PURCHASE, N.Y. – Senior Michael Capozzi (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/San Judas Tadeo) became the first Manhattanville student-athlete in school history to earn back-to-back Academic All-District honors on Friday after being selected to the Capital One Academic All-District Men's At-Large first team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) to recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performance on the court and in the classroom.

Capozzi was named to the District 3 Division III At-Large first team, making him one of only 14 student-athletes to receive the honor in one of eight geographic districts across the United States and Canada. This is the first year of the expanded Academic All-America program, as CoSIDA now honors separate teams for NCAA Divisions I, II and III as well as a combined one for NAIA, Canadian and two-year schools. As a result of his first-team selection, Capozzi advances to the Capital One Academic All-America Team ballot, when he will look to become the first two-time Academic All-American in program history early next month.

The At-Large team is arguably the hardest of any ballot to be selected for, as on the men's side it includes eligible student-athletes from all of the following sports: fencing, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming, tennis, volleyball, water polo and wrestling. To be nominated, student-athletes must be of at least sophomore standing, have at least a 3.30 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale), and have participated in at least 50 percent of the team's games as a starter or important reserve.
 
Capozzi continued to rack up the honors on the court in his senior season, becoming the first male player in Manhattanville history and second overall to earn three conference Player of the Year awards, as he was named by the Freedom Conference for the third straight season in addition to his fourth consecutive All-Conference first-team recognition. One of the most dominant players in conference history, he went 5-0 in singles play this season and posted a career 22-1 mark in regular-season play against Freedom competition. For his career, he leaves as the school's all-time leader in singles victories (64), doubles victories (61) and overall wins (125).

The senior has been just as impressive off the court, beginning with his 3.98 cumulative GPA as a sociology and finance double major with an Italian minor. After earning the program's first Academic All-American honor in 27 years last year, he was named the Middle Atlantic Conference Men's Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year last month and also earned Manhattanville's Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, while he soon will earn his third straight spot on the MAC Spring Academic Honor Roll and eighth straight spot on the Dean's List later this month as well. In addition, he was selected as Manhattanville's 2011 Humanitarian of the Year for his extensive charity work in his native Dominican Republic.

Capozzi joins baseball junior Johnny LoVetere as Academic All-District honorees this year, bringing the total number of Valiants honored in program history to 11 and four in the last two seasons. The 2012 Capital One Academic All-America At-Large men's teams are scheduled to be announced on June 5.