May 14, 2008
BERKELEY - The Cal Athletic Department paid tribute to the academic, athletic and community service achievements of Golden Bear student-athletes at the annual Academic Honors Luncheon Wednesday in the Pauley Ballroom on campus.
The list of attendees included student-athletes who have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher, or have earned conference, regional or national academic honors, or have served the community as leaders or mentors.
The event was co-sponsored by the Big C Society and the Athletic Study Center.
Tarik Glenn, former offensive lineman for the NFL's Indianapolis Colts and a three-time Pro Bowl selection, delivered the keynote address. After finishing his Cal career in 1996, Glenn returned to campus to complete his degree requirements and earned his bachelor's in social welfare in 1999. Among his many community projects, Glenn founded D.R.E.A.M. Alive Inc., a charity dedicated to helping less fortunate youths in Indianapolis.
David Torrence, a senior on the track & field team and the school record-holder in the mile, gave a speech on behalf of the student-athletes.
Golden Bear Team Award
The Golden Bear Team Award is given to the varsity team with the highest cumulative grade point average. The average GPA for Cal's 27 intercollegiate teams is 3.0. This year's award goes to men's tennis, with a team GPA of 3.31.
Golden Bear Achievement Awards
The Golden Bear Achievement Awards recognize the student-athlete on each team with the highest GPA.
Name Sport Major Michael Capbarat Baseball English David Liss Men's Basketball Sociology Lauren Greif Women's Basketball Psychology Jack Zhou Men's Crew Society & Environment Lou Kinder Women's Crew English Peter Deptula Men's Cross Country Physics & Chinese Francesca Weems Women's Cross Country Mass Communications Kaitlin Duncan Field Hockey Political Science Mark Boskovich Football Political Science Freddy Wolfe Men's Golf Interdisciplinary Studies Shannon Yocum Women's Golf Economics Kyle Brady Men's Gymnastics Psychology & Tim McNeill Men's Gymnastics Psychology Nicki Wells Women's Gymnastics Statistics Katie Felber Lacrosse Interdisciplinary Studies Nathaniel Floyd Rugby Business Administration Ian Ebert Men's Soccer American Studies Lisa Kevorkian Women's Soccer Mass Communications Marissa Drewrey Softball American Studies Justin Pollard Men's Swimming & Diving Economics Kelly Stravers Women's Swimming & Diving Political Science Andy Chirita Men's Tennis Economics Claire Ilcinkas Women's Tennis Economics Patrick Kowalsky Men's Track & Field Mass Communications & Political Science Elizabeth Boydston Women's Track & Field Molecular & Cell Biology Angie Pressey Volleyball History Grant Mitchell Men's Water Polo Business Administration Erika Hanson Women's Water Polo Political Science
Big C Most Improved Team Award
This new award goes to the team that has made the greatest improvement in the last year relative to its historical grade-point average. The 2007-08 recipient is women's golf.
Pac-10 Postgraduate Scholarships
Created to honor outstanding scholar-athletes intending to pursue graduate studies, each Pac-10 institution selects four exceptional graduating seniors who receive $3,000 for their graduate work.
Justin Pollard, Men's Swimming & Diving
Pollard will graduate this spring with a 3.93 GPA in economics. He is a three-time first-team Pac-10 All-Academic selection, as well as a three-time recipient of his team's Golden Bear Award. Also an active participant in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, he intends to pursue a career in law.
Jernej Godec, Men's Swimming & Diving
A 2004 Olympian for his native Slovenia, Godec will also swim at the 2008 Games in Beijing. Both an All-American and Academic All-American, he will graduate this spring with a degree in molecular and cell biology and pursue a Ph.D. in molecular immunology.
Courtney Hooker, Women's Soccer
One of the top defenders in the country, Hooker has had stints with the Under-20 and Under-21 National teams. She will earn her degree in psychology and has worked as a research assistant in a social psychology lab conducting research on interracial relationships. Hooker plans to pursue a Ph.D. in psychology.
Susie Babos, Women's Tennis
The 2006 NCAA singles champion, Babos will graduate the spring with bachelor's degree in mass communications and political economies of industrial societies. She plans to go to law school and practice entertainment law.
