Student-athletes are honored
for excellence at luncheon
By Gavin KeenanThe past year will be a memorable one in the history of the Viking athletics program because students excelled in academics as well as in sports.
About 138 student-athletes were recognized at the 18th Annual John Konstantinos Athletic Academic Honors Luncheon on April 17 at the Wolstein Center.
With nearly half of the student-athlete population being honored, it reaffirmed that CSU has not only put together one of its best overall years through athletic achievement but also succeeded in the classroom.
In order to receive an invitation to the event, athletes had to excel in the classroom by earning at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average and participate in a varsity sport.
The event, which began in 1991, was renamed in 2006 in honor of its founder, former athletic director John Konstantinos.
“The Best of the Best” team honors went to the volleyball team because its members posted a 3.58 GPA. The academic award coincided with the team’s best year in school history, which included its first ever trip to the NCAA tournament and Horizon League Championship.
“It’s been something we’ve been striving to do since I’ve been here,” said head volleyball Coach Chuck Voss. “We recruit smart young ladies and it’s great to know we can do it both on and off the court.”
At the banquet, two athletes were presented with individual awards: the President’s Award and the John McLendon Award. Olwen Conant from the women’s fencing team was presented with the President’s Award, which is given to the graduating senior with the highest cumulative GPA. Conant will be graduating in May with a 3.8 GPA.
Men’s tennis player Brad Groleski was the recipient of the John McLendon Award.
The award is presented to the student-athlete who exemplifies a commitment to civility, service to others, and putting the team before themselves.
The senior has posted a 14-9 record this season, despite overcoming injuries earlier in the year.
Along with the two major individual awards, 32 athletes earned the Provost’s Award, which is presented to those who made the dean’s list every term at CSU. Of the 32 athletes, six were members of the volleyball team.
“There’s a lot of peer pressure amongst the girls to excel in the classroom and it clearly shows,” Voss said.
To go along with all of their academic success, the Viking athletic teams did not forget to keep up on the athletic half of the student-athlete equation.
In 2007-08, both women’s basketball and volleyball teams won Horizon league titles and eached their respective NCAA tournaments.
The men’s basketball was invited to the NIT, and spring sports are still in full swing with the potential of adding more silverware to the trophy case.
All 17 varsity sports were represented at the banquet.
Reach this Stater reporter at g.keenan@csuohio.edu