SASS Academic Excellence Gala Celebrates MSU Student-Athletes
4/12/2016 12:00:00 AM | General
EAST LANSING, Mich. â€" Michigan State's Student-Athlete Support Services (SASS) hosted the 19th annual Spartan Academic Excellence Gala on Monday evening at the Breslin Center. The event recognized the academic success of Spartan student-athletes during the 2015-16 academic year.
Student-athletes with at least a sophomore academic standing and a 3.0 or better cumulative GPA were honored, as well as a number of individual award winners who excelled not only in the classroom, but in other endeavors as well. In all, 328 student-athletes were honored on Monday evening, the most ever in the event's history.
For the sixth straight year, the Academic Gala was grand sponsored by Dr. Bruce and Linda Cohen.
"It really is a special moment to not just look at the athletic but the academic side of what the student-athlete is all about," said MSU Athletics Director Mark Hollis. "And each year it seems like our SASS group puts more and more student-athletes across the stage."
"Celebration I think is the right word," said Executive Assistant Athletic Director/Student-Athlete Services Jim Pignataro. "Nineteen years of celebrating academic excellence, and also leadership. I think that's an important point. We're not just celebrating the work in the classroom, but also the leaders that we have in this department."
This year's distinguished keynote speaker was Hall of Fame pitcher and World Series Champion John Smoltz. A native of Lansing, Michigan, Smoltz was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot and was inducted in July 2015 in Cooperstown, New York. An eight-time All-Star and 21-year Major League veteran, Smoltz is the only pitcher in MLB history to record at least 200 wins and 150 saves. He spent 20 seasons with the Atlanta Braves (1988-2008) and one season (2009) pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox. Smoltz helped lead the Braves to a victory in the 1995 World Series, won the Cy Young Award in 1996, and appeared in the Fall Classic a total of five times. He now serves as an analyst for FOX Sports.
"When you're focused and all in, and you've got a support team, and you allow those distractions to be far away and not put yourself in more opportunities to fail, I think you can achieve greatness," Smoltz told the crowd gathered on the Breslin Center floor. "Whether that's a Hall of Fame career, or a high school career, or a collegiate career, you will never know what you can achieve until you put yourself in motion to at least dream. So for me, I had unrealistic dreams â€" that always kept me motivated to reach for something â€" and realistic dreams, all the way down, and achieving those and never being satisfied or complacent."
A long-standing tradition and highlight of the Gala is the musical entertainment provided by MSU's own student-athletes, highlighting the talents that stretch beyond competition and the classroom. This year, the sibling duo of Sarah (women's soccer) and Zach Kovan (men's soccer) performed "Riptide" by Vance Joy. Selected as Michigan State's 17th Rhodes Scholar last fall, Sarah Kovan also spoke earlier in the program about her experiences at MSU.
The President's Award, the night's most prestigious award, was presented to volleyball player Margaret Halloran and Joe Johnson of the wrestling team. The award recognizes the male and female graduating senior with the highest cumulative GPA and who has exhausted their eligibility in the 2015-16 school year.
A three-time Academic All-Big Ten and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar recipient, Halloran carries a perfect 4.0 grade-point average and serves as a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Not only is Halloran an active member within the athletics community, but she has branched off to make connections and form relationships with other entities on MSU's campus and in the Greater Lansing Community. The Honors College member has been actively involved in the health care field by educating those of all ages and backgrounds during her service as an HIV counselor at Olin Health Center and a service learning volunteer at Sparrow Hospital in the mother/baby unit. Upon graduation, the interdisciplinary studies in social studies: health and society major will pursue her master's degree in nursing in women's health at Vanderbilt University.
Johnson, a finance major who also carries a perfect 4.0 grade-point average, served as captain of the wrestling team and was also the 2015-16 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) President. Johnson has branched out to connect with many different areas within the MSU community including his work with Athletes in Action (AIA) and his participation in numerous community outreach initiatives. Upon graduation, the three-time Academic All-Big Ten and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar honoree will continue his passion in working with AIA and also plans to further pursue his entrepreneurial endeavors. Johnson was also named the wrestling team's Scholar-Athlete Award winner for the third consecutive year.