Oscar Geballe Postgraduate Scholarships
This award, now in its 26th year, was created through the generosity of Dr. Theodore Geballe to honor his father, Oscar Geballe. This award recognizes Oscar Geballe's devotion to Cal and his strong belief in the value of combining scholarship and intercollegiate athletic competition. Since 1981, the Geballe award has helped more than 60 Golden Bears continue their education at the postgraduate level with a $5,000 stipend going to each winner.
Summer Ohlendorf, Women's Crew
A rower for Cal in several boats during her career, Ohlendorf will earn her degree this month in geophysics. Last summer, she interned at the Southern California Earthquake Center. She has been admitted to six Ph.D. programs, including Cornell, Columbia and Wisconsin, and will soon make her choice.
Rebecca Yau, Women's Cross Country
One of the top runners for Cal, Yau is graduating with a degree in public health, where she has served as a peer advisor. She has interned at UCSF in the Laboratory Medicine Department and will pursue an M.A. in public health at Columbia this fall.
Paul Hernandez, Men's Swimming & Diving
With a 3.9 GPA in chemistry, Hernandez plans to become a synthetic chemist. He is interested in conducting research on malaria in Latin America. He has been admitted to Ph.D. programs in chemistry at Cal Tech, MIT, Princeton, Stanford and Harvard.
Neufeld Scholar-Athlete Awards
The Neufeld Scholar-Athlete Awards are given to the graduating male and female student-athletes with the highest cumulative grade point averages. The award was established by Cal Hall of Famer William Neufeld Sr. in honor and memory of his son, William Jr., who ran track at Cal before his untimely death in a boating accident.
Kelly Stravers from women's swimming & diving has a 3.78 GPA in political science. She is a member of the Golden Key Honor Society and plans to attend law school following graduation.
Justin Pollard from men's swimming & diving has a 3.93 GPA in economics. See above for more information.
Pac-10 Medal
The Pac-10 Medal is awarded annually at each member institution to that university's outstanding senior male and female student-athletes. The determination is based on the exhibition of the greatest combination of performance and achievement in scholarship, athletics and leadership.
Angie Pressey, Volleyball
A standout for the Bears, Pressey is a multi-time All-Pac-10 and All-America honoree. This past fall, while earning first-team All-America honors, she led the Bears to the national semifinals for the first time.
Tim McNeill, Men's Gymnastics
The most decorated gymnast in school history, McNeill captured five individual NCAA titles during his career. He won three times on the pommel horse and the last two years on parallel bars.
Jake Gimbel and Anna Espenschade Awards
The Jake Gimbel and Anna Espenschade Awards were established in the 1930s and 1987, respectively, to recognize a graduating male and female student-athlete for successful integration of academic and athletic pursuits. The winners of these awards exemplify the true "Golden Bear" spirit.
Justin Forsett, Football
Forsett, the recipient of the Jake Gimbel Award, rushed for 1,546 yards and scored 15 touchdowns last year as Cal's starting tailback. A quiet leader, he is graduating this spring with a degree in interdisciplinary studies.
Rebecca Yau, Women's Cross Country
Yau is the recipient of the Anna Espenschade Award. See above for more information.
Joseph McDonnell Kavanagh Award
This new award, in its second year, honors a student-athlete who has made exceptional improvement in academic and intellectual pursuits at Cal, and seeks to recognize a student-athlete who has taken full advantage of the educational opportunities on campus. The University of California's endearing phrase, "Fiat Lux," let there be light, is appropriate for this "Most Academically Inspirational Athlete" Award.
Jacob Wilson, Men's Soccer
After a season-ending injury his freshman season, Wilson faltered in the classroom and was ineligible his second year in school. But he quickly turned his academic efforts around and boasted a 3.94 GPA in the spring of 2007. He is graduating this May with a degree in social welfare.
Walter A. Haas Jr. Community Service Award
The Walter A. Haas Jr. Community Service Award was created to honor Walter A. Haas Jr. for his commitment and service to the University and larger community. This award is given annually to a student-athlete for outstanding contribution to community service.
Justin Pollard, Men's Swimming & Diving
Pollard, who also received the Neufeld Award for having the highest GPA among Cal's graduating senior student-athletes, serves as the Pac-10's representative to NCAA SAAC, where he is able to articulate student-athlete issues and welfare on the national level.
