April 9, 2007
Photo Gallery from the 2007 Scholar and Service Award Reception
Scholar-Athlete Inspiration Award Winners in PDF Format
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ORLANDO, Fla. (www.UCFAthletics.com) - Eight student-athletes received individual awards at the sixth annual UCF Student-Athlete Scholar and Service Reception held at the FAIRWINDS Alumni Center on Monday night.
Headlining the list of recipients were the UCF Scholar-Athletes of the Year. Junior football player Sha'reff Rashad (Jacksonville, Fla./Episcopal HS) received the men's honor, while senior basketball player Elizabeth Fieser (Norwich, Kan./Norwich HS) and rower Krystina Sarff (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale HS) shared the women's award.
Three athletes - junior baseball player Jaager Good (Atlanta, Ga./Riverwood HS), junior women's basketball player Amber Long (Irmo, S.C./Dutch Fork HS) and senior women's golfer Lauren Motyl (New Bedford, Mass./New Bedford HS) - were chosen to receive the Dr. Bill Callarman Award. The honor, which is named after UCF's former long-time NCAA Faculty Representative, is given for outstanding effort in the classroom.
The newly created Dr. Richard Lapchick Award, which measures both athletic and academic achievement in addition to the positive impact an athlete has on the community, was presented to senior football player Kyle Israel (Orlando, Fla./University HS) and sophomore softball player Shelly Frick (Jacksonville, Fla./Terry Parker HS). Israel and Frick are both active members of the Student-Athlete Advisory (SACC) board and aided in organizing the fundraising effort to help rebuild the boathouse for the Stetson University rowing team. Israel also made visits to local hospitals and schools, while Frick serves as co-president of SAAC and helped coordinate the National Girls and Women in Sports Day event on campus.
Also new this year, each athlete selected as the top scholar-athlete in his or her sport chose a faculty or staff member from the university community to receive the Scholar-Athlete Inspiration Award. Previously the distinction was only extended to the overall scholar-athlete of the year winners.
Overall, a school record 378 student-athletes earned a spot on the Athletics Director's Honor Roll with a 3.0 or better grade-point-average during either semester of the 2006 calendar year. Of that number, 250 posted a 3.5 or better and 52 achieved a 4.0.
UCF also had 190 student-athletes named to the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll for maintaining a cumulative 3.0 or better GPA at the end of the fall semester, which ranked the Knights first in C-USA.
Sponsored by Blue Bell Creamery and Scholar-Baller, Monday's ceremony was held in conjunction with National Student-Athlete Day.
For the latest news and information on the Knights, tickets or apparel log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports.