Eastern Michigan Athletics
MAC Names Nine Eagles Distinguished Scholar Athletes
5/7/2020 1:00:00 PM | General
The nine student-athletes are the ‘best of the best’ from each sport’s All-MAC and Academic All-MAC Teams
CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) -- The Mid-American Conference announced Thursday, May 7, its list of Distinguished Scholar Athletes from the eight winter sports for the 2019-20 academic season. Nine Eagles were recognized as the 'best of the best' from each sport's Academic All-MAC teams.
The EMU men's indoor track and field placed three student-athletes on the list, while women's indoor track and field, women's swimming and diving, and gymnastics teams each had two, respectively. Each student-athlete recorded a grade-point-average higher than 3.5, while four of the nine checked-in above 3.75. Additionally, four student-athletes received the honor for the second consecutive year. In all, 77 students from around the conference were honored as part of the winter sports group. EMU's nine winter honorees join five fall sport qualifiers to give the Eagles 15 overall award winners for the 2019-20 campaign.
The Distinguished Scholar Athlete is a sixth-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 transfers and graduate transfers in their first year of residence were not eligible for the award.
New for this 2019-20 academic season, the selection for the Distinguished Scholar Athlete included all student-athletes that were recognized as All-MAC selections and Academic All-MAC selections from their respective sport, along with maintaining a 3.50 GPA and above. Previously, a voting process among the MAC Faculty Athletic Representatives determined the selection of the Distinguished Scholar Athletes. MAC membership voted for the change in recognizing the Distinguished Scholar Athletes during the Conference Spring meetings in June of 2019.
The full list of EMU's winter sport honorees is as follows:
2019-20 MAC Men's Indoor Track & Field Distinguished Scholar Athletes:
*Owen Day, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.61 GPA, Simulation, Animation & Gaming (Ottawa, Ontario)
*Derek Jones, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.77 GPA, General Business-Intent (Erie, Pa.)
*Owen Richardson, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.57 GPA, Accounting (Basingstoke, England)
2019-20 MAC Women's Indoor Track & Field Distinguished Scholar Athletes:
Brittni Mason, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.57 GPA, Exercise Science (Richmond Heights, Ohio)
Alysse Wade, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.60 GPA, Nursing Intent (Mansfield, Ohio)
2019-20 MAC Women's Swimming & Diving Distinguished Scholar Athletes:
Ali Staver, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.7 GPA, Nursing (Bettendorf, Iowa)
*Sophia Tsafantakis, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.95 GPA, Therapeutic Recreation (Washington, Mich.)
2019-20 MAC Gymnastics Distinguished Scholar Athletes:
Jada Rondeau, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.76 GPA, Communication (Savage, Minn.)
Caitlin Satler, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.89 GPA, Exercise Science (Orland Park, Ill.)
* 2018-19 Distinguished Scholar-Athlete
The EMU men's indoor track and field placed three student-athletes on the list, while women's indoor track and field, women's swimming and diving, and gymnastics teams each had two, respectively. Each student-athlete recorded a grade-point-average higher than 3.5, while four of the nine checked-in above 3.75. Additionally, four student-athletes received the honor for the second consecutive year. In all, 77 students from around the conference were honored as part of the winter sports group. EMU's nine winter honorees join five fall sport qualifiers to give the Eagles 15 overall award winners for the 2019-20 campaign.
The Distinguished Scholar Athlete is a sixth-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 transfers and graduate transfers in their first year of residence were not eligible for the award.
New for this 2019-20 academic season, the selection for the Distinguished Scholar Athlete included all student-athletes that were recognized as All-MAC selections and Academic All-MAC selections from their respective sport, along with maintaining a 3.50 GPA and above. Previously, a voting process among the MAC Faculty Athletic Representatives determined the selection of the Distinguished Scholar Athletes. MAC membership voted for the change in recognizing the Distinguished Scholar Athletes during the Conference Spring meetings in June of 2019.
The full list of EMU's winter sport honorees is as follows:
2019-20 MAC Men's Indoor Track & Field Distinguished Scholar Athletes:
*Owen Day, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.61 GPA, Simulation, Animation & Gaming (Ottawa, Ontario)
*Derek Jones, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.77 GPA, General Business-Intent (Erie, Pa.)
*Owen Richardson, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.57 GPA, Accounting (Basingstoke, England)
2019-20 MAC Women's Indoor Track & Field Distinguished Scholar Athletes:
Brittni Mason, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.57 GPA, Exercise Science (Richmond Heights, Ohio)
Alysse Wade, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.60 GPA, Nursing Intent (Mansfield, Ohio)
2019-20 MAC Women's Swimming & Diving Distinguished Scholar Athletes:
Ali Staver, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.7 GPA, Nursing (Bettendorf, Iowa)
*Sophia Tsafantakis, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.95 GPA, Therapeutic Recreation (Washington, Mich.)
2019-20 MAC Gymnastics Distinguished Scholar Athletes:
Jada Rondeau, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.76 GPA, Communication (Savage, Minn.)
Caitlin Satler, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.89 GPA, Exercise Science (Orland Park, Ill.)
* 2018-19 Distinguished Scholar-Athlete
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