Top Academic Achievers Honored as Big Ten Distinguished Scholars
7/14/2022 11:00:00 AM | Baseball, Cross Country, Football, General, Men's Golf, Men's Swimming & Diving, Men's Tennis, Softball, Track & Field, Women's Basketball, Women's Golf, Soccer, Women's Swimming & Diving, Volleyball, Wrestling
ROSEMONT, Ill. – Seventy-two student-athletes earned Big Ten Distinguished Scholar recognition for their academic excellence during the 2021-22 school year as Purdue Athletics reached a benchmark of 70 honorees for the third year in a row.
Student-athletes across the conference were recognized as Big Ten Distinguished Scholars for achieving grade-point averages of 3.70 and better during the completed school year. Fourteen of the Boilermakers' 72 honorees (19%) compiled flawless 4.0 GPAs during the 2020-21 school year. Eight of Purdue's teams had at least one student-athlete with a 4.0.
Two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholars Kat Mueller (swimming & diving) and Ian Hunter (cross country and track & field) have maintained perfect cumulative 4.0 GPAs through the end of their junior years at Purdue. Mya Hagerty (cross country and track & field) and Belle Hinshaw (swimming & diving) also have cumulative 4.0s. Tessa Sheets (track & field) has been a straight-A student as a Boilermaker as well.
Twenty-nine of Purdue's most recent group of Big Ten Distinguished Scholars were also 2022 spring graduates.
Meanwhile, a dozen student-athletes were recognized as Big Ten Distinguished Scholars for at least the third time in their careers. That group is headlined by four-time honorees Megan Slamkowski (cross country and track & field), Maya Lambert (soccer) and Sheets.
Big Ten Faculty Representatives established the Distinguished Scholar award in 2008 to supplement the Academic All-Big Ten program. Distinguished Scholar recipients must have earned Academic All-Big Ten recognition in the previous academic year, must have been enrolled full time at the institution for the entire previous academic year (two semesters or three quarters) and earned a minimum GPA of 3.70 during the previous academic year, excluding any summer grades. The Academic All-Big Ten threshold is a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for a student's academic career.
Purdue also had a record 265 student-athletes earn Academic All-Big Ten honors during the 2021-22 school year – 107 in the fall, 68 in the winter and 90 in the spring.
BIG TEN DISTINGUISHED SCHOLAR NOTABLES
• Women's swimming & diving had a Purdue-best 13 student-athletes honored as Big Ten Distinguished Scholars this year. Soccer was close behind with nine honorees while having a slightly smaller roster.
• Baseball's Jackson Smeltz, softball's Rachel Becker and diver Ben Bramley were also named Academic All-America. Becker was a first-team All-Big Ten and third-team All-America performer as well. Bramley was a repeat selection on the Academic All-America teams from the at-large sports (swim-dive, golf, tennis, wrestling, etc.).
• Volleyball's Grace Cleveland and Bramley were selected as Purdue's Big Ten Medal of Honor recipients.
• Soccer's Sarah Griffith was the Big Ten Forward of the Year while scoring a team-record 16 goals, earning second-team All-America accolades after leading Purdue back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009.
• Caitlyn Newton led volleyball in kills for the third consecutive season while leading Purdue back to a Regional Final at the NCAA Tournament. She was a first-team All-Big Ten and second-team All-America performer.
• Divers Maycey Vieta and Maggie Merriman were medalists at the Big Ten Championships and USA Diving Winter Nationals along with being NCAA Championships and FINA World Championships qualifiers. Merriman finished fifth nationally on the platform at NCAAs to earn All-America accolades.
• Swimmers Nikola Aćin and Nick Sherman helped Purdue win a pair of relay medals at the Big Ten Championships and also competed at the NCAA Championships. Aćin went on to race for Serbia 4x100 free relay at the FINA World Championships after being an Olympian last summer.
• Isaiah Martin finished ninth in the decathlon at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships to earn second-team All-America accolades.
• Wrestlers Parker Filius, Thomas Penola and Devin Schroder all represented Purdue at the NCAA Championships.
• Emma Tate represented cross country at the NCAA Championships.
