ASHLAND, Va. -- Six Christopher Newport student-athletes were named to the 2021-22 Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) Academic All-State team on Thursday, headlined by the Captains' first-ever three-time selection, Dylan Rice, from the Captains' nationally-ranked men's lacrosse program. Three male and three female student-athletes were recognized by the statewide organization this year, including four seniors and two graduate students.  

Joining Rice on the Academic All-State squad in 2021 were Adrianna DeSantis (Women's Track & Field), Sondra Fan (Women's Basketball), Shreya Ganta (Women's Golf), Davis Pillow (Men's Soccer), and teammate Max Wayne (Men's Lacrosse).  

Following outstanding efforts both in and out of the classroom during the unprecedented challenges of the 2020-21 school year, the six CNU student-athletes were joined by over 220 others representing 37 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...)
 
Adrianna DeSantis - Senior - Women's Track & Field - Mohegan Lake, N.Y.
 
DeSantis solidified her spot as one of the most well-rounded student-athletes in CNU athletics history by earning CoSIDA Academic All-American accolades following her senior campaign. One of only 45 standouts from around the country to receive the prestigious award, DeSantis became just the third member of the track & field program to earn the honor, joining Casey Taylor and Zoe Stauffer.  
 
She registered a 3.99 cumulative GPA as a Neuroscience major and was picked as the Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year. A star sprinter on the track, DeSantis was the conference champion in the outdoor 400 while also finishing second in the indoor DMR and outdoor 200, 4x100, and 4x400. A five-ntime All-Conference selection in 2021-22, DeSantis collected eleven All-League certificates over the course of her career and helped guide CNU to four conference championships.

Sondra Fan - Senior - Women's Basketball - Poquoson, Va.
 
Following one of the finest individual and team performances in program history, CNU senior guard Sondra Fan showcased a dominant effort on and off the floor for the Captains' women's basketball team. A first team WBCA All-American and a second team D3hoops.com All-American pick, Fan was also named the C2C Player of the Year, D3hoops.com Region VI Player of the Year and picked up first team All-Conference, All-State, and All-Region honors. 

Fan was one of the most dangerous three-point shooters in the nation, ranking fifth in Division III while knocking down 43.5 percent from long range. She was top-60 nationally in overall field goal percentage and tenth among guards with a 50 percent effort from the field while pouring in a team-high 14.7 points per game. She also secured State Defensive Player of the Year honors while leading the team with 61 steals. Off the floor, Fan became just the second CNU women's basketball player to garner CoSIDA Academic All-District honors as the veteran carries an impressive 3.73 cumulative GPA while majoring in Finance. 

Shreya Ganta - Senior - Women's Golf - Ashburn, Va.
 
A two-time VaSID Academic All-State selection after also earning the honor as a junior a year ago, Ganta put the finishing touches on one of the most decorated playing careers while also excelling in the classroom as well. Ganta was named a three-time WGCA All-American Scholar and picked up CoSIDA Academic All-District honors for the second straight year as well. Finishing her impressive academic career with a 3.90 cumulative GPA, Ganta earned a degree in Cellular, Molecular, and Physiological Biology.  

On the course, Ganta established a new high water mark for the Captains' young women's golf program, becoming the first player to qualify for the NCAA Division III National Championships more than once in her career. She posted a team-best 76.5 stroke average, ranking second all-time at CNU, and finished the year with two top ten finishes. In one of her finest career performances, she finished with an outstanding 147 (+3) at the Savannah Invitational to finish tied for fourth out of 81 players. 

Davis Pillow - Senior - Men's Soccer - Smithfield, Va.
 
A four-year starter for the nationally-ranked Christopher Newport men's soccer team, Pillow has worked for an unprecedented career academically and on the pitch. Establishing himself as one of the most dominant defenders in program history, Pillow was named the Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 and collected second team All-Region honors. Over the course of this season, Pillow and the rest of the CNU defense registered six shutouts with a 1.07 goals-against average and opponents were held to just 8.7 shots per game. 

With a 3.89 cumulative GPA, Pillow graduated with a degree in Finance and a minor in Leadership Studies. He became the program's first-ever Scholar All-American and was named a Scholar All-Region pick for the third time. A two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District selection, Pillow is the most decorated student-athlete in program history as he also adds his second career VaSID Academic All-State pick. 

Dylan Rice - Graduate Student - Men's Lacrosse - Mechanicsville, Va.

Anchoring the attack for the Captains' nationally-ranked men's lacrosse team for the last five seasons, Rice secured his place among the elite talents in any sport for Christopher Newport with a legendary playing and academic career. Earlier this week, Rice was tabbed the Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Scholar Athlete of the Year, adding to an impressive haul of individual accolades including his record four All-American certificates. Celebrated as the Region Offensive Player of the Year, Rice added All-State honors all five years of his career and was a four-time All-Conference pick. 

Logging a 3.87 cumulative GPA as a Finance major working toward a Master's degree in Financial Analysis, Rice's accomplishments were hardly limited to his success on the field. With teammate and fellow Academic All-State honoree Max Wayne, Rice was named a CoSIDA Academic All-America pick in 2022. He became the first male athlete in school history to earn three CoSIDA Academic All-American accolades, joining only five lacrosse standouts around the country to accomplish that feat in the history of the award. 

Max Wayne - Graduate Student - Men's Lacrosse - Spring Grove, Pa.

Already established as one of the finest players in the nation, Wayne set a new standard for Christopher Newport athletics in 2022 when the fifth-year phenom was named the USILA National Player and Defenseman of the Year. He is the first player since 2004 to earn both awards and would go on to also secure Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Athlete of the Year honors from the league. His incredible record of success includes first team All-American hoors from three different organizations while also collecting State Player and Defensive Player of the Year honors with first team All-Conference, All-State, and All-Region recognition as well. 

Equally successful off the field, Wayne hauled in second team CoSIDA Academic All-American accolades while pursuing a master's degree in Computer Science. He was named a USILA Scholar All-American and garnered Academic All-Conference, All-State, and All-District honors as well. He finished with a 3.93 cumulative GPA.