The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- January 4, 1999

NCAA issues 35 postgraduate scholarship awards in football

Postgraduate scholarships of $5,000 each have been awarded by the NCAA to 35 football student-athletes at member institutions.

The NCAA annually awards 174 postgraduate scholarships to student-athletes who have excelled academically and athletically, and who are in their last year of intercollegiate athletics competition.

In addition to the 35 football honorees, the NCAA awards grants to 32 basketball players (16 each for men and women) and 107 student-athletes participating in sports other than football and basketball (36 for men and 71 for women) in which the NCAA conducts championships.

Of the 35 football scholarships, 13 are awarded to Division I student-athletes, 13 to Divisions II and III players, and the remaining nine are awarded at large.

To qualify for an NCAA postgraduate scholarship, a student-athlete must have an overall grade-point average of 3.000 (4.000 scale) or its equivalent and must have performed with distinction as a member of the varsity team in the sport in which the student-athlete was nominated. The student-athlete also must intend to continue academic work beyond the baccalaureate degree as a full-time graduate student.

In addition, the student-athlete must have behaved, both on and off the field, in a manner that has brought credit to the student-athlete, the institution and intercollegiate athletics.

Following is a complete list of the 1998-99 NCAA postgraduate scholarship winners for football, with school, major and notable accomplishments.

Division I

Peter Jason deGroot, University of Houston -- finance major; served as a reserve flanker and special-teams player in 1998; top student on all Houston athletics teams in 1994-95 and 1995-96; will pursue a graduate degree in business administration.

Matthew L. Farabaugh, St. Francis (Pennsylvania) College -- biology major; career leader in tackles at St. Francis with 377; GTE Academic All-America first-team honoree; Northeast Conference scholar-athlete for football in 1997; played in all 41 games possible in his career; will pursue a master's degree in physical therapy.

Barry Allan Gardner, Northwestern University -- communications studies major; all-Big Ten first-team selection in 1998 and academic all-Big Ten three times; National Football Foundation 1998 Scholar-Athlete; invited to Hula Bowl, Blue-Gray Game, Senior Bowl and East-West Shrine Game; intends to attend Northwestern's Kellogg Graduate School of Management.

Terrance Bernard Jackson, University of Florida -- business administration major; Florida's student body vice-president for 1998-99; elected as a captain of this year's team; scored a touchdown in the Gators' 1997 Sugar Bowl victory; Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll three times; will obtain a master's degree in sports administration.

Nathaniel J. Kvamme, Colorado State University -- civil engineering major; 1998 Dick Butkus Award candidate; Western Athletic Conference 1998 preseason defensive player of the year; first-team GTE Academic All-America honoree in 1998; interested in pursuing either a master's degree in business administration or environmental engineering.

Joel Makovicka, University of Nebraska, Lincoln -- biological sciences major; two-time GTE Academic All-America first-team selection; team co-captain in 1998; recipient of 1998 National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Postgraduate Scholarship; plans to attend medical school.

David Matthew Rader, University of Pennsylvania -- finance major; selected to the All-Ivy Academic Team; is second in Penn history in both passing attempts and completions, and is third in passing yards; named to the All-Ivy second team in 1998; will pursue a master's degree in business administration.

Matthew Kevin Reischl, University of Iowa -- finance and economics major; named to President's List five times at Iowa; three-year starter on the offensive line; two-time second-team GTE Academic All-America honoree; plans to attend graduate school to earn a master's degree in business administration.

Derek Michael Rose, University of Iowa -- economics and political science major; 1998 National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame National Scholar-Athlete; 1998 team captain and three-year starter; all-Big Ten second team; will pursue a master's degree in business administration.

Alexander James Sierk, Princeton University -- molecular biology major; two-time GTE Academic All-American; Princeton's career leader in field goals, points by kicking and consecutive field goals; recipient of 1998 National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Postgraduate Scholarship; Burger King Division I-AA Scholar-Athlete of the Year; plans to attend medical school.

Matthew Douglas Stinchcomb, University of Georgia -- finance major; NCAA Top VIII honoree; two-time GTE Academic All-America first-team selection and 1998 Academic All-America Team Member of the Year; 1998 Associated Press and Burger King Coaches' All-America first team; 1998 National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame National Scholar-Athlete; Burger King Division I-A Scholar-Athlete of the Year; plans to enroll in law school.

Shawn Phillip Stuart, University of California, Los Angeles -- sociology major; GTE Academic All-America first team in 1998 and second team in 1997; starting center for the past three seasons; All-Pacific-10 Conference second team in 1998; already is enrolled in master of arts in education degree program at UCLA.

Jacob Saunders Stueve, University of Missouri, Columbia -- biological sciences major; inducted into Phi Beta Kappa; magna cum laude graduate; first-team GTE Academic All-America in 1998; academic all-Big 12 three times; plans to attend medical school.

Divisions II and III

Eric Lee Brands, Alma College -- exercise and health science major; Rhodes Scholarship candidate; 1998 Hewlett-Packard Division III first-team all-American; Alma's career leader in field goals and points by kicking; Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association first-team selection; plans to focus on physical therapy in graduate school.

Jason Daniel Funke, Carnegie Mellon University -- industrial management major; Andrew Carnegie Society Scholar, one of the highest honors at Carnegie Mellon; two-time University Athletic Association first-team safety; two-time first-team GTE Academic All-America selection; 1998 team captain; plans to obtain a master's degree in business administration.

Timothy Alan Hardy, Wheaton College (Illinois) -- business/economics major; 1998 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Offensive Player of the Year; ranked in the top five in Wheaton history in completions, passing yards, touchdown passes and total offense; will obtain a master's degree in business administration and hopes to become a college football coach.

