INDIANAPOLIS – Ten student-athletes representing eight Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) institutions have been named as 2012-13 GLVC Winter & Spring Scholar Athletes of the Year, it was announced by the conference office on Thursday. Recipients were honored for their efforts both in the classroom and competition in the sports of men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s track and field, baseball and softball.
The University of Indianapolis paced all conference schools with three honorees, including
Jake Hartley (baseball),
Jenny Konop (women’s golf) and
Jennifer DeMotte (softball). Bellarmine University and Lewis University each earned a pair of award winners as the Knights were represented by
Robert Sandlin, Jr. (men’s track and field) and
Angela Musk (women’s track and field), while the Flyers saw
Brandon White (men’s golf) and
Zsofia Lanstiak (women’s tennis) garner distinction. Additional honorees included Maryville University’s
Abby Duethman (women’s basketball), McKendree University’s
John Steppe (men’s basketball) and Rockhurst University’s
Rodolfo Gauto-Mariotti (men’s tennis).
The league selects one student-athlete in each conference sport to be designated the GLVC Scholar Athlete of the Year. The award is based upon athletic accomplishments, both team and individual, and academic performance in the season upon which the award is based. Each conference member has the opportunity to nominate one individual from its team for the award. Nominees must have a cumulative grade point average which meets Academic All-America standards (3.30), and freshmen and first-year transfers are not eligible for the award. The voting is completed by each member institution’s Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR).
Men’s Basketball: Steppe finished his career at McKendree with one of the GLVC’s highest academic awards, following a senior season where he eclipsed 1,000 points for his career en route to second-team All-GLVC honors. A four-time member of the Dean’s List, Steppe garnered the Biology Award at McKendree’s 2012 Honors Day Convocation after turning in a perfect 4.0 GPA for the semester to end his tenure on campus with a cumulative mark of 3.68 and a degree in biology. On the court, the Effingham, Ill., native finished the season ranked second in the conference in minutes played (36.11), third in scoring (18.1), sixth in rebounding (6.6) and 10th in assists (3.2). He left his mark in McK’s records book as well, finishing in the school’s top 10 in career three-point field goals (191), assists (321) and steals (134).
Women’s Basketball: Duethman concluded her stint at Maryville as the most decorated women’s basketball player in school history. In 21 games played this season, Duethman netted 333 points to average 15.9 points per game, good for fourth in the conference this season. A knee injury suffered during Maryville’s Feb. 14 home game against Rockhurst sidelined Duethman for the remainder of the regular season. Despite not playing in the final five conference games, the Saints’ all-time leader in scoring (1,463) and rebounding (633) still earned the votes and respect by the league coaches to be named GLVC Player of the Year. The first-team All-Conference honoree also garnered second-team All-America distinction and was named as Maryville’s Female Student-Athlete of the Year. The Kansas City, Mo., native registered a 4.00 GPA during the spring to bring her cumulative GPA to 3.73 in the field of sport management.
Men’s Golf: White turned in a 75.6 stroke average over 25 rounds this season to help his Flyers to a runner-up finish at the GLVC Championships in April. His best individual highlight came at the Midwest Regional #2 where he finished third overall with a score of 148 (73-75). With a 3.91 semester GPA in political science, White earned his fourth Delahanty Award for academic excellence among Lewis student-athletes as well as his fourth Academic All-GLVC selection. The Sellersburg, Ind., native is also a two-time president of Lewis’ Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and totes a cumulative GPA of 3.74.
Women’s Golf: Konop closes out the season as her sport’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year after recently being named to the 2013 Capital One Academic All-America At-Large team. The Green Bay, Wis., native turned in a perfect 4.0 GPA this past semester and carries a 3.95 cumulative GPA as a biology major with minors in chemistry and Spanish. She averaged a team-best 77.6 strokes per round on the golf course and was named league’s Player of the Year following the Greyhounds’ GLVC Championship win in April. Konop went on to guide UIndy to a NCAA Super Regional title and a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Championships, which was the team's fourth top-10 showing in the last five years.
Men’s Tennis: Gauto-Mariotti becomes the third straight Hawk to be named Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men’s tennis as John Lazenby earned the honor in both 2011 and 2012. A native of Asuncion, Paraguay, Gauto-Mariotti tallied a 3.73 GPA for the semester in economics and carries a 3.96 GPA overall. The All-GLVC selection was also named a first-team Capital One Academic All-America At-Large selection after earning second-team distinction last year. In addition, he was recently named as the ITA/Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award winner for the NCAA Division II Midwest Region. Gauto-Mariotti posted a 17-7 record at No. 1 singles for the Hawks and was rated eighth in singles in the ITA Division II Midwest Regional rankings. He also went 19-8 at No. 1 and 2 doubles and concluded his career at Rockhurst with a 58-21 record in singles and a 60-30 mark in doubles.
