PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Commissioner Mike Aresco has announced the 22 student-athletes who have been recognized with 2014-15 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 one 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 2014-15 honorees include Cincinnati baseball player Ian Happ, the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year who was selected with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2015 Major League Baseball Draft, and Memphis women’s soccer standout Kylie Davis, the 2014 American Midfielder of the Year.
 
UConn men’s basketball veteran Pat Lenehan, Tulane women’s basketball standout Jamie Kaplan, Memphis football’s Charles Harris and Cincinnati track and field competitor Brian Barney, who were awarded American Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year scholarships in March, were the Sport Excellence Award winners in their respective sports.
 
The winners also included five student-athletes who won individual conference titles in the 2014-15 season: East Carolina swimmers Rokas Cepulis (100 and 200 breaststroke) and Bailie Monahan (200 butterfly, 800 freestyle relay), UConn track and field standout Faith Dismuke (indoor 800-meter run), Memphis’ Luis Hanssler (outdoor heptathlon) and SMU’s Karoline Skatteboe (outdoor 3,000-meter steeplechase).
 
Memphis led The American with five award recipients. UConn had four selections, while East Carolina and SMU had three each.
 

2014-15 American Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award Winners

Sport	Name	School	Notes
Baseball	Ian Happ	Cincinnati	American Athletic Conference Player of the Year; No. 9 overall pick in 2015 MLB Draft; ABCA First Team All-America.
Men’s Basketball	Pat Lenehan	UConn	American Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Women’s Basketball	Jamie Kaplan	Tulane	American Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year; ranked second in school history in assists.
Men’s Cross Country	Fabian Fiege	Memphis	Competed in five of six meets for the Tigers in 2014.
Women’s Cross Country	Lauren Sara	UConn	American Athletic Conference individual runner-up; finished 35th at NCAA Championships; All-America.
Football	Charles Harris	Memphis	American Athletic Conference Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year; helped Tigers to share of conference title.
Men’s Golf	Kyle Pilgrim	Houston	Finished eighth at American Athletic Conference Championship; shot 66 in first round of NCAA Regional.
Women’s Golf	Katie Kirk	East Carolina	Winner of 2015 Dinah Shore Trophy, recognizing excellence in academics and golf.
Women’s Rowing	Olivia Staples	UCF	Second-team all-conference selection; member of American Athletic Conference champion varsity eight.
Women’s Rowing	Kathryn Hughes	UConn	First-team all-conference selection; four-year member of varsity eight.
Men’s Soccer	Abé Matamoros	Tulsa	Second-team all-conference selection; Most Outstanding Offensive Player of The American Championship.
Women’s Soccer	Kylie Davis	Memphis	2014 American Athletic Conference Midfielder of the Year; three-time first-team all-conference selection.
Softball	Mackenzie Audas	UCF	First-team Capital One Academic All-America; unanimous all-conference first-team selection; school’s career leader in wins, strikeouts and no-hitters.
Men’s Swimming & Diving	Rokas Cepulis	East Carolina	American Athletic Conference individual champion in 100 and 200 breaststroke; NCAA Championships qualifier.
Women’s Swimming & Diving	Bailie Monahan	East Carolina	American Athletic Conference individual champion in 200 butterfly and 800 freestyle relay.
Men’s Tennis	Nate Lammons	SMU	Team-high 24 singles wins in 2014-15; ITA Scholar-Athlete.
Women’s Tennis	Alyssa Hibberd	Memphis	Ranks eighth in school history with 77 career singles wins and is fifth with 86 career doubles wins.
Men’s Indoor Track & Field	Brian Barney	Cincinnati	American Athletic Conference Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Women’s Indoor Track & Field	Faith Dismuke	UConn	American Athletic Conference champion in the 800-meter run.
Men’s Outdoor Track & Field	Luis Hanssler	Memphis	American Athletic Conference champion in the heptathlon.
Women’s Outdoor Track & Field	Karoline Skatteboe	SMU	American Athletic Conference champion in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Women’s Volleyball	Avery Acker	SMU	First-team all-conference selection; ranked fourth nationally in assists.