GLASSBORO, NJ – Rowan University softball player Jackie Sasko and track runner Greg Kuczynski received Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area honors. Sasko was also chosen the Softball Academic All-Area Performer of the Year.

The Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area teams are voted on by the sports information offices at the 28 institutions in the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

Sasko (sr. Groveville, NJ/Steinert) has a 3.580 grade point average (GPA) in American Studies. She led the Profs with a 21-5 record, 1.07 earned run average (ERA) and 181 strikeouts. Sasko compiled 13 shutouts, tying her for the school’s single season mark. In two seasons at Rowan, she totaled a 40-12 record with a 1.17 ERA and 374 strikeouts. Sasko is the University’s all-time leader in strikeout ratio in a season (7.99 in 2008) and highest strikeout ratio in a career (7.6 from 2008-09). She is tied for first with 14 strikeouts in a game (March 18, 2008) and second in career strikeouts (374 in 61 games).

This is Sasko’s second consecutive selection to the Academic All-Area Team. Earlier this season, she was named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA)/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II second team. Sasko is a 2009 Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III All-America first team honoree. She was selected the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) and Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Metro Pitcher of the Year. Sasko was chosen to the NJAC All-Conference and Louisville Slugger/NFCA East All-Region first teams and the ECAC All-Star Team. She also received NJAC All-Academic honorable mention.

Kuczynski (sr. Sayreville, NJ/Sayreville War Mem.) is a civil engineering major with a 3.947 GPA, which is the highest among Rowan’s student-athletes. He was named the 2008 Philadelphia Inquirer Cross Country Academic All-Area Performer of the Year and to the Academic All-Area Team for the fourth consecutive year. This is his third straight Academic All-Area honor for track.

This season, Kuczynski picked up CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America honors and he was selected Men’s Track and Field/Cross Country Academic All-District II first team for the second straight year. He was selected to receive a NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. Kuczynski was chosen to the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic Team for the third time. He was named to the NJAC Cross Country All-Conference second team for the fourth season in a row and he collected NJAC All-Academic first team honors for the second consecutive year.

In outdoor track, he posted Rowan’s top time in the 3000 meters (8:58.73) and was second in the 5000 meters (15:25.79). Kuczynski was also part of the Profs’ top 4x800 meter relay that recorded a time of 8:29.81. In cross country, Kuczynski finished 56th at the NCAA Atlantic Regional with a time of 27:20. He took eighth at the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championships (26:22.80). Kuczynski was the individual winner at the Delaware Invitational with a time of 27:04. He recorded season bests of 26:22.80 in the 8K and 19:50.70 in the 6K.