PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Commissioner Mike Aresco has announced the 24 student-athletes who have been recognized with 2015-16 Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Awards. The selections are made by the conference’s Academic Affairs Committee.
The Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Awards are given to a student-athlete in each American Athletic Conference-sponsored sport based on academic credentials, athletic accolades and performances, and volunteer service to the community. Student-athletes who have attained junior academic standing and a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 are eligible.
The 2015-16 honorees include UConn’s Breanna Stewart, the most decorated player in college basketball history, and SMU’s Avery Acker, who was chosen as the CoSIDA Academic All-America of the Year in women’s volleyball last season.
The winners included a number of student-athletes who achieved the top individual honors in their respective sports at the American Athletic Conference championships. Tulsa’s Marc Scott was a two-time individual champion in cross country; Tulane’s Elizabeth McMillan was the 2016 indoor track and field Female Athlete of the Meet; and Cincinnati’s Jacqueline Keire was a two-time Most Outstanding Female Swimmer at the conference’s swimming and diving championship. USF’s Erica Nunn was the 2016 American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year in softball, while Acker was chosen as The American’s Player of the Year and Setter of the Year in volleyball. Stewart was chosen as the conference’s women’s basketball Player of the Year for the third straight year.
Additionally, SMU’s Bryce Klein won a pair of individual conference championships in diving, while East Carolina’s Bailie Monahan finished her career as a two-time conference champion in swimming. Memphis’ Carolina Carmichael won three individual pole vault titles in outdoor track and field, and Houston’s Brian Barraza was the 2016 conference champion in the indoor 3,000-meter run.
Memphis led The American with eight award recipients. Tulsa had three student-athletes represented, while UConn, Houston, USF, SMU and Tulane had two each.
2015-16 American Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award Winners
Baseball
Justin Montemayor, Houston
Two-time all-conference selection; earned a 4.00 GPA in 2015-16 academic year
Hunter Williams, Tulane
Named to NCAA Oxford All-Regional team; has a 4.00 cumulative GPA
Men’s Basketball
Avery Woodson, Memphis
Averaged 9.6 ppg and was second in The American with 77 3-point field goals in 2015-16
Women’s Basketball
Breanna Stewart, UConn
Three-time national player of the year; four-time NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player; won four NCAA titles
Men’s Cross Country
Stephen Tankersley, Memphis
Registered two top-50 finishes at American Athletic Conference championships; magna cum laude graduate
Marc Scott, Tulsa
Two-time American Athletic Conference individual champion; two-time USTFCCCA All-America performer
Women’s Cross Country
Emily Howard, UConn
Helped team to second-place finish at 2014 American Championship
Football
Jake Elliott, Memphis
AP and Walter Camp All-America selection and a finalist for the 2015 Lou Groza Award as the nation’s top kicker
Men’s Golf
Rigel Fernandes, USF
First team all-conference selection; helped team to two straight American Athletic Conference titles
Women’s Golf
Leighann Cabush, Memphis
All-conference selection in 2014; registered three top-five finishes in 2015-16
Women’s Rowing
Marissa Catalanotto, Tulsa
Member of runner-up second varsity eight at 2015 American Championship
Men’s Soccer
Alex Cagle, Temple
Ranked fourth in The American in goals-against average in 2015 (1.18)
Women’s Soccer
Elysia Masters, Memphis
Started all 19 games in 2015, helping team to seven shutouts; two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District selection
Softball
Erica Nunn, USF
American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2016; NFCA All-Region selection
Men’s Swimming and Diving
Bryce Klein, SMU
American Athletic Conference individual champion in one-meter and three-meter diving in 2016
Women’s Swimming and Diving
Bailie Monahan, East Carolina
Won two American Athletic Conference individual titles and was a six-time NCAA Championship qualifier
Jacqueline Keire, Cincinnati
Two-time Most Outstanding Female Swimmer at American Athletic Conference Championships; Seven-time conference champion
Men’s Tennis
Louis Asser, Memphis
Played at No. 1 doubles for team that reached the NCAA tournament
Women’s Tennis
Anki Wind, Memphis
NCAA doubles qualifier in 2015; all-conference selection in 2014
Men’s Indoor Track and Field
Brian Barraza, Houston
2016 American Athletic Conference champion in 3,000-meter run
Women’s Indoor Track and Field
Lilla McMillan, Tulane
Female Athlete of the Meet at 2016 American Athletic Conference Championship; conference champion in 200-meter dash
Men’s Outdoor Track and Field
Tim Rackers, Tulsa
Runner-up in 5,000-meter run and 10,000-meter run at 2016 American Athletic Conference Championship
Women’s Outdoor Track and Field
Carolina Carmichael, Memphis
Three-time American Athletic Conference champion in the pole vault; second team All-America
Women’s Volleyball
Avery Acker, SMU
American Athletic Conference Player of the Year and Setter of the Year in2015; CoSIDA Academic All-America of the Year