Colorado Springs, Colo. - The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is proud to announce that Trinity College softball senior co-captain Gillian Birk (Westport, Conn.), fellow softball senior Cassidy Schiff (Darien, Conn.), and men's rowing senior Tyler Somerville (North Salt Lake, Utah) are 2021 All-American Athlete of the Year Award recipients. This award recognizes their athletic accomplishments and their dedication to strength and conditioning. Nominated by Bill DeLongis, Trinity's strength and conditioning coach, their determination to improve in athletics while maintaining academic prominence is a great model for all student-athletes at Trinity College.

"Congrats to these three for earning the Strength & Conditioning All American Award from the NSCA," said DeLongis. "In my opinion, there is no bigger honor than this award. To receive this acknowledgement at Trinity, it means you are more than a great lifter. Recipients have demonstrated four years of premier work ethic, are admirable humans, selfless teammates, and overall leaders for the athletic program. Basically, they've been flawless. Thank you to this group for everything they've done for our institution, teams, and our strength program. Their legacy will live on forever in these walls."

The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is an international nonprofit professional association founded in 1978 and is dedicated to advancing the strength and conditioning profession around the world.  The NSCA advances the profession by supporting strength and conditioning professionals devoted to helping others discover and maximize their strengths. The organization disseminates research-based knowledge and its practical application by offering industry-leading certifications, research journals, career development services, and continuing education opportunities. The NSCA community is composed of more than 45,000 members and certified professionals who further industry standards as researchers, educators, strength coaches, personal trainers, and other roles in related fields.  Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the NSCA serves as a valuable resource for its members, the fitness industry, general public, and the media. The association provides a wide variety of resources and opportunities designed to strengthen, build, advance, and unify.

"We are proud to have Bill DeLongis, Matt Hyde and Kyle Cusson join the NSCA in its mission to safely improve athletic performance," said Eric McMahon, NSCA's Coaching Program Manager, "Supporting our student-athletes like these three guarantees a stronger future for the NSCA."