Big West Announces 2008-09 Scholar-Athletes of the Year

Files associated with this release:
2009 Big West Female Scholar Athletes of the Year Release
2009 Big West Male Scholar Athletes of the Year Release
3/7/2009

The 2008-09 Big West Male and Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year from the nine conference institutions will be honored at a special banquet on Thursday, March 12 at 9:00 a.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Garden Grove.  The winners were selected by each institution from one of 17 conference-sponsored sports.

2008-09 Big West Women's Scholar Athletes

Steffi Wong, Cal Poly (Markham, Ontario, Canada) – A member of one of the nation’s top doubles teams, Steffi earned All-Big West First Team in doubles in 2008 with partner Brittany Blalock.  The Mustang duo advanced to the NCAA Tournament in doubles and finished the season ranked No. 46 nationally.  Steffi also excels in the classroom as a member of the Honor Roll and Dean’s List.  The junior, a biomedical engineering major, is considering medical school upon graduation.

Jenae Gibbens, Cal State Fullerton (San Diego, Calif.) – Jenae’s academic and athletic career exemplifies the well-rounded student-athlete.  In addition to being named to the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America First Team and one of 10 finalists for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS award, the senior center back for the women’s soccer team is a two-time All-Big West First Team honoree.  She finished her senior season tied for the team lead in scoring with 13 points on three goals and seven assists.  The seven assists ranked her third in the league and tied her for second on the Titan single-season list.  The 2007 Big West Defender of the Year is one of nine Titans to be named to at least three All-Big West teams and one of only eight with a pair of first-team kudos.  Outside of campus life, Jenae has coached a local high school team for the last four years.  A business and marketing major, Jenae hopes to play soccer in Europe and pursue a career in the hospitality industry, specifically hotel management and event planning.

Jaclyn Rymer, Cal State Northridge (Bakersfield, Calif.) – Jaclyn earned All-Big West First Team honors in 2008 on the heels of receiving second team accolades as a freshman in 2007.  One of the toughest outs in the country, she struck out only eight times all of last season.  In addition, she hit a team-leading .400 in Big West play.  In the community, Jaclyn was a volunteer for Mastering Abilities Riding Equines, helping people with disabilities through therapeutic horseback riding.  She also volunteered with Heartfelt, an organization that served underprivileged kids.  Jaclyn also utilized her sports backgrounds as an intern in the Athletic Media Relations office at CSUN.  The journalism major aspires to be involved in magazine publication, learn to play the piano, travel to Australia and Spain, and improve her kick-boxing skills upon graduation.

Lauren Sims, Long Beach State (Fullerton, Calif.) – Lauren has accumulated a plethora of academic honors while a member of the women’s basketball team.  In addition to belonging to the President’s Honor Roll and the Golden Key International Honors Society, Sims was named a CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VIII Second Team member in 2007-08 and 2008-09.  She also received the NCAA Student-Athlete National Conference Participant Award in 2008.  On the court, the team captain ranks seventh all-time in school history in three-point field goal percentage.  Lauren led the Big West in that category with a .382 mark in 2007-08.  She also finds time to serve in a number of volunteer capacities, including the St. Mary’s Medical Center Clinical Care Extender, Southern California Special Olympics, Long Beach marathon and the Big West Charity Coin Drive.  Her post-graduation goals include medical school and volunteering abroad with Doctors Without Borders.

Randi Schuler, UC Davis (Woodland, Calif.) – Randi’s interests are as involved and varied as her accomplishments on the tennis court.  She earned All-Big West First Team honors in singles and Honorable Mention plaudits in doubles in 2008 as well as being named the UC Davis Team MVP.  The team’s captain and an English/Pre-Med major, Randi has made the UC Davis Dean’s List and Intercollegiate Athletics Honor Roll for four consecutive quarters.  She originally wrote a short story that she eventually expanded into a full-length fantasy novel titles Lords of Power.  Randi completed the novel in summer 2007 and is currently in the editing process before meeting with a literary agent to discuss publication.  She intends for the book to be the first in a planned trilogy.  Randi has volunteered at the UC Davis Medical Center and Cats About Town Society (CATS), a feline rescue organization to help find homes for cats who otherwise would be euthanized.  Her future goals include entering medical school, becoming a spine surgeon and continuing to write fiction.

