MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's Liz Stubbs and UW-Whitewater's Hannah Lee have been selected co-recipients of the 2016 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Judy Kruckman Women's Gymnastics Scholar-Athlete Award. The award is sponsored by Badgerland Financial.
WIAC release
A senior from Wayzata, Minn., Stubbs owns a 3.81 grade point average and is majoring in materials science. She is a three-time National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches Association/Women (NACGC/W) Scholastic All-American and a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll. Stubbs has received Academic Distinction from UW-Eau Claire every semester and the Outstanding Materials Science Student Service Award in 2015.
Stubbs tied for fifth in the floor exercise at the WIAC championship this year to secure all-conference recognition. She also earned all-conference accolades in the event in 2013 and 2014. Stubbs claimed All-America first team recognition in the floor exercise by placing sixth at the 2014 National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) championship. She was selected UW-Eau Claire's MVP a year ago.
Stubbs has served as a Student-Athlete Mentor, STEM night volunteer and Vice President of Women in STEM, as well as helping with Athletes in Action leadership and Junior Blugolds. She has conducted undergraduate research for three years on the synthesizing, characterizing and testing of polymers for the use in applications such as drug delivery and oil recovery.
Also nominated for this year's scholar-athlete award were: UW-La Crosse's Chelsie Richards (Sr., Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata); UW-Oshkosh's Barbara Bass (Sr., Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport Township); UW-Stout's Callie Counts (Sr., Greenback, Tenn.); and Winona State University's Brooke Hiestand (Sr., Crown Point, Ind.).
The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Judy Kruckman who served as Assistant Commissioner for the WIAC from 1996-98. Prior to this appointment, she was Commissioner of the Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WWIAC) from October, 1984 - September, 1996. Kruckman was the women's athletics director at UW-Eau Claire from 1974-84, and one of the original representatives to the WWIAC when it formed in 1971.
In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.50 grade point average. In addition, she must be in her last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years.
Badgerland Financial, headquartered in Prairie du Sac, Wis., is a customer-owned financial cooperative proud to finance the growth of agriculture and rural America. Badgerland Financial is one of the region's leading providers of credit, crop insurance, tax and accounting services to farmers, agribusinesses and rural residents. The company is committed to delivering on its vision to cultivate prosperity for agriculture and rural Wisconsin by serving member-owners through offices in 33 southern Wisconsin counties. To learn more, visit badgerlandfinancial.com.
