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Issued: March 1, 2007

BARNES NAMED WIAC INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD SCHOLAR-ATHLETE

MADISON – UW-Eau Claire women’s pole vaulter Steph Barnes (Sr.-Sauk City/Sauk Prairie) has been named the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Judy Kruckman Women’s Indoor Track and Field Co-Scholar-Athlete, it was announced by conference sports information director Matt Stanek.

Barnes shares the award with Sarah Schettle of UW-Oshkosh. Barnes is the first UW-Eau Claire women’s indoor track and field student-athlete to claim the conference’s scholar-athlete award.

Barnes is a kinesiology major and maintains a 3.69 grade point average. She was named to the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Women’s Track and Field/Cross Country Academic All-District Second Team last year and is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll. Barnes received UW-Eau Claire’s Super Six Award in 2006 and has been named to her institution’s Dean’s List numerous semesters, while also receiving Academic Distinction.

Last year, she claimed the conference indoor pole vault title with a meet record performance and also secured the national title in the event. In addition, Barnes served as a team captain and was named her team’s Field Most Valuable Performer and Most Dedicated. During the 2004-05 season, Barnes was also a member of the Blugold gymnastics team.

She has volunteered for Special Olympics, Girl Scouts and Reading Partner Program, while working for UW-Eau Claire’s Residence Halls as a custodian and front desk security.

Additional nominees for this year’s scholar-athlete award included: UW-Eau Claire’s Liz Faller (Sr.-Marinette), Shalene Huth (Sr.-Appleton/West) and Christina Locke (Sr.-Racine/Horlick), UW-La Crosse’s Brenna Anderson, Christy Birkholz, Emily Burns, Nikki Cahen, Jena Durnin, Meagan Herlache, Lindsay Leech, Emily Lewandowski, Beth Medinger and Kristen Painter, UW-Oshkosh’s Kristy Giljohann, Jenny Graef, Brigid Hamill, Amanda Kozicki, Nichole Pelischek and Terri Schwamb, UW-Platteville’s Marcia Taddy, UW-River Falls’ Jill Crandall, Holly Kromray, Carrie VanHouten, UW-Stevens Point’s Bethany Richter and UW-Stout’s Taylor Mayo, Rebecca Monyhan and Stephanie Nichols.

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Judy Kruckman and sponsored by Hewlett-Packard. Kruckman served as Assistant Commissioner for the WIAC from 1996-98. Prior to this appointment, she functioned as Commissioner of the Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from October, 1984 - September, 1996.

In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.25 grade point average, be in their last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years.

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