Kratz Named CWPA Men's Varsity Scholar-Athlete of the Year

2009 Graduate is Inaugural Recipient

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2009 graduate <b>Josh Kratz</b> has been named the inaugural recipient of the CWPA Men's Varsity Scholar-Athlete award.

2009 graduate Josh Kratz has been named the inaugural recipient of the CWPA Men's Varsity Scholar-Athlete award.

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July 13, 2009

BRIDGEPORT, PA - The Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) announces the selection of Johns Hopkins University graduate Josh Kratz (Lansdale, PA/North Penn) as the inaugural recipient of the Men's Varsity Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.

The highest honor bestowed by the league to an active player, matched only by the induction of a former player to the league's Hall of Fame, the award recognizes an outstanding senior student-athlete who has achieved success in both the scholastic (3.25 or higher cumulative grade point average) and athletic arenas while possessing a spirit which provides service to the community. Athletes were nominated by their respective Department of Athletics with the recipient being selected based on a points system derived from Community Service, CWPA Academic Honors, Scholastic Achievement and All-Conference/All-Eastern Tournament selections over their career.

A 2009 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District II At-Large College Division Second Team selection, becoming just the second water polo player from JHU to earn Academic All-District honors, Kratz ranks among the all-time leaders in the Blue Jays water polo history. Kratz led the Blue Jays with a career-high 102 points this season, as well as ranking second on the team in goals (60) and assists (42) while finishing with 30 ejections drawn and 26 steals.

Named the 2008 Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) Division III Player of the Year, he earned First Team All-America honors while captaining Hopkins to a 17-17 overall record, the 2008 Division III Eastern Championship and a #1 ranking in the final Division III poll of the season. He became the third player from Hopkins to earn Division III Player of the Year honors, joining Brian Mead '04 and Sean McCreery '07.

A four-time ACWPC All-Academic and CWPA honoree, he earned CWPA All-South First Team and All-Eastern Championship Second Team honors this season in addition to concluding his career ranked 15th in program history with 111 career goals. A public health major with a minor in entrepreneurship and small business management, the utility player completed his studies with a 3.46 cumulative GPA.

During his time at JHU, he helped the Blue Jays to 72 wins, three Division III Eastern Championships (2005, 2006, 2008) in three attempts and a pair of No. 1 rankings in the season's final Division III national poll (2005, 2008). In addition, he helped the Blue Jays finish among the top five in the CWPA Southern Division (2005 - fifth; 2006 - fourth; 2007 - second; 2008 - third) and the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) (2005 - fifth; 2006 - fifth; 2007 - fifth; 2008 - second) Championships, while helping the Blue Jays to sixth (2006, 2008) and seventh (2007) place marks at the CWPA Eastern Championship.

Away from the pool, Kratz exceeded his athletic achievements through community service, especially in the fight against cancer. A volunteer coach for the North Penn High School water polo team, he participated in a fund raising "Swim for the Cure" for the Susan G. Komen foundation and a fund raising swim for the American Heart Association. Further, he helped in the JHU water polo team's efforts to raise money for Komen Maryland as the team wore pink speedos and collected donations in the week leading up to the tournament and at the door when Hopkins hosted the Division III Eastern Championship this fall.

Most recently, Kratz, a first-year Collegiate Water Polo Association referee, assisted in refereeing a 24-hour water polo tournament that raised money for THON (The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon) at Pennsylvania State University in the fight against cancer.

The largest water polo conference in the country with teams in 75% of the states nationwide, including both intercollegiate varsity competition and club competition, the Collegiate Water Polo Association stands as the largest single sport conference and the second largest athletic association behind only the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).