Women’s Tennis: Lanstiak garners her second consecutive Scholar-Athlete of the Year accolade just a week after taking home back-to-back Academic All-America honors as she was named to the Capital One Academic All-America At-Large second team. An ITA All-American on the court as well, Lanstiak combined for a record of 53-3 in both singles and doubles play on her way to GLVC Player of the Year honors for the second-straight season. In singles action, Lanstiak went 27-1, including a 23-match winning streak to end the year. She finished the 2012-13 campaign ranked 16th in the country as an individual and teamed up with fellow junior Zsofia Kranczicki to finish fifth in the nation. The Budapest, Hungary, native turned in a 3.67 GPA for the semester and boasts a 3.75 GPA in psychology overall.
Men’s Track and Field: Sandlin is another Scholar-Athlete of the Year repeat performer as he garnered the academic award last year as a sophomore. The Frankfort, Ky. native placed fourth in the 1,500 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships with a time of 3:56.41, earning him All-America distinction, which gave him both All-Conference and All-America status in both indoor and outdoor seasons this year. He helped the Knights to a sixth-place finish in the Distance Medley Relay at the NCAA Indoor Championships and recorded the conference’s fastest time in both the 1,500 meters (3:48.42) and mile (4:05.74) this year. A Capital One Academic All-District 4 recipient, Sandlin is now eligible for Academic All-America status, which will be announced on June 26. Sandlin turned in a 3.92 GPA in exercise science this past semester and currently maintains a 3.93 overall.
Women’s Track and Field: Following an impressive cross country season in which she was named the GLVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year,
Musk earns the same award for track and field. The New Hope, Ky., native was both All-Conference and All-America during the indoor and outdoor seasons and was also named the GLVC’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. She finished eighth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 1,500 meters and was among the fastest distance runners in the conference this season, having turned in top-five times in the 800m, 1,500m, 3,000m, 5,000m and mile events. Bellarmine’s James R. Spalding Athlete of Distinction Award winner owns a 3.66 cumulative GPA in psychology and art, and was credited with a 3.8 GPA this past semester.
Baseball: Hartley is the first Greyhound to be named Scholar-Athlete of the Year in baseball since Seth Paul was recognized by the conference in 2008. A Capital One Academic All-America second-team selection, Hartley carries a GPA of 3.99 as an Exercise Science/Pre-Physical Therapy student and tallied a perfect 4.0 this past semester. On the field, the Indianapolis, Ind., native was both a first-team All-GLVC and Daktronics All-Midwest Region pick after leading the Hounds with an on-base percentage of .492 with 41 walks. The UIndy first baseman closed out his UIndy career fifth in the university record books for career on-base percentage and second in career walks.
Softball: DeMotte takes home her second-straight GLVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year accolade after concluding her career as the most decorated player in school history. An entrepreneurship major with a 3.82 GPA, DeMotte was one of only two Capital One Academic All-Americans to repeat as first-team selections, following a season where she compiled a 26-3 record in the circle and ranked seventh in Division II in ERA (1.06) and ninth in shutouts (10). The Midwest Region Pitcher of the Year allowed just 119 hits and 31 walks while striking out 184 batters in 185 2/3 innings pitched. As the Hounds' clean-up hitter, DeMotte hit .327 with 14 doubles, four home runs and 44 RBIs at the plate while helping UIndy to a 54-8 record and the nation’s No. 1 rankingin 2013. The Indianapolis, Ind., native concluded her career as the school’s all-time leader in strikeouts (755), innings pitched (749) and shutouts (40) in the circle, as well as in doubles (48) and walks (117) at the plate. She also finished second in the UIndy career annals in runs (133), RBI (144) and lowest ERA (1.22), and third in hits (206).
2012-13 GLVC WINTER/SPRING SCHOLAR-ATHLETES
Baseball: Jake Hartley, Indianapolis
Men's Basketball: John Steppe, McKendree
Women's Basketball: Abby Duethman, Maryville
Men's Golf: Brandon White, Lewis
Women's Golf: Jenny Konop, Indianapolis
Softball: Jennifer DeMotte, Indianapolis
Men's Swimming & Diving: J on Glaser, Missouri S&T
Women's Swimming & Diving: Alison Strickler, Truman State
Men's Tennis: Rodolfo Gauto-Mariotti, Rockhurst
Women's Tennis: Zsofia Lanstiak, Lewis
Men's Track & Field: Robert Sandlin, Jr., Bellarmine
Women's Track & Field: Angela Musk, Bellarmine