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5 Blue Devils Garner NSCA All-America Honors
3/31/2020 10:40:00 AM | Men's Golf, Women's Golf, Swimming & Diving, Athletics
DURHAM, N.C.—The National Strength and Conditioning Association recently recognized five Duke University student-athletes for their hard work and dedication to strength training and conditioning. Ana Belac, Chase Cheek, Nathaniel Hernandez, Alyssa March and Harrison Taee each garnered the NSCA All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year Award.
The All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year Award program recognizes those collegiate and high school athletes whose athletic accomplishments reflect their dedication to strength training and conditioning.
Belac and Taee were two of 13 golfers, across divisions to garner the recognition, while Cheek was one of 40 baseball athletes. Hernandez was one of two divers recognized and Marsh one of 10 swimming athletes honored.
Ana Belac | Senior | Portoroz, Slovenia
Belac, a native of Portoroz, Slovenia, concluded her shortened 2019-20 campaign ranked No. 3 nationally in the Golfweek individual rankings. She saw action in five tournaments and notched a team-best 71.85 stroke average, while collecting two top five and four top 20 finishes. Belac, an ANNIKA Award Watch List selection, notched her second collegiate victory at the East Lake Cup as she registered a three-under-par, 69.
"Ana Belac....her journey speaks for itself," said Assistant Sports Performance Coach Alex Merrill. "Coming from a country where there aren't many golfers, she rose to the highest level of college golf. She did this through tireless effort in the weight room and on the course. Very few golfers are willing to commit to the "big lifts", and those are staples of Ana's program. It's rare to see such an athlete in golf and I know Ana will continue her success in the professional ranks."
Chase Cheek | Senior | OF | Orlando, Fla.
Cheek, a senior co-captain who has served in a leadership capacity throughout his four years at Duke, returned to the diamond this season after suffering a season-ending knee injury in 2019. The Tampa, Fla., native started every contest for the Blue Devils in the outfield, including 15 games in right field and one contest in center field. He led the team in multi-hit contests with six, while tying for second on the squad in total hits with 15.
"Chase Cheek is everything this award is created to recognize," said Associate Director of Sports Performance and Head Olympic Sports Performance Coach Dan Perlmutter. "He checks all the athletic boxes. He's a once-in-a-generation athlete, with speed, agility, power and pound-for-pound strength that we almost never see in the same person. He's developed those assets during his career at Duke to become one of the fastest base runners and outfielders in the country. But by themselves, those are the least important of his abilities. To see that kind of elite athleticism in a true team leader is even rarer. He simply does things the right way, every day."
Nathaniel Hernandez | Senior | Southlake Texas
This season, Hernandez qualified for his fourth consecutive NCAA Championships and second-straight NCAA Championships in which he qualified in all three events. The senior became just the third Duke men's diver to earn First Team All-America honors when he placed eighth in the one-meter competition in 2019. Hernandez also received Honorable Mention All-America honors in 2018 in platform diving. The Southlake, Texas native was a four-time ACC Diver of the Week selection and sits second all-time at Duke in all three diving events. Out of the pool, he was a two-time CSCAA Scholar All-America First Team, three-time All-ACC Academic and three-time ACC Academic Honor Roll selection.
"Nathaniel's unmatched work ethic, discipline, and attitude epitomizes Duke Athletics," said Assistant Director of Sports Performance Carl Christensen. "Respected by all teammates and coaching staffs, Nathaniel is determined to make himself and those around him better every day, and in every way. It has been a privilege to work with him.
Alyssa Marsh | Senior | Sprints, Fly, Back | Davidson, N.C.
Marsh will go down in Duke swimming and diving as one of the best women's swimmers in school history. Throughout her four years at Duke, the four-time NCAA Championship qualifier holds three individual school records (50 freestyle, 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly) and has contributed to three school record relays (200 freestyle relay, 400 freestyle relay and 200 medley relay). A native of Davidson, N.C., Marsh was named Honorable Mention All-America in two individual events, 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly, and three relays, 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle and 200 medley, at the 2019 NCAA Championships. In addition to her accomplishments in the pool, Marsh was a 2019 All-ACC Academic choice and three-time ACC Academic Honor Roll selection.
"Alyssa has proved to have an outstanding work ethic and attitude in her four years with Duke Swimming," said Christensen. "Those attributes have led her to have success academically and athletically. She continues to raise the bar when it comes to being a great teammate and team leader in both the weight room and the pool."
Harrison Taee | Senior | Virginia Water, United Kingdom
Taee competed in two stroke play tournaments and one match play event for the Blue Devils in the abbreviated 2019-20 season. His second-place finish at the Grandover Collegiate in October was a career-best finish for the senior. At the Grandover, he fired three even-par rounds of 72 for the second-lowest tournament score of his career. He also went 1-1 in match play for the Blue Devils as Duke beat Princeton.
"There are few who possess the athleticism of a Harrison Taee in college golf, and even fewer who are genuine human beings," said Merrill. "Harrison pushed himself every day to become not only a better athlete, but a better teammate and it showed. It was truly a pleasure to coach him these last 4 years."
The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is a nonprofit professional organization dedicated to advancing the strength and conditioning profession around the world.
The NSCA advances the profession by supporting strength and conditioning professionals devoted to helping others discover and maximize their strengths. We disseminate research-based knowledge and its practical application by offering industry-leading certifications, research journals, career development services, and continuing education opportunities. The NSCA community is composed of more than 45,000 members and certified professionals who further industry standards as researchers, educators, strength coaches, personal trainers, and other roles in related fields.
