FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, April 7, 2009

CONTACT: Ted Breidenthal 816/285-1419 tbreidenthal@d3independents.org www.d3independents.org

 

Chiaramonte, Hilgenkamp Named Association of Division III Independents

Student-Athletes of the Month Award Winners for March

 

KANSAS CITY, MO.--- Alyson Chiaramonte, a freshman pitcher/outfielder for St. Joseph’s College (Brooklyn) softball team, and Cory Hilgenkamp, a junior third baseman/pitcher for the Nebraska Wesleyan University baseball team, were named today as the recipients of the Association of Division III Independents Student-Athletes of the Month award for March 2009. 

Chiaramonte led the Lady Bears to their first win in three years at the Tucson Invitational Games, pitching an 11-2 win over Mount Mary College.  She struck out 11 and scattered four hits, giving up one earned run.  For the month, Chiaramonte was also phenomenal at the plate, batting .429 and slugging .667 to lead the Lady Bears in both categories.  She had 10 runs batted in, nine hits, and eight runs with a home run and a triple.  Chiaramonte also received the AD3I Player of the Week honors for the week ending March 29.

Hilgenkamp has been Nebraska Wesleyan University’s top pitcher and leads the team in hits as the Prairie Wolves went 14-4 in March.  He was 4-0 with a 3.09 ERA, and he also had two saves.  Hilgenkamp recorded 24 strikeouts in four complete games; he struck out 12 in one victory.  At the plate, he batted .413 and led the team with 26 hits, nine doubles, four home runs and 16 RBI.  He had five straight games with at least two hits in a game, and had a 10-game hitting streak during the month.  Hilgenkamp received the AD3I Player of the Week honors for the week ending March 22.

The Association of Division III Independents consists of 17 Division III independent institutions that have joined together to recognize student-athletes at independent institutions, and to provide exempted postseason championship competition in nine sports in 2008-09.  The Association recognizes outstanding athletic achievements of its student-athletes on a weekly, monthly and annual basis.  The Association provides statistical services for its members in seven sports.  In addition, it also will announce All-Independent teams at the conclusion of nine sports this year.

All competing student-athletes from the Association’s 17 members were eligible for the award.  Each school was allowed to nominate its top performing male and female student-athletes from March.  The award recipients were selected after a vote of the Association’s Student-Athlete Recognition Committee.