FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU Department of Athletics has announced its monthly academic honorees for December. Women's basketball redshirt-sophomore Chandler Ryan along with men's basketball freshman Caleb Catto were named Scholar-Athletes of the Month.

A female and male Eagle is chosen as the FGCU Athletics Scholar-Athlete of the Month throughout the academic year. Factors in the selection for this honor is based on a combination of significant athletic and overall academic success.

Ryan (Groveland, Ill./Morton HS) carries a 3.81 GPA while majoring in Criminal Justice and will graduate this semester with Magna Cum Laude honors after just three years. She's a four-time Dean's List and five-time Athletic Director's Honor Roll recipient, making the President's List once.

So far this season for the Green and Blue, Ryan has appeared in 15 games with one start. The Illinois native is averaging nearly nine points a contest – fourth best on the team – and is shooting 44 percent from beyond the arc (41-for-93). On Dec. 3, Ryan nabbed her first career ASUN Player of the Week award after her performance against Houston. She finished 5-for-7 from the field in 22 minutes, while making 4-for-6 from 3-point range and all five of her foul shots. She chipped in two rebounds, two assists, and one steal.

"Chandler is an excellent student who takes her academics very seriously," said head coach Karl Smesko. "She's also performed well on the court this season." 

Catto (Cape Coral, Fla./ Southwest Florida Christian Academy) holds a 3.61 GPA and is majoring in Business Management. His fall semester grades landed him a spot on the Athletic Director's Honor Roll.

In 18 games this season, the freshman is averaging 14.2 minutes off the bench, producing 1.4 assists – fifth best on the team. His career high in points came at home against Keiser in which he dropped 12 points, dished out four assists while going 5-for-10 from the floor.

"We are extremely proud of our team as a whole for achieving the highest GPA in program history and Caleb is a huge part of that," said head coach Michael Fly. "Caleb embodies everything that we want in a student-athlete on and off the court. He's a fantastic representative of our program's culture and character."

2018-19 Scholar-Athletes of the Month
August – Holly Fritz (Soccer) Kareem Riley (Soccer)
September – Carley Lutzow (Cross Country) Felipe Escobar (Tennis)
October – Maggie Rick (Volleyball) Kohl Gilmore (Baseball)
November – Cortney VanLiew (Volleyball) and Marc Coffers (Baseball)
December – Chandler Ryan (Women's Basketball) and Caleb Catto (Men's Basketball)

ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 73 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 11+ seasons at the Division-I level. Additionally, in just seven+ seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 34 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport – including both men's and women's soccer again in 2018. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best 6th-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in the Spring of 2018 and had an ASUN Conference and State of Florida best five teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport.  The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours – being recognized as one of two runner-ups for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.

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SUPPORT THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to contribute, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.