Allenspach, Tade, Yang & Zueger Named January Scholar-Athletes of the Month by Center for Enhanced Performance

WEST POINT, NY - The Army West Point Athletics Association's Academic Support team has selected its scholar-athletes for the month of January, recognizing men's basketball senior AJ Allenspach, women's basketball sophomore Camryn Tade, rifle sophomore Bohan Yang and hockey sophomore Easton Zueger.

AJ Allenspach '25 (men's basketball)
Cadet AJ Allenspach, a Firstie, team co-captain, and starting center on the Army Men's Basketball team, exemplifies excellence across all pillars at the United States Military Academy (USMA) West Point. The Lee Anderson Head Men's Basketball Coach, Kevin Kuwik, describes AJ best: "CDT Allenspach represents the highest standards of USMA excellence in all aspects of cadet life. First and foremost, AJ is displaying the outstanding leadership traits of a future officer as a captain of our team – he sets a strong example in both word and deed for his teammates on and off the court. As a player, after playing limited minutes for his first three years here, AJ finally got his opportunity to start and has dominated it. We will nominate him for the Patriot League Most Improved Player award, and he will have a great chance at earning this honor." His relentless pursuit of excellence and attention to detail on the floor has made him the most efficient player in the entire Patriot League and 17th nationally in terms of field goal percentage out of 3,500 Division I players ranked, scoring at a 75% clip as of 6 January 2025! AJ has started all 14 games for Army, averaging nearly 10.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 0.4 blocks a game. As one of the team's captains, he consistently provides inspirational leadership on the court while setting an excellent example off the court.

In addition to his valuable contributions as a men's basketball team captain and starter, AJ has excelled in the classroom as an Economics major. He has earned a spot on the Dean's List every semester at West Point. Further, he has earned the Superintendent's Award for Achievement (Top 6 through 15% of each class based on Cadet Award Score – Gold wreath) on multiple occasions. The added pressure and time commitments associated with leading as a team captain have not adversely impacted his performance. In fact, they only led him to perform at an even higher level, leading him to earn a 3.52 QPA in term 2025-1. Colonel Mark Crow, AJ's econometrics professor, praised him as an engaged and thoughtful teammate who makes meaningful contributions in class. "AJ's final research paper on the relationship between marriage and labor market earnings was well-executed and insightful." Major Gregory Hurlock taught AJ in EE450 Military Robotic Systems and noted, "AJ is one of the top performers in the Robotics Engineering Sequence. He earned a 4.00 average over one of the most challenging Engineering Sequences, demonstrating his commitment to academic excellence across multiple disciplines. He is an absolute pleasure to have in class and will make an exceptional Aviation Officer!"

AJ is also a leader in the Corps of Cadets, handpicked as a platoon leader in 2025-1 and a Section Leader in 2025-2. His Tactical Officer, Major Micah Woolf, describes AJ as "a model student-athlete for other cadets. AJ skillfully balances the demands of D1 athletics and academics while being an engaged leader in his cadet company. He is a leader both on the court and in the barracks." His intentionality about setting the right example as an effective leader and great teammate in his company and pursuit of military and physical excellence is evidenced by his 3.286 cumulative military performance score and his recent 571 ACFT score.

In summary, AJ Allenspach is an exemplary scholar-athlete for all to emulate. As a future Army Aviation Officer, the sky will not even serve as the limit for his potential. Coach Kuwik says it best: "As a former officer myself, I could not be prouder of AJ for his all-around performance, and I look forward to hearing of him excelling when he enters active duty." AJ is among the very best and undoubtedly deserves this recognition.

Camryn Tade '27 (women's basketball)
Cadet Camryn Tade embodies the Women's Basketball Team's motto of "Next Right Thing." Camryn is a natural on the court as well as in the classroom. Texas native CDT Tade balances the requirements of being a Division 1 college athlete, a leader, and a teammate all while performing exceptionally well in the academic arena. Camryn cares deeply about the program and continues to exceed the standard for off-court expectations. Camryn's success in her first two years at West Point is only scratching the surface of what she will achieve as a Cadet Scholar-Athlete.

As a Sophomore, Camryn serves the team as a versatile guard and has brought a fierce dedication to the court. Tade leads the team in assist to turnover ratio, 2nd in FG%, and 2nd in rebounding. Her career high in points came against Boston University on January 18th leading the program to their first victory @ BU since 2018. She is an integral part of our success as one of our most consistent players averaging 32.7 minutes/game.

Camryn has always been a tremendous student and her performance in her first two years at West Point shows she is not slowing down. After the fall 2024 term she recorded a 3.53 GPA raising her cumulative GPA to a 3.31. Camryn has demonstrated exceptional behavior for our program. She has continued to elevate herself both as a basketball player and a leader. Her confidence continues to grow, her accountability for her teammates has improved, and her leadership skills continue to develop. Cadet Camryn Tade is the epitome of a Scholar-Athlete.

