Chartier Recognized as Scholar-Athlete by NATYCAA
Harper College volleyball player Meghan Chartier (Inverness, Ill./Buffalo Grove) was recently recognized by the National Alliance of Two Year College Athletic Administrators (NATYCAA) as a 2015-2016 NATYCAA Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention.
Here are the qualifications for the award from NATYCAA:
1) At least a 3.6 GPA on a 4.0 scale with a minimum of 36 credit hours or 45 quarter hours accumulated with a minimum of 24 hours/36 quarter hours at your institution.
2) Outstanding qualities of leadership and citizenship.
3) Outstanding athletic success at his/her college. Documentation with appropriate statistics and/or athletic accomplishments is required. A minimum of honorable mention All-conference or All-region recognition required.
4) Spring sport athletes may be considered for nomination the following year.
5) Participation in a minimum of one complete season of varsity competition at his/her college.
6) The candidate's nomination must be submitted by the Athletics Director to the NATYCAA SCHOLAR-ATHLETE COMMITTEE CHAIR. This NATYCAA nomination form must be completed and include a transcript of all college work, a listing of athletics accomplishments, athletics director recommendation, academic staff/advisor recommendation, and two photos (Head shot minimum 300 dpi).
Chartier certainly fit the billing based on the above qualifications. The 2014-15 Harper College Female Athlete of the Year was named a 2015 NJCAA Division III Volleyball First Team All-American to punctuate her two-year Harper career.
In the fall of 2015, Chartier was named First Team All-Conference and All-Region. She was the defensive mainstay for a Hawks program that won 34 matches in 2015 and 66 matches over the last two years. She totaled 809 digs (first in nation) in a nation-high 167 sets (4.84 digs/set, 19th in nation). As a second-year player, she also played a big part in an improved Hawks service game, going 620-of-662 (93.7 percent) with 47 aces (fourth on team). In conference play, Chartier had 242 digs (5.76 digs/set), and 179 of 190 serving (94 percent) with 15 aces (first on team).
In the 2014 season, Chartier earned First Team All-Conference, All-Region, and Region IV All-Tournament Team accolades. The libero was also named to the All-Tournament Team at every tournament that had the award (College of DuPage Invitational, Harper College Invitational, Harper College Invite, Lincoln Land Invitational).
She also led the nation in digs with 850, breaking a Harper all-time single-season digs record. Chartier was also named the NJCAA Division III National Player of the Week for the week of Oct. 6-12.
In addition to her successes on the volleyball court, Chartier exhibits excellent qualities of leadership and citizenship. In her time at Harper, she was a member of Phi Theta Kappa and a note taker. The note takers provide assistance to students with learning disabilities.
She has been coaching volleyball since she was 16, coaching for the Top Flight Volleyball Club, EVP Tour, and the Palatine Park District. She also coaches at camps and gives private lessons.
Her father, John, is in the military, and Meghan has gone to local businesses and people, asking them to donate items or gift cards for a raffle. The raffle money was donated to the Wounded Warrior Project, who mission is "To foster the most successful, well-adjusted generation of wounded service members in our nation's history."
Finally, Chartier graduated from Harper in May with an Associate's Degree in Liberal Arts. In the fall, she'll be transferring to Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island, where she will play volleyball and continue her studies. She will receive the Presidential Scholarship and the Roger Williams University Presidential Transfer Merit Scholarship, along with the Roger Williams Grant.
"Meghan is a model student athlete. She embodies what we strive for as athletic administrators. Meghan took the opportunities that community college athletics offers and excelled in the classroom and on the court," said Harper College Director of Athletics and Fitness Doug Spiwak. "She completed her education at Harper with a degree, earned numerous awards and transferred to a four year school with the opportunity to continue playing and earn a bachelor's degree. Nominating a student athlete with her character and determination, to my colleagues, was an honor for me as well. Her accomplishments highlight our Athletics Mission and what we represent to our community."