March 11, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS -

Complete Release in PDF Format

Youngstown State University junior Aaron Merrill (men's track & field) and Valparaiso University senior Andrea Zappia (women's softball) have been named the U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Week, League commissioner Jonathan B. LeCrone announced Tuesday (March 11).

Merrill tied his school record in the shot put at the Virginia Tech Last Chance meet, registering a throw of 57 feet, 3.75 inches to place 10th overall and first in his flight. He had previously thrown the shot the same distance at the Horizon League Indoor Track and Field Championships to place first and set the League meet record.

As a criminal justice major, Merrill carries a 3.71 grade-point average. He was an Academic All-League honoree during the 2006-07 indoor season, and has appeared on the Horizon League Honor Roll.

Zappia pitched 12.1 innings last week without allowing an earned run at the Rebel Spring Games. She tossed a complete-game three-hitter against Lehigh, and followed that up with 4.2 innings of one-hit relief against LaSalle to earn the victory for the Crusaders. Opposing batters hit just .108 against her for the week.

In the classroom, Zappia maintains a 3.792 grade-point average as a history major. She is a three-time NFCA Scholar-Athlete, as well as a two-time Mid-Continent Conference All-Academic Team honoree. Zappia was also named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V Second Team as a junior, and was recognized on the Fall 2007 Horizon League Academic Honor Roll.

The Horizon League instituted the U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete of the Week awards as a way to recognize outstanding academic and athletic achievement by its student-athletes. To be eligible for the honor, a student-athlete must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20 or better (on a 4.00 scale), have completed at least one year at the member institution and passed 24 semester or 36 quarter hours, and perform well during the week's competition. Winners are selected by a group of League faculty athletic representatives, from nominations provided by sports information directors.

OTHER MALE NOMINEES:

A.J. Graves, Butler (basketball, senior, 3.355, math) scored 14 points to help lead Butler to the championship game of the Horizon League Tournament with a 66-50 victory over UIC on Saturday (Mar. 8). He hit four three-pointers, including three in the first half to spark the Bulldogs to a large early lead in the game. He also had six rebounds, two assists, one steal and only one turnover in 35 minutes of action.

Sean Bidzinski, Loyola (golf, junior, 3.92, finance) tied for 73rd overall and helped the Ramblers to a 16th-place finish at the Braveheart Classic last week. He carded a 242 total score (87-79-76) at the tournament.

Steve Bartholomew, Valparaiso (track & field, senior, 3.281, management) won the weight throw at the Nebraska Last Chance Meet, defeating a field of seven other elite throwers, all from major conferences. He registered a throw of 65 feet 7 1/2 inches, the second-best distance of his career, and a provisional NCAA qualifying mark for the second straight week.

OTHER FEMALE NOMINEES:

Amy Solava, Loyola (softball, sophomore, 3.91, elementary education) went 2-1 with a save, a 2.71 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 20.2 innings of work last week. She pitched back-to-back complete-game shutouts in victories at Cal State Fullerton and UC Santa Barbara, allowing only two hits in 7.0 innings while striking out six against the Titans on Thursday (Mar. 6).

Kayla Groh, Green Bay (basketball, senior, 3.689, business administration) just missed a career-high with 23 points against Detroit on Saturday. She shot 66.7 percent from the field and 85.7 percent from the free throw line, averaging 20.0 points per game on the week. Groh also posted 17 points in an overtime victory against Wright State on Thursday.

PREVIOUS U.S. ARMY SCHOLAR-ATHLETES:

Aug. 28 Nina Inic (Butler, volleyball)
Sept. 5 Ryan Miller (Green Bay, cross country); Liz Fazio (Cleveland State, volleyball)
Sept. 11 Chris Honig (Valparaiso, cross country); Katarina Hanackova (UIC, volleyball)
Sept. 18 Malcolm DeBaun (Loyola, soccer); Betty Slinger (Green Bay, volleyball)
Sept. 25 Markian Zyga (Loyola, soccer); Sara Hughes (Valparaiso, volleyball)
Oct. 2 Kent Wories (Butler, cross country); Ani Michl (Valparaiso, soccer)
Oct. 9 Zeke Dombrowski (Milwaukee, soccer); Lotte Rasmussen (Green Bay, soccer)
Oct. 16 Kent Wories (Butler, cross country); Amanda Stinson (Green Bay, soccer)
Oct. 23 Robby Leibold (Milwaukee, swimming); Alyse Serritella (Loyola, volleyball)
Oct. 30 Steve Grove (Cleveland State, swimming); Genni Gardner (Butler, cross country)
Nov. 6 Steve Grove (Cleveland State, swimming); Beth Steuer (Milwaukee, soccer)
Nov. 13 Robby Leibold (Milwaukee, swimming); Cynthia Morote-Ariza (Loyola, soccer)
Nov. 20 Mike Schachtner (Green Bay, basketball); Mel Snyder (Cleveland State, volleyball)
Nov. 27 AJ Graves (Butler, basketball); Kailey Klein (Cleveland State, basketball)
Dec. 4 Drew Streicher (Butler, basketball); Ashley Hall (Milwaukee, diving)
Dec. 11 Jake Diebler (Valparaiso, basketball); Ashley Hall (Milwaukee, diving)
Dec. 18 Samuel Haanpää (Valparaiso, basketball); Leah Hochstetler (Valparaiso, basketball)
Jan. 8 Ryan Tillema (Green Bay, basketball); Kayla Groh (Green Bay, basketball)
Jan. 15 Mike Schachtner (Green Bay, basketball); Kari Helland (Green Bay, diving)
Jan. 22 Steve Bartholomew (Valparaiso, Indoor Track & Field), Kelsey Hausken (Green Bay, swimming)
Jan. 29 Robby Leibold (Milwaukee, swimming); Jessica Weidert (Wright State, swimming)
Feb. 5 Jeremy Waldhart (Milwaukee, swimming); Ashley Hall (Milwaukee, diving)
Feb. 12 Phil Orno (Cleveland State, tennis); Kat Krause (Loyola, softball)
Feb. 19 A.J. Graves (Butler, basketball); Elise VanBogaert (Loyola, basketball)
Feb. 26 Adam Schleis (Milwaukee, baseball); Jessica Weidert (Wright State, swimming)
Mar. 4 Julian Betko (Butler, basketball); Launa Hochstetler (Valparaiso, basketball)