141 Valpo Student-Athletes Recognized at Annual Honors Banquet

Valparaiso University awarded 141 student-athletes with Presidential Academic Honors while also handing out the Laurel Award at the 27th Annual Student-Athletes Academic Honors Banquet held on Sunday evening.

Presidential Academic Honors are awarded to student-athletes who have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher after at least two semesters at Valpo.

Grace Rogers (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury), a member of the women’s soccer team, was presented with the annual Laurel Award, honoring the graduating senior student-athlete who achieved the highest cumulative grade point average. Rogers is on pace to graduate from Valpo in four years with a perfect 4.0 GPA as an actuarial science and business analytics double major.

Rogers was joined by three individuals who earned the Finishing at the Top honor this year, awarded to student-athletes who are seniors academically with a cumulative grade point average of 3.9 or higher: Allison Baylor (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson), an exercise science major on the women’s track and field team; Allison Ketcham (Mishawaka, Ind./Marian), an exercise science and psychology major on the volleyball team; and Kim Heiny (Burnettsville, Ind./Twin Lakes), a finance major on the women’s cross country and track and field teams. 11 sophomores and juniors were named Outstanding Student-Athletes as well, awarded to current non-senior student-athletes with a cumulative GPA of 3.9 or better.

Sunday’s program featured remarks from Valparaiso University President Mark A. Heckler, director of athletics Mark LaBarbera, and 1982 Valparaiso University alum Tim Ressmeyer. In addition, senior student-athletes Lily Chetosky and Andrew Guzek spoke as well.