Lauren Kellerman, UC Irvine (Escondido, Calif.) – The American Volleyball Coaches Association named Lauren a 2008 Division I Honorable Mention All-American after she recorded 349 kills, 259 digs and 38 total blocks.  She is just the third Anteater to earn All-America honors.  Lauren has compiled four all-conference selections and three Big West Player of the Week awards during her career.  A four-time Academic All-American, she is interested in pursuing law school.  The sociology major and management minor is active in the community as well, coaching and serving as a mentor to the girls in the Orange County Volleyball Association and Community & Youth Programs Sports Camps through UCI.  Kellerman also served as an English tutor in Italy during a study abroad experience this past year. 

Danielle Evans, UC Riverside (Pomona, Calif.) – Danielle has lettered three years with the Highlander cross country and track and field program, earning All-Conference in the 800 meters event.  She was a regional qualifier in the 800m and finished 12th at the Big West Cross Country Championship.  In addition, she serves as the Student Athlete Advisory Committee President and with the CCSA Board.  She also performs with the Young Adult choir at her church.  An Economics major, Danielle has her sights set on law school after graduation.

Katy Freeman, UC Santa Barbara (Concord, Calif.) – Katy has enjoyed a decorated career as a Gaucho swimmer, earning 2008 Honorable Mention accolades in the 200 breaststroke.  She also won titles in the 100 breast, 200 breast and 200 IM at the 2008 Big West Championships and earned 2006 Big West Freshman of the Year honors.  Katy earned All-American honors at the NCAA Championships and finished 10th overall at the 2008 Olympic Trials.  Selected to represent the United States at the 2009 World University Games, Katy balances her athletic career with strong academics, evidenced by being named a 2008 Academic All-American and a recipient of the 2008 Golden Eagle Ring Award.  A sociocultural linguistics major, Katy has been accepted into Teach for America following graduation.

Meghan Mullen, Pacific (South San Francisco, Calif.) – Meghan competed for four years on the Tiger women’s cross country team, running a personal-best 23:38 in the 6K at the Chico Invitational in 2006.  She has earned numerous academic awards, including Pacific Scholar-Athlete, Pacific Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and Big West Scholar-Athlete.  A political science major, Meghan is active with community activities that include Adopt-A-Family, Trick or Treat on Weber Street, the Big West Coin Drive and Pacific Sports Day.    Meghan also has garnered the Pacific Tigers Leadership Award and is president of the Honor Society Mortar Board.  She aims to pursue a career in politics.


2008-09 Big West Men's Scholar Athletes

Ryan Lee, Cal Poly (Los Altos, Calif.) – A three-year letterwinner on the Cal Poly baseball team, Ryan was an All-Big West Honorable Mention selection in 2008 and earned the Dick Morrow Coaches Award.  A Business Major specializing in Management, Ryan hit .357 with 11 doubles, three triples and 21 RBI last season.  He has qualified for the Dean’s List four times and earned a spot on the Big West All-Academic Team in the spring of 2008.  In his spare time, he has assisted with off-campus baseball camps and the San Luis Obispo County Special Olympics.  Ryan hopes to play baseball professionally or in another country, but also wants to pursue a career in business.

Joe Scott, Cal State Fullerton (Corona, Calif.) – Known as “Joe Titan,” Scott personifies the image of Cal State Fullerton baseball as a team-first player who puts the team’s success before any individual accomplishments.  Scott missed the first one-third of the 2008 season, but he sparked the Titans with his stellar defensive play as they notched a Big West title, regional championship and Super Regional berth.  A 41st round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft, he hit .294 with 10 RBI last season as the team’s second baseman.  Joe, a Kinesiology major, was chosen to the Dean’s List in the Fall of 2008 and serves on the Titan Hall of Fame Committee.  His long term goals are to play professional baseball for as long as possible and teach physical education.

