CLEVELAND - The Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association (DI-AAA ADA) is proud to announce the members of the 18th Annual Scholar-Athlete Team presented by ARMS Software. In addition, the Association selected a men's and women's Scholar-Athlete of the Year and two Postgraduate Scholarship recipients.
 
"On behalf of the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association, I would like to sincerely congratulate all of the recipients for recognition on both scholar-athlete teams for 2019-20, as well as, the Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards and those who have earned a postgraduate scholarship," Division I-AAA ADA President and Vice President for Athletics at the University of Portland Scott Leykam said. "These outstanding student-athletes are leaders in the classroom, in competition and in their communities. We are proud to present them with the highest student-athlete recognition that our association awards."

Highlighting the 11-person Men's Scholar-Athlete Team is Lipscomb's senior guard Michael Buckland. The High Point, North Carolina native landed on the list with a 3.84 GPA while majoring in Corporate Management/Corporate Marketing.

A team leader and one of the most all-around players to ever wear the Purple and Gold, Buckland played in 127 career games with 92 career starts. In that time, he racked up over 800 points, 400 rebounds, 300 assists and 100 steals.

In his final season at Lipscomb, and under the tutelage of first-year head coach Lennie Acuff, Buckland helped lead the Bisons to a third-consecutive ASUN Finals appearance while starting in all 29 games he played. He averaged 10.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting a career best 40.0 percent from long range.

Buckland was also a two-time ASUN All-Academic Team selection as a junior and senior.

"Buck has been a terrific ambassador for Lipscomb men's basketball, on the court and in the classroom, all four years he's been here," Lipscomb Director of Athletics Philip Hutcheson said. "Much of the success we've had competitively has his fingerprints on it and his demonstrated ability to balance academics and athletics is a great example to our teams and recruits to come that you can be an outstanding student and athlete both at Lipscomb.

"I'm proud of him being included in this select group and happy that he's gotten this well-deserved recognition."

Basketball players from all Division I-AAA ADA member institutions are eligible for these prestigious awards. Each of the nominees is required to maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.20 (4.00 scale) in undergraduate study and have been a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletics credentials. Nominees must have participated in at least 50 percent (50%) of the team's games listed on the nomination form. To be eligible for nomination to the Scholar-Athlete Team, he/she must have reached junior academic standing at their institution (ineligible athletics transfers are NOT eligible).

Additionally, one male and one female student-athlete were selected as the Division I-AAA ADA Scholar-Athletes of the Year. Receiving this year's female honoree is Ellie Harmeyer, a nursing major with a 4.0 GPA from Belmont University. The men's honoree is Corey Kispert, a business administration major from Gonzaga University, who maintains a 3.43 GPA.

"On behalf of the Division 1-AAA Athletics Directors Association, it is my pleasure to announce this year's men's and women's Scholar-Athlete Teams as well as those selected to receive postgraduate scholarship awards," stated Division I-AAA ADA Scholar-Athlete Team Selection Committee Chair and Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics at Bradley University, Chris Reynolds. "Recognizing student-athletes who have distinguished themselves on the court and in the classroom is a highlight of our Association each year. We applaud these young men and women for exemplifying a commitment to excellence and demonstrating what it means to achieve as a student-athlete."

Harmeyer and Seth Adelsperger, an environmental science major at Belmont University, with a 3.77 GPA, were selected as the 2020 Postgraduate Scholarship recipients. Each will receive $5,000 towards postgraduate studies and will receive their awards during the Association's annual membership meeting held June 7-10 in conjunction with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Convention, at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Men's Scholar-Athlete Team

Women's Scholar-Athlete Team

A special Review Committee of Division I-AAA Athletics Directors were responsible for selecting the winners. The 2020 Review Committee consisted of: Chris Reynolds (Committee Chair), Bradley University; Chasse Conque, UTRGV; Irma Garcia, St. Francis College Brooklyn; Phil Hutcheson, Lipscomb University; Robert Lineburg, Radford University; Joan McDermott, University of San Francisco; Jean Lenti Ponsetto, DePaul University; Marianne Reilly, Manhattan College; and Kenneth Siegfried, Cal State Bakersfield.

About the Division I-AAA ADA: Now in its 19th year, the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association's mission is to enhance initiatives common to its Division I-AAA membership (the Division I institutions that do not sponsor football), in particular, aspects related to their flagship basketball programs. For more information on the Division I-AAA ADA, please visit www.div1aaa-ada.com. The Division I-AAA ADA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 55^th year. For more information on NACDA and the 17 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.