Scholarships Awarded at Nationals

The National Collegiate Roller Hockey Association (NCRHA) and USA Hockey InLine are proud to announce Nicholas Longnecker from the University of Miami (FL) and Ryan Raya from Elon University as recipients of $500 scholarships from the 2005 Inline College Scholarship Program presented by the NCRHA and USA Hockey InLine. 

 

Both recipients of these awards have made significant contributions to their communities both on and off the rink and have demonstrated their understanding of the importance of the lessons learned through hockey as they apply to everyday life. 

 

?It should not come as a surprise that many great athletes were, and are, tremendous students,? Longnecker wrote in his application.  ?Time and time again we see top players not only receiving an MVP award, but also obtaining academic awards too.  This is because of their great work ethic and their ability to focus on the task at hand goes far beyond the field or rink and straight into the classroom.  Just as one needs to practice his slap shot or stickhandling to improve his game, that same person knows they must study and go to class to improve their intelligence and obtain high test scores.?

 

Longnecker, a Microbiology and Immunology major from Coral Gables, FL, has a 4.0 GPA in his freshman year at the University of Miami.  As a member of the roller hockey team Longnecker, a forward, contributed 5 goals and 2 assists in 16 games helping his team earn an invitation to the National Championship Tournament in Division II where they advanced to the Elite Eight. 

 

In addition to his membership in the roller hockey club, Longnecker has been an active member of multiple school clubs and organizations throughout his high school and college career including membership in the University of Miami?s Microbiology Club, Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-Medical Society and as well as serving as the Past President of the National Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America club, and Public Relations Committee at Cathedral Prep High School along with many other community service organization memberships. 

 

Success followed Nicholas in the classroom as well where he was awarded the medallion for Excellence in Christian Doctrine at his graduation from Cathedral Prep, along with being awarded the Prestigious Award for having the highest GPA on the Cathedral Prep varsity ice hockey team, a team which Longnecker was a three-year letter winner and team captain.  Nicholas has also demonstrated his comprehension in Latin as a three-year member of the 3-man State Champion Latin Team as well as being named a Gold Medal Recipient in the National Latin Exam.

 

While Nicholas participated in his extracurricular community service activities he did not allow his academics to slip earning first honors each academic quarter he attended Cathedral Prep High School earning him the honor of being named among the ?Whose Who Among American High School Students? and being named a Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation semi-finalist.

 

Raya, a resident of Falmouth, ME, is a senior at Elon University where he is in pursuit of a degree in Sociology and Economics has earned a 3.34 GPA throughout his academic career, while being named a President?s List Student and President?s Academic Scholar at Elon the last four years. 

 

Ryan is a member of several academic institutions.  His memberships include being an honors and leadership fraternity member of Omicron Delta Kappa, a member of the Omicron Delta Epsilon Economics Honors Society, and a member of the Alpha Kappa Delta International Sociology Honors Society.  In addition to his memberships, Ryan is also involved in the academic community at Elon as a reviewer for the Economic Undergraduate Journal: IPE, an International Class Representative with Denmark?s International Studies program, and assisting other students as an orientation leader and peer counselor. 

 

Sports have been a consistent tread throughout Raya?s life.  Ryan serves as the Vice-President and Public Relations Director for the Elon Roller Hockey Club, Ryan has also served as the Sports Director at WSOE-FM Radio at Elon, where in addition to his many off-air responsibilities he also served as the baseball play-by-play announcer, he has worked as an instructor at the Robby Giantz Hockey School, and has worked as a summer intern for the Atlanta Thrashers (NHL). 

 

Ryan has played organized hockey for the last 11 years and has given back to the game by serving as a coach the past four years as well.  This season as a member of the Elon Roller Hockey Club, Ryan has compiled a record of 18-5-2 in 25 games with a 3.81 goals-against average, and .808% save percentage as the starting goaltender for the Phoenix, leading them to the ACRHA Division II Championship and an invitation to the NCRHA National Championship Tournament. 

 

?It is Ryan?s character and drive that has made him so successful in every endeavor I am aware of that he has undertaken at Elon,? wrote Laurin R. Kier, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Elon University in a letter of recommendation.  ?He is thoughtful, intellectual, fun, witty, expressive and competitive?qualities that serve him well in the classroom, with a group of friends or colleagues and in the rink.  I honestly do not believe that you could find a better example of a college hockey player who combines academics and athletics so well.?

 

The scholarship winners were announced Sunday, April 18^th, during the award ceremonies following the NCRHA Division I Championship Game at OD?s Sports Crossing in Fort Collins, CO.  Each winner will receive a scholarship in the amount of $500 to be used towards tuition at an accredited college or university.

 

?These two student-athletes epitomize the levels of commitment and responsibility that are found in collegiate roller hockey,? said Gary Del Veechio Jr., Director of USA Hockey InLine.  ?The selection process was difficult because of the number of high-quality student-athletes that applied, however we felt that Nicholas and Ryan represented the missions of USA Hockey InLine and the NCRHA the best.?