George Mason Provost Scholar Athletes were honored last week at a reception on campus and recognized at the men's basketball game on Saturday for their outstanding academic achievements. In its fifth year, the award recognizes the student-athletes who have earned at least 38 credit hours at Mason and have achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or better.

George Mason Provost, Dr. Peter Stearns, who created the Provost Scholar Athlete Award in 2009, was at both events to congratulate this year's recipients. A reception was held on Wednesday, February 13 at the Mason Hall atrium for the 26 student-athlete award-winners, along with their parents, select deans, professors, and senior athletic administrators.

"It's a privilege to meet the Provost Scholars, and they seem to appreciate the honor as well -- which they deserve," Stearns commented. "I'm always impressed with students who so successfully manage to do well academically as well as in sports, and with the wide range of majors the Scholars represent. And it's nice to see the numbers of those who qualify going up."

The number of award-winners is up ten from last year, including eight repeat winners. Rowing's Madison Beumer and volleyball's Javier Perez-Navarrete earned the award for the third straight year. Jennifer Storch (Masonettes), Paige Impink (swimming), Chris Borden (tennis), Lyndse Hokanson (soccer), David Lucas (volleyball) and Patrick Maloney (volleyball) were all two-time winners.

PROVOST AWARD WINNERS

Katelyn Fariss All Girl Cheer Physics

Megan Kaiser Track Global Affairs

Meredith Oare Track Nursing

Heather Selheimer Track Biology

Maggie Underwood Track Communication

Stuart Lampen-Crowell Track Environmental and Sustainability Studies

Ryan McGreal Track Physics

Kelli Beard Lacrosse Tourism & Events Management

Kirsten Russell Lacrosse Finance

Jennifer Storch (2nd time) Masonettes Psychology

Sheridan Gunderson Rowing Global Affairs

Madison Beumer (3rd time ) Rowing Marketing

Hayley Walczer Rowing Conflict A

Elizabeth Agiato Soccer Pychology

Nicole Clark Soccer Kinesiology

Lyndse Hokanson (2nd time) Soccer Communication

Kelly Pizzingrilli  Soccer Communication

Alec Constantine Soccer Russian & Eurasian Studies

Amanda Bender Softball English

Paige Impink (2nd time) Swimming Communication               

Kelsey Ryan Swimming Civil & Infrastructure Engineering

Christopher Borden (2nd time) Tennis Accounting

Peter Cuppernull Volleyball Conflict Analysis & Resolution   

David Lucas (2nd time) Volleyball Finance

Patrick Maloney (2nd time) Volleyball Environmental Science

Javier Perez-Navarrete (3rd time) Volleyball  Accounting