astronaut crew trainer in the Missions Operations Directorate Extravehicular Activities (EVA) group. Hansen's successes are a direct result of her dedication, motivation, and perseverance in all realms of life. Her overall attitude and outlook are parallel to that of the two student-athletes honored at the banquet last night.

Campanelli, a senior field hockey captain, has compiled an impressive 3.87 cumulative grade point average throughout her career as a Wildcat. As a biology major, she will continue her post-graduation education at Arcadia University pursuing a Master's Degree in Medical Science, Physician Assistant Studies. Most recently, Campanelli was one of only 87 nationwide student-athletes to receive the prestigious NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship Award, which grants its recipients $7,500 to put towards continuing their education. In addition, Campanelli has secured herself a spot on the Dean's List for every semester she has been at Villanova, while also actively participating in the Alpha Epsilon Delta Premedical and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Societies.

Campanelli's hard work and dedication do not end in the classroom. She played an integral part in Villanova's successes on the field hockey field over the past four years. In her senior campaign, Campanelli netted three goals and handed out 10 assists, making her Villanova's all-time leader in career assists with 36. She was also part of a record breaking 2005 season when the team received its highest national ranking in the program's history at No. 15. That same year, Campanelli was named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year and garnered BIG EAST First Team honors for her outstanding play on the defensive end of the field.

Before the start of her final season, the Langhorne, Pa. native was named to the preseason All-BIG EAST Team. Her accolades carried over to the post-season where she was selected as a member of the BIG EAST Second Team and the Division I All-Region Second Team for the second consecutive year. As a reward for her exceptional play, Campanelli was invited to participate in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-Star Game where she competed against the country's elite players.

Eckman, this year's male recipient, has also proven that he shines in the classroom. The men's track and field captain boasts a 3.618 cumulative GPA and was most recently named the 2006-07 BIG EAST/Aéropostale Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year for his brilliant academic performance. As a reward, Eckman will be granted a $4,000 scholarship to be used towards graduate or professional studies. The senior standout, also majoring in biology, plans to attend dental school after this weekend's graduation. Eckman has also been on the Dean's List every single semester and is an active member of the Alpha Epsilon Delta Honor Society for pre-med and pre-dental students.

His accolades on the track read no differently than that in the classroom. The Oxford, Pa. native has left his mark on the BIG EAST indoor and outdoor realms. In his 2005 and 2006 indoor campaigns, Eckman clinched BIG EAST titles in the 500m and 4x400m, respectively. His indoor performances carried over to his outdoor season as his relay team captured the 4x400m in the 2006 conference outdoor championships. Eckman is also a two-time All-American in the Indoor DMR, in which he accumulated third place finishes in this event at the NCAA Indoor Championships in 2004 and 2006. At this spring's highly competitive Penn Relay Carnival, Eckman was part of the DMR that placed a dramatic second to a renowned Texas program.

When Eckman is not in the classroom or on the track, he utilizes his time by working with community programs at Villanova, such as the university Special Olympics and Adopt-a-Family. He also gives back to the Villanova track and field program by working as a counselor for the school's summer camp.