College Basketball
5 Broncs / MAAC All-Academic Team

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--Five members of the Rider University men's and women's basketball teams were named to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference All-Academic team it was announced Thursday evening.

From the Rider women's team, graduate student Carleigh Brown and sophomores Emily Fazzini, Marritta Gillcrease and Kornelija Valiuskyte were recognized.

"As much as the players work on the court, they work just as hard or even harder in the classroom," said head coach Lynn Milligan who led the Broncs to a 15-win season entering the conference playoffs.  "They are true student-athletes."

From the Rider men's team, sophomore Emerson Bursis was honored.

To earn the award, the student-athlete must be at least a sophomore and achieve a grade point average of 3.20 or higher.

Bursis, from Scotrun, Pennsylvania (Pocono Mountain East) is an Economics/Finance major with a 3.90 grade point average.

Fazzini, from Wayne, Pennsylvania (Archbishop Carroll) is a Business Administration major with a 3.30 grade point average.

Valiuskyte, from Siaulai, Lithunaia, (The Rock School) is a sophomore Biology major with a 3.30 grade point average.

Brown, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Nazareth Academy) is a graduate student with a 3.20 grade point average.

Gillcrease, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, (Perry Traditional) is a sophomore Business Administration major with a 3.20 grade point average.

The fourth seeded Rider women play the fifth seed Niagara University Purple Eagles at 3:30pm in the quarterfinals of the MAAC tournament at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The second seeded Bronc men face either 10th seed Saint Peter's or seventh seed Fairfield University on Saturday at 7:30pm in the quarterfinals.

-RU-