Bohan Yang '27 (rifle)
Cadet Bohan Yang exemplifies the ideal scholar-athlete through his relentless dedication to academic and athletic excellence. As a member of the USMA Rifle Team, Bohan consistently demonstrates determination, grit, and a commitment to improving himself and those around him. Despite the demands of his advanced academic coursework, Bohan gives his all on the range and in the classroom. His leadership extends beyond personal achievements; as a plebe, he voluntarily tutored other teams and is now creating an in-company study center to help peers excel academically.

Academically, Bohan is a standout. With a remarkable GPA of 4.154, he has earned Dean's List recognition and was awarded the Superintendent's Award for Excellence and the Distinguished Cadet honor. His acceptance into the Stokes Writing Fellow program and his published research on "Porous Copper Nanowire Synthesis on CNT-DNA Thin Film Substrate," presented at the American Institute of Chemical Engineering (AICHE) conference, reflect his intellectual rigor and curiosity. Bohan also actively participates in advanced research on CNT-DNA Thin Films.

Beyond academics, Bohan serves as the Training Captain for the West Point EMS Education Program, leading critical training events like TCCC Lane preparation for Sandhurst. Certified as an NREMT in New Jersey and Massachusetts, he exemplifies servant leadership through over 80 volunteer hours, including time spent at a nursing home and EMT-related events. His achievements extend to the athletic realm as a Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association Scholastic All-American for 2023-2024.

Bohan's coach describes him as "the perfect candidate" for recognition, highlighting his ability to balance academics, athletics, and service while inspiring those around him. Whether in the classroom, on the range, or supporting his peers, Bohan Yang embodies the values of the Corps of Cadets and stands as a model scholar-athlete.

Easton Zueger '27 (hockey)
Cadet Easton Zueger, a yearling defenseman on the Army Hockey team, has emerged as a top scholar athlete and leader this season; he has played in every game this season and contributed immensely to the team's success thus far. In just his second season, he has shown the ability to balance academics with the Hockey team's grueling travel schedule.

Army Hockey is gearing up for the second half of the season and a push into the playoffs; Easton will help lead the Black Knights in this effort. He is a consistent presence on defense for the Black Knights, always showing up in the top three lines and leading with his tough, but smart style of play. In a predictably tough October game with Holy Cross, Easton selflessly led the team with six blocked shots and scored a goal as well. Easton plays "big" and frequently creates turnovers to ensure the team maintains the advantage in the possession battle, rising to the occasion when his team needs him most.

Easton is excelling in the core curriculum and has an impressive 3.99 cumulative grade point average. He is an Economics major who naturally excels in that field, but he is also performing well in physics, economics, and philosophy. MAJ Will Putt states that "Easton is an excellent student in Principles of Economics (SS201). What I enjoy most about having Easton in class is that he is not just a passive recipient of the material we cover. He is constantly analyzing and thinking critically about the material. He is not afraid to speak up, ask questions, or offer an opinion. His ability to do this sets the tone for our classroom to be an active learning environment where students can share ideas, ask questions, push back, and discuss opinions." In addition to leading in Economics, he frequently receives accolades for his scores on exams in the core courses. His mental agility and ability to excel across all pillars in the middle of the hockey season is impressive.

Easton is a quiet, steady leader amongst his teammates in group settings, frequently assisting others when studying and always eager to share insight on difficult concepts. His teammates benefit greatly from his ability and willingness to communicate difficult concepts. Easton is not just a scholar athlete, but he excels in the military pillar as well. He has maintained a MPSC above 3.3 despite spending very little time in his company area due to the rigors of hockey. His Company Tactical Officer notes that Easton "performs well in the company, is professional, generous, and always willing to help others out. His maturity sets him apart from his peers and his dedication in all pillars is noticeable and only makes the Corps better as others look to him as a role model." Easton's ability to quickly adjust to the scholar athlete dynamic here at West Point is impressive. Army Head Coach Brian Riley, his teammates, and the Officer Representatives also recognize his ability to stand out as a leader. He displays that in the classroom, on the ice, and in the company area.

This cadet is outstanding and demonstrating the unique ability to balance the rigors of life as a cadet, being a member of the hockey team, and having success in the classroom. CDT Zueger is an outstanding example of success as a scholar athlete at USMA.

Army West Point Athletics

Allenspach, Tade, Yang & Zueger Named January Scholar-Athletes of the Month by Center for Enhanced Performance

Players Mentioned

AJ Allenspach

Camryn Tade

Bohan Yang

Easton Zueger

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