FAIRFAX, Va. – Six George Mason student-athletes have been named to the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) Academic All-State team for their efforts in competition and in the classroom.

Deanna Balsama (Lacrosse), Jack Bolz (Men's Volleyball), Jacquee Clabeaux (Women's Swimming & Diving), Haellie Gordon (Softball), Drake Moretz (Men's Swimming & Diving) and Jakob Rylander (Men's Soccer) earned the honor.

To qualify, student-athletes must be at least a sophomore with a minimum grade point average of 3.25.  VaSID selected 220 student-athletes for All-Academic honors across 37 schools in Virginia.

Balsama, a Criminology major from Sewell, N.J., led the Patriots in goals (27) and points (34) and was third on the team in assists (7).  She ranked second in the Atlantic 10 and 11th in the nation in free position percentage (.714) and was fifth in the league in free position goals per game (0.77).

Balsama recorded an impressive .710 shots on goal percentage and a .435 shot percentage for the 2021 season.  She averaged 4.0 goals per game over the final three games of the season and notched a career-best six goals in the season finale at #21 Richmond.

For her work in the classroom, Balsama garnered A-10 All-Academic Honors.

Bolz, an English major from Parkridge, Ill., was selected EIVA All-Academic in April.  In his rookie season, Bolz finished third on the Patriots in solo blocks (5), fifth in total blocks (22) and sixth in kills (87) in four starts (32 sets played).

Clabeaux, a Biology major from Fairfax, Va., was named VaSID All-State Second Team in the breaststroke.  She won two medals at the 2021 A-10 Championships to finish her senior season, winning the silver in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:01.37) and the bronze in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:15.43).

Gordon, a Marketing major from Salem, Va., led the Mason pitching staff in wins (8), appearances (25) and starts (19).  She finished her career second in program history in saves (5) and fourth in appearances (95).

Gordon earned a slash line of .288/.338/.394 with 19 hits (five extra-base hits), one home run and seven RBI, including four multi-hit games and one multi-RBI game in 2021.

Moretz, a Systems Engineering major from Marion, N.C., recorded five top-three finishes during the season.  He placed sixth in the 200-yard freestyle (1:39.47), seventh in the 100-yard freestyle (45.03) and ninth in the 200-yard IM (1:50.06) at the 2021 Atlantic 10 Championships.  He helped the Patriots win the bronze in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:21.32) at the A-10 Championships.
 
Rylander, a Business major from Stockholm, Sweden, played and started all nine games in his first year with the Patriots.  He played every minute in all nine matches and was one of only two Mason players to start all nine games during the 2021 spring season.