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Providence College Athletics
Marcelo Rocha And Christina Rodgers Named BIG EAST Institutional Scholar-Athlete Award Winners
7/28/2022 10:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Soccer
Rocha was honored as a member of the Providence College men’s cross country program, while Rodgers earned recognition following her career on the women’s soccer team.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The BIG EAST Conference released its BIG EAST Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year winners today [July 28]. In addition to the league's Scholar-Athlete of the Year honorees, the conference also announced its BIG EAST Institutional Scholar-Athlete award winners.
Providence College men's cross country student-athlete Marcelo Rocha (Peabody, Mass.) and women's soccer student-athlete Christina Rodgers (Scotch Plains, N.J.) represented the Friars as BIG EAST Institutional Scholar-Athlete Award winners. For their selections, Rocha and Rodgers will receive $2,000 toward graduate studies or professional studies.
Rocha was recently announced as the winner of the BIG EAST Sports Excellence Award for men's cross country on July 26, marking the second-straight year he earned the honor. Last year, he was the recipient of the BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete Award. Rocha is a five-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team selection and graduated Summa Cum Laude. In 2021 Rocha was awarded the Providence College Male Athlete of the Year for individual sports. His athletic accomplishments include finishing fourth at the 2021 BIG EAST Cross Country Championships, earning him ALL-BIG EAST honors and was twice named BIG EAST Athlete of the Week during the 2021 season. Rocha also finished ninth at the NCAA Northeast Regional in 2021 and finished 61st at the 2021 NCAA Cross Country Championships, after earning an individual at-large selection. Rocha became the first Friar on the men's team at Providence to earn an individual qualification to the NCAA's since 2016.
Rodgers finished her career at Providence College with 89 games played, including 83 appearances in the starting lineup for the women's soccer team. She anchored the Friars' defense over the past five years, logging over 7,000 minutes. Rodgers also played a critical role in helping the Friars qualify for BIG EAST Tournament in four of her five seasons with the program (2017-19, 2021). In 2021, the Rodgers and the Friars earned an at-large selection to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1993. At the conclusion of 2021 spring season, she was selected to the All-BIG EAST Second Team.
2021-22 BIG EAST Institutional Male Scholar-Athlete Awards
2021-22 BIG EAST Institutional Female Scholar-Athlete Awards
- GO FRIARS! -
Providence College men's cross country student-athlete Marcelo Rocha (Peabody, Mass.) and women's soccer student-athlete Christina Rodgers (Scotch Plains, N.J.) represented the Friars as BIG EAST Institutional Scholar-Athlete Award winners. For their selections, Rocha and Rodgers will receive $2,000 toward graduate studies or professional studies.
Rocha was recently announced as the winner of the BIG EAST Sports Excellence Award for men's cross country on July 26, marking the second-straight year he earned the honor. Last year, he was the recipient of the BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete Award. Rocha is a five-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team selection and graduated Summa Cum Laude. In 2021 Rocha was awarded the Providence College Male Athlete of the Year for individual sports. His athletic accomplishments include finishing fourth at the 2021 BIG EAST Cross Country Championships, earning him ALL-BIG EAST honors and was twice named BIG EAST Athlete of the Week during the 2021 season. Rocha also finished ninth at the NCAA Northeast Regional in 2021 and finished 61st at the 2021 NCAA Cross Country Championships, after earning an individual at-large selection. Rocha became the first Friar on the men's team at Providence to earn an individual qualification to the NCAA's since 2016.
Rodgers finished her career at Providence College with 89 games played, including 83 appearances in the starting lineup for the women's soccer team. She anchored the Friars' defense over the past five years, logging over 7,000 minutes. Rodgers also played a critical role in helping the Friars qualify for BIG EAST Tournament in four of her five seasons with the program (2017-19, 2021). In 2021, the Rodgers and the Friars earned an at-large selection to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1993. At the conclusion of 2021 spring season, she was selected to the All-BIG EAST Second Team.
2021-22 BIG EAST Institutional Male Scholar-Athlete Awards
| School | Name, Sport(s) |
| Butler | Barry Keane, Cross Country |
| Creighton | Alen Roden, Baseball |
| DePaul | Vito Tonejc, Tennis |
| Georgetown | Dante Polvara, Soccer |
| Marquette | Daniel Bendal, Outdoor Track & Field |
| Providence | Marcelo Rocha, Cross Country |
| St. John's | Brandon Knapp, Baseball |
| Seton Hall | Luka Dahn, Soccer |
| Villanova | Matthew Campbell, Lacrosse |
2021-22 BIG EAST Institutional Female Scholar-Athlete Awards
| School | Name, Sport(s) |
| Butler | Katie Soderstrom, Soccer |
| UConn | Julia Ozimek, Lacrosse |
| Creighton | Jaela Zimmerman, Volleyball |
| DePaul | Kierstan Walker, Cross Country |
| Georgetown | Maggie Donahue, Cross Country |
| Marquette | Bonnie Lacey, Soccer |
| Providence | Christina Rodgers, Soccer |
| St. John's | Leah Anderson, Track & Field |
| Seton Hall | Lauren Ginefra, Cross Country |
| Villanova | McKenna Keegan, Indoor Track & Field |
| Xavier | Olivia Jenkins, Soccer |
- GO FRIARS! -
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Cross Country
D
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