Maine Honors Scholar-Athletes for Academic Achievement
Complete Release with Scholar-Athlete by Award
ORONO, Maine--The University of Maine announced on Wednesday that 243 student-athletes will be honored and recognized for their success in the classroom at the Scholar-Athlete Recognition ceremony on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012. One-hundred seventy five student-athletes will be recognized as Scholar-Athletes for achieving a 3.0 or better grade point average for the 2011 year and/or having a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. Sixty-eight first-year student-athletes will also be honored as *Rising Stars* for earning a 3.0 or better in their first semester at Maine. The Scholar-Athletes and *Rising Stars* total 243, over half of the student-athletes at the University of Maine.
Now in its 23rd year, the awards have been presented annually since 1989 and 2,829 medallions have been awarded. This is the ninth year in a row that over half of the student-athletes have been honored. The event is sponsored by the University of Maine Foundation, The M Club, the University Credit Union and the Alumni Association.
“The University of Maine is pleased to announce its 2011 Maine Scholar-Athlete Award winners,” said Director of Athletics Steve Abbott. “This group of phenomenal student-athletes do not just excel in their sport, but also in the classroom. It is an outstanding achievement that for the ninth year in a row over half of our student-athletes were honored. Our coaches and staff congratulates them on this outstanding accomplishment.”
The University of Maine will honor these student-athletes at a reception on Sunday, Feb. 5 in Wells Conference Center at 11:30 a.m., and also announce the annual recipients of the “M” Club Dean Smith Award, presented to the top male and female scholar-athlete. Team Maine will also be announced, honoring the sophomore, junior or senior from each team who has achieved the highest grade point average for the 2011 calendar year. The women’s ice hockey team, which has a game on Sunday afternoon, will be unable to attend and will be honored at a later date.
All scholar-athletes will receive a medallion, the color of which represents the number of years that a recipient has earned the award. This year 88 student-athletes will receive bronze medals signifying the first time that they have received the award, 45 will receive silver medals signifying the second time that they have received the award, and 39 student-athletes will receive gold medals signifying the third time that they have received the award. Three student-athletes will receive double gold medals for their fourth time award.