Thomas Hernandez, Truman State University -- biology (premedicine) major; 1998 NCAA Foundation Leadership Conference attendee; All-Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association first-team defensive back in 1997 and 1998; has 10 career interceptions and more than 180 tackles; will attend medical school, focusing on either orthopedics or pediatrics.

Thomas John Lapato, Western Maryland College -- mathematics/computer science major; GTE Academic All-America first team in 1998 and second team in 1997; Hewlett-Packard Division III All-America third-team pick in 1998; Gagliardi Award finalist; 1998 Burger King Division III Scholar-Athlete of the Year; interested in obtaining a master's degree in either operations research or business administration.

Chris Ryan Meskan, Augustana College (Illinois) -- business and mathematics major; two-time first-team GTE Academic All-America honoree; 1998 Hewlett-Packard Division III All-America third team; 1998 National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame National Scholar-Athlete; all-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin first team in 1997 and 1998; plans on earning a master's degree in business administration.

Shane Michael Meyer, Central Missouri State University -- public relations major; GTE Academic All-America first team in 1997 and second team in 1996 and 1998; is the school's career leader in points, field goals made, point-after attempts made, and consecutive point-after attempts; 1997 Daktronics and Football Gazette Division II All-America first-team selection; will pursue a master's degree in athletics administration.

Brian J. Mihok, Westminster College (Pennsylvania) -- biology major; GTE Academic All-America first team in 1998 and second team in 1997; more than 150 career tackles; all-Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference honorable mention in 1998; plans to attend medical school.

Ryan James Shanesy, Nebraska Wesleyan University -- physics major; GTE Academic All-America first team in 1998 and second team in 1996 and 1997; was on the field for every offensive play in 1997; intends to enter Washington University's (Missouri) Dual Degree program to earn a second bachelor's degree and a master's degree in mechanical engineering.

Duane Peter Stevens, Massachusetts Institute of Technology -- mechanical engineering major; GTE Academic All-America first team in 1996 and 1997, and second team in 1998, making him MIT's first three-time academic all-American in any sport; 1997 Hewlett-Packard and Football Gazette Division III first-team defensive back; plans to return to MIT to pursue a graduate degree in operations management after serving in the Air Force.

Wesley Warren Terrell, University of California, Davis -- agricultural and managerial economics major; 1998 NCAA Foundation Leadership Conference attendee; GTE Academic All-America first team in 1998 and second team in 1997; UC Davis' career leader in receptions by a tight end; Burger King Division II Coaches' All-America team in 1997 and 1998; will obtain a master's degree in business administration.

Edward Alfred Thompson, University of Nebraska, Omaha -- marketing major; became the first quarterback in NCAA Division II history to rush for more than 1,000 yards and throw for more than 1,000 yards in a season; school's career leader in rushing yards, total offense yards, touchdowns scored and average yards per punt; two-time North Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Most Valuable Offensive Back; interested in focusing on business or sports marketing in graduate school.

Matthew John Weiss, Cornell College -- biochemistry and psychology major; GTE Academic All-America first team in 1997 and 1998; four-year starter at defensive tackle; academic all-Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference selection; will attend University of Kansas School of Medicine, focusing on pediatrics.

At large

Clinton W. Albers, Fort Hays State University -- physical science/chemistry major; Fort Hays State Presidential Gold Scholar; All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference selection at offensive guard; 1998 GTE Academic All-America District VII team member; wishes to pursue a graduate program in chemistry and physics with hopes of teaching and coaching at the secondary level.

Scott Robert Auerbach, San Diego State University -- cellular and molecular biology major; 1998 GTE Academic All-America first-team member; moved into starting role at defensive back as a senior; plans to attend medical school, specializing in pediatrics.

Charles Edward Gilliam, U.S. Air Force Academy -- operations research major; included on Air Force's Dean's List for academic excellence, the Commandant's List for military excellence and the Superintendent's List for excellence in all areas; led Air Force in rushing in 1997; will attend graduate school in hopes of earning a degree in operations research after serving as an Air Force pilot.

Lawrence Vincent Gulotta, Johns Hopkins University -- biology major; GTE Academic All-America second team in 1998; Howard Hughes Summer Research Fellowship recipient; two-time All-Centennial Conference selection; three-year starter on the defensive line; will attend medical school.

Thomas Wesley Ingram, Millsaps College -- administration major; holds all Millsaps career and single-season receiving records; all-Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference first-team selection his first three seasons; second-team selection in 1998; will pursue a master of divinity degree to prepare for a career in ministry.

Kyle Lynn Kirk, Angelo State University -- accounting major; 1998 GTE Academic All-America first team in 1998; will receive both bachelor's and master's degrees in business administration from Angelo State at the same time; starting linebacker on 1997 team which reached Division III quarterfinals; plans on taking the Certified Public Accountant examination.

Phillip David Patterson, New Mexico State University -- mathematics major; three-time GTE Academic All-America first-team selection; 1997 Big West Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year; named to Academic All-Big West team four times; is tied for fourth in New Mexico State history in career touchdown receptions; will pursue a graduate program in computer science.

Christian Frank Sailer, University of California, Los Angeles -- communication studies major; Burger King and Walter Camp Foundation All-America first-team kicker in 1997; Football Writers Association of America All-America first-team punter in 1997; GTE Academic All-America second team in 1997; All-Pacific-10 Conference honorable-mention selection in 1998; plans to attend Anderson School of Management at UCLA.

Parc Avery Williams, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities -- kinesiology major; Butkus Award candidate; two-year team captain; all-Big Ten honorable-mention selection in 1998, 351 career tackles, fifth in Minnesota history; invited to play in the Hula Bowl and Blue-Gray game; academic all-Big Ten four times; will pursue a master's degree in teaching licensure, specializing in physical education.