Bowling Green State University Athletics
Matt Lefeld Named 2007 Bob James Award Scholarship Winner
June 13, 2007 | Men's Basketball
June 13, 2007
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Bowling Green State University men's basketball student-athlete Matt Lefeld (Coldwater, Ohio/Coldwater HS) has earned one of the highest honors bestowed by the Mid-American Conference. Lefeld and Northern Illinois' Jody Yednock were selected to receive the MAC's Bob James Memorial Scholarship, voted on by the league's Faculty Athletic Representatives.
The Bob James Memorial Scholarship, which honors the MAC's second commissioner (Bob James, 1964-71), is awarded to one male and one female student-athlete who have achieved a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 and have excelled in demonstrating good character, leadership and citizenship. Student-athletes are nominated during the academic year in which they complete their final season of eligibility. Honorees receive a $1,000 post-graduate scholarship.
As a member of the Falcons' men's basketball team, Lefeld was a four-year letterwinner, was named to the 2006-07 ESPN The Magazine All-America Third Team, won the 2005-2006 Earl Rupright Spirit Award (given to the most inspirational player on the men's basketball team) and was also honored as the MAC's Most Improved Player. During his career as a Falcon, Lefeld played in 105 games with 58 starts, averaged 12.4 minutes per game, shot 43 percent from the field and 71% from the free throw line.
Lefeld also garnered several academic honors during his matriculation at Bowling Green. Most recently, he was named an Academic All-American, recipient of the 2007 College of Business Administration Karl E. Vogt Award (given to the top senior), winner of the 2007 GlaxoSmithKline Senior Award, selected as the MAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the week (April 19, 2007) and was named to the 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV team. Prior to his senior year, Lefeld received the 2006 R. Gene Richter Scholarship (awarded annually to only six students nationally), was named to the 2006 CoSIDA Academic All-District and Academic All-MAC squads, won the 2006 Paul T. Albers Scholarship and was also the winner of the 2006 Department of Management Scholarship. In addition, Lefeld was named to the MAC Honor Roll and BGSU Dean's List every year, was a four-time honoree at the BGSU Scholar-Athlete Award Banquet and was a finalist for the BGSU Junior and Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Beyond academics and athletics, Lefeld served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for the 2005 academic year, was the president of the BGSU chapter of the Institute for Supply Chain Management, volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House and other community charity programs, and was also and Owens corning World Headquarters intern.
Lefeld, who graduated with a 3.94 cumulative gpa and a BSBA degree in Supply Chain Management, intends to enroll in Bowling Green's Master's of Business program.
Yednock spent four years on the Huskies' women's gymnastics squad and was the team captain for three years (2005-2007). She was recently placed second in the uneven parallel bars at the MAC Championships and was selected as an alternate for the 2007 NCAA South Central Regional. In addition, Yednock was selected the MAC Co-Female Scholar-Athlete of the week (February 12, 2007), named to the 2007 MAC Gymnastics Academic All-MAC team and was named the MAC Gymnast and Specialist of the Week (March 7, 2006).
Yednock has also maintained a high level of academic achievement during her tenure at Northern Illinois. She received the Dean's Award (2006-2007), which is awarded to students who made substantial contributions to the university community and who have demonstrated outstanding scholarship and has been awarded the Gail Masters Gallagher Memorial Scholarship (2004-2005, 2005-2006), which is given to a mathematics education major who will be continuing his or her studies at Northern Illinois next year. The award is based on academic achievement and potential as teacher. In addition, Yednock received the MAC President's Award (2006-2007), the MAC Commissioner's Award (2004-2005, 2005-2006), MAC Honor Roll (2004-2005, 2005-2006, 2006-2007) and the Victor E. Scholar award (2003-2007), which is the highest honor for Northern Illinois student-athletes.
Aside from her athletic and academic excellence, Yednock was a finalist for the 2006-2007 Northern Illinois Unviersity Student Lincoln Laureate, an annual honor reserved for the top senior from each of the state's public and private four-year institutions. The award recognizes excellence in both curricular and extracurricular activities. She was also a math tutor for the Student-Athlete Academic Support Services office (2004-2007), received the Outstanding Tutor Award from the Student-Athlete Academic Support Services office (2004-2005), volunteered at the Halloween Carnival for the Children's Wing of Kishwaukee Hospital (Fall 2005, Fall 2006), taught simple gymnastic techniques to children with disabilities at EnerGym and coached preschool and kindergarten aged children gymnastics (Summer 2003).
Yednock, who graduated with a 4.00 cumulative gpa in Mathematical Sciences- Probability and Statistics will attend the Medical University of South Carolina to pursue her PhD in Biostatistics.
Much of this information is courtesy of the MAC Office
