For Immediate Release                                                                                    

February 9, 2009

Contact: Jim Sheehan                                                                                                 

(516) 463-6764

Wrestling:

HOFSTRA ALUMNUS JON MASA NAMED TO CAA SILVER STARS
 

Richmond, VA - Former Hofstra wrestler Jon Masa was named to the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) "Silver Stars" list, it was announced Monday night.  The CAA "Silver Stars" is the 25 student-athletes who have had the greatest impact on the conference over the past 25 years.

More than 50,000 student-athletes have competed in the Colonial Athletic Association over the past 25 years. There have been thousands of all-conference performers, hundreds of All-Americans and numerous athletes who have gone on to compete and excel at the professional level and in the Olympic Games.

As a culmination to the CAA's 25^th Anniversary celebration, a committee of administrators from each of the CAA's 12 member institutions was given the daunting task of selecting 25 CAA "Silver Stars" - the 25 student-athletes who have had the greatest impact on the conference over the past 25 years.

Masa, one of two former Hofstra athletes named to the “Silver Stars” joining softball pitcher Kayleigh Lotti (2006-09), was the only wrestler honored by the CAA. The Pride’s only three-time All-American in school wrestling history, Masa compiled a record of 131-34 during his career at Hofstra. He is also one of only two Pride wrestlers who captured four conference championships, winning in 2002 at 141 pounds and in 2003, 2005 and 2006 in 149 pounds. Masa was selected the CAA Wrestler of the Year in 2005 after a 26-10 record, and was voted the 2006 CAA Championships’ Most Outstanding Wrestler. He earned All-American honors at the NCAA championships by placing seventh in 2003, fifth in 2006 and third in 2005.

"The process of selecting the Silver Stars was an ominous task for our committee with the incredible accomplishments of not only those selected, but also the final nominees who were not selected," CAA Commissioner Tom Yeager said. "The synopsis speaks for itself. Millions of fans have witnessed some of the nation's greatest athletic accomplishments by this outstanding group of individuals who have set the bar for those that follow."

There are 14 males and 11 females among the 25 Silver Stars and they represent 15 different sports and come from 11 CAA institutions. There are eight athletes who were National Players of the Year in their respective sports and seven athletes who competed in the Olympic Games. The group includes 15 athletes who competed professionally in their respective sports, including All-Stars from the NBA, WNBA and Major League Baseball.

The process for selecting the Silver Stars was an extensive one. Earlier this year, 25-member Silver Anniversary teams were selected in each of the CAA's 21 championship sports by a panel of current and former coaches. From that group of 525 Silver Anniversary team members, over 100 athletes were nominated for consideration for Silver Stars. A panel of administrators from each of the CAA's 12 current members then went through the difficult task of narrowing the list to 25.

The CAA Silver Stars are: Daniel Andersson (VCU - men's tennis), Istvan Bagyula (George Mason - men's track & field), Brett Blizzard (UNC Wilmington - men's basketball), Adin Brown (William and Mary - men's soccer), Sean Casey (Richmond - baseball), Marina DiGiacomo (Old Dominion - field hockey), George Evans (George Mason - men's basketball), Diane Guthrie-Gresham (George Mason - women's track & field), Kate Hynes (Drexel - women's diving), Kelli James (Old Dominion - field hockey), Kellen Kulbacki (James Madison - baseball), Matt Lane (William and Mary - men's cross country and track & field), Kayleigh Lotti (Hofstra - softball), Clarisse Machanguana (Old Dominion - women's basketball), Jon Masa (Hofstra - wrestling), Eric Maynor (VCU - men's basketball), Megan Moulton-Levy (William and Mary - women's tennis), Natalie Neaton (William and Mary - women's soccer), Johnny Newman (Richmond - men's basketball), Ticha Penicheiro (Old Dominion - women's basketball), Aline Pereira (George Mason - volleyball), David Robinson (Navy - men's basketball), Alex Smith (Delaware - men's lacrosse), Carole Thate (James Madison - field hockey) and Justin Verlander (Old Dominion - baseball).