Colorado University Athletics
CU Athletics Honors Its Best
April 13, 2004 | General, Herbst Academic Center
BOULDER - Erin McEachren, a senior on the ski team, won three awards and 11 student-athletes with perfect 4.00 grade point averages last year were among over three dozen honored for a variety of outstanding academic accomplishments Tuesday at the 12th Annual Student-Athlete Recognition Luncheon at the Dal Ward Athletic Center.
McEachren was one of two recipients of the Leo Hill Academic Leadership Award, which goes to the student-athlete who demonstrates leadership in the community while also achieving a high level of academic success in the classroom.She is a double major in kinesiology and biochemistry.She shared in the prestigious honor with golfer Kimber Westbrook, who is enrolled in graduate level courses in Kinesiology after graduating with a 3.844 grade point average in the same major as an undergrad.
The Scholar-Athlete Award winners, presented to the senior male and female student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point averages, were skiers Claire Critchley and Mike Read.Critchley owns a 3.861 GPA in Kinesiology, while Read boasts a 3.834 figure in Business (finance).Both are on the schedule to graduate next month.
Academic team winners for grade point average included the men's ski team for the second straight year (3.38, for a team with 20 or fewer members) and the women's soccer team (3.19, more than 20 participants). Soccer also won the most improved honor for a team, as its aggregate GPA rose .44 over the last year.
Nine student-athletes studied to perfection, as in 4.00 grade point averages, in 2003 and were inducted into CU's 4.0 club, which now stands at 127 members since 1994.Those honored were Critchley, Read, Westbrook, Ben Carpenter (football), Elizabeth Gower (volleyball), Travis Macy (cross country & track), Samuel Napp (track & Field), Tove Pashkowski (skiing), Maria Persson Gulda (golf), Jamie Rosenquist (cross country & track) and Morgan Sall (tennis).
Deneeka Torrey, a senior hurdler on the indoor and outdoor track teams, won the Most Improved Student-Athlete Award.
There were five recipients of the MacAllister Scholar Awards, given to student-athletes who have exhibited outstanding leadership skills for CU and in the community.Those winners included Susan Johnson (tennis, double major in Business and Psychology); Shannon Kellogg (soccer, Psychology); Anna Magle (track & field, Kinesiology); Persson Gulda (golf, Engineering Physics) and Derek Stemrich (football, Architecture).
The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Distinguished Service Award was presented to the six seniors who have served multiple years on the board: McEachren, Read and Josh Smullin (skiing), Karl Allis (football), Sara Slattery (cross country and track) and Monica Vesanovic (volleyball).
Two Big 12 Conference Community Outreach Awards, for strong commitment to service within the community, were presented to Allis and McEachren.
The Clancy A. Herbst, Jr., Student-Athlete Achievement Award was presented to football player Vaka Manupuna.Given to an athlete who overcame personal, academic or emotional difficulties to succeed both academically and athletically, Manupuna, a junior, has improved his grades every semester at CU.He also has had to overcome family tragedy in the last year, as he mother died last spring after suffering a heart attack and he lost a sister to leukemia just two weeks ago.
The Student Support Services Academic Award was presented to senior Jody Woodman, a two-year student assistant in athletic media relations. Those eligible must maintain a 3.0-plus grade point, while demonstrating a strong commitment to Colorado athletics. Woodman was a top student in the sports information operation, in addition to her numerous accomplishments both in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication and as an intern with Sports Illustrated, all along while maintaining a 3.66 grade point.
