Bowling Green State University Athletics
Seven Falcons Named MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athletes
July 10, 2019 | General, Men's Golf, Softball, Women's Golf, Women's Track and Field
Seven Bowling Green State University spring-sports standouts have been named Mid-American Conference Distinguished Scholar Athletes for their academic and athletic excellence during the 2018-19 academic year. The MAC office announced the Spring 2019 list of Distinguished Scholar Athletes on Wednesday morning (July 10).
The list of Falcons includes three women's outdoor track standouts in Kaila Butler, Aliyah Gustafson and Rachel Walny; softball sisters Alex Sorgi and Nikki Sorgi, men's golf's Pablo Heredia Iglesias, and Erin Fahey of women's golf.
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A total of 106 students were honored across eight spring sports sponsored by the MAC. Of those 106 student-athletes, Gustafson and Walny are the only two who have been named a Distinguished Scholar-Athlete for the fourth consecutive year.
Additionally, BGSU was the only school to have two student-athletes with a perfect 4.000 cumulative grade-point average on the list. A total of six of the 106 honorees, including Gustafson and Nikki Sorgi, had a perfect 4.000 GPA at the time of nomination.
The Distinguished Scholar Athletes recognized from the eight spring sports were voted by faculty athletic representatives at MAC institutions representing the 'best of the best' from each sports Academic All-MAC Teams. Leading the way were 27 MAC women's outdoor track and field students named as Distinguished Scholar Athletes.  MAC men's outdoor track and field had 25 selections, while softball added 16 honorees. Baseball had 15 honorees, while women's golf collected six selections and both men's and women's tennis also added six honorees and men's golf was represented with five selections.
The Distinguished Scholar Athlete is an award in its fifth year given to students who have excelled in athletics and academics. Following each season from the spring 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 the Academic All-MAC Teams to be honored with Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award for the 2018-19 season with a 3.50 GPA or higher. 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. BGSU's complete list of Spring 2019 Distinguished Scholar Athletes follows...
WOMEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD
Kaila Butler, Junior, 3.673 GPA, Physical/Health Ed. (Port Coquitlam, British Columbia)
*#^Aliyah Gustafson, Senior, 4.00 GPA, Exercise Science (Iowa City, IA)
*#^Rachel Walny, Senior, 3.888 GPA, Exercise Science (Clinton Township, MI)
MEN'S GOLF
Pablo Heredia Iglesias, Senior, 3.69 GPA, Economics (Sevilla, Spain)
WOMEN'S GOLF
Erin Fahey, Senior, 3.864 GPA, Economics (Austin, TX)
SOFTBALL
Alex Sorgi, Senior, 3.699 GPA, Gerontology (Shelby Township, MI)
Nikki Sorgi, Sophomore, 4.000 GPA, Health Science (Shelby Township, MI)
* 2017-18 Distinguished Scholar-Athlete
# 2016-17 Distinguished Scholar-Athlete
^ 2015-16 Distinguished Scholar-Athlete
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The list of Falcons includes three women's outdoor track standouts in Kaila Butler, Aliyah Gustafson and Rachel Walny; softball sisters Alex Sorgi and Nikki Sorgi, men's golf's Pablo Heredia Iglesias, and Erin Fahey of women's golf.
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A total of 106 students were honored across eight spring sports sponsored by the MAC. Of those 106 student-athletes, Gustafson and Walny are the only two who have been named a Distinguished Scholar-Athlete for the fourth consecutive year.
Additionally, BGSU was the only school to have two student-athletes with a perfect 4.000 cumulative grade-point average on the list. A total of six of the 106 honorees, including Gustafson and Nikki Sorgi, had a perfect 4.000 GPA at the time of nomination.
The Distinguished Scholar Athletes recognized from the eight spring sports were voted by faculty athletic representatives at MAC institutions representing the 'best of the best' from each sports Academic All-MAC Teams. Leading the way were 27 MAC women's outdoor track and field students named as Distinguished Scholar Athletes.  MAC men's outdoor track and field had 25 selections, while softball added 16 honorees. Baseball had 15 honorees, while women's golf collected six selections and both men's and women's tennis also added six honorees and men's golf was represented with five selections.
The Distinguished Scholar Athlete is an award in its fifth year given to students who have excelled in athletics and academics. Following each season from the spring 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 the Academic All-MAC Teams to be honored with Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award for the 2018-19 season with a 3.50 GPA or higher. 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. BGSU's complete list of Spring 2019 Distinguished Scholar Athletes follows...
WOMEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD
Kaila Butler, Junior, 3.673 GPA, Physical/Health Ed. (Port Coquitlam, British Columbia)
*#^Aliyah Gustafson, Senior, 4.00 GPA, Exercise Science (Iowa City, IA)
*#^Rachel Walny, Senior, 3.888 GPA, Exercise Science (Clinton Township, MI)
MEN'S GOLF
Pablo Heredia Iglesias, Senior, 3.69 GPA, Economics (Sevilla, Spain)
WOMEN'S GOLF
Erin Fahey, Senior, 3.864 GPA, Economics (Austin, TX)
SOFTBALL
Alex Sorgi, Senior, 3.699 GPA, Gerontology (Shelby Township, MI)
Nikki Sorgi, Sophomore, 4.000 GPA, Health Science (Shelby Township, MI)
* 2017-18 Distinguished Scholar-Athlete
# 2016-17 Distinguished Scholar-Athlete
^ 2015-16 Distinguished Scholar-Athlete
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Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Track and Field
/ Women's Golf
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/ Men's Golf
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