Daktronics-NAIA Women’s Soccer Scholar Athletes

KANSAS CITY, Mo – Five Park University women’s soccer student-athletes were named 2008 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athletes, released earlier today by the NAIA’s national headquarters in downtown Kansas City.

Ivy Chapin, Melissa Gardner, Dena Pires, Gabriela Sa Teles and Angelica Tovar were five of 364 student-athletes receiving the prestigious honor, and in order to be a recipient of the NAIA-Daktronics Scholar-Athlete award, one must fulfill a series of academic and longevity requirements.

A recipient must be a junior or above in academic standing, have been in attendance at the nominating institution a minimum of one full year of attendance, have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.50 (on a 4.0 scale) at the time of nomination at the nominating institution and have been certified as eligible during for current playing season.

Pires, who is from Kelowna, British Columbia, is studying athletic training and sports medicine at Park University and wrapped up her four-year career on the pitch earlier this week in the second round of the NAIA tournament. Pires played and started in all 19 games for Park this season, scoring four goals and providing five assists on the year. She also had two game-winning goals this season. The 2008 award marked the third in Pires career. Earlier this season, she was named Co-MCAC Defender of the Year.

Park’s only other multiple-year honoree was Gardner, a senior majoring in marketing and management from Lake Lotawana, Mo. Gardner earned her first award in the 2007 season, and in 2008, she played in 12 games, taking four shots, all on goal, with one goal scored. She also added an assist during the year.

Chapin was one of three players earning her first Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athlete distinction in the 2008 season after playing in all 19 games, scoring twice and passing out four assists on the year. Chapin is a fine arts education major from Independence, Mo., who came to Park after playing her high school soccer at Fort Osage. In 2008, she took 26 shots and had nine shots on goal.

Tovar returned to the Pirate lineup in 2008 and earned her first honor as a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athlete, playing in 16 games with two goals scored and three shots taken. Tovar is from Kansas City, Mo., and attended Hickman Mills High School. She is majoring in elementary education.

Sa Teles, who hails from Brasilia, Brazil, played in six games for Park on defense, helping the Pirates to a 48-17 scoring advantage in 2008. Sa Teles is majoring in communication arts and public relations.

Park ended its season Monday in Daytona Beach, Fla., falling to Lee in the second round of the NAIA tournament. The Pirates finished the season with an overall record of 14-2-3, which included a 5-0 mark in the MCAC and a pair of wins in the MCAC tournament, helping the Pirates to both the MCAC regular-season and tournament titles.