Jimmy Bartolotta of MIT and Colorado College’s Melanie Auguste are this year’s recipients of the Jostens Trophy, which recognizes outstanding student-athletes in Division III basketball for excellence in the classroom, on the playing court and in the community.

 The award is presented to a male and female basketball player annually by the Salem (Virginia) Rotary Club in the host city for the Division III Men’s Basketball Championship final. Bartolotta and Auguste will receive the awards March 19 in Salem, the day before the men’s semifinals.

The winners were chosen by a national selection committee that consists of college coaches, former athletes, college administrators and selected members of the media. The members of the national selection committee cast their votes based on three criteria – basketball ability, academic prowess and community service.

Bartolotta is a senior guard from Littleton, Colorado, and Auguste is a senior guard from Cameron Park, California.

The first 2,000-point scorer in MIT history, Bartolotta led the Engineers to a victory last weekend over nationally ranked Rhode Island College in the program’s first appearance in the Division III men’s tournament. MIT later was eliminated by Farmingdale State.

He is a double major in management science and physics with a 4.6 grade-point average (5.0 scale), and also is this year’s CoSIDA Academic All-America of the Year for the college division in men’s basketball.

Bartolotta’s community-service activities include mentoring middle school children at Cambridge Community Charter School.

“He is a consummate competitor – hardworking, persevering, and measuring success in terms of effort and dedication,” said MIT Athletics Director Julie Soriero. By serving as an example, he engenders the respect of his teammates, coaches and all those around him.”

Auguste was the first woman to lead the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference in both scoring and assists, en route to earning player-of-the-year honors this season. She also was second in steals and third in rebounding.

A Rhodes Scholarship nominee, Auguste carries a 3.74 grade-point average as an economics major and was selected for the CoSIDA Academic All-America second team in women’s basketball.

She has participated in Habitat for Humanity and Relay for Life, and also has mentored elementary school students.

“Melanie exemplifies all that is great about Division III athletics,” said coach Liz Campbell. “She has managed to balance all aspects of a college career – academics, athletics and service – and excelled at everything she attempted.”