NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Wilmington University Women's Lacrosse's Lisa Eller along with Track and Field's Krysta Memis earned the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Top XVI Award for having the highest cumulative grade-point average participating in the finals site for each of the CACC championships.
The CACC Top XVI Award is modeled after the NCAA Elite 90 Award and is a direct product of the CACC Strategic Plan. The Top XVI Award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the CACC championships. In order to be considered, the student-athlete must be at least a sophomore in academic and athletics standing as well as a member of the active roster. In the event of a tie, it is broken by the total number of credit hours earned. The award debuted in the 2013-14 season, and was named the Top XIV Award after the 14 championship sports the CACC offered. The award changed to the Top XV in 2014-15, as the conference expanded its championship offerings to 15 sports with the addition of men's track & field. And beginning with the 2017-18 year, the honor was changed to the Top XVI Award to recognize the 16 league championships as men's lacrosse was added as a title sport this spring. Prior to the 2016-17 season, the CACC commissioned Royal Rooster Design to create a logo specific to the Top XV Award. The logo appears on all promotional materials and the glass award presented to each winner at the respective CACC Championship banquets.
Eller earned a cumulative GPA of 3.92 through the fall semester of this year to earn the distinguished award. The lacrosse defender played in 15 games, starting in 11 this season for the Wildcats, finishing the season with 12 groundballs, one draw control, and four caused turnovers. In the Wildcats' 22-9 win over Holy Family, she collected three groundballs and had two caused turnovers. She helped the Wildcats to an 11-8 overall record with a trip to the CACC semifinals. This is the first time in her career earning the CACC Top XVI Award.
Krysta Memis earned the award for the first time in her career, as she earned a 4.0 cumulative grade-point average through the fall. The sophomore had her best time in the 800m this year at the CACC Outdoor Track and Field Championship finishing with a time of 2:34.05, placing 11th overall. At the Delaware Open, she helped the Wildcats finish first in the 4x100 with a time of 53.80. In her first meet of the season, she finished 17th overall in the 800m with a time of 2:46.24.
This is Wilmington University's third student-athlete to be awarded the CACC Top XVI Award this year, as Dimitrios Topouzlis earned the award for Men's Soccer back in the fall, after earning a 3.98 GPA.