#GoDuke
The All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year Award program recognizes those collegiate and high school athletes whose athletic accomplishments reflect their dedication to strength training and conditioning.
Belac and Taee were two of 13 golfers, across divisions to garner the recognition, while Cheek was one of 40 baseball athletes. Hernandez was one of two divers recognized and Marsh one of 10 swimming athletes honored.
Ana Belac | Senior | Portoroz, Slovenia
Belac, a native of Portoroz, Slovenia, concluded her shortened 2019-20 campaign ranked No. 3 nationally in the Golfweek individual rankings. She saw action in five tournaments and notched a team-best 71.85 stroke average, while collecting two top five and four top 20 finishes. Belac, an ANNIKA Award Watch List selection, notched her second collegiate victory at the East Lake Cup as she registered a three-under-par, 69.
"Ana Belac....her journey speaks for itself," said Assistant Sports Performance Coach Alex Merrill. "Coming from a country where there aren't many golfers, she rose to the highest level of college golf. She did this through tireless effort in the weight room and on the course. Very few golfers are willing to commit to the "big lifts", and those are staples of Ana's program. It's rare to see such an athlete in golf and I know Ana will continue her success in the professional ranks."
Chase Cheek | Senior | OF | Orlando, Fla.
Cheek, a senior co-captain who has served in a leadership capacity throughout his four years at Duke, returned to the diamond this season after suffering a season-ending knee injury in 2019. The Tampa, Fla., native started every contest for the Blue Devils in the outfield, including 15 games in right field and one contest in center field. He led the team in multi-hit contests with six, while tying for second on the squad in total hits with 15.
"Chase Cheek is everything this award is created to recognize," said Associate Director of Sports Performance and Head Olympic Sports Performance Coach Dan Perlmutter. "He checks all the athletic boxes. He's a once-in-a-generation athlete, with speed, agility, power and pound-for-pound strength that we almost never see in the same person. He's developed those assets during his career at Duke to become one of the fastest base runners and outfielders in the country. But by themselves, those are the least important of his abilities. To see that kind of elite athleticism in a true team leader is even rarer. He simply does things the right way, every day."
Nathaniel Hernandez | Senior | Southlake Texas
This season, Hernandez qualified for his fourth consecutive NCAA Championships and second-straight NCAA Championships in which he qualified in all three events. The senior became just the third Duke men's diver to earn First Team All-America honors when he placed eighth in the one-meter competition in 2019. Hernandez also received Honorable Mention All-America honors in 2018 in platform diving. The Southlake, Texas native was a four-time ACC Diver of the Week selection and sits second all-time at Duke in all three diving events. Out of the pool, he was a two-time CSCAA Scholar All-America First Team, three-time All-ACC Academic and three-time ACC Academic Honor Roll selection.
"Nathaniel's unmatched work ethic, discipline, and attitude epitomizes Duke Athletics," said Assistant Director of Sports Performance Carl Christensen. "Respected by all teammates and coaching staffs, Nathaniel is determined to make himself and those around him better every day, and in every way. It has been a privilege to work with him.
Alyssa Marsh | Senior | Sprints, Fly, Back | Davidson, N.C.
Marsh will go down in Duke swimming and diving as one of the best women's swimmers in school history. Throughout her four years at Duke, the four-time NCAA Championship qualifier holds three individual school records (50 freestyle, 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly) and has contributed to three school record relays (200 freestyle relay, 400 freestyle relay and 200 medley relay). A native of Davidson, N.C., Marsh was named Honorable Mention All-America in two individual events, 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly, and three relays, 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle and 200 medley, at the 2019 NCAA Championships. In addition to her accomplishments in the pool, Marsh was a 2019 All-ACC Academic choice and three-time ACC Academic Honor Roll selection.
"Alyssa has proved to have an outstanding work ethic and attitude in her four years with Duke Swimming," said Christensen. "Those attributes have led her to have success academically and athletically. She continues to raise the bar when it comes to being a great teammate and team leader in both the weight room and the pool."
Harrison Taee | Senior | Virginia Water, United Kingdom
Taee competed in two stroke play tournaments and one match play event for the Blue Devils in the abbreviated 2019-20 season. His second-place finish at the Grandover Collegiate in October was a career-best finish for the senior. At the Grandover, he fired three even-par rounds of 72 for the second-lowest tournament score of his career. He also went 1-1 in match play for the Blue Devils as Duke beat Princeton.
"There are few who possess the athleticism of a Harrison Taee in college golf, and even fewer who are genuine human beings," said Merrill. "Harrison pushed himself every day to become not only a better athlete, but a better teammate and it showed. It was truly a pleasure to coach him these last 4 years."
The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is a nonprofit professional organization dedicated to advancing the strength and conditioning profession around the world.
The NSCA advances the profession by supporting strength and conditioning professionals devoted to helping others discover and maximize their strengths. We disseminate research-based knowledge and its practical application by offering industry-leading certifications, research journals, career development services, and continuing education opportunities. The NSCA community is composed of more than 45,000 members and certified professionals who further industry standards as researchers, educators, strength coaches, personal trainers, and other roles in related fields.
#GoDuke
Players Mentioned
PLAYER
/ Women's Golf
Diving
/ Swimming & Diving
Sprints/Fly/Back
/ Swimming & Diving
/ Men's Golf
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