Eastern Michigan Athletics

Mid-American Conference

MAC Names 31 Eagles Distinguished Scholar Athletes

4/20/2017 10:02:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field, M. Swim & Dive, Wrestling, Gymnastics, Swimming & Diving

Eagles have the most student-athletes out of all MAC institutions

CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) -- The Mid-American Conference announced Thursday, April 20, its list of Distinguished Scholar Athletes from the eight winter sports for the 2016-17 academic season. Out of 208 student-athletes on the list, 31 Eagles were recognized as the 'best of the best' from each sport's Academic All-MAC teams.

Both women's track and field, as well as men's swimming and diving, finished with eight honorees. Additionally, women's swimming and diving and gymnastics had five apiece, while men's track and field had four, and men's basketball had one recipient. Out of EMU's 31 MAC Distinguished Scholar Athletes, 16 boasted a GPA of 3.75 or better, including one with a perfect 4.0.

From the Academic All-MAC Teams, the faculty athletic representatives selected the 'best of the best' of our Academic All-MAC Teams to be honored with Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Award for the 2016-17 season.  The number of Distinguished Scholar Athletes from each sport were equivalent to the number of first-team selections or 33% of nominees, whichever was greater.

The Distinguished Scholar Athlete is a third-year award given to students who have excelled in athletics and academics.  Following each season from the winter sports schedule, any student with a 3.20 GPA and participation in at least 50 percent of the contests was automatically named to the previously announced Academic All-MAC Team from each sport.  Also, first-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence were not eligible for the award.

Later this spring, the MAC will announce the Distinguished Scholar Athletes from the remaining spring sports sponsored by the Conference.

2016-17 EMU MAC Distinguished Student-Athletes (31)

Men's Track & Field (4)
*^Willy Fink, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.79 GPA, Chemistry (Maumee, OH)
Tom Jozwiak, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.68 GPA, Product Development and Design (Southgate, MI)
Nick Raymond, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.61 GPA, Art (Erie, MI)
Tyler Underwood, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore GPA, 3.21, Pre-Med (Clinton, MI)

Women's Track & Field (8)
Anna Aldrich, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.93 GPA, Nursing (Fremont, IN)
Alsu Bogdanova, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.90 GPA, Individualized Studies (Kazan, Russia)
Rebekah Branham, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.68 GPA, Sport Management (Circleville, OH)
*Natalie Cizmas, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.63 GPA, Exercise Science (Clinton Township, MI)
*Jordann McDermitt, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 4.00 GPA, Exercise Science (Davidson, MI)
Claire Mesa, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.35 GPA, Exercise Science (Rockford, IL)
Sydney Meyers, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.81 GPA, Marketing (Zionsville, IN)
*^Natalie Uy, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.91 GPA, Communication (Kettering, OH)

Men's Swimming & Diving (8)
Erik Brinkhoff, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.74 GPA, Finance (Bethel Park, PA)
*Logan Burton, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.60 GPA, Sport Management (Chesapeake, VA)
Ryan Current, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.56 GPA, Exercise Science (Chanhassen, MN)
Tom Gillis, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.74 GPA, Bio-Chemistry (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
Connor Johnson, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.65 GPA, Actuarial Science (Fort Bragg, NC)
Tosh Kawaguchi, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.48 GPA, Biology (Cary, NC)
*Peter Rusenas, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.92 GPA, Accounting (Naperville, IL)
Jake Tyson, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.84 GPA, Undeclared (Ipswich, England)

Women's Swimming & Diving (5)
Delaney Duncan, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.48 GPA, Marketing (Galesburg, IL)
Makenzie Garringer, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.85 GPA, Therapeutic Recreation (Napoleon, OH)
Molly Miller, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.76 GPA, Exercise Science (Farmington Hills, MI)
*Mary Grace Van Allen, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.90 GPA, Communication (Indianapolis, IN)
*^Sierra Wagner, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.90 GPA, Exercise Science (Huntsville, TX)

Men's Basketball (1)
James Thompson IV, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.22 GPA, Biology (Baton Rouge, LA)

Gymnastics (5)
*Catie Conrad, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.98 GPA, Management (Brighton, MI)
*^Natalie Gervais, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.95 GPA, Elementary Education (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
*Sydney McEachern, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.87 GPA, Chemistry (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
Lacey Rubin, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.28 GPA, Social Work (Plainview, NY)
*Kendall Valentin, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.93 GPA, Biology (Holmdel, NJ)

*2015-16 Distinguished Scholar Athlete
^2014-15 Distinguished Scholar Athlete
 

Players Mentioned

Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Mid-Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Free
/ M. Swim & Dive
Back/Free
/ M. Swim & Dive
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
AA
/ Gymnastics
Free
/ M. Swim & Dive
Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Distance
/ Men's Track & Field
Free/Fly
/ Swimming & Diving
AA
/ Gymnastics
Diving
/ M. Swim & Dive
Fly/IM
/ M. Swim & Dive
Distance
/ Men's Track & Field
Back/IM
/ M. Swim & Dive
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
AA
/ Gymnastics
Mid-Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Diving
/ Swimming & Diving
Distance
/ Men's Track & Field
AA
/ Gymnastics
Diving
/ M. Swim & Dive
F/C
/ Men's Basketball
Fly
/ M. Swim & Dive
Sprints
/ Men's Track & Field
Multis/Pole Vault
/ Women's Track & Field
AA
/ Gymnastics
Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Free
/ Swimming & Diving
2025-26 Field of 68 Men's Basketball Preview: Eastern Michigan Eagles
Tuesday, October 21
Men's Basketball Alumni Game All Call
Tuesday, October 21
2025 E-Club Athletic Hall of Fame Ceremony
Saturday, October 11
E-Club Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Cinematic Recap
Saturday, October 11