SPORTS STORIES:
SPORTS INFORMATION—2009
GARDELLA EARNS NCAA POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP...
CLEVELAND, OH (May 4, 2009) - When senior Drew Gardella (Sagamore Hills, OH) became an All-American in March, he put his name alongside the legendary wrestlers in Case Western Reserve University’s history. Now his work in the classroom has scored him another big win as he was chosen to receive an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship to use towards his continued education.
Gardella is one of only 29 male student-athletes who competed during the winter season to receive this honor among all NCAA schools (all divisions included). He will receive a one-time, non-renewable grant of $7,500 that he can put towards his future studies, which in his case will be chiropractic school.
“The NCAA gives us a website where we can check our status,” said Gardella. “I was writing a paper the other day and I was reloading the page every couple minutes hoping to see my name. I was really lucky to win the award and the money is really going to help me.”
Gardella will graduate in May with bachelor’s degrees in biology, psychology and cognitive science. Being a wrestler, Gardella has been going to a chiropractor since he was in the eighth grade. It was his current chiropractor that suggested he look into it as a career path.
“You get pretty beat up being a wrestler, so I have had experience going to a chiropractor since I was a kid,” explained Gardella. “Since I have had so much exposure to it, I really began to like it. I didn’t really want to go down the traditional medicine route. And once I went and looked into the chiropractic schools a little more I realized it was a good idea.”
This September he will start a three year and three month program at the Palmer College of Chiropractic in Daytona, Fla. Once he completes the program he will receive his Doctor of Chiropractic degree and can then immediately begin his career. His goal is to one day open his own practice.
The three-time Scholar All-American currently boasts a 3.82 cumulative grade-point-average and has been a UAA All-Academic honoree each of his four years at the University. In March, Gardella made his first career trip to the NCAA Championships where he earned sixth place in the 149-pound weight class to become an All-American. His 129 career wins are the third most in school history and he is only the eighth Case Western Reserve wrestler to become an All-American.
“Those guys that wrestled back in the day were better than me,” said Gardella. “But having 129 career wins, I mean it’s a cool record. I have always set my goals on doing things I had never done and I had never been an All-American. That was my goal going into this year and I achieved it.”
Gardella joins senior men’s soccer player Kevin Bigart as the two Case Western Reserve University students to receive NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships during the 2008-09 school year.
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