Conference USA Scholar Athlete Awards Announced
Eighteen recognized for academic achievement (GPA), athletic achievement and service.

June 8, 2009

Complete Scholar Athlete Release in PDF Format

IRVING, Texas - Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky announced today the recipients of the 2008-09 Scholar Athlete of the Year Awards, as approved by the Board of Directors. C-USA Scholar Athlete of the Year awards are presented to the top student-athletes in each conference-sponsored sport. The award is based on academic achievement (GPA), athletic achievement and service.

Nine of C-USA's 12 institutions produced at least one scholar athlete winner, with four student-athletes from Rice and three from SMU selected. Golfers Brad Benjamin of Memphis and Kate Ackerson of SMU were repeat winners. Please see below for the complete list:

2008-09 SCHOLAR ATHLETE AWARD WINNERS:

Baseball - James Oliver, UAB
Men's Basketball - Aleks Perka, Rice
Women's Basketball - Ashley Langford, Tulane
Men's Cross Country - Patrick Mutai, UTEP
Women's Cross Country - Allison Pye, Rice
Football - Jake Ebner, Houston
Men's Golf - *Brad Benjamin, Memphis
Women's Golf - *Kate Ackerson, SMU
Men's Soccer - Wes Johnson, UAB
Women's Soccer - Nicole Moore, East Carolina
Women's Soccer - Shelby Scott, Houston
Softball - Stacie Townsend, UTEP
Women's Swimming & Diving - Petra Klosova, SMU
Men's Tennis - Benedikt Fischer, Memphis
Women's Tennis - Natalia Bubien, SMU
Men's Track and Field - Philip Adam, Rice
Women's Track and Field - Eleanor Waite, Rice
Volleyball - Jenny Heppert, UCF