Grand Lake, Colo. - Ashley Ross and Tricia Primomo are among a group of six University at Albany student-athletes who have been chosen to the 2010 Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Academic Honor Roll. Joining Ross and Primomo on the academic honor roll are Nikki Branchini, Olivia Jarem, Jodi Battaglia and Kimberly Sumcizk.
     The IWLCA recognized 151 student-athletes from 62 institutions for their excellence in the classroom during the 2009-10 academic year. All student-athletes were nominated by their schools and have achieved at least junior status academically. The Great Danes tied for sixth with the highest number of selections behind Stanford (8), Hofstra (7), Towson (7), Duquesne (7) and Quinnipiac (7).
     Ross and Primomo earned IWLCA academic recognition for the second consecutive year. Ross, who hails from Lancaster, Pa., is a graduate student in educational administration and policy studies. An all-region and all-conference goalkeeper, Ross ranked third nationally in save percentage (.519) and seventh in goals against average (8.11). Primomo, a defender from Delmar, N.Y., studies biology as a pre-medicine student. She started all 16 games and collected 32 ground balls as a senior.
     Jarem, a senior midfielder from Clifton Park, N.Y., was voted to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America national second team with a 4.00 cumulative grade point average in psychology and a minor in education. Jarem was chosen America East Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year in lacrosse and received an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. She totaled 31 goals and four assists for the nation's second-ranked offense.
     Branchini was picked to the ESPN The Magazine Women's At-Large District I Academic Team and joined Ross, Primomo and Jarem on the America East all-academic lacrosse unit. A junior midfielder from Guilderland, N.Y., Branchini became the first All-American in the program's Division I history when she was named to the IWLCA third team. Branchini, who has a history major with a dual minor in education and criminal justice, ranked among the NCAA leaders in draw controls, ground balls and caused turnovers.
     Battaglia, an attacker from Amherst, N.Y., and Sumcizk, a defender from Syosset, N.Y., are both majoring in business administration with an emphasis in marketing and information technology. The pair of juniors led UAlbany to a school-record 13-3 campaign and the America East regular-season title.
     In addition, UAlbany was one of 51 programs honored by the IWLCA for having a team grade point average of 3.0 or higher.