April 7, 2011

PHILADELPHIA - La Salle senior men's soccer player Ryan Richter and senior swimmer Holly Biro were named the Male and Female Scholar Athletes of the Year, respectively, at the Athletic Department's Student-Athlete Recognition Ceremony, held on Thursday evening in the Student Union.

Also receiving awards were senior men's basketball player Steve Weingarten who received the Academic Excellence Award given to the senior student-athlete with the highest grade point average; senior swimmer Kieran Edling, who received the De La Salle Community Service Award; and Steve Helm, who received the Joseph E. Crowley award for service to the department by a non-student-athlete.

The men's swimming and diving team earned the top GPA for a men's team and the field hockey team had the top GPA for a women's team in the spring of 2010. In the fall of 2010, the men's tennis and women's soccer teams had the top GPA, respectively.

Richter was named the Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year and Student-Athlete of the Year and was recognized as a NSCAA First Team Scholar All-American and an ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA First Team All-District selection. He led the city in scoring for the second year in a row with 14 goals and 30 points to earn a second straight Philadelphia Soccer Six Player of the Year award. Richter became the second Explorer to be drafted by the MLS when the hometown Philadelphia Union selected him fifth overall in the MLS Supplemental Draft.

Biro holds two individual school records (50 and 100 freestyle) and five school records in relays. She collected six Atlantic 10 medals during her career, including one in the 100 freestyle and two in the 200 freestyle relay. Her three bronze medals came in the 400 free and 400 medley relays. Biro was named Academic All-Atlantic 10 in 2011.

Weingarten was named the 2011 Atlantic 10 Student-Athlete of the Year in men's basketball to cap a his career. He is a two-time Academic All-District First Team selection and also earned Academic All-Atlantic 10 recognition in 2011. Weingarten was also named to the 2010 NACDA I-AAA National Scholar-Athlete team. He has a GPA of 3.86 as a double major in History and American Studies.

Edling, the president of La Salle's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, has been heavily involved in the department's Project Teamwork program. He is a Big Brother at nearby Logan Elementary School through Big Brothers Big Sisters and also volunteered at the Lock Christmas toy drive and at the Philly Spring Cleanup.

Helm has been a four-year student-worker in the Athletic Communications office, serving as the primary media contact for the women's lacrosse team in 2010 and the softball team in 2011. He was a finalist for the 2011 ECAC-SIDA Esposito Award, presented to the top graduating senior sports information student in the region. Helm also served as the sports editor of The Collegian for three semesters.

Photo gallery coming soon.