FULL LIST OF PURDUE'S 2021-22 BIG TEN DISTINGUISHED SCHOLARS
Names in bold achieved 4.0 GPAs for the school year
Years in parentheses are previous years they were also recognized
BASEBALL
• Tanner Haston (2021, 2020) – Biomedical Health Sciences (Pre-Dentistry)
• Tyler Powers – Master's in Technology Leadership & Innovation
• Jackson Smeltz (2021) – Agribusiness Management
• Troy Viola – Master's in Technology Leadership & Innovation
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
• Cassidy Hardin (2021, 2020) – Biochemistry
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY AND TRACK & FIELD (4)
• Alex Frey – Computer Science
• Ian Hunter (2021) – Computer Science / Actuarial Science / Applied Statistics
• Bryce Hutchinson (2021) – Chemical Engineering
• John Pieper (2021, 2020) – Environmental & Ecological Engineering
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY AND TRACK & FIELD (6)
• Mya Hagerty – Brain & Behavioral Sciences
• Leah Keesling – Food Science / Nutrition Science
• Megan Slamkowski (2021, 2020, 2019) – Kinesiology / Psychological Sciences
• Ellie Tate – Aviation Management
• Emma Tate (2021) – Plant Science
• Katelyn Wasson – Brain & Behavioral Sciences / Applied Statistics
FOOTBALL
• Robert McWilliams III – Master's in Public Health
MEN'S GOLF
• Andrew Farraye – Finance
SOCCER (9)
• Kelsi Carrico – Public Health
• Sydney Duarte (2021) – Nursing
• Sarah Griffith – Psychological Sciences
• Skylar Giacobetti (2021) – Biomedical Health Sciences (Pre-Physician's Assistant)
• Teagan Jones – Mechanical Engineering
• Maya Lambert (2021, 2020, 2019) – Master's in Management (Accounting)
• Hannah Martin – Accounting
• Ally Mussallem (2021) – Nursing
• Emma Tompkins (2021) – Brain & Behavioral Sciences
SOFTBALL (4)
• Rachel Becker (2021) – Chemical Engineering
• Kaeley Hallada (2021, 2020) – Elementary Education
• Rylee Platusic – Selling & Sales Management
• Kasey Wilhoit (2021) – Agronomy, Crop & Soil Management
MEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING (9)
• Nikola Aćin (2021) – Kinesiology
• Ben Bramley (2021, 2020) – Finance
• Elliot Cooper – Chemical Engineering
• Aaron Frollo – Computer Engineering
• Rafael Rodriguez – Mechanical Engineering
• Ethan Shaw – Supply Chain & Sales Engineering Technology
• Nick Sherman – Mechanical Engineering
• Andrew Witty – Mechanical Engineering
• Skyler Younkin (2021) – General Management
WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING (13)
• Kendra Bowen – Selling & Sales Management
• Belle Hinshaw – Psychological Sciences
• McKenna Jule (2021, 2020) – Health Science Preprofessional (Pre-Med)
• Maggie Merriman (2021, 2020) – Human Services
• Kat Mueller (2021) – Social Studies Education
• Emily (Bretscher) Pfeiffer (2019) – General Management
• Hayley Pike – Animation
• Evie Sierra – Animal Sciences
• Jenna Sonnenberg – Law & Society
• Maycey Vieta (2021) – Media & Mass Communication
• Leanna Wall (2021) – Chemical Engineering
• Tessa Wrightson (2021, 2020) – Health Science Preprofessional (Pre-Med)
• Rachel Young (2021) – Business Communication
MEN'S TENNIS
• Andre Suzanne (2021) – Physics
MEN'S TRACK & FIELD (4)
• Isaiah Martin – Psychological Sciences
• Joseph Romanyk – Civil Engineering
• Logan Sandlin – Mechanical Engineering
• Johnny Vanos – Kinesiology
WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD (4)
• Mackenzie Barrett – Kinesiology
• Jessica Bray (2021) – Health Science Preprofessional (Pre-Med)
• Tessa Sheets (2021, 2020, 2019) – Master's in Animal Sciences
• Alexis Zatta – Graduate Certificate in Communication & Leadership
VOLLEYBALL (6)
• Grace Cleveland – Retail Management
• Maddy Chinn (2021) – Health Science Preprofessional (Pre-Dentistry)
• Madeline Koch – Brain & Behavioral Sciences / Applied Statistics
• Caitlyn Newton – Master's in Public Health
• Megan Renner (2021) – Biomedical Health Sciences (Pre-Physician's Assistant)
• Emma Terwilliger (2021, 2020) – Neurobiology & Physiology / Health & Disease
WRESTLING (5)
• Brennan Doyle (2021) – Computer Science
• Parker Filius (2021) – Master's in Global Supply Chain Management
• Thomas Penola – English Education
• Devin Schroder – Master's in Technology Leadership & Innovation
• Ethan Smiley (2021, 2020) – Plant Science
Student-athletes across the conference were recognized as Big Ten Distinguished Scholars for achieving grade-point averages of 3.70 and better during the completed school year. Fourteen of the Boilermakers' 72 honorees (19%) compiled flawless 4.0 GPAs during the 2020-21 school year. Eight of Purdue's teams had at least one student-athlete with a 4.0.
