National Collegiate Athletic Association

Elite 89 Awards

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NCAA salutes top academic winners from spring championships

Three repeat winners, one two-time winner and three institutions with multiple winners highlight the Elite 89 awards from the NCAA 2013 spring championships.

Of the 37 student-athletes named as Elite 89 award winners, four were honored for a second time at their respective sport championships, including: Steven Coniglio, Baruch College, Division III men’s volleyball; Benjamin Keller, Minnesota State University, Mankato, Division II baseball; Melanie Walsh, Washington University in St. Louis, Division III women’s golf; and Corey Whitsett, University of Alabama, Division I men’s golf.

In addition, the University of Alabama (Division I men’s golf and women’s tennis), the University of Nebraska, Lincoln (Division I men’s and women’s track and field) and Washington University in St. Louis (Division III women’s golf and men’s tennis) each featured two student-athletes named as award winners.

The Elite 89, an award founded by the NCAA, recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. The Elite 89 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA’s 89 championships.

All GPAs are based on a straight grading scale to ensure consistency among institutions. All ties are broken by the number of credits completed.

Eligible student-athletes are sophomores or above who have participated in their sport for at least two years with their school. They must be an active member of the team, traveling and competing at the championship.

The 37 award winners by sport and division (I, II, III or National Collegiate), school and major of study and GPA are:

Sport (Division)	Name	Institution	Major (GPA)
Baseball  (I)	Ryan Deeter	University of California, Los Angeles	Mathematics and Economics (3.927)
Baseball (II)	*Benjamin Keller	Minnesota State University, Mankato	Mechanical Engineering (4.0)
Baseball (III)	Bradley Stroik	University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point	Biology, Bio-Chemistry and Pre-Med (3.950)
Men’s Golf (I)	*Cory Whitsett	University of Alabama	Management (3.967)
Men’s Golf (II)	Gary Buffington III	University of West Florida	Accounting (4.0)
Men’s Golf (III)	Tim Vollaro	Springfield College	Biology (3.961)
Women’s Golf (I)	Kimberly Dinh	University of Wisconsin, Madison	Chemical Engineering and Chemistry (4.0)
Women’s Golf (II)	Holly James	Ashland University	Management Information Systems (4.0)
Women’s Golf (III)	**Melanie Walsh	Washington University  in St. Louis	English Literature (3.980)
Men’s Lacrosse (I)	Kevin Rice	Syracuse University	History (3.922)
Men’s Lacrosse (II)	Trevor Vargo	Mercyhurst University	Biology (3.954)
Men’s Lacrosse (III)	Pat MacMullan	Rochester Institute of Technology	Biomedical Sciences (3.910)
Women’s Lacrosse (I)	Paige Hanson	University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill	Journalism and Mass Communications (3.801)
Women’s Lacrosse (II)	Maia Czarnecki	Limestone College	Biology and Chemistry (4.0)
Women’s Lacrosse (III)	Alice Pfeifer	Middlebury College	English (3.770)
Rowing (I)	Kim Moldenhauer	University of Oklahoma	International Business (4.0)
Rowing (II)	Kelsey Obringer	Nova Southeastern University	Political Science (3.940)
Rowing (III)	Lindsay Beatty	Ithaca College	Clinical Health Studies (3.945)
Softball (I)	Bailey Wigness	Arizona State University	Communication and Political Science (4.0)
Softball (II)	Bailey Vrazel	Texas Woman’s University	Kinesiology (4.0)
Softball (III)	Jordan Overland	Central College (Iowa)	Exercise Science and Health (3.967)
Men’s Tennis (I)	Victor Valente	Georgia State University	Computer Information Systems (3.955)
Men’s Tennis (II)	Ben Boesing	University of Southern Indiana	Accounting (3.889)
Men’s Tennis (III)	Tim Noack	Washington University in St. Louis	Chemical Engineering (3.970)
Women’s Tennis (I)	Emily Zabor	University of Alabama	Marketing (3.969)
Women’s Tennis (II)	Andjela Panovski	Southwest Baptist University	Commercial Art (3.985)
Women’s Tennis (III)	Katie Cecil	Carnegie Mellon University	Biological Sciences (4.0)
Men’s Outdoor Track and Field (I)	John Welk	University of Nebraska, Lincoln	Nutrition Science (3.993)
Men’s Outdoor Track and Field (II)	***Clint Rosser / Christopher DeWitt	University of California, San Diego / University of the Incarnate Word	Environmental Engineering (3.970) / Business Administration (4.0)
Men’s Outdoor Track and Field (III)	Daniel Bonthius	Wartburg College	Biology (4.0)
Women’s Outdoor Track and Field (I)	Anne Martin	University of Nebraska, Lincoln	Elementary Education (4.0)
Women’s Outdoor Track and Field (II)	Makayla McPhail	Fort Hays State University	Health and Human Performance (4.0)
Women’s Outdoor Track and Field (III)	Erin Plews-Ogan	College of Wooster	Anthropology (4.0)
Men’s Volleyball (NC)	Phil Fuchs	Brigham Young University	Business Management (3.870)
Men’s Volleyball (III)	*Steven Coniglio	Baruch College	Actuarial Science (3.928)
Women’s Water Polo (NC)	Amarens Genee	University of Hawaii, Manoa	Kinesiology (3.911)

*Repeat award winner

**Two-time award winner

***Named co-winners due to clerical complications

For more information on the Elite 89 award winners, log on to NCAA.com/elite89.