The NCAA News - News and Features

August 31, 1998

NCAA awards 12 women's enhancement scholarships

The NCAA has awarded 12 postgraduate scholarships through the women's enhancement program.

The enhancement program, established in 1988 as a result of a recommendation of the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics, is designed to create better opportunities for women in coaching, athletics administration, officiating and athletics support services.

This year's postgraduate scholarships are being awarded to women who have completed an undergraduate degree and are seeking admission or have been accepted into an NCAA member institution's sports administration program or related program that will assist the applicant in obtaining a career in athletics.

To be considered for a postgraduate scholarship, applicants must express an interest in preparing for a professional career in athletics administration. The one-time award is valued at $6,000.

Applicants must be entering their first semester or term of postgraduate studies and must have performed with distinction as student-body members at their respective undergraduate institutions. The applicants' involvement with extracurricular activities, course work, commitment to the pursuit of a career in intercollegiate athletics and promise for success in such a career also are factors in the selection process.

Five alternates have been named if one of the recipients is unable to accept the scholarship. They are Aimee McGuide of Boston College; Kelli Marsh of Towson State University; Julia Felderhoff of the University of Dallas; Amy Brodersen of Wayne State College (Nebraska); Katherine Bailey of the University of Rhode Island; and Molly Horan of St. Mary's College (California).

The accompanying biographical sketches of 1998 scholarship recipients indicate the institution awarding the undergraduate degree and, if different, the institution where the postgraduate scholarship likely will be used.

Bridget Jeanne Baxter

(Villanova University; Temple University) --

An all-Big East Conference selection in softball, Baxter owns seven school records, including most hits in a career, a season and a game. She served as the Big East representative for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. The undergraduate communications major prepared for a future in sports management as an athletics student services intern, an athletics academic advising mentor and head women's softball coach at Cabrini College.

Sheryl L. George

(Spelman College; Georgia State University) --

George, an economics major, graduated from Spelman College in 1990 and has worked with the Georgia State University Athletics Association, Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games and Universal Marketing Associates. She is currently working as a public affairs intern at the NCAA. She plans to pursue a master's degree in sports administration at Georgia State.

Angela Sue Halbleib

(University of Kansas) --

While pursing a degree in education, Halbleib was named the 1997 University of Kansas Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, a Big 12 Conference honorable mention selection for her efforts on the basketball court and a finalist for Wisconsin Sportswoman of the Year. She has served as a coach at University of Kansas basketball camps, provided color commentary for the Kansas Jayhawk Radio Network and has spoken to children about the dangers of drugs through the DARE program. Halbleib will continue to study education at Kansas.

Heather Jane Lawrence

(University of Florida) --

The three-time NCAA all-American diver set the highest dual meet and championship scores on the one-meter board in school history. She owns the Southeastern Conference one-meter diving record and was a member of the U.S. Diving National Team. Lawrence served as president of the University of Florida Student-Athlete Advisory Board and was an intern for the University Athletic Association to help oversee NCAA compliance. She will study sports management and business in the Florida graduate program.

Shannon LeBlanc

(University of Massachusetts at Lowell; Arizona State University) --

LeBlanc was a two-time NCAA all-American in field hockey while majoring in psychology. She was a teacher's assistant for the NCAA Life Skills Program, where she worked to implement a program to help new student-athletes balance college pressures, and she has been an orientation leader and a field hockey camp counselor. LeBlanc will pursue a postgraduate degree in higher education administration with a sports specialization at Arizona State.

Christina J. Lunceford

(Creighton University; Long Beach State University) --

The 1996 graduate in psychology has been working at Sylvan Learning Systems with students who do not demonstrate the academic progress of children of the same age. Lunceford was Creighton's nominee for NCAA Woman of the Year and was a GTE Academic All-American in softball. She is currently enrolled at Long Beach State and is studying counseling with a specialization in student development in higher education.

Kimberly Mazza

(Iowa State University; undecided) --

A 1997 NCAA national championship qualifier in gymnastics, Mazza owns school records in floor exercise and all-around competition and was Iowa State's Woman Athlete of the Year. She worked as a team gymnastics coach and a summer camp counselor while pursuing a degree in finance. She will focus her graduate studies on business administration.

Shannon S. Perry

(University of Iowa; undecided) -- The captain of the women's basketball team was selected to attend the NCAA CHAMPS/Life Skills Leadership Conference in 1997, served on the Women's Intercollegiate Sports Council and participated in minority student-athlete focus groups. The communications studies major wrote for the Youth Today publication produced by the American Youth Work Center and earned the 1998 Robin Roberts/WBCA Sports Communications Scholarship Award. She will pursue a postgraduate degree in broadcast journalism.

La Shonda Pettiford

(Smith College; University of Massachusetts, Amherst) --

Pettiford, an English major, participated in track and field, served as an assistant to the athletics director and became a head resident at Smith College. She interned in the college's sports information office and as a member of the NCAA membership services staff at the national office. Pettiford will attend the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, to study sports management at the graduate level.

Jody Sykes

(University of Montana; undecided) -- Representing the women's golf program, Sykes served as chair for Montana's Student-Athlete Advisory Board and was selected to attend the national committee meeting for the Big Sky Conference. Sykes volunteered in the athletics department, at the YMCA, the American Red Cross and the Missoula Area Food Bank.

Kristin Lee Whitted

(University of Nebraska, Lincoln; undecided) --

A broadcasting major, Whitted was a member of Nebraska's track team. She was president of the Journalism Student Advisory Board and University Ambassadors. Whitted is serving an internship as a member of the championships staff at the NCAA national office. She also has worked for ABC Sports and Husker Vision.

Stacey Williams

[Wilmington College (Ohio); undecided] --

Williams was the 1997 NCAA Ohio Woman of the Year and a top 10 finalist for the national award. The 1994 Ohio Soccer Player of the Year owns season and career records for points and goals at Wilmington, where she also played basketball and ran track. Williams participated in the Developing Leader's Program and helped with soccer camps. She will seek a master's degree in sports administration.