June 4, 2013
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Men's basketball center Chris Mitchell and women's soccer forward Kristin Maris are the respective Western Washington University Male and Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year for 2012-13. The announcement was made Tuesday at the fourth annual Dub-Dub-Blue awards ceremony.
The scholar-athlete awards, which have been handed out since 1999, recognize WWU student-athletes who best demonstrate excellence both in competition and in the classroom.
Mitchell, a senior from Everson (Nooksack Valley High School graduate), maintained a 3.45 grade point average (4.0 scale) as a kinesiology major. He was a first-team College Sports Information Directors Capital One Academic All-District 8 selection, which put him on the Academic All-America ballot, and was a three-time Great Northwest Athletic Conference academic all-star.
An honorable mention GNAC all-star, Mitchell started every game for the Vikings, who finished 31-3, the 91.2 winning percentage being a school record and the win total tying the school standard. They won the GNAC regular-season title (17-1) and West Regional championship, and reached the semifinals of the NCAA Division II National Tournament.
Mitchell averaged 8.4 points and 5.6 rebounds and blocked 42 shots. He finished his four-year career ranked ninth among WWU leaders in blocked shots with 91 and 11th in rebounds with 541.
Maris, a junior from Issaquah (Issaquah High School graduate), is a behavioral neuroscience major maintaining a 3.84 GPA. She also was first-team College Sports Information Directors Capital One Academic All-District 8 choice, putting her on the Academic All-America ballot, and is a two-time GNAC academic all-star.
An honorable mention Daktronics All-American, Maris helped the Vikings to a 19-4-0 record, the win total being a school record, the GNAC regular season and tournament titles and the Far West Regional final. She also was a National Soccer Coaches Association of America and Daktronics West Region all-star.
A first-team GNAC all-star, Maris earned Most Valuable Player honors at the league's first post-season tournament. She ranked 19th nationally in game-winning goals with five.
Maris tied for the team lead with nine goals and had six assists for 24 points. She scored the game-winning goals in a 2-0 GNAC semifinal win over Western Oregon and in a 2-1 overtime victory at Sonoma State in a West Regional semifinal.
WWU SCHOLAR ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
MALE
1999 Erik Meyer, track2000 Marty Juergens, football2001 Erik Totten, football2002 Erik Totten, football2003 Greg Dykstra, football2004 Rob White, football2005 Rob White, football2006 Scott Romney, track2007 Keith Lemay, track2008 Keith Lemay, track/cross country2009 Anthony Zackery, football2010 Alex Harrison, track2011 Xavier Dailly, golf2012 Alex Harrison, track2013 Chris Mitchell, basketball
FEMALE
1999 Sarah Hiss, track2000 Sarah Hiss, track2001 Kelsi Griswald, rