MADISON, Wis. (blugolds.com) - University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's Molly Stewart (Sr. - Amery, WI) has been selected the recipient of the 2018 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Judy Kruckman Women's Tennis Scholar-Athlete Award.
 
A senior from Amery, Wis., Stewart boasts a 4.00 grade point average and is majoring in kinesiology. She is a three-time Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athlete and a two-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll. Stewart has been recognized on UW-Eau Claire's Dean's List and received an academic scholarship for Academic Excellence in 2018.
 
Stewart placed third at No. 3 singles and second at No. 2 doubles to help UW-Eau Claire to a third-place finish at this year's WIAC championship. She is a two-time All-WIAC second team selection in singles competition. Her first honor coming in 2016 at No. 4 singles and the second at No. 2 singles a year ago. A team captain the past two seasons, her career record is 48-15 in singles and 47-17 in doubles events. Stewart earned her team's Player of the Year award for the 2017-18 season. In 2016-17, she was selected UW-Eau Claire's Most Improved Player.
 
She is a member of UW-Eau Claire's PT and Kinesiology Club, as well as Athletes in Action. Stewart has volunteered in the community by assisting a quadriplegic individual with exercises and has worked as a teaching assistant.
 
Also nominated for this year's scholar-athlete award were:  UW-Oshkosh's Hannah Peters (Sr., Hubertus, Wis./Hartford); UW-River Falls' Karli Helland (Sr., Menomonie, Wis.); and UW-Stout's Linsey Thisius (Sr., Wells, Minn./United South Central).
 
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.