Two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholars Kat Mueller (swimming & diving) and Ian Hunter (cross country and track & field) have maintained perfect cumulative 4.0 GPAs through the end of their junior years at Purdue. Mya Hagerty (cross country and track & field) and Belle Hinshaw (swimming & diving) also have cumulative 4.0s. Tessa Sheets (track & field) has been a straight-A student as a Boilermaker as well.
Twenty-nine of Purdue's most recent group of Big Ten Distinguished Scholars were also 2022 spring graduates.
Meanwhile, a dozen student-athletes were recognized as Big Ten Distinguished Scholars for at least the third time in their careers. That group is headlined by four-time honorees Megan Slamkowski (cross country and track & field), Maya Lambert (soccer) and Sheets.
| 3-TIME BIG TEN DISTINGUISHED SCHOLARS Seniors to be recognized at least 3 times |
|
| WOMEN'S BASKETBALL • Cassidy Hardin MEN'S XC AND TRACK & FIELD • John Pieper WOMEN'S XC AND TRACK & FIELD • Megan Slamkowski (4x) SOCCER • Maya Lambert (4x) SOFTBALL • Kaeley Hallada MEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING • Ben Bramley |
WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING • McKenna Jule • Maggie Merriman • Tessa Wrightson WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD • Tessa Sheets (4x) VOLLEYBALL • Emma Terwilliger WRESTLING • Ethan Smiley |
Big Ten Faculty Representatives established the Distinguished Scholar award in 2008 to supplement the Academic All-Big Ten program. Distinguished Scholar recipients must have earned Academic All-Big Ten recognition in the previous academic year, must have been enrolled full time at the institution for the entire previous academic year (two semesters or three quarters) and earned a minimum GPA of 3.70 during the previous academic year, excluding any summer grades. The Academic All-Big Ten threshold is a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for a student's academic career.
Purdue also had a record 265 student-athletes earn Academic All-Big Ten honors during the 2021-22 school year – 107 in the fall, 68 in the winter and 90 in the spring.
BIG TEN DISTINGUISHED SCHOLAR NOTABLES
• Women's swimming & diving had a Purdue-best 13 student-athletes honored as Big Ten Distinguished Scholars this year. Soccer was close behind with nine honorees while having a slightly smaller roster.
• Baseball's Jackson Smeltz, softball's Rachel Becker and diver Ben Bramley were also named Academic All-America. Becker was a first-team All-Big Ten and third-team All-America performer as well. Bramley was a repeat selection on the Academic All-America teams from the at-large sports (swim-dive, golf, tennis, wrestling, etc.).
• Volleyball's Grace Cleveland and Bramley were selected as Purdue's Big Ten Medal of Honor recipients.
• Soccer's Sarah Griffith was the Big Ten Forward of the Year while scoring a team-record 16 goals, earning second-team All-America accolades after leading Purdue back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009.
• Caitlyn Newton led volleyball in kills for the third consecutive season while leading Purdue back to a Regional Final at the NCAA Tournament. She was a first-team All-Big Ten and second-team All-America performer.
• Divers Maycey Vieta and Maggie Merriman were medalists at the Big Ten Championships and USA Diving Winter Nationals along with being NCAA Championships and FINA World Championships qualifiers. Merriman finished fifth nationally on the platform at NCAAs to earn All-America accolades.
• Swimmers Nikola Aćin and Nick Sherman helped Purdue win a pair of relay medals at the Big Ten Championships and also competed at the NCAA Championships. Aćin went on to race for Serbia 4x100 free relay at the FINA World Championships after being an Olympian last summer.
• Isaiah Martin finished ninth in the decathlon at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships to earn second-team All-America accolades.
• Wrestlers Parker Filius, Thomas Penola and Devin Schroder all represented Purdue at the NCAA Championships.
• Emma Tate represented cross country at the NCAA Championships.
