Valparaiso's Bivens, Loyola's Kresl Honored as Scholar-Athletes of the Week

May 6, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS -

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Valparaiso University sophomore Brett Bivens (baseball) and Loyola University Chicago sophomore Ellen Kresl (softball) have been named the U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Week, League commissioner Jonathan B. LeCrone announced Tuesday (May 6).

Bivens extended his hitting streak to 10 straight games last week as he hit .333 with two runs batted in through four games. He scored twice on the week and had a pinch hit walk that plated a run in a 7-6 first game victory over University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

As a finance major, Bivens carries a 3.75 grade-point average. He has been named to the Dean's List every semester and was placed on the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll last fall. He was a member of the Mid-Continent Conference's All-Academic Team as a freshman and has earned Valparaiso University Presidential Honors as well.

Kresl batted an impressive .571 (4-for-7) in four games last week as Loyola went 3-1, including a three-game series sweep of the University of Detroit Mercy. She owned a .583 on-base percentage, having reached base safely in each of the Ramblers' last seven games. Kresl batted .459 in League play this season.

In the classroom, Kresl maintains a 3.67 grade-point average as an accounting major. She helped Loyola to a 2007 National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Academic Team award, and she was recognized on the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll last fall.

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 MALE NOMINEES:

Robert Caplin, Loyola (golf, sophomore, 3.59, biology) tied for 19th with a score of 232 (78-79-75) at the Horizon League Championship, helping the Ramblers finish in fourth place. He shot a three-over-par 75 in the final round of the League championship.

Brett Schaefer, UIC (baseball, junior, 3.33, business) went 3-for-4 against Chicago State on Wednesday (Apr. 30), scoring twice in UIC's 13-0 victory.

Aaron Merrill, Youngstown State (track & field, junior, 3.66, criminal justice) threw his best mark of the season in the shot put (58-9 1/4) in his last meet before the upcoming League championship. The distance unofficially ranks him 24th nationally and seventh in the Midwest Region. Merrill broke his own school record with the throw and currently holds the League's top distance by more than seven feet.

OTHER FEMALE NOMINEES:

Kory Olson, Milwaukee (track & field, junior, 3.202, actuarial science) won the heptathlon at the Horizon League championship, scoring approximately 4400 points. Her victory in the event gives the Panthers a head start towards a second-straight League outdoor championship.

Amanda Body, Valparaiso (track & field, junior, 3.351, political science and English) ran the leadoff leg of Valpo's first-place 4x100-meter relay team at the Butler Twilight Meet on Saturday (May 3). She also placed fifth in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.23 seconds and sixth in the long jump with a leap of 17 feet 4 3/4 inches.

PREVIOUS U.S. ARMY SCHOLAR-ATHLETES:

Aug. 28Nina Inic (Butler, volleyball)
Sept. 5Ryan Miller (Green Bay, cross country); Liz Fazio (Cleveland State, volleyball)
Sept. 11Chris Honig (Valparaiso, cross country); Katarina Hanackova (UIC, volleyball)
Sept. 18Malcolm DeBaun (Loyola, soccer); Betty Slinger (Green Bay, volleyball)
Sept. 25Markian Zyga (Loyola, soccer); Sara Hughes (Valparaiso, volleyball)
Oct. 2Kent Wories (Butler, cross country); Ani Michl (Valparaiso, soccer)
Oct. 9Zeke Dombrowski (Milwaukee, soccer); Lotte Rasmussen (Green Bay, soccer)
Oct. 16Kent Wories (Butler, cross country); Amanda Stinson (Green Bay, soccer)
Oct. 23Robby Leibold (Milwaukee, swimming); Alyse Serritella (Loyola, volleyball)
Oct. 30Steve Grove (Cleveland State, swimming); Genni Gardner (Butler, cross country)
Nov. 6Steve Grove (Cleveland State, swimming); Beth Steuer (Milwaukee, soccer)
Nov. 13Robby Leibold (Milwaukee, swimming); Cynthia Morote-Ariza (Loyola, soccer)
Nov. 20Mike Schachtner (Green Bay, basketball); Mel Snyder (Cleveland State, volleyball)
Nov. 27A.J. Graves (Butler, basketball); Kailey Klein (Cleveland State, basketball)
Dec. 4Drew Streicher (Butler, basketball); Ashley Hall (Milwaukee, diving)
Dec. 11Jake Diebler (Valparaiso, basketball); Ashley Hall (Milwaukee, diving)
Dec. 18Samuel Haanpää (Valparaiso, basketball); Leah Hochstetler (Valparaiso, basketball)
Jan. 8Ryan Tillema (Green Bay, basketball); Kayla Groh (Green Bay, basketball)
Jan. 15Mike Schachtner (Green Bay, basketball); Kari Helland (Green Bay, diving)
Jan. 22Steve Bartholomew (Valparaiso, indoor track & field), Kelsey Hausken (Green Bay, swimming)
Jan. 29Robby Leibold (Milwaukee, swimming); Jessica Weidert (Wright State, swimming)
Feb. 5Jeremy Waldhart (Milwaukee, swimming); Ashley Hall (Milwaukee, diving)
Feb. 12Phil Orno (Cleveland State, tennis); Kat Krause (Loyola, softball)
Feb. 19A.J. Graves (Butler, basketball); Elise VanBogaert (Loyola, basketball)
Feb. 26Adam Schleis (Milwaukee, baseball); Jessica Weidert (Wright State, swimming)
Mar. 4Julian Betko (Butler, basketball); Launa Hochstetler (Valparaiso, basketball)
Mar. 11Aaron Merrill (Youngstown State, outdoor track & field); Andrea Zappia (Valparaiso, softball)
Mar. 18Andy Hetebrueg (Milwaukee, baseball); Kim Sajevic (Valparaiso, tennis)
Mar. 25A.J. Graves (Butler, basketball); Nora Schober (Loyola, softball)
Apr. 1Andy Hetebrueg (Milwaukee, baseball); Karen Korb (Valparaiso, softball)
Apr. 8Ryan Stohs (Valparaiso, track & field); Holly Nearman (Milwaukee, track & field)
Apr. 15Chris Honig (Valparaiso, track & field); Genni Gardner (Butler, track & field)
Apr. 22Sean Bidzinski (Loyola, golf); Kat Krause (Loyola, softball)
Apr. 29Phil Orno (Cleveland State, tennis); Jenna Reisch (UIC, tennis)