Southbury, Connecticut, postgrad is Stonehill's first two-time recipient and fifth in NEC football history to earn the honors multiple times
NEC Announces Academic Honors for Fall Season
EASTON, Mass. (February 7, 2024) – Stonehill College postgraduate offensive lineman David Satkowski has earned the Northeast Conference's Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award in football for the second-straight year, marking the College's first two-time recipient during the institution's second year at the NCAA Division I level.
Satkowski, a two-time All-NEC first team selection for Stonehill, is one of just two NEC Scholar-Athlete recipients through the first four seasons at the NCAA Division I level along with women's lacrosse graduate Lydia Rudden, '23. He is the fifth NEC football student-athlete to earn the recognition multiple times and the first since Spencer DeMedal of Duquesne University in 2019 and 2020-21. The Conference's other multiple honorees are Robert Morris University's Nolan Nearhoof – the sport's only three-time recipient (2010, 2011, 2012), Lance Geesey from Saint Francis University (2015 & 2016) and Adam Wollet of Robert Morris (2017 & 2018).
In addition to being a two-time NEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year in football and two-time All-NEC first team selection, Satkowski was named a William V. Campbell Trophy® semifinalist by the National Football Foundation, and College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® team two-straight years. The Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award finalist graduated in May with a Bachelor's Degree as a secondary education and history dual major with a 3.82 grade point average and returned to the Skyhawks in 2023 to pursue his Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Education Graduate Certification, doing so with a perfect 4.0 GPA. He attended the 2023 NFF Campbell Trophy® Summit for the first time and was named to the Hampshire Honor Society by the Football Foundation last spring.
Satkowski, a two-time All-NEC first team selection, is the fifth football student-athlete in NEC history to earn Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors from the Conference multiple years. (PHOTO BY Jim Pierce) |
Satkowski is a three-year starter on the Stonehill offensive line, moving to center this fall while serving as a team captain, that has received a Presidential Merit Scholarship at the College and been named to the Dean's List all eight semesters for having a grade point average of 3.50 or better. He was a 2023 NEC Male Student-Athlete of the Year candidate and received the Walter A. Devine Award as the top Secondary Education student at Stonehill in the spring. Satkowski received the Saint Thomas Aquinas, Patron Saint of Students, Medal for having the highest cumulative GPA on the football team and was named to the NEC Academic Honor Roll as well as the Commissioner's Honor Roll with a GPA over 3.75 for the second-straight year as well today. He was named to the Northeast-10 Conference Academic Honor Roll six semesters, with Academic Distinction status four semesters for having a GPA between 3.50 and 3.99 and Academic Excellence status once for having a perfect 4.0 semester GPA prior to the program's transition to NCAA FCS. He has been named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll all nine semesters for having a GPA of 3.20 or higher.
Satkowski, who recently announced his intention to declare for the NFL Draft, started 30 of the 31 games he has played at Stonehill, including each of the last 29 games he played over his collegiate career. He spearheaded a Skyhawks offensive line that paved the way for the No. 2-ranked rusher in the NEC as part of an offense that averaged 322.7 yards per game (4th NEC), including 166.8 per game on the ground, while finishing tied for second in the NEC for fewest sacks allowed with 15. Stonehill leads the NEC with 18.8 first downs per game, while ranking third on third down conversion (37.8%) and second in red zone offense (87.5% - 28-for-32). Satkowski was named the NEC Offensive Lineman of the Year by Phil Steele as well as All-NEC first team honors by that publication, along with The Bluebloods, and was named a New England Division I All-Star by the New England Football Writers for the first time this season.
Satkowski has volunteered at the Stoughton (Mass.) Homework Center facilitating small group tutoring sessions for grades 7-12. He completed his student-teaching practicum at Stoughton (Mass.) High School where he fostered an inclusive learning environment, created adapted materials to assist all at risk student populations, including English Language Learners and students with ADHD. Prior to that he was an assistant teacher at Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School, where he corresponded with the host teacher to assist ELL students and students with Individualized Education Programs.
Stonehill capped its second NCAA I FCS season with a 5-5 record overall, including 4-3 in the NEC, winning its last two games and three of its last four to finish in the tie for second in the regular season standings. Five Skyhawks earned All-NEC honors, including three on the first team.
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