CSU's Grove, YSU's LaFleur Honored as U.S. Army Scholar-Athletes of the Week

Jan. 15, 2009

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INDIANAPOLIS -- Cleveland State University swimmer Stephen Grove and Youngstown State University basketball player Nikita LaFleur have been named U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Week for the week ending Jan. 11, League commissioner Jonathan B. LeCrone announced Thursday (Jan. 15).

Grove (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota East), a junior, led the Vikings to a 139-62 dual-meet victory over Xavier University last Saturday, with a pair of wins and second-place finish. He won the 50 freestyle in 21.59 and claimed a runner-up finish in the 100 butterfly with a time of 51.76. In addition, he helped the 200 free relay team win the event in a time of 1:26.51.

In the classroom, Grove carries a 3.88 grade-point average as a mechanical engineering major at Cleveland State. He previously was named Horizon League Scholar-Athlete of the Week on Dec. 4.

LaFleur (Scarborough, Ontario/Mother Teresa), a senior forward, nearly averaged a double-double with 18 points and 9.3 rebounds in three games last week. She had 15 points and 10 rebounds against the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Jan. 8, then scored a career-high 25 points with 14 rebounds last Saturday against preseason Horizon League favorite University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

For the season, LaFleur is averaging 10.4 points and a League-leading 8.9 rebounds per game.

A psychology major, LaFleur owns a 3.44 grade-point average at Youngstown State. She has earned recognition on the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll and the YSU Athletics Honor Roll during her career.

The Horizon League instituted the U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete of the Week awards as a way to recognize outstanding academic and athletic achievement by its student-athletes. To be eligible for the honor, a student-athlete must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20 or better (on a 4.00 scale), have completed at least one year at the member institution, passed 24 semester or 36 quarter hours and perform well during the week's competition. Winners are selected by a group of League faculty athletic representatives, from nominations provided by sports information directors.

OTHER MEN'S NOMINEES:
Jake Diebler, Valparaiso (basketball, 3.516, marketing, senior)
Matt Howard, Butler (basketball, 3.727, finance, sophomore)
Aric Van Weelden, Loyola (basketball, 3.55, junior, business)

OTHER WOMEN'S NOMINEES:
Elyse VanBogaert, Loyola (basketball, 3.71, junior, music)