ASHLAND, Va. -- Six Christopher Newport student-athletes were named to the 2022-23 Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) Academic All-State team this year, headlined by repeat selections for CNU Track & Field star Adrianna DeSantis and CNU Women's Basketball All-American Sondra Fan. Five female and one male student-athletes were recognized by the statewide organization this year, including three graduate students, two seniors, and one junior.
Joining DeSantis and Fan on the Academic All-State squad in 2023 were Abby Asuncion (Field Hockey), Hope Hunter (Women's Lacrosse), Campbell Pozin (Men's Lacrosse), and Natalie Swarm (Women's Soccer).
Following outstanding efforts both in and out of the classroom during the 2022-23 school year, the six CNU student-athletes were joined by over 200 others representing 36 colleges and universities from around the Commonwealth named to the All-State squad. In order to be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore academically while maintaining a 3.25 cumulative grade point average. Each institution in Virginia is eligible to nominate up to six athletes for the All-State award.
(CNU All-State picks in alphabetical order by last name...)
Abby Asuncion - Senior - Field Hockey - Ashburn, Va.
Named a second team Academic All-American by the College Sports Communicators, Asuncion put together another outstanding year on and off the field for the nationally-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey squad. Carrying a 3.85 cumulative GPA while majoring in English through her senior season, Asuncion was also named Academic All-District after earning spot on the NFHCA National Academic Squad for a fourth consecutive season.
On the field, Asuncion was named the VaSID State Player of the Year for the second straight season and was also a first team All-Conference, All-State, and All-Region selection. After tormenting opposing defenses all season long, the Captains' veteran was one of just 24 players in the NCAA, Division I, II and III, to register double digit goals and assists during the 2022 campaign. She collected second team All-American honors after helping lead CNU back to the round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017.
Adrianna DeSantis - Graduate Student - Women's Track & Field - Mohegan Lake, N.Y.
For the second straight year, DeSantis was named to the VaSID Academic All-State team following a record-breaking fifth year as a member of the Captains Track & Field team. Continuing to add to her resume as one of the most well-rounded student-athletes in CNU athletics history, DeSantis became just the fifth student-athlete in school history to earn multiple Academic All-American plaudits in her career. She hauled in her second straight award from the College Sports Communicators while boasting a near perfect GPA as a neuroscience and leadership studies major. The 2022 Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year for her work in the classroom. A three-time Academic All-District pick, DeSantis was also named the league's Indoor and Outdoor Women's Track & Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2022 and 2023.
During her fifth year with the program, she claimed three league titles to punctuate her career with an exceptional final season. At the C2C Indoor Championships, she won the title in the 400 while also anchoring the victorious 4x400 relay. In the spring, she came back and completed her season sweep in the 400 after taking the outdoor championship as well.
Sondra Fan - Graduate Student - Women's Basketball - Poquoson, Va.
After returning to the court for her fifth year, senior guard Sondra Fan cemented legendary status after leading the nationally-ranked Captains women's basketball team to the NCAA Division III National Championship Game. Off the court, Fan made history as the first Academic All-American in program history while pursuing a Masters in Financial Analysis. This is her second consecutive recognition as a VaSID State All-Academic pick and has twice been selected an Academic All-District pick; she adds this most recent honor to a run of five straight Academic All-Conference certificates.
Fan led the Captains with 14.1 points per game, setting career highs for field goals and three-pointers made in a season. She also dished a career-high 71 assists, added 89 rebounds, and 58 steals. Despite averaging just over 20 minutes per game over the course of her career, Fan climbed all the way to sixth all-time in program history with 1,494 career points. She also ranks second all-time in career triples and free-throw shooting, knocking down nearly 81 percent from the charity stripe.
Hope Hunter - Senior - Women's Lacrosse - Bowie, Md.
Hunter returned from injury in 2022 and put together an outstanding senior season. Appearing in all 21 contests, the Bowie, Maryland native excelled on the midfield unit. During the year, she produced 25 goals while ranking second on the squad with a .455 shooting percentage. Incredibly consistent, she notched at least one point in 14 consecutive games from March 15 - May 6, including a pair of multi-goal outings during the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Tournament.
In her four years with the program, Hunter has seen action in 47 games while earning 39 starts since 2020. During that time, she has collected 43 points to go along with 49 ground balls and 26 caused turnovers. Equally impressive off the field, she was named to the Academic All-District team after graduating with a near perfect GPA as a Political Science and American Studies major in May.
Campbell Pozin - Graduate Student - Men's Lacrosse - Virginia Beach, Va.
A staple on the nationally-ranked CNU men's lacrosse team over the past five seasons, Pozin capped off his tenure with another award-winning campaign in 2023. The VaSID Academic All-State pick became the 13th student-athlete in CNU Athletics history to collect Academic All-American plaudits from the College Sports Communicators. Boasting a near perfect GPA, Pozin was previously celebrated as an Academic All-District selection after earning a spot on the USILA Scholar All-American Team in 2022.
On the turf, the 2022 USILA National Short-Stick Defensive Midfielder of the Year followed up his senior year with another standout campaign as a fifth-year. During his final year with the Captains, he was named a second team All-American as a short-stick defensive midfielder. He was a key cog on a unit that ranked among the national leaders in scoring defense and takeaways per game despite facing one of the most difficult schedules in the country. Individually, he forced seven turnovers during the spring, including a pair of strips against No. 7 Gettysburg. He also ranked third on the team with 47 ground balls while helping the Captains advance to the National Semifinals for the second time in program history.
Natalie Swarm - Junior - Women's Soccer - Potomac Falls, Va.
Logging a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade-point average through her first three seasons, Swarm continues a spectacular career as a student-athlete with the nationally-ranked Christopher Newport women's soccer team. Majoring in Biology with a pre-med track, Swarm has established herself as a formidable talent in the classroom and has been selected a Conference All-Academic pick in each of her first three years.
On the pitch, Swarm has added depth to the equally formidable Captains' attack, seeing action in 15 games during her second full season with the Captains. During her tenure, the CNU women's soccer team has yet to lose a game, posting an impressive 41-0-4 overall record. Swarm scored a pair of goals while adding an assist in her first ever NCAA tournament appearance against John Jay this November. She finished the season with five points while taking 19 shots and putting 12 on frame.
