Kuchmaner Named NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Recipient | Eastern North Carolina Now

Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of ECU Sports.


    GREENVILLE, N.C.     East Carolina pitcher Jake Kuchmaner has been named one of 21 male student-athlete recipients for the 2021 Spring NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, the organization announced Friday. With his selection, Kuchmaner will receive a one-time non-renewable scholarship of $10,000 for use in an accredited graduate program.

    "This is a tremendous honor for Jake, who has worked tirelessly in the classroom to earn his degree," East Carolina Head Baseball Coach Cliff Godwin said. "When I think of characteristics for what a student-athlete should be, Jake is what I envision. He has been a leader for us on the field, in the classroom and in the community since the first day he stepped on campus in the fall of 2017. We are excited that Jake will be coming back for another year and working on his postgraduate degree."

    Kuchmaner graduated in May of 2021 with a degree in business management and a minor in psychology while earning a 3.83 cumulative grade point average. He is a four-time American Athletic Conference All-Academic selection, an eight-time ECU Director of Athletics Honor Roll member and a two-time ECU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) President. Kuchmaner, who is currently pursuing his postgraduate degree in kinesiology (sport and exercise psychology), has helped the Pirates earn four consecutive AAC and three-straight American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Team Excellence Awards since 2018.

    "I am very thankful for the opportunities that have been presented to me at East Carolina," Kuchmaner said. "I have been given an incredible amount of support from so many in the athletic department, especially Danielle Morrin, Caroline Bevillard, Cal Christian, Sharon Justice, Coach Godwin, Jon Gilbert and Rebecca Wade. I have really enjoyed my time at ECU and I am excited to be a part of the Greenville community for another year. Go Pirates!"

    On the field, he has appeared in 47 games (37 starts) and posted a 17-6 mark with a pair of complete games. The lefty has struck out 149 batters in 185 innings, allowed 90 runs (81 earned) and sports a 3.94 ERA. A first-team all-conference selection in 2019, Kuchmaner tossed the first perfect game in ECU history when he struck out eight during the Pirates' 3-0 win at Maryland on March 17.

    The Waxhaw, N.C. native earned consecutive national player-of-the-week accolades by Collegiate Baseball, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Perfect Game in 2019 (March 11 and March 18) after carrying a no-hitter into the ninth inning at Ole Miss before throwing the 31st perfect game in NCAA DI history.

    A three-year letterman, Kuchmaner has helped the Pirates to 148 wins over the last three-plus year, been a part of three NCAA Regionals, two Super Regionals, two American Athletic Conference regular season titles and one AAC Tournament championship.

    About the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship

    NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships are awarded to student-athletes who excel academically and athletically and who are at least in their final year of intercollegiate athletics competition. The scholarships are awarded three times a year corresponding to each sport season (fall, winter and spring). Each sports season there are 21 scholarships available for men and 21 scholarships available for women for use in an accredited graduate program.

    All former student-athletes who earned an undergraduate degree from an NCAA member school are eligible to be nominated by that school for an NCAA graduate degree scholarship, regardless of when they received their undergraduate degree. Nominations include a personal statement from the nominee; a factual list that includes all of their honors, awards, activities and four letters of endorsement.

    The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship was created in 1964 to promote and encourage graduate education by rewarding the Association's most accomplished student-athletes through their participation in NCAA championship and/or emerging sports. Athletics and academic achievements, campus involvement, community service, volunteer activities and demonstrated leadership are evaluated.