USCAA Honors Four Brandywine Student-Athletes For Academics
HAMPTON, Virginia -- The United Small College Athletic Association released its spring national academic teams recently, honoring four Penn State Brandywine student-athletes. Junior Danielle Spina (Thornton, Pa./Garnet Valley) represented the Lions' softball team, while seniors Gabe Encarnacion (Glenolden, Pa./Interboro) and Nick Horan (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) and junior Tom Osenbach (Newtown Square, Pa./West Chester Christian) were named to the national academic baseball team.
The USCAA Spring All-Academic Team is awarded to baseball and softball student-athletes who have amassed a minimum grade-point average of 3.50 and reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at their institution. Brandywine's three baseball selections led all PSUAC schools.
Spina owns a 3.78 grade-point average as a nursing major and was also named to the PSUAC All-Academic Team this week. She plans to complete her degree at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia beginning in the fall.
On the field, Spina helped Brandywine capture its first-ever PSUAC softball title and make its first appearance at the USCAA World Series. As a pitcher, she finished third in the conference with 13 wins, including a victory in the PSUAC title game, and posted 52 strikeouts in 96.1 innings. Spina also played nearly every position in the field and batted .368 with 21 RBI and 20 runs scored during 88 plate appearances.
Also a three-time first team all-conference selection, Encarnacion was honored on the national academic team for the first time. He received the John S. Egli Award from the PSUAC on Tuesday as the league's top male student-athlete during the 2014-15 academic year and recently graduated with a 3.52 GPA as a human development and family studies major.
During four seasons on the baseball team, Encarnacion tallied 156 hits, 98 runs scored and 97 RBI. A two-time USCAA All-American, Encarnacion earned PSUAC Player of the Year accolades in 2014.
As a business major, Horan has compiled a 3.59 GPA. He was named to the PSUAC All-Academic team during both of his seasons with the baseball squad.
Horan hit .303 in 46 career games, compiling 26 runs scored and 19 RBI and was an honorable mention all-PSUAC selection in 2014.
Osenbach earned the academic distinction for the second consecutive year as he owns a 3.53 GPA as a information sciences and technology major.
A USCAA First Team All-American, Osenbach finished the season ranked in the top 20 nationally in batting average, on-base percentage and doubles. He was a first team all-conference pick for the second time in his career after registering 47 hits and 28 RBI in 35 games.
