A Conference Medal is awarded annually to each member institution's outstanding senior male and female student-athlete based on the exhibition of the greatest combination of performance and achievement in scholarship, athletics and leadership.
On Thursday, July 9 at 7pm, Pac-12 Networks will air Pride of the Pac, a one-hour special honoring these 24 recipients of the prestigious Tom Hansen Conference Medal.
Peszek wrapped up an outstanding career by winning the 2015 NCAA all-around and balance beam titles, adding to her collection of titles that included the 2011 NCAA balance beam crown. Peszek finished her career with 17 All-America honors, along with three NCAA, seven NCAA Regional and three Pac-12 individual titles. This season, she earned first-team Academic All-America honors and was awarded a NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. She graduated with honors in June with a degree in Communication Studies.
Mkrtchian earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors and ranked second on the team in both victories (28) and wins over ranked opponents (8). This year's Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men's tennis, Mkrtchian posted the 100th singles win of his career this past season, finishing up his time at UCLA with a 101-34 overall record. Mkrtchian ended the season ranked No. 30 nationally in the Final ITA Singles Rankings. Off the court, Mkrtchian was a double major focusing on International Development Studies and Political Science. He was a second-team Pac-12 All-Academic selection as a sophomore in 2013.
Conference medal winners have been named every year since the 1960-61 academic year. In 2009, the Pac-12 renamed the award the Tom Hansen Conference Medal in honor of Hansen, who retired at the end of June 2009 after serving for 26 years as Commissioner of the Pac-10.