PROVO, Utah (Feb. 26, 2004) The BYU Student Athlete Academic Center, athletics, and the Cougar Club sponsored the annual Cougar Club Academic Athlete Awards Banquet, Tuesday.
A total of 290 student athletes from all 21 Division I sponsored programs received the award after earning a 3.2 or higher GPA in school. The banquet was held in the Cougar Room at LaVell Edwards Stadium where the recipients of the Zion's Bank Academic Salute honorees were also recognized. They were Jaime Mabray (gymnastics), Monica Ferrell, and Randy Belliston (swimming), Jonathan Allmen (volleyball), Lindsey Metcalf (volleyball and track & field), Margaret Gibby (golf), Katie Walker (softball, and Wade Vest (baseball).
"There are few universities anywhere that could measure up to your standard of having more than half of your student athletes qualify for an award like this one," said Thorne Heppler, regional president of Zion's Bank.
During the evening's event, BYU President Cecil O. Samuelson spoke to the students. Robbie Bosco, the quarterback of the 1984 national championship football team also addressed the students, representing the Cougar Club.
The evening's keynote speaker was eight-time All-American track start Doug Padilla. He spoke on the lessons he had learned from the rehabilitation of his left leg following a tragic accident that put a stop to his professional running career. Padilla, who still holds two American records, told the students that character, attitude, effort and divine help are keys to success in sports and in life.
Excellence in academic for student-athletes began in 1986 by the Cougar Club. This year and in the future, the event will be sponsored by the Student Athlete Academic Center under the direction of E.J. Caffaro.
"We are excited to be given this new assignment," said Caffaro. "Our staff works daily with these students on their academic achievements. We work very closely with each student athlete encouraging them to excel academically while they compete at BYU."