17 Nanooks garner GNAC FAR scholar-athlete awards
July 24, 2012
Jamie Foland
474-6807
Seventeen Alaska Nanook student-athletes, including nine men and eight women, were among those named as the first recipients of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Faculty Athletics Representative's Scholar-Athletes award.
The award will be presented annually and honors the most outstanding scholar-athletes at each of the GNAC's 10 universities. To qualify, a student-athlete must have a grade point average of at least 3.85 (4.0 scale).
Alaska student-athletes honored were Ryan Anderson (Great Falls, VA), Nicole Bozek (Mukilteo, WA), Sean Cahill (Calgary, AB), Mats Eriksson (Malung, Sweden), Adam Henderson (Whitehorse, Yukon Territory), Daniel Lyons (Prince Albert, SK), Ross MacDougall (Astoria, OR), Rebecca Martin (Cochrane, AB), Alyson McPhetres (Chugiak, AK), Sarah Meirotto (North Pole, AK), Jordyn Montgomery (Topeka, KS), Alex Morris (Anchorage, AK), Marit Rjabov (Voru, Estonia), Ludwig Schott (Furtwagen, Germany), Erik Soderstrom (As, Sweden), Megan Thompson (Fairbanks, AK), Steve Thompson (Anchorage, AK).
"It is with great pride we salute these accomplished student-athletes who comprise the first class of recipients of this new conference award, which recognizes outstanding achievement in the classroom," GNAC commissioner Dave Haglund said.
"The idea for this award originated with our conference faculty athletic representatives, who believed it was important to publicly recognize the many student-athletes across the GNAC who have distinguished themselves academically.
"The number of individuals who have met this high standard is reflective of the NCAA Division II philosophy which emphasizes balance between academics and athletics."
Alaska was second among league members for total student-athletes recognized. Northwest Nazarene had the highest number of honorees with 23.
A FAR is a member of the faculty at a NCAA member institution who has been designated to serve as a liaison between the institution and the athletic department. The FAR serves as a representative of the institution 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 intercollegiate athletics."
Alaska's GNAC FAR Scholar-Athlete Award Winners
Men
Ryan Anderson (Rifle, Biological Sciences, Fr., 4.00, Great Falls, VA)
Sean Cahill (Ice Hockey, Economics, Fr., 3.95, Calgary, AB)
Alex Morris (Skiing, Electrical Engineering, Sr., 3.95, Anchorage, AK)
Erik Soderstrom (Cross Country/Skiing,, B.S. - Geography, Sr., 3.93, As, Sweden)
Mats Eriksson (Rifle, Journalism, Fr., 3.93, Malung, Sweden)
Ludwig Schott (Cross Country/Skiing, Business Administration, Fr., 3.87, Furtwagen, Germany)
Adam Henderson (Ice Hockey, Business Administration, Sr., 3.86, Whitehorse, Yukon Territory)
Ross MacDougall (Cross Country, Foreign Language, Jr., 3.86, Astoria, OR)
Steve Thompson (Ice Hockey, Psychology, Jr., 3.85, Anchorage, AK)
Women
Jordyn Montgomery (Volleyball, Psychology, Sr., 4.00, Topeka, KS)
Rebecca Martin (Volleyball, Accounting, Fr., 3.96, Cochrane, AB)
Megan Thompson (Cross Country, Music Education, Jr., 3.93, Fairbanks, AK)
Marit Rjabov (Cross Country/Skiing, Psychology, Jr., 3.92, Voru, Estonia)
Nicole Bozek (Basketball, MBA, 3.90, Gr., Mukilteo, WA)
Alyson McPhetres (Cross Country/Skiing, Civil Engineering, So., 3.90, Chugiak, AK)
Danielle Lyons (Swimming, Biological Sciences, Fr., 3.90, Prince Albert, SK)
Sarah Meierotto (Swimming, Biological Sciences, Jr., 3.90, North Pole, AK)