PHILADELPHIA - The 2011-12 season is underway, but recent graduate Ryan Richter is still racking up the awards for last year's senior season. Richter was named the Eastern College Athletic Conference's (ECAC) 2011 Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, becoming the second La Salle student-athlete in two years to garner the honor.

La Salle became the sixth school to have back-to-back honorees, as lacrosse's Jill Davis won the 2010 award.

Richter, currently playing with Major League Soccer's Philadelphia Union, put together a special senior season. He earned numerous major awards, including the Atlantic 10 Sportsmanship Award, A-10 Offensive Player of the Year, A-10 Student-Athlete of the Year and Soccer Six Player of the Year. Additionally, he was a two-time NSCAA All-Region First Team honoree, NSCAA Scholar All-America First Team honoree, Scholar East Region First Team pick and earned CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District First Team.

In 2010, Richter led the Atlantic 10 and Soccer Six in points (30) and goals (14). He led the Explorers to a No. 2 seed in the Atlantic 10 Tournament, where they advanced to the league's title game. He registered his first career hat trick against Xavier to clinch a berth in the tournament before following up with the game winner in a 1-0 win over Dayton to clinch the two seed.

Richter concluded his playing career at La Salle with 69 points on 28 goals and 13 assists. His 28 goals and 69 points rank him fifth all-time in each category in La Salle men's soccer history, and he is tied for 10th all-time in assists.

Richter was a fifth-round pick by the Philadelphia Union in MLS's Supplemental Draft, becoming the second La Salle player ever to be drafted.

He graduated with a degree in Accounting, maintaining a 3.22 GPA. He was honored as the La Salle Male Student-Athlete of the Year as well.

Richter also spent time serving the community, joining with teammates in the Neighborhood Clean Up, and mentoring and participating in clinics in local elementary schools.

Richter joined Erin Anthony of the U.S. Military Academy's women's basketball team as the 2011 ECAC Scholar-Athlete Award recipients.

Committees considered the following criteria that a candidate must be enrolled at the undergraduate institution at the time of their nomination; maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.2 (on a 4.0 scale) or higher; reach sophomore athletic and academic standing; and be a starter or significant reserve in a particular sport while competing in a least 50 percent of the contests. In addition, the student-athletes' community service, exemplary citizenship or other extracurricular activities will be considered.