ORLANDO, Fla. -- 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 on Monday in Orlando, Florida. 

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.