Caldwell University Track Champion Joey Datta Named NCAA Division II Scholarship Winner

May 22, 2024

Edison, N.J., Native, League Champion Among 46 Honorees in DII 50th Anniversary Program

Orlando, Fla., May 22, 2024 /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – Caldwell University junior cross country and track and field standout Joey Datta (Edison, N.J.) has been named one of 46 student-athletes who will each receive the 50th Anniversary Scholarship, worth over $1,000. The recipients were recognized during the opening ceremonies at the Division II Festival.

Division II schools submitted 196 nominations for the commemorative scholarship. Conference offices reviewed their member schools’ nominations and selected up to four finalists for review by the Division II Management Council Identity Subcommittee. The subcommittee reviewed all finalist submissions and determined the recipients, awarding one male student-athlete and one female student-athlete from each of the 23 Division II conferences.

Datta is the two-time CACC cross country champion, winning the 2022 and 2023 conference championship meets. This spring, he continued that dominance into the track & field season, setting CACC met records in winning the 5K (15:14.29) and 10K (31:53.17) events.

The women’s recipient in the CACC is Sophia Ridolfo of Georgian Court University’s women’s soccer team.

“Congratulations to these deserving student-athletes who exhibit the core values of Division II,” said Terri Steeb Gronau, vice president of Division II. “It was important while celebrating the history of Division II that we also recognize and celebrate our student-athlete leaders in a meaningful way.”

Recipients have exemplified the division’s Life in the Balance philosophy through high-level athletics competition, academic achievement, campus involvement and community engagement.

About Caldwell University

Caldwell University is a four-year Catholic university in the Dominican tradition, founded in 1939 by the Sisters of St. Dominic of Caldwell, New Jersey, voted one of the most beautiful downtown communities in New Jersey and the state’s #1 Small College Town. Caldwell is one of the most affordable private universities in New Jersey and was named among the top 100 Best Regional Universities in the North by U.S. News & World Report for 2024.

Approximately 2,000 students are enrolled each year, with nearly 25% residing in one of three residence halls, many of whom compete on one of Caldwell’s 16 NCAA Division II or intercollegiate teams, including the emerging sports of acrobatics & tumbling and sprint football.

Caldwell is a United States Department of Education-designated Hispanic Serving Institution.

The University offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral academic programs including Art Therapy, Esports Management, Supply Chain Management, Business Analytics, Nursing, and Applied Behavior Analysis along with many traditional majors and programs. The undergraduate core curriculum emphasizes the liberal arts and sciences with a mission to educate students to become citizens who pursue truth and contribute to a just society. Core values of respect, integrity, community and excellence define the Caldwell experience. Learn more at https://www.caldwell.edu/.

About Caldwell University Athletics

Caldwell Athletics (@CaldwellCougars) sponsors 14 sports at the NCAA Division II level, including: baseball, women’s and men’s basketball, bowling, women’s and men’s cross country, women’s and men’s lacrosse, women’s and men’s soccer, softball, women’s and men’s track and field, and volleyball; plus acrobatics & tumbling, sprint football and esports. The Department is committed to providing a quality academic and athletic experience in order to meet the diverse needs of its student-athletes.

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Contact: Jerry Milani, gmilani@caldwell.edu, 917-797-5663