CLEVELAND– The Mid-American Conference announced the Distinguished Scholar Athletes from the eight winter sports during this 2015-16 academic season on Friday and 19 Miami student-athletes were voted by faculty athletic representatives at MAC institutions representing the ‘best of the best’ from each sports Academic All-MAC Teams.

Miami landed seven student-athletes from the women’s track and field program during the indoor season (Megan Beaver, Laura Bess, Alexus Jimson-Miller, Martha Szekely, Hope Turner, Alesha Vovk and Kathie Wollney), six from men’s swimming and diving (Evan Bader, Lucas Brock, Cole Fryman, Jacob Prodoehl, Ross Rybakowicz and Sean Sargent), five from women’s swimming and diving (Shannon Ahearn, Sara Krueger, Lainey Massaro, Stephanie Nemeth and Emma Szczupakiewicz) and one more from women’s basketball (Baleigh Reid) on the team.

The Distinguished Scholar Athlete is a second-year award given to students who have excelled in athletics and academics. Following each season from the winter sports schedule, any student with a 3.20 GPA and participation in at least 50 percent of the contests was automatically named to the previously announced Academic All-MAC Team from each sport. Also, first-year students, junior college and graduate school transfers in their first year of residence were not eligible for the award.

From the Academic All-MAC Teams, the faculty athletic representatives selected the ‘best of the best’ of our Academic All-MAC Teams to be honored with Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award for the 2015-16 season. The number of Distinguished Scholar Athletes from each sport were equivalent to the number of first-team selections or 33% of nominees, whichever was greater.

A total of 202 MAC student-athletes garnered Distinguished Scholar Athlete recognition. Later this spring, the MAC will announce the Distinguished Scholar Athletes from the eight spring sports sponsored by the Conference.

2015-16 MAC Women’s Indoor Track & Field Distinguished Scholar Athletes:

Megan Beaver, Miami, Senior, 3.43 GPA, Health Promotion (Brecksville)

*Laura Bess, Miami, Senior, 3.57 GPA, Bio-Engineering (Brownsburg, Ind.)

Alexus Jimson-Miller, Miami, Junior, 3.73 GPA, Health Promotion (Danville, Ill.)

Martha Szekely, Miami, Junior, 3.77 GPA, Psychology (Medina)

Hope Turner, Miami, Junior, 3.83 GPA, Integrated English/Language Arts Education (Naperville, Ill.)

Alesha Vovk, Miami, Sophomore, 3.44 GPA, Kinesiology (Lakewood)

*Kathie Wollney, Miami, Senior, 3.61 GPA, Kinesiology (Cary, Ill.)

2015-16 MAC Men’s Swimming & Diving Distinguished Scholar Athletes

*Evan Bader, Miami, Senior, 3.97 GPA, Chemical Engineering & Chemistry (Oxford)

Lucas Brock, Miami, Junior, 3.27 GPA, Marketing (Pullman, Wash.)

Cole Fryman, Miami, Senior, 3.67 GPA, Bioengineering (Trenton)

*Jacob Prodoehl, Miami, Senior, 3.88 GPA, Biology (Milwaukee, Wis.)

Ross Rybakowicz, Miami, Sophomore, 3.62 GPA, Biology (Greenfield, Wis.)

*Sean Sargent, Miami, Junior, 3.81 GPA, Mechanical Engineering & EGR: Manufacturing Engineering (Mason)

2015-16 MAC Women’s Swimming & Diving Distinguished Scholar Athletes:

Shannon Ahearn, Miami, Senior, 3.64 GPA, Accounting (Trumbell, Conn.)

*Sara Krueger, Miami, Senior, 3.8 GPA, Psychology/Pre-Med (Harrison)

Lainey Massaro, Miami, Sophomore, 3.89 GPA, Finance (Murfreesboro, Tenn.)

*Stephanie Nemeth, Miami, Senior, 3.9 GPA, Zoology & Environmental Science (Highland Heights)

*Emma Szczupakiewicz, Miami, Senior, 3.89 GPA, Political Science (Muskego, Wis.)

2015-16 MAC Women’s Basketball Distinguished Scholar Athletes:

Baleigh Reid, Miami, Sophomore, 3.91 GPA, Kinesiology (Twinsburg)

(*2014-15 Distinguished Scholar Athlete)