CoSIDA Release |
RPI Athletics on Instagram
TROY, N.Y. - The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's track & field team boasts three College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) National Academic All-America honorees as
Sam Keller,
Michael Pesanello and
Matt Vitagliano have each been chosen to the Second Team. These are the first awards for Keller and Pesanello and the second for Vitagliano.
SAM KELLER
Senior
Chemical Engineering (3.93)
Newtown, Pa.
Throws…2017 OUTDOOR: First in shot put in Liberty League Championship Meet…First in discus 1x…Second in discus and hammer at Liberty League Meet…Liberty League Field Performer of the Meet…Third in hammer at New York State Meet…Liberty League Field Performer of the Week 1x…Team won Liberty League Championship (9th straight)…Second straight NYS Championship…Third in hammer at 2016 Liberty League Outdoor Meet…Liberty League All-Academic…Dean's List…Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society…Omega Chi Epsilon Chemical Engineering Honor Society.
MICHAEL PESANELLO
Senior
Aeronautical Engineering & Mechanical Engineering (3.72)
Mahwah, N.J.
2016 NCAA All-America in hammer (8th)…2017: OUTDOOR: First in hammer at Upstate Classic, Liberty League Championship Meet & New York State Championship Meet…Team won Liberty League Championship (9th straight)…Second straight NYS Championship…INDOOR: Five weight throw wins, including Liberty League and New York State meets…Second once…Liberty League Indoor Field Performer of the Meet…Liberty League Field Performer of the Week 3x…Liberty League Indoor Field Performer of Year…Team won Liberty League and NYS championships…Liberty League All-Academic…Dean's List…Co-op at MIT Lincoln Labs…Intern at Lockheed Martin this summer.
MATT VITAGLIANO
Junior
Electrical Engineering (3.94)
Clear Brook Va.
Long Jump / Triple Jump…OUTDOOR: Won triple jump 3x…Liberty League Meet champion....New York State Meet runner-up…Team won ninth straight Liberty League and second straight NYS Championships…INDOOR: Won triple jump 3x…NYS Meet champ…Second twice…Liberty League Meet runner-up…Won long jump 1x... Team won Liberty League and NYS championships…ECAC qualifier 4x in triple jump… 2016 Liberty League indoor long and triple jump champion…Outdoor triple jump champion...Runner-up at NYS Meet…Liberty League Field Performer of the Week 4x in career…2016 CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team…Liberty League All-Academic 2x…Dean's List every semester…Eta Kappa Nu Electrical and Computer Engineering Honor Society…Internship with Westinghouse.
The CoSIDA Academic All-America program recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. The RPI women's track & field/cross country teams had two honorees in Maddie Dery and Jaime Lord.
