Bowling Green State University Athletics
MAC Names 11 Falcons As Winter Distinguished Scholar-Athletes
May 10, 2018 | Women's Basketball, Gymnastics, Women's Swimming & Diving, Women's Track and Field
Cleveland, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced the Distinguished Scholar Athletes from the eight winter sports during this 2017-18 academic season Thursday (May 10), as a total of 152 students were voted by faculty athletic representatives at MAC institutions representing the 'best of the best' from each sport's Academic All-MAC Teams.
Of those 152 students named as 2017-18 Distinguished Scholar Athletes, 11 of them are student-athletes from Bowling Green State University. The BGSU women's swimming and diving program -- along with the women's indoor track and field program, and the gymnastics program – each placed three student-athletes on the distinguished list. The women's basketball team had two honorees.
Aliyah Gustafson (indoor track and field) and Rachel Myers (women's basketball) earned the honor for the third-consecutive year, while Rachel Walny (indoor track and field), Claire Stam (swimming and diving), and Carly Santoro (women's basketball) were chosen as Distinguished Scholar Athletes for the second-straight year. Rachel Durbin (indoor track and field), Maria Galic (swimming and diving), Talisa Lemke (swimming and diving), Jovannah East (gymnastics), Shannon Goniwiecha (gymnastics) and India McPeak (gymnastics) earned the honor for the first time in their Falcon careers.
The Distinguished Scholar Athlete is an award in its fourth year given to students who have excelled in athletics and academics. Following each season from the winter sports schedule, any student with a 3.20 GPA and participation in at least 50 percent of the contests was automatically named to the previously announced Academic All-MAC Team from each sport. Also, first-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence were not eligible for the award.
From the Academic All-MAC Teams, the faculty athletic representatives selected the 'best of the best' of our Academic All-MAC Teams to be honored with Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award for the 2017-18 season. The number of Distinguished Scholar Athletes from each sport were equivalent to the number of first-team selections or 20% of nominees, whichever was greater.
A complete listing of all 11 Bowling Green State University student-athletes to earn the 2017-18 Winter Distinguished Scholar Athlete award is listed below:
T&F -- Rachel Durbin, Bowling Green, Senior, 4.00 GPA, Individualized Business (Armada, MI)
T&F -- *^Aliyah Gustafson, Bowling Green, Senior, 4.00 GPA, Exercise Science (Iowa City, IA)
T&F -- *Rachel Walny, Bowling Green, Junior, 3.991 GPA, Exercise Science (Clinton Township, MI)
S&D -- Maria Galic, Bowling Green, Senior, 3.883 GPA, Exercise Science (Jonkoping, Sweden)
S&D -- Talisa Lemke, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 4.000 GPA, Theater (Belin, Germany)
S&D -- *Claire Stam, Bowling Green, Junior, 4.00 GPA, Inclusive Early Childhood Education (Grand Rapids, MI)
WBB -- *^Rachel Myers, Bowling Green, Senior, 4.00 GPA, Dietetics (Findlay, OH)
WBB -- *Carly Santoro, Bowling Green, Junior, 3.843 GPA, Communication Disorders (Bellevue, OH)
GYM -- Jovannah East, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 3.244 GPA, Sport Management (Zion, IL)
GYM -- Shannon Goniwiecha, Bowling Green, Senior, 3.950 GPA, Biology (Rochester Hills, MI)
GYM -- India McPeak, Bowling Green, Senior, 3.933 GPA, Exercise Science (Bongor, N. Ireland)
*2016-17 Distinguished Scholar Athlete
^2015-16 Distinguished Scholar Athlete
Of those 152 students named as 2017-18 Distinguished Scholar Athletes, 11 of them are student-athletes from Bowling Green State University. The BGSU women's swimming and diving program -- along with the women's indoor track and field program, and the gymnastics program – each placed three student-athletes on the distinguished list. The women's basketball team had two honorees.
Aliyah Gustafson (indoor track and field) and Rachel Myers (women's basketball) earned the honor for the third-consecutive year, while Rachel Walny (indoor track and field), Claire Stam (swimming and diving), and Carly Santoro (women's basketball) were chosen as Distinguished Scholar Athletes for the second-straight year. Rachel Durbin (indoor track and field), Maria Galic (swimming and diving), Talisa Lemke (swimming and diving), Jovannah East (gymnastics), Shannon Goniwiecha (gymnastics) and India McPeak (gymnastics) earned the honor for the first time in their Falcon careers.
The Distinguished Scholar Athlete is an award in its fourth year given to students who have excelled in athletics and academics. Following each season from the winter sports schedule, any student with a 3.20 GPA and participation in at least 50 percent of the contests was automatically named to the previously announced Academic All-MAC Team from each sport. Also, first-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence were not eligible for the award.
From the Academic All-MAC Teams, the faculty athletic representatives selected the 'best of the best' of our Academic All-MAC Teams to be honored with Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award for the 2017-18 season. The number of Distinguished Scholar Athletes from each sport were equivalent to the number of first-team selections or 20% of nominees, whichever was greater.
A complete listing of all 11 Bowling Green State University student-athletes to earn the 2017-18 Winter Distinguished Scholar Athlete award is listed below:
T&F -- Rachel Durbin, Bowling Green, Senior, 4.00 GPA, Individualized Business (Armada, MI)
T&F -- *^Aliyah Gustafson, Bowling Green, Senior, 4.00 GPA, Exercise Science (Iowa City, IA)
T&F -- *Rachel Walny, Bowling Green, Junior, 3.991 GPA, Exercise Science (Clinton Township, MI)
S&D -- Maria Galic, Bowling Green, Senior, 3.883 GPA, Exercise Science (Jonkoping, Sweden)
S&D -- Talisa Lemke, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 4.000 GPA, Theater (Belin, Germany)
S&D -- *Claire Stam, Bowling Green, Junior, 4.00 GPA, Inclusive Early Childhood Education (Grand Rapids, MI)
WBB -- *^Rachel Myers, Bowling Green, Senior, 4.00 GPA, Dietetics (Findlay, OH)
WBB -- *Carly Santoro, Bowling Green, Junior, 3.843 GPA, Communication Disorders (Bellevue, OH)
GYM -- Jovannah East, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 3.244 GPA, Sport Management (Zion, IL)
GYM -- Shannon Goniwiecha, Bowling Green, Senior, 3.950 GPA, Biology (Rochester Hills, MI)
GYM -- India McPeak, Bowling Green, Senior, 3.933 GPA, Exercise Science (Bongor, N. Ireland)
*2016-17 Distinguished Scholar Athlete
^2015-16 Distinguished Scholar Athlete
Players Mentioned
Mid-Distance
/ Women's Track and Field
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
Throws
/ Women's Track and Field
Diver
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
/ Gymnastics
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
Diver
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Distance
/ Women's Track and FieldBG Gymnastics Mac Championships Interviews
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BG Gymnastics Postmeet Interviews 2.22
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BG Gymnastics Postmeet 2.15 vs NIU
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