June 7, 2006
IRVING, Texas - UCF women's soccer standout Courtney Baines and women's golfer Ashley Grier were among the 20 recipients of Conference USA's 2005-06 Scholar Athlete of the Year awards announced by C-USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky on Wednesday.
Baines added numerous accolades to her already impressive resume during 2005-06. After starting all 22 matches in UCF's midfield, the senior exceptional education major was named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year and picked up C-USA First-Team All-Conference honors. In the classroom, she was rewarded for her efforts with her second consecutive ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District First Team award before receiving ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America First Team honors. Baines also received UCF's Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.
A senior business major, Grier earned four individual top 10 tournament finishes during the past year, including a season-best tie for second place at the Ryder Florida Women's Collegiate Championship in April. Placing seventh overall at the C-USA Championship, she earned third-team all-conference honors and was also rewarded for her excellence in the classroom as she was selected to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District Second Team.
Presented to the top student-athletes in each conference-sponsored sport, the C-USA Scholar Athlete of the Year awards are based on academic achievement (GPA), athletic achievement and service.
2005-06 SCHOLAR ATHLETE AWARD WINNERS
Baseball - Marc Maddox, Southern Miss
Men's Basketball - Miguel Ayala, UTEP
Women's Basketball - Kara Pongonis-Paslay, Tulsa
Men's Cross Country - Stephan Samoei, UTEP
Women's Cross Country - Daniele Riendeau, Memphis
Football - Garrett Mills, Tulsa
Men's Golf - Sam Korbe, Tulsa, Parker LaBarge, Rice
Women's Golf - Ashley Grier, UCF
Men's Soccer - Matt Wiley, Tulsa
Women's Soccer - Courtney Baines, UCF
Softball - Charity Butler, Southern Miss, Jenna Kubesch, Memphis
Women's Swimming & Diving - Sarah Virginia Hunt, East Carolina, Flavia Rigamonti, SMU
Men's Tennis - Sebastian Falk, UAB
Women's Tennis - Blair DiSesa, Rice
Men's Track and Field - Mickael Hanany, UTEP
Women's Track and Field - Callie Wells, Rice
Volleyball - Heidi Krug, East Carolina