Patriot-News Feature on Mary Dell

INDIANAPOLIS - Shippensburg University women's indoor track and field competitor Mary Dell was honored recently with an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, becoming the fifth student-athlete in school history to achieve this honor and the second in as many years.

The NCAA awarded educational grants to 58 student-athletes, and the winners (29 men and 29 women) represent winter-sports participants who will receive one-time, nonrenewable grants of $7,500.

Dell, who will graduate on May 8 with a degree in biology and a secondary education certificate, was named a winter recipient of the award following another outstanding indoor track season. After graduation, Dell plans to return to Shippensburg to pursue a master's degree in education in biology curriculum and instruction. Dell will also complete her athletic eligibility in the fall as a member of the Shippensburg women's cross country squad.

Academically, Dell holds a 3.976 grade-point average. Following the 2008-09 track and field season, the Boiling Springs native was named a CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American. That season Dell was also named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team. In cross country that year, Dell was named an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American First Team pick,

Dell is a three-time PSAC Top Ten Award recipient. She has received the award once in each of the three competitive seasons. At Shippensburg, Dell was also named the 2008-09 Women's Student-Athlete of the Year.

Athletically this winter, Dell was a member of Shippensburg distance medley relay team that finished second at the 2010 NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships and earned All-American status for the third consecutive season. Dell was also a national qualifier in the 5,000-meter run.

For her career on the track, Dell has been named an All-American five times to date. She also garnered All-American status as a cross country runner. She holds the national championship meet record time in the distance medley relay after winning the event in 2009. Dell has earned qualifying marks in 12 track events entering the 2010 outdoor season.

Thus far in the 2010 outdoor season, Dell has posted an NCAA Division II automatic qualifying time in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Her time currently stands as the top mark in the nation in the event this year.

The scholarships are awarded to student-athletes who excel academically and athletically and who are in their final year of intercollegiate athletics competition. The NCAA awards up to 174 postgraduate scholarships annually, 87 for men and 87 for women.

The last recipient of the award from Shippensburg was swimmer Theresa Simcic '09. During her career as a Lady Raider, the Allentown native achieved All-American status as a member of the 200-yard freestyle relay team that competed at the 2009 NCAA National Championships. In all, Simcic twice represented Shippensburg in national championship competition. Simcic is currently studying cognitive psychology at the University of Kentucky in Lexington.

Women's basketball star Ashley (Totedo) Swanson '99, a native of Donora, went on to attend the Duquesne University School of Law. She received her justice degree in 2002 and was a recipient of the CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Trial Advocacy. She remains an associate for the Pittsburgh-based law firm of Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote, P.C.

Jim Saxton '79 thrived as a men's swimmer for Shippensburg, and like Totedo, he later received a justice degree from Duquesne in 1982. Saxton has specialized in medical litigation for the past 27 years and currently works as a legal professional for the Lancaster branch of Stevens & Lee, a Pennsylvania-based firm. He is a Fellow of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the oldest professional medical organization in the United States.

Dr. Tony Winter '76 was Shippensburg's first recipient of an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. He went on to earn an MBA at Arizona State University where he also was a graduate assistant football coach. In January, Winter accepted a position on campus as the interim executive director of the Institute for Public Service and Sponsored Programs after serving nine years as the associate dean and the director of the Business Intern Program for the John L. Grove College of Business.

The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship was created in 1964 to promote and encourage postgraduate education by rewarding the Association's most accomplished student-athletes through their participation in NCAA championship and/or emerging sports.