The men's soccer team and the women's golf program were honored with the Athletic Director's Awards for achieving the highest team cumulative GPA after the fall 2015 semester. The women's golf team, coached by Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll, was recognized with the honor for the fifth straight year after the team boasted a department-high cumulative GPA of 3.591 with all eligible members qualifying for the Gala for the fifth year in a row. Led by head coach Damon Rensing, it marked the first time men's soccer has won the Athletic Director's Award. All 19 team members qualified to attend the Gala and the team posted an overall GPA of 3.327.
Football's Josiah Price was the winner of the Gwendolyn Norrell Community Service & Leadership Award. The award is presented to the student-athlete who best exemplifies the goals of the PACT (Putting Athletes and Community Together) program, excelling in the field of community service and outreach.
Price serves as one of the football team's representatives on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and was selected as SAAC community outreach committee chair for 2015-16. He was also named to the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List (for community service combined with athletic and academic achievement) and was nominated for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, recognizing college football players who exemplify a superior commitment to community service and volunteerism. Price spent 2 and 1/2 weeks in Australia last summer (June-July 2015), participating in MSU's study abroad International Summer Sports Program, and he also took part in a mission trip to South Africa during spring break of 2013. He actively participates in a variety of community service events, including the Ingham County Child Benefit Fund, DARE Graduations, and March is Reading Month.
Track & field junior Reggie Ferrell was the recipient of the Multicultural Award, presented to the student-athlete who promotes inclusion as well as exhibits strong leadership in the areas of community service and diversity. During his time at Michigan State, the Detroit native has conveyed his passion for providing a voice and opportunity to those less fortunate by getting involved with a variety of community outreach initiatives as well as becoming involved with the SASS Multicultural Program. Since the start of his sophomore year, Ferrell has worked in the revamping and restructuring of the Multicultural Program, and he now serves as president. His goal is to achieve the collective vision of expanding awareness of the program and enriching the experiences of all student-athletes at MSU.
Aslina Chua of women's tennis and Alex Trompke of swimming were presented with the Harold & Raynor Shnider Office of the Provost Awards. The honor is presented to a freshman or sophomore student-athlete who embodies the characteristics promoted by Student-Athlete Support Services, with emphasis on academic performance, community involvement and leadership ability.
The 2016 Steve Smith Philanthropy Award was presented to Mark and Cindy Pentecost and Peter and Joan Secchia for their continued support and generosity toward the Michigan State Athletics Department.
The Scholar-Athlete Awards were presented to the individual from each team who has reached at least junior academic status, has received a minimum of one varsity letter, and while meeting these requirements, maintains the highest cumulative grade point average on their team.
SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARD WINNERS
BASEBALL â€" Josh Buchalski
MEN'S BASKETBALL â€" Colby Wollenman
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL â€" Cara Miller
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY â€" Garret Zuk
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY â€" Alana O'Mara
FIELD HOCKEY â€" Mallory Tyler
FOOTBALL â€" Josiah Price
MEN'S GOLF â€" Charlie Netzel
WOMEN'S GOLF â€" Alison Knowles
WOMEN'S GYMNASTICS â€" Holly Ryan
HOCKEY â€" Justin Hoomaian
ROWING â€" Brook Edgar
MEN'S SOCCER â€" Andrew Herr
WOMEN'S SOCCER â€" Sarah Kovan
SOFTBALL â€" Kristina Zalewski
MEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING â€" Adam Henley
WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING â€" Emily Parsons
MEN'S TENNIS â€" Brett Forman
WOMEN'S TENNIS â€" Emily Meyers
MEN'S TRACK & FIELD â€" Ryan Haag
WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD â€" Katelyn Daniels
VOLLEYBALL â€" Margaret Halloran
WRESTLING â€" Joe Johnson
Players Mentioned
