University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA Scholar-Athletes Honored at Annual Academic Banquet
May 06, 2015 | Bruin Athletics
Men's soccer player Grady Howe and women's tennis player Kaitlin Ray were awarded the Scholar-Athletes of the Year as the male and female graduating seniors with the highest cumulative GPA. Howe is the second consecutive men's soccer player to earn the honor, following in the footsteps of Joe Sofia. Finalists for the Scholar-Athlete of the Year included rowing's Chloe Kojima, track and field's Daniel Herrera and Ida Storm, gymnastics' Samantha Peszek, football's Librado Barocio and men's tennis' Dennis Mkrtchian.
Howe and Ray were also honored with the Athletic Director's Academic Excellence Award for making the Director's Honor Roll (3.0 or higher GPA) every quarter they were at UCLA. Also receiving this distinction were Jessica Amaral (softball), Ally Courtnall (women's soccer/track and field), Elena Clarke (women's track and field), Kojima (rowing), Kendal Mitchell (rowing), Peszek (gymnastics), Storm (track and field) and Jake Tenzer (men's soccer).
Twenty-three student-athletes were named to the All-Academic team, which is comprised of the person from each team with the highest cumulative GPA. The overall GPA of the 2014-15 UCLA All-Academic team is 3.63. All-Academic team honorees were third-year winners Peszek (gymnastics), Kojima (rowing) and Ray (women's tennis); second-year winners Kari Korver (women's basketball), Mkrtchian (men's tennis), Rachel Inouye (sand volleyball) and Emily Donohoe (women's water polo); and first-time honorees Nick Kern (baseball), Kory Alford (men's basketball), Thomas Schwab (football), Lorens Chan (men's golf), Yvonne Zheng (women's golf), Howe (men's soccer), Sarah Killion (women's soccer), Amaral (softball), Emily Hammond (swimming and diving), Torie Owers (women's track and field), Herrera (men's track and field), Sean Davis (men's cross country), Bronte Golick (women's cross country), Jake Reeves (men's volleyball), Jennie Frager (women's volleyball) and Patrick Woepse (men's water polo).
Swimmer Allison Wine, volleyball player Clayton Paullin and soccer player Courtney Proctor earned the Rose Gilbert Courage and Character Award, presented to student-athletes who were confronted with significant obstacles outside the classroom, met their challenge with courage and strength and were able to successfully overcome the challenge while still excelling academically.
Women's water polo player Shelby Couture and men's basketball player Norman Powell received the Maggie Gilbert Academic Achievement Award. The award is presented to student-athletes who have shown tremendous growth throughout their academic career at UCLA and demonstrated relentless perseverance and commitment to their academic endeavors.
Justin Hazard (baseball), Kojima (rowing), Cathy Stolitzka (rowing) and Belden Long (women's soccer) earned the Bruin Leadership Award, presented to student-athletes who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to make a significant impact on the UCLA student-athlete experience and demonstrated outstanding service to others and within the community.
Peszek (gymnastics) and Mkrtchian (men's tennis) earned the AS2 “S.U.C.C.E.S.S.” (Student-Athletes Understand that Character Creates Educational Self-Sufficiency) Award, given to student-athletes who have developed into self-sufficient, independent learners and who utilize the communication, decision-making and leadership skills learned through the S.U.C.E.S.S. program to successfully meet their academic and personal goals.
UCLA student-athletes in the 2015 winter and 2014 fall quarters combined to earn 589 spots on the Director's Honor Roll. In the winter quarter, 99 student-athletes achieved a 3.5 GPA or better, with 21 earning a perfect 4.0. In the fall, 102 student-athletes earned a 3.5 GPA or better, with 13 earning a perfect 4.0.
2014-15 UCLA All-Academic Team
