April 22, 2008

CHICAGO - For the first time this season, Loyola University Chicago student-athletes have swept the U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athlete of the Week awards, it was announced today. Junior golfer Sean Bidzinski and senior Kat Krause, who is a member of the softball team, were named Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Week, respectively.

Last week, Bidzinski helped the Ramblers to the team title at the Caputo Invitational at Pine Meadow Golf Course in Mundelein, Ill., April 14-15. The left-hander posted a 54-hole score of 236 (77-79-80) to place 15th overall. Over the weekend, Bidzinski tied for 46th with a 221 (70-74-77) at the competitive Boilermaker Invitational and tied a season low with a two-under-par 70 in round one.

Bidzinski, who owns a 77.6 average this season, is a finance major and carries a 3.92 grade-point average. He has been a member of the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll and was named U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athlete of the Week almost a year ago to the date (April 24, 2007).

Krause batted .300 (6 for 20) with three runs, two doubles, a home run and three RBI in six games for Loyola last week. The senior slugger already holds the Loyola career record with 32 home runs, and with a game-winning double at Wright State on April 20, moved into a tie for the school's all-time RBI mark (89).

A two-time Scholar-Athlete of the Week honoree this spring, Krause has also been a member of the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll and in 2007 helped Loyola to a National Fastpitch Coaches Association Team Academic Award. She sports a 3.82 GPA in psychology.