47 Hawkeyes Named B1G Distinguished Scholars

July 10, 2013

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Forty-seven University of Iowa student-athletes have been honored by the Big Ten Conference with the Distinguished Scholar Award.

Among the Hawkeye honorees, 11 maintained a perfect 4.0 grade point average during the 2012-13 academic term, including track and field/cross country’s Mareike Schrulle, Jocelyn Todd, Sarah Ryan, and Kirsten Weismantle; field hockey’s Brynn Gitt, Niki Schultheis, and Marike Stribos; rowing’s Melissa Dawkins and Susie Stralina, and women’s soccer’s Jade Grimm.

The Distinguished Scholar Award is presented to student-athletes who have earned a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.7 or higher for the previous academic year. The honorees must be a letterwinner and in at least their second academic year at their institution.

Women’s Basketball (2)
Name – Year – Major – Hometown

Samantha Logic – So. – Health & Human Physiology/Sports Studies – Racine, Wis.
Kathryn Reynolds – So. – Pre-business – Cincinnati, Ohio

Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field (4)
Name – Year – Major – Hometown

Kelsey Hart – Sr. – Integrative Psychology – West Branch, Iowa
Lena Placzek – Jr. – Health & Human Physiology & Leisure Studies – Poznan, Poland
Mareike Schrulle – Gr. – Leisure Studies – Arnsburg, Germany
Jocelyn Todd – So. – Biomedical Engineering – St. Louis, Mo.

Field Hockey (4)
Name – Year – Major – Hometown

Sarah Drake – Sr. – Philosophy & Ethics & Public Policy – Ann Arbor, Mich.
Brynn Gitt – So. – Electrical Engineering – Lumberton, N.J.
Niki Schultheis – Jr. – Finance & International Studies – Hamburg, Germany
Marike Stribos – Jr. – Finance & Management – Brussels, Belgium

Football (1)
Name – Year – Major – Hometown

James Morris – Jr. – Political Science – Solon, Iowa

Women’s Golf (1)
Name – Year – Major – Hometown

Gigi DiGrazia – Sr. – Human Physiology – Addison, Ill.

Men’s Gymnastics (1)
Name – Year – Major – Hometown

Javier Balboa – Sr. – Economics – Monterrey, Mexico

Women’s Gymnastics (1)
Name – Year – Major – Hometown

Emma Willis – So. – Journalism & Mass Communications – Sarnia, Ontario

Rowing (4)
Name – Year – Major – Hometown

Melissa Dawkins – So. – Journalism & Mass Communications/Political Science – Moline, Ill.
Caitlin Lawrence – Sr. – Political Science & History – Ames, Iowa
Mackenzie Norton – Jr. – International Studies & Economics – Whitefish Bay, Wis.
Susie Stralina – Sr. – Integrative Physiology – Hanover Park, Ill.

Women’s Soccer (5)
Name – Year – Major – Hometown

Allie Adam – Sr. – Interdepartmental Studies – Omaha, Neb.
Kiley Beck – So. – Speech & Hearing Science – Rockford, Ill.
Caitlin Brown – So. – Open – Ann Arbor, Mich.
Jade Grimm – So. – Integrative Physiology – Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Katie Nasenbenny – Jr. – Psychology & Communications Studies – LaGrange, Ill.

Softball (3)
Name – Year – Major – Hometown

Ashley Akers – Sr. – Human Physiology – Tiffin, Iowa
Malloree Grove – Jr. – Leisure Studies – Indianola, Iowa
Bradi Wall – Sr. – Sociology – Swift Current, Saskatchewan

Men’s Swimming & Diving (4)
Name – Year – Major – Hometown

Sean Abbas – So. – Pre-business – Cedar Falls, Iowa
Dustin Rhoads – Jr. – Leisure Studies – Ames, Iowa
Mike Vinyard – So. – Chemistry – Carmel, Ind.
Donny Warren – Sr. – Biology – Dubuque, Iowa

Women’s Swimming & Diving (7)
Name – Year – Major – Hometown

April Allen – Sr. – Human Physiology – Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Heather Arseth – So. – Psychology – Plymouth, Minn.
Elaine Boosalis – So. – Pre-Dentistry – Maple Grove, Minn.
Elise Borja – Jr. – Chemistry – Waukesha, Wis.
Joelle Christy – Jr. – Health & Human Physiology – Springfield, Ill.
Abby Grilli – Jr. – Elementary Education – Burr Ridge, Ill.
Hannah Maher – So. – Biology – Decorah, Iowa

Men’s Tennis (1)
Name – Year – Major – Hometown

Garret Dunn – Sr. – Accounting & Finance – Tempe, Ariz.

Men’s Track & Field (2)
Name – Year – Major – Hometown

Keaton Rickels – Sr. – Elementary Education – Iowa Falls, Iowa
Ben Stancombe- Sr. – Health & Human Physiology – Burlington, Iowa

Women’s Track & Field (4)
Name – Year – Major – Hometown

Courtney Fritz – Jr. – Finance & Marketing – Coralville, Iowa
Sarah Ryan – So. – Microbiology – Ottumwa, Iowa
Jasmine Simpson – Sr. – English/Secondary Education – Wheaton, Ill.
Kirsten Weismantle – Sr. – Art/Secondary Education – Oak Park, Ill.

Volleyball (3)
Name – Year – Major – Hometown

Erin Leppek – So. – Biomedical Engineering – Rochester Hills, Mich.
Emily Yanny – So. – Human Physiology – New Berlin, Wis.
Bethany Yeager – Jr. – Health & Human Physiology/Sports Studies – Brenham, Texas

Italicized names indicates student-athletes with a 4.0 GPA.