On April 19, 2004, Dan Vacco (Greece Olympia HS 2000) was honored by the State University of New York (SUNY) as a recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence. The Chancellor’s Award is the highest recognition given by the University system. This award is given to graduating students who combine outstanding scholarship, leadership, and have made contributions to the university community; this year it was given to 245 students from the 61 SUNY campuses throughout the SUNY. Dan was nominated for this award by the Oswego State University (OSU) head Baseball Coach, Mr. Frank Paino.
Dan was also the recipient of the 2004 OSU Donald Snygg Award, given to the graduating top male scholar-athlete for the entire school year. Only two other baseball players have received this award, one in 1993 and the other in 1996.
Dan graduated cum laude from OSU with a degree in Physics. Along the way he was a Sheldon Leader, recipient of the Emmet Stopher Calculus Award, and in his senior year he was elected to Sigma Pi Sigma, the National Physics Honor Society.
Dan was the starting second baseman for the Oswego Great Lakers for four years. He was named to the SUNYAC All-Conference First Team his sophomore year, when he also received an All Eastern ECAC honorable mention. After his junior year he was named to the Verizon Wireless All-Academic District I baseball team. He was co-captain of the OSU baseball team in both his junior and senior years.
Dan has been part of the Battery family since he was 8 years old, continuing as a Battery student throughout his high school career. He has played second base and outfield for the Battery-sponsored ABC summer baseball team since he finished high school. He will be missing the 2004 ABC season due to a knee injury, suffered during a collegiate game midway through the season.
