Lebo’s Apke earns D3 honors
After a year in which she scored the second-most points by a Washington & Jefferson College women’s basketball player in school history, Chelsea Apke has been selected to the D3hoops.com All-Great Lakes Region third team. The Mt. Lebanon product was one of 16 players honored from the Great Lakes Region.
After transferring from NCAA Division I Presbyterian, Apke played two seasons at W&J and scored 512 points this winter, second only to W&J Hall of Famer Leigh Sulkowski’s total of 616 points scored during the 2005-06 season. The 5-10 senior forward also grabbed 303 rebounds, the third-highest, single-season total in Washington & Jefferson history. She averaged 17.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. She shot 56.6 percent from the field, which ranked her 19th in NCAA Division III.
In 60 career games, Apke scored 959 points and grabbed 583 rebounds (10th in school history). She shot 55 percent overall in her two years as a President and ranked 17th among active Division III players.
Matt Novak of Upper St. Clair garnered Centennial Conference academic honor roll honors while excelling on the Gettysburg College men’s swim team.
Trevor Walter of Bethel Park earned the distinction as well. He is a member of the men’s track team.
To be nominated for the honor roll, a student-athlete must have participated in at least 50 percent of contests, matches or meets, or in the varsity conference championship in indoor track & field or swimming and maintained a 3.40 GPA or higher.
A senior, Novak is a mathematical economics major. He excelled in freestyle and backstroke races for the Bullets. During his high school career at USC, Novak participated in swimming and volleyball. The two-year captain earned All-America status and helped the Panthers set school records in 200 free, 200 medley and 400 free relays.
A sophomore, Walter specializes in distance and middle distance events. He competed in cross country and track at Bethel Park High School under head coach Jack Hartnell. He served as a team co-captain. At Gettysburg College, he is majoring in German studies and international affairs.