News

Ten WWU student-athletes earn GNAC Far Academic Award

Photo: WWU Athletics


BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Ten Western Washington University student-athletes have been named recipients of Great Northwest Athletic Conference Faculty Athletics Representative’s Scholar-Athlete awards for 2017-18.

Presented annually to the most outstanding student-athletes at each GNAC institution, the award honors those athletes who have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.85 or better. All student-athletes, including redshirts, listed on any squad list at a GNAC full-member school, regardless of whether the sport is a GNAC championship sport, are eligible for the award. Conference affiliate members could nominate student-athletes from the sport in which they compete in the GNAC. A record 207 GNAC student-athletes, 66 men and 141 women, were recognized with FAR awards with 109 as repeat selections from last year.

WWU’s 10 selections were led by four selections from the track & field and cross country programs and three members of the national-runner up women’s rowing squad. The 10 selections are tied for third-most by WWU student-athletes since the award started in 2011-12, trailing only 15 selections in 2011-12 and 12 in 2012-13. Overall WWU’s student-athletes combined for a 3.10 GPA in 2017-18, with 10 of 13 teams posting a GPA over 3.00 (Indoor/Outdoor Track & Field is combined). All eight of WWU’s women’s programs recorded a team GPA over 3.00.

WWU student-athletes honored with 2017-18 FAR Awards from the GNAC included the following:

Name

Sport

Academic Major

Year

GPA

Hometown

Maddie Bangasser

Rowing

Undeclared

Fr.

4.00

Sammamish, WA

Tess Biscup

Volleyball

Undeclared

Fr.

3.85

Duvall, WA

Aaron Bosscher

Track & Field

Electrical Engineering

So.

3.98

Lynden, WA

Mariah Brelsford

Track & Field

Undeclared

Fr.

3.88

Bozeman, MT

Angie Dexter*

Rowing

Spanish

Jr.

3.88

Anchorage, AK

Aundrea Koger*

Track & Field/Cross Country

Biology

So.

3.90

Osage City, KS

Jasmine McMullin

Track & Field

English

Sr.

3.94

Sequim, WA

Maddie Merritt

Rowing

Sociology

Sr.

3.92

Parker, CO

Mackenzie Palmer

Softball

Accounting

So.

3.89

Federal Way, WA

Cameron Unks

Soccer

Biology

So.

3.88

Centennial, CO

Dexter & Koger are two-time FAR Award recipients

Recent Headlines

15 hours ago in Sports, Trending

March Madness tournaments will expand to 76 teams each starting next season

The NCAA announced Thursday that it will expand its two March Madness tournaments by eight teams each next season, a long-expected move that will drop more games into the first week of the highly popular and lucrative showcase without substantially changing its overall form.

23 hours ago in Sports

Joel Embiid misses Game 2 and the 76ers miss their big man in the 4th quarter of their loss

The Philadelphia 76ers put up a good fight without Joel Embiid, though could have used their man in the middle when they struggled to score in the final minutes of Game 2 on Wednesday night.

23 hours ago in Sports

Wembanyama and Spurs rebound to hand Timberwolves largest postseason defeat, 133-95, to even series

Victor Wembanyama had 19 points and 15 rebounds, and the San Antonio Spurs handed Minnesota its worst postseason loss in franchise history, beating the Timberwolves 133-95 on Wednesday night to even their Western Conference semifinal series at one game apiece.

3 days ago in Sports

Knicks crush the 76ers 137-98 to start the second round and keep up a historic postseason roll

Jalen Brunson scored 27 of his 35 points in the first half and the New York Knicks emphatically added to a historic postseason roll by overwhelming the Philadelphia 76ers 137-98 on Monday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

3 days ago in Sports

Lakers’ Doncic, Thunder’s Williams ruled out for Game 1 of West semifinals with hamstring injuries

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic and Oklahoma City Thunder guard/forward Jalen Williams have been ruled out of Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals on Tuesday night with left hamstring injuries.