TOWSON, Md. -The Landmark Conference selects 23 senior scholar-athletes each year to recognize the top student-athlete in each sport based on academics and athletics.
The honorees must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.20 and are selected by a committee of Landmark Conference officers, athletics directors, senior woman administrators, faculty athletic representatives, athletic communications, and diversity, ethnicity, and inclusion designee.
Nick Kinzler of the Wilkes University was selected as the 2023 Landmark Conference Men's Soccer Senior Scholar-Athlete. Kinzler becomes the first student-athlete to represent Wilkes as a Landmark Senior Scholar-Athlete. He is also the first-ever member of the Wilkes Men's Soccer team to earn a senior scholar award, including the University's time spent in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC).
The 2022-23 Wilkes Athletics Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year recipient completed his bachelor's degree in Corporate Finance last May, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a 3.96 GPA. As a member of the 4+1 program pursuing a Master's in Business Administration, Kinzler holds a 3.91 GPA through the 2023 fall semester. Kinzler was awarded the 2023 Professor Ted Engle Award for Excellence in Finance, which is given annually to a student who has demonstrated academic excellence as well as personal, professional, and community leadership. He was inducted into the Colonels Elite Society in 2022 for his good moral character and high academic performance.
Kinzler received the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team Award in 2022 and 2023, which commends student-athletes who excel on and off the field. The graduate student was also named to the MAC Men's Soccer Academic Honor Roll in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.
On the field, Kinzler earned a spot on the 2023 All-Landmark Conference First Team for his play in net. While serving as the team captain this past season, Kinzler recorded three shutouts and started in all 16 contests for the Colonels. The goalkeeper averaged a conference-high 5.75 saves per game and was named the Landmark Conference Defensive Athlete of the Week three times during the 2023 season. Kinzler's first award came in the week of September 11-17, when he totaled 12 saves and sported a 0.50 goals against average in two draws against Keystone and Rutgers-Camden. The keeper's second conference award came on the heels of his stellar play during the week of September 18-24, when he turned aside a total of 15 shots to secure two crucial wins for the Colonels over Swarthmore and Susquehanna. Kinzler was recognized by the conference a third time for his 12-save performance in 135 minutes of scoreless action against Hartwick and Moravian during the week of September 25-October 1.
Kinzler continued to demonstrate his leadership skills outside the classroom and off the field. While serving as the president of the Wilkes University chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), he placed top-three in five different state conference awards and three national conference awards. He is also a member of the Wilkes University Honors Program and the Delta Mu Delta Business Honor Society. Currently, he serves as a Graduate Assistant in the Office of the President for Wilkes University.
An extremely active member of the Wilkes-Barre community, Kinzler collaborated with organizations like Souper Sundays and the Pediatric Associates of Kingston to provide meals to local families in need. As a first year, he volunteered at St. Nicholas Church to set up their annual Bazaar event. Through the Wilkes soccer program, the goalkeeper participated in several events to benefit community members. These include digging out basements for Habitat for Humanity, assisting in a Special Olympics bowling event, handing out Thanksgiving meals for the Weinburg Food Bank, and participating in the annual Wilkes "Trunk or Treat" event.
Complete Senior Scholar-Athlete History