Ryan Pineda, Cal State Northridge (Las Vegas, Nev.) – Ryan burst onto the collegiate baseball scene in his first season with the Matadors, earning 2008 Big West Freshman Player of the Year and Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American honors.  Heavily involved in his community, he is a church choir member and volunteer and read to kids at libraries and schools during the summer.  A marketing and management major, Pineda posted the team’s third-highest batting average, led the team in runs with 38 and tied for the team lead in hits with 72.  He one day hopes to play professional baseball or work as an economist in business or government.

Shane Peterson, Long Beach State (Temecula, Calif.) – Shane is a two-time Big West Scholar-Athlete of the Year for Long Beach State.  He signed a professional baseball contract last summer after being drafted in the second round by the St. Louis Cardinals.  The 2008 Big West Co-Player of the Year, Peterson also garnered Third Team All-American honors.  A .390 hitter with seven homers, 16 doubles and 50 RBI, Peterson also was recognized as a CoSIDA All-American and a six-time member of the President’s List.  Off the diamond, Shane is involved with Miller’s Children’s Hospital and the Spark of Love Toy Drive.  The finance major also volunteered at local Little Leagues and helped raise nearly $1,000 for the Susan G. Komen Breast Foundation.

Adam Borchard, UC Davis (Davis, Calif.) – Adam has excelled in both the swimming pool and the classroom for UC Davis.  He was ranked No. 1 in a class of 828 freshmen in the College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences at the conclusion of Fall 2007, and hasn’t let up, earning Dean’s List honors for three consecutive quarters.  Athletically, Adam competed solidly for the Aggies at the 2008 Big West Championships, finishing fourth in the 500 free, 8th in the 1000 free and 6th in the 1650 free.  An Environmental Science & Management major, Adam is a UCP Saddle Pals Therapeutic Riding Center volunteer, helping children with developmental and physical disabilities.  Adam plans to attend law school at the conclusion of his undergraduate studies.

Eric Pettis, UC Irvine (West Hills, Calif.) – Eric is a junior on the baseball team and one of the nation’s top relief pitchers.  In 2008, he tied the UC Irvine single season record with 17 saves and finished second in the nation in that category.  Pettis was 4-3 on the mound with a 2.62 ERA, fanning 50 in 44.2 innings.  For his efforts, he earned second team Louisville Slugger Collegiate Baseball and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association All-America honors.  Eric also was a third team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association and an All-Big West first team honoree.  A psychology major, Eric aspires to become a professional baseball player and a PGA Golfer when he retires.

Joey Gonzales, UC Riverside (Riverside, Calif.) – A junior political science major, Joey garnered 2007 Big West Freshman Player of the Year recognition.  He is a career .342 hitter with an on base percentage of .408.  Gonzales also earned Freshman All-American honors and is a two-time All-Big West recipient.

Chris Good, UC Santa Barbara (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) – Chris achieved the distinction of 2008 Big West champion in the 200 Backstroke at the conference’s swimming and diving championship.  He holds the school record in that event and finished 24th overall at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trails.  A swim team co-captain in 2009 and biology major, Good is working toward becoming an orthodonist.

Matthew Lundy, Pacific (Lafayette, Colo.) – Matthew is a four-year letterwinner on the men’s swimming and diving team.  He owns the school’s fastest times in the 1000 Free and 1600 Free during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons.  He set the school record in the 1000 in 2007-08.  His accomplishments aren’t restricted to the pool.  Matthew is a member of the Pacific Dean’s Honor Roll, the Pacific Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and the President of Pacific’s Climbing Club.  The Most Outstanding Male Newcomer for the Tigers in 2005-06, Matthew, an Applied Mathematics major, plans to attend graduate school.  He participated in the National Science Foundation sponsored Research Experience for Undergraduates and presented at Pacific’s Undergraduate Research Conference.