ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Carlie McGregor and Alex Estrella both earned UNM Store Postgraduate Scholarships in the amount of $2,000 each to highlight the University of New Mexico Athletics Department’s annual Lobo Scholar-Athlete Banquet, held in the Student Union Ballroom. Amy Neel, UNM’s Faculty Athletic Representative presided over the evening’s festivities.
Both McGregor and Estrella were honored several times throughout the evening for their academic work. McGregor is a member of the UNM swim team and Estrella is a relief pitcher on the baseball team.
All types of awards were handed out, including the Athletic Director’s Cup, which goes to the team with the highest GPA. That honor was presented by Vice President of Athletics Paul Krebs to Jill Trujillo and the women’s golf team, who scored a 3.86 cumulative grade point average.
A total of 293 student-athletes were honored as Lobo Scholar-Athletes, who had a grade point average of 3.2 or better. Of those 293 honored, 106 were natives of New Mexico, including 81 from the Albuquerque/Rio Rancho area.
Former Lobo football player and Metropolitan Court Judge Frank Sedillo presented director’s chairs to UNM’s seven student-athletes that will or have graduated with a perfect 4.00 GPA or better. Chairs were presented to Garrett Adcock (football), Josh Dye (men’s soccer), Alex Estrella (baseball), Sam Iftikhar (men’s tennis), Carlie McGregor (swimming & diving), Christian Otto (skiing) and Cassie Ulrich (women’s soccer).
In addition, the 2015 UNM All-Academic team, consisting of the top academic student from each team was announced:
Baseball: Alex Estrella
Men’s Basketball: Cullen Neal
Men’s Cross Country: Patrick Zacharias
Women’s Cross Country: Heleene Tambet
Football: Garrett Adcock
Men’s Golf: Sam Saunders
Women’s Golf: Kalyn Thayer
Men’s Skiing: Christian Otto
Women’s Skiing: Sydney Staples
Men’s Soccer: Josh Dye
Women’s Soccer: Cassie Ulrich
Sand Volleyball: Ashley Newman
Softball: Shelbie Franc
Swimming & Diving: Carlie McGregor
Men’s Tennis: Sam Iftikhar
Women’s Tennis: Meredith Hopson
Men’s Track and Field: Yannick Rogatz
Women’s Track and Field: Christina Clark
Volleyball: Devanne Sours
The men’s basketball team and head coach Craig Neal were presented with the Most Improved Academic award, and Coach Neal also spoke of behalf of Hugh Greenwood, who was a co-winner of the Loren Dils Courage Award. Sister Josie Greenwood accepted the award on Hugh’s behalf. The other co-winner of the Loren Dils Courage Award was Donnie White of the football team. Greenwood started the Pink Pack Foundation, raising money for breast cancer awareness and programs at UNM Hospital. White suffered a family tragedy when his father was murdered in September. He missed only one game and ended the season as a starter at linebacker. Both student-athletes had over a 3.0 grade point average.
The Lobo Club and new Director Stu Starner presented the Lobo Club Student-Athletes of the Year awards to McGregor and James Rogers of the men’s soccer team. Gabrielle Stacey of the softball team was awardes the Lou McKinnon Wellborn-Lobo Women’s Society 5th Year Scholarship. The PACKS Scholastic Excellence Award went to track & field’s Alyssa Söderberg (underclassman) and Katie Hinman of women’s soccer (upperclassman).