May 5, 2008

WACO, Texas - Seventeen Baylor University student-athletes and two of its athletic teams were honored for academic excellence and community service during the annual Student-Athlete Banquet held Monday evening at the Ferrell Center.

"While much of the success of Baylor Athletics is defined by winning games and championships, the fact that our student-athletes are excelling in the classroom and making a difference in the community is very gratifying," said Athletics Director Ian McCaw.

Annually, the University recognizes the student-athlete from each team that carries the highest grade-point average. McCaw handed out academic achievement awards to the following Baylor student-athletes:
Mark Shepherd - Men's Basketball
Kristen Schramek - Volleyball
Robin McCown - Equestrian
Joe Pawelek - Football
Bill Allcorn - Men's Golf
Kristen Hendrix - Women's Golf
Dominik Mueller - Men's Tennis
Zuzana Zemenova - Women's Tennis
Beckah Brady - Soccer
Josh Camp - Men's Track
Renae Van Wyhe - Women's Track
Kourtney Holbrook - Managers/Trainers
Lyndsy Bedell - Cross Country

In addition, special awards were presented to the male and female student-athletes with the highest grade-point average overall:
Haylee Abbe - Women's Basketball (4.0 GPA)
Tiffany Wesley - Softball (4.0 GPA)
Andrew Cooley - Baseball (4.0 GPA)

The Big 12 Conference Senior Award, which recognizes both a male and female senior athlete who has excelled in the classroom, on the field and in the community was awarded to All-America tennis players Lars Poerschke and Zuzana Zemenova. Poerschke is majoring in economics while Zemenova is a speech communications major.

The NCAA Champs/Life Skills program is designed to encourage academic excellence and community outreach for student-athletes from across the country. Student-athletes from all sports participate in a variety of community outreach programs throughout the academic year. Coach Scott Drew's men's basketball team was the winner of Baylor's 2007-08 Champs Cup for community service.

The President's Cup, which is awarded to the team that carries the highest cumulative grade-point average, was presented to the softball team.

Each year all student-athletes are asked to vote for the Baylor professor they felt had the greatest impact on their academic career. That list included: Suzanne Abbe, Lisa Baker, Blair Browning, Mona Choucair, John Cunningham, Ernest Fletcher, Fred Hulme, Randy Jacobs, Kai' Iah James, Elizabeth Kelly, Paul LaBounty, Larry Lehr, Steve Sadler, David Smith, Byron Weathersbee and David Young.