Valparaiso's Honig, Butler's Gardner Named Scholar-Athletes of the Week

April 15, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS -

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Valparaiso University sophomore Chris Honig (men's track & field) and Butler University senior Genni Gardner (women's track & field) have been named the U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Week, League commissioner Jonathan B. LeCrone announced Tuesday (April 15).

Honig posted a second-place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Miami (Ohio) Team Challenge last week, matching the Crusaders' best individual placement at the meet. His time of 9:31.78 was just five seconds behind the winner and only seven seconds off of Honig's career-best time in the event.

In the classroom, Honig maintains a 3.598 grade-point average as a history major. A previous U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete in cross country, Honig was also named to the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll last fall, and the Academic All-League teams in both cross country and indoor track and field. He previously earned Mid-Continent Conference Academic All-Conference Honors in 2006.

Gardner captured Butler's lone first-place finish at the Miami (Ohio) Team Challenge, winning the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:34.53. She was also the lone League runner to place first in the 14-team meet, which included two other circuit teams.

Academically, Gardner boasts a 3.943 grade-point average as a communications disorders major. She has been named to the Academic All-League teams in both cross country and track and field, as well as the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll. She was also chosen on the CoSIDA District V All-Academic Team, and the 2007 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic Team.

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 and 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:

Ryan Byrne, Detroit (track & field, senior, 3.789, MBA) earned second-place in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 53.36 seconds at the Bison Outdoor Classic.

Sean Bidzinski, Loyola (golf, junior, 3.92, finance) finished tied for 36th-place at the Fighting Illini Spring Invitational last weekend. He posted a 36-hole score of 160 (83-77) to help Loyola to a tie for seventh-place. In 12 rounds this season, Bidzinski owns a 78.3 scoring average.

Andy Gerhartz, Milwaukee (baseball, junior, 3.286, business) helped Milwaukee to a 4-1 week, batting .375 in four games. He had six hits, scored three runs, drove in two and posted an on-base percentage of .474. He also stole three bases in four attempts.

Justin Parker, Wright State (baseball, junior, 3.440, organizational leadership) helped the Raiders to a 4-1 record and a series sweep at Butler over the weekend to push WSU's League-leading winning streak to three games. He drove in seven RBI's and scored seven runs during the week with a .333 on-base percentage. Parker also collected five RBI's and scored three runs in the three-game Butler series while smacking his fifth home run of the season in the series opener.

OTHER FEMALE NOMINEES:

Amanda Smith, Detroit (track & field, senior, 3.605, nursing) placed third in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 64.82 seconds at the Bison Outdoor Classic. She was also part of the Titans' 4 x 800-meter relay team that placed second.

Angie Funston, Loyola (softball, sophomore, 3.48, accounting) went 2-for-3 with two RBI, a run scored and a stolen base in Loyola's 4-3 victory over Northern Illinois on Tuesday (Apr. 8). Her two-run double keyed a three-run first inning in the win over NIU. This spring, Funston is batting .333 with a team-best 21 RBI.

Jenni Saarinen, Milwaukee (track & field, junior, 3.717, elementary education) set a school record in the heptathlon at the Sea Ray Relays with 5,021 points. She placed seventh at the meet, just missing an NCAA provisional score by 29 points, but breaking her own school record by 28 points.

Mallory Gill, Valparaiso (softball, senior, 3.702, psychology, secondary education and special education) hit four home runs in four games last week after having just three career home runs in her first three-and-a-half seasons. She recorded a hit in each of her first five at-bats on her way to a .571 average on the week, while adding a team-best 10 RBI to lead the Crusaders to a 4-0 record. Gill also had her first career multi-homer game against UIC on Friday (Apr. 11).

Jamie Perkins, Wright State (softball, sophomore, 3.862, finance) led Wright State to a 4-1 overall record last week and a series sweep at Youngstown State to lead the Raiders into first place in the Horizon League standings. She carried a .353 batting average with four walks and only one strikeout in 20 plate appearances. She also scored five runs, collected four hits, and drove in an RBI along with two doubles and a walk. Perkins ended the week with a four-game hitting streak.

PREVIOUS U.S. ARMY SCHOLAR-ATHLETES:

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