GNAC release, with complete list of honorees (HTML)

PORTLAND, Ore. – Whether on the basketball court or soccer field, Sam Simpson and Emma Young set high standards for themselves.
 
They set those standards just as high in the classroom.
 
 

Having finished their Seattle Pacific athletic careers in their respective NCAA tournaments this past school year, Simpson and Young were just as successful academically. Both of them earned their fourth consecutive Great Northwest Athletic Conference Faculty Athletic Representative Scholar-Athlete awards.
 
The prestigious honors are presented to student-athletes who maintain a 3.85 or higher grade-point average.
 
Simpson, a biochemistry major, carried a 3.90. Young, an economics major, had a 3.88.
 
They were among 18 from around the conference who made the list four years in a row.
 
Young and Simpson were joined by 18 other Falcons – 15 women and three men – who earned an FAR award.

 

"The athletic success of our student athletes is regularly on display, but what's often not seen is the incredible academic success that goes on the classroom," said SPU biology professor Dr. Eric Long, who serves as the school's Faculty Athletic Representative. "To have 20 student athletes from one university receive this FAR award is almost unheard of.  This success really displays the emphasis that our athletics administrators, coaches, and most importantly, our student athletes put on academic achievements."

Last fall, Young helped SPU go 12-6-2 overall as the Falcons made it back into the NCAA West Regional tournament after a one-year absence. Young had one goal and one assist, and with her solid play defensively factored into eight shutouts..
 
Simpson played a key role as Seattle Pacific won the GNAC men's basketball tournament for the fourth time in school history and advanced all the way to the NCAA West Regional semifinal, winding up with a 22-7 overall record, including 16-4 in conference play. Simpson played in 28 of the 29 games, with three starts, averaging 8.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, and shooting 46.5 percent from the field.
 
 

A total of four other SPU athletes collected their third FAR awards: men's soccer senior Luke Postma (3.97 in accounting), women's cross country / track junior Katherine Walter (3.97 in accounting), women's soccer senior Julia DeVere (3.92 in psychology), and women's soccer sophomore Sierra Smith (3.92 in accounting),
 
Garnering their second awards were men's basketball sophomore Harry Cavell (3.86 in business administration), men's soccer sophomore Travis Swallow (3.98 in business administration), women's rowing sophomores Talia Ferguson (3.94 in nursing) and Suzanne Stafford (3.96 in biochemistry), and women's soccer senior Brooke Lancaster (3.91 in accounting)
 
Of the 20 on SPU's list, two – women's soccer player Mariah Alexander and women's track and fielder Madison Licari – got on with perfect 4.0 GPAs. And, 13 of the 20 saw action in NCAA postseason competition.
 
All student-athletes – including freshmen – listed on a team roster at any GNAC full-member school who meet the minimum grade-point average are eligible for the FAR Award.
 
A faculty athletic representative (FAR) is a member of the faculty at an NCAA member institution who has been designated to serve as a liaison between the institution's faculty and the athletic department. In addition to his on-campus role, biology professor Long  represents the school in conference and NCAA affairs.
 
The role of the FAR is "to ensure that the academic institution establishes and maintains the appropriate balance between academics and athletics."
 
 
GNAC FACULTY ATHLETIC REPRESENTATIVE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS
 
SEATTLE PACIFIC
MEN
Name                  Sport            Academic Major                 Year       GPA
* Harry Cavell        Basketball       Business Administration        So         3.86
** Luke Postma        Soccer           Accounting                     Sr         3.97
*** Sam Simpson       Basketball       Biochemistry                   Sr         3.90
* Travis Swallow      Soccer           Business Administration        So         3.98
 
WOMEN
Name                  Sport            Academic Major                 Year       GPA
Mariah Alexander      Soccer           Business Administration        Fr         4.00
Abbie Anderson        Soccer           Physiology                     Fr         3.89
LeeAnn Arrington      Rowing           English                        Fr         3.85
** Julia DeVere       Soccer           Psychology                     Sr         3.92
* Talia Ferguson      Rowing           Nursing                        So         3.94
Dania Holmberg        XC / Track       Psychology                     So         3.86
Madison Ibale         Soccer           Visual Communications          So         3.85
* Brooke Lancaster    Soccer           Accounting                     Sr         3.91
Madison Licari        Track & Field    Mathematics                    Fr         4.00
* Suzanne Stafford    Rowing           Biochemistry                   So         3.96
** Sierra Smith       Soccer           Accounting                     So         3.92
Elizabeth Thompson    XC / Track       History                        So         3.86
Kayli Tran            Gymnastics       Visual Communications          Fr         3.93
** Katherine Walter   XC / Track       Accounting                     Jr         3.97
Kelsey Washenberger   Track & Field    Applied Human Biology          Fr         3.87
*** Emma Young        Soccer           Economics                      Jr         3.88
 

 *      Won once previously

**  Won twice previously

*** Won three times previously