FULL LIST OF PURDUE'S 2021-22 BIG TEN DISTINGUISHED SCHOLARS
Names in bold achieved 4.0 GPAs for the school year
Years in parentheses are previous years they were also recognized
BASEBALL
• Tanner Haston (2021, 2020) – Biomedical Health Sciences (Pre-Dentistry)
• Tyler Powers – Master's in Technology Leadership & Innovation
• Jackson Smeltz (2021) – Agribusiness Management
• Troy Viola – Master's in Technology Leadership & Innovation
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
• Cassidy Hardin (2021, 2020) – Biochemistry
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY AND TRACK & FIELD (4)
• Alex Frey – Computer Science
• Ian Hunter (2021) – Computer Science / Actuarial Science / Applied Statistics
• Bryce Hutchinson (2021) – Chemical Engineering
• John Pieper (2021, 2020) – Environmental & Ecological Engineering
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY AND TRACK & FIELD (6)
• Mya Hagerty – Brain & Behavioral Sciences
• Leah Keesling – Food Science / Nutrition Science
• Megan Slamkowski (2021, 2020, 2019) – Kinesiology / Psychological Sciences
• Ellie Tate – Aviation Management
• Emma Tate (2021) – Plant Science
• Katelyn Wasson – Brain & Behavioral Sciences / Applied Statistics
FOOTBALL
• Robert McWilliams III – Master's in Public Health
MEN'S GOLF
• Andrew Farraye – Finance
SOCCER (9)
• Kelsi Carrico – Public Health
• Sydney Duarte (2021) – Nursing
• Sarah Griffith – Psychological Sciences
• Skylar Giacobetti (2021) – Biomedical Health Sciences (Pre-Physician's Assistant)
• Teagan Jones – Mechanical Engineering
• Maya Lambert (2021, 2020, 2019) – Master's in Management (Accounting)
• Hannah Martin – Accounting
• Ally Mussallem (2021) – Nursing
• Emma Tompkins (2021) – Brain & Behavioral Sciences
SOFTBALL (4)
• Rachel Becker (2021) – Chemical Engineering
• Kaeley Hallada (2021, 2020) – Elementary Education
• Rylee Platusic – Selling & Sales Management
• Kasey Wilhoit (2021) – Agronomy, Crop & Soil Management
MEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING (9)
• Nikola Aćin (2021) – Kinesiology
• Ben Bramley (2021, 2020) – Finance
• Elliot Cooper – Chemical Engineering
• Aaron Frollo – Computer Engineering
• Rafael Rodriguez – Mechanical Engineering
• Ethan Shaw – Supply Chain & Sales Engineering Technology
• Nick Sherman – Mechanical Engineering
• Andrew Witty – Mechanical Engineering
• Skyler Younkin (2021) – General Management
WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING (13)
• Kendra Bowen – Selling & Sales Management
• Belle Hinshaw – Psychological Sciences
• McKenna Jule (2021, 2020) – Health Science Preprofessional (Pre-Med)
• Maggie Merriman (2021, 2020) – Human Services
• Kat Mueller (2021) – Social Studies Education
• Emily (Bretscher) Pfeiffer (2019) – General Management
• Hayley Pike – Animation
• Evie Sierra – Animal Sciences
• Jenna Sonnenberg – Law & Society
• Maycey Vieta (2021) – Media & Mass Communication
• Leanna Wall (2021) – Chemical Engineering
• Tessa Wrightson (2021, 2020) – Health Science Preprofessional (Pre-Med)
• Rachel Young (2021) – Business Communication
MEN'S TENNIS
• Andre Suzanne (2021) – Physics
MEN'S TRACK & FIELD (4)
• Isaiah Martin – Psychological Sciences
• Joseph Romanyk – Civil Engineering
• Logan Sandlin – Mechanical Engineering
• Johnny Vanos – Kinesiology
WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD (4)
• Mackenzie Barrett – Kinesiology
• Jessica Bray (2021) – Health Science Preprofessional (Pre-Med)
• Tessa Sheets (2021, 2020, 2019) – Master's in Animal Sciences
• Alexis Zatta – Graduate Certificate in Communication & Leadership
VOLLEYBALL (6)
• Grace Cleveland – Retail Management
• Maddy Chinn (2021) – Health Science Preprofessional (Pre-Dentistry)
• Madeline Koch – Brain & Behavioral Sciences / Applied Statistics
• Caitlyn Newton – Master's in Public Health
• Megan Renner (2021) – Biomedical Health Sciences (Pre-Physician's Assistant)
• Emma Terwilliger (2021, 2020) – Neurobiology & Physiology / Health & Disease
WRESTLING (5)
• Brennan Doyle (2021) – Computer Science
• Parker Filius (2021) – Master's in Global Supply Chain Management
• Thomas Penola – English Education
• Devin Schroder – Master's in Technology Leadership & Innovation
• Ethan Smiley (2021, 2020) – Plant Science
