ANN ARBOR, Mich. — At its annual Student-Athlete Recognition Celebration on Monday evening (April 9) at Crisler Center, the University of Michigan Athletic Department recognized varsity student-athletes who have distinguished themselves as leaders both in the classroom and community. University faculty and staff members joined athletics administrators, coaches and staff in honoring the student-athletes.
More than 500 student-athletes were recognized with U-M Athletic Academic Achievement awards for cumulative grade-point averages and achievements during the 2017 winter, spring and fall semesters.
Additional individual and team awards were bestowed at the event, honoring the achievements of student-athletes in academics, competition and community service:
Big Ten Conference Medal of Honor: The most prestigious honor a student-athlete can receive; this is awarded annually at each Big Ten Conference institution to one male and one female student-athlete in the graduating class who has demonstrated proficiency in scholarship and athletics.
Senior Erin Finn (women’s cross country/track and field) and senior PJ Ransford (men’s swimming)
Bates/Deskins Award: Awarded annually by the university to a junior student-athlete who excels both academically and athletically. It is named in honor of Percy Bates, U-M professor of education, and Donald Deskins, U-M professor emeritus of urban geography and sociology. Both showed a strong commitment to the success of our student-athletes both in and out of competition.
Juniors Ivo Cerda and Robbie Mertz (men’s soccer)
Rookie of the Year: Awarded to the top freshman student-athlete who has excelled both academically and athletically.
Freshmen Guadalupe Fernandez Lacort (field hockey) and Jack Becker (ice hockey)
Raeder’s Raiders Spirit Award: Named in honor of the Raeder Family, this award has been presented annually since 2006 by the Letterwinners M Club to a student-athlete who positively impacts the team coming off the bench.
Senior Sam Piazza (ice hockey)
Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarship Recipients: Awarded to one male and one female student-athlete from each of the Big Ten institutions who plan to continue their education in a graduate degree program.
Senior Erin Finn (women’s cross country/track and field) and senior PJ Ransford (men’s swimming)
Student-Athlete Advisory Council Representative of the Year: This achievement is presented to a team representative who best represents their individual team and Michigan Athletics as a whole and has a passion for enhancing the student-athlete experience.
Junior Mira Shane (women’s lacrosse)
Let’s Go Do Awards:
Let’s Go Do honors individual student-athletes for their varying commitments to community service and engagement in the areas of Education, Health & Wellness and Civic Engagement and continues to present the Rachael Townsend Leadership Award.
Education: Seen as a role model to a younger generation, the Let’s Go Do award in education is given to an individual student-athlete who works throughout the academic year to drastically impact a school (or school system) through a message of their choice (i.e. bullying, reading, etc.).
Junior Peter Brown (men’s soccer)
Health & Wellness: Educating the community on the benefits of an active lifestyle and nutrition while visiting patients to keep spirits high, this award is for a student-athlete who promotes health, fitness and wellness initiatives.
Junior Mira Shane (women’s lacrosse)
Civic Engagement: Aimed at recognizing a student-athlete that supports the growth of the community as a whole using multiple avenues such as: food pantries, community clean-up, animal welfare, etc. Having employed a “roll up your sleeves” mentality, this award is given to a student-athlete that has invested considerable time in the cause of their choice with purpose, accountability and determination.
Junior Rebecca Joyce (rowing)
Rachael Townsend Leadership Award: Seeking to honor an individual student-athlete that has made significant contributions to their community, this award is given to an inspirational leader inside and outside of the locker room encouraging their peers and teammates to serve. This student-athlete has led others through existing initiatives or developed an idea/program through to completion.
Senior Clara Smiddy (women’s swimming)
