ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The 2017 Lobo Scholar-Athlete Banquet was held at the UNM Student Union Building on Monday night, with Jasmine Casados of softball and Nik Aston of men’s track and field receiving UNM Bookstores/Dining and Food Services Post Graduate Scholarships to highlight the evening.
The awards were some of the many handed out at the department’s largest academic banquet. In addition, 283 student-athletes were named Lobo Scholar-Athletes for having a 3.2 cumulative GPA.
In addition, the 2017 UNM All-Academic Team, made up of the top academic performer on each team, was announced. The team members were Jake Nelson (baseball), Tim Williams (men’s basketball), Cherise Beynon (women’s basketball), Jackie Baro (beach volleyball), Adam Cotton (men’s cross country), Alice Wright (women’s cross country), Dakota Cox (football), Mark McGrath (men’s golf), Kalyn Thayer (women’s golf), Patrick Brachner (men’s skiing), Sydney Staples (women’s skiing), Simon Spangenberg (men’s soccer), Bailey Webster (women’s soccer), Tess McPherson (softball), Madison Burns (swimming and diving), Michael Tran (men’s tennis), Rachana Bhat (women’s tennis), Sam Trigg (men’s track & field), Katherine Whiting (women’s track & field), and Marisa Doran (volleyball).
For team awards, the most improved award went to women’s tennis, while the Athletic Director’s Cup for the top academic program went to women’s skiing for the second straight year. Bryan Cutler of track and field and Kasey Halleen of softball were named the winners of the PACKS Program Award, and Sydney Staples of women’s skiing and Tim Williams of men’s basketball were named the Lobo Club Student-Athletes of the Year.
Additionally, Eva Sever Rus was named the winner of the Lou McKinnon Wellborn/Lobo Women’s Society Fifth Year Scholarship and women’s golfer Kalyn Thayer was named the winner of the Lobo Scholars Program Innovation Award.
One of the top honors bestowed is the Director’s Chair Awards. Presented to student-athletes that graduate with a 4.00 grade point average, nine were awarded director’s chairs with the Lobo logo and their names inscribed on the chairs: Connor Rusch of baseball, Adam Cotton of men’s cross country, Sam Trigg of men’s track and field, Patrick Brancher, Taylor Grauer and Sydney Staples for skiing, Sophie Connor for women’s cross country and Kayln Thayer Andre Katarina Jaeger of women’s golf.
Two non-academic awards were presented as well, as the Jamie Koch Distinguished Service Award with the Rudy Chavez, and the Loren Dils Courage Award went to Eva Saulnier.