Boynewicz ’25, Novotny ’25 Receive SoCon Postgraduate Scholarships

After 4 years of stellar performance both in competition and their field of study, James Boynewicz ’25 of lacrosse and Courtney Novotny ’25 of women’s water polo earned Southern Conference postgraduate scholarships, the league announced April 24, 2025.

A testament to their athletic accomplishments, leadership, and commitment to academic excellence, Boynewicz earned the Bob McCloskey Insurance Scholarship, and Novotny will receive the Presidential Scholarship. A total of 10 student-athletes across the league received the scholarships, all of which hold a value of $2,000.

The recipients are nominated by their schools and selected by the Southern Conference Graduate Scholar Committee. The scholarships are awarded to student-athletes who intend to pursue advanced degrees in graduate or professional school. Potential recipients are evaluated on academics, athletics, and community service.

The award money is eligible to be used between now and the 2029–30 academic year. Boynewicz graduated in May with a 4.0 cumulative GPA in biology and a minor in chemistry, while Novotny graduated with a degree in biology, finishing her studies at VMI with a 3.88 GPA.

“Both scholarship recipients are prime examples of the term ‘student-athlete,’” said Jay Johnson, Ph.D., VMI faculty athletics representative. “Their academic success, coupled with their athletic endeavors, is extremely impressive and noteworthy. We are proud of them, and they are both deserving of this postgraduate scholarship.”

Boynewicz plans to attend a physician assistant school in spring or fall 2026, and Novotny will attend Radford University this fall to begin PA school.

Both Boynewicz and Novotny served as team captains during their VMI tenures and led their teams in several offensive or defensive categories. They also made their presence known in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and ranked in the top 10 for multiple individual statistics in the league rankings. Boynewicz competed in the SoCon as a 4th Class cadet in 2022 and in the Northeast Conference as a 1st Class cadet in 2025.

Boynewicz’s Academic Accomplishments:

Faculty Scholarship for Merit: Recognizes academic performance by rising 1st and 2nd Class cadets

2024 SURI Fellowship (VMI’s Summer Undergraduate Research Institute)
2024 Award for Top Biology Cadet as a 2nd Class cadet
2023 John Randolph Tucker Carmichael Award (3rd Class biology major)
2022 Paul R. Meyer Award (4th Class biology major)
2021 Institute Honors Merit Scholarship
Number of SoCon, MAAC, VaSID, and CSC academic honors

Novotny’s academic accomplishments:

2024: VMI 3-Legged Stool Award winner, given annually by the VMI Keydet Club to the top VMI cadet-athlete who excels academically, militarily, and athletically
2021–25: 8-time dean’s list recipient
2021–25 Institute Honors Merit Scholarship
2023 SURI Fellowship (VMI’s Summer Undergraduate Research Institute)
2023–25: Peay Full Merit Scholarship
2022–25: 4x-time MAAC All-Academic Team recipient
2023–24: VaSID Academic All-State Team honors
2023–24: ACWPC All-Academic Team

*All information provided within the press release was reviewed by Cadets Boynewicz and Novotny and approved for public knowledge.

Editor’s Note: This article was first published by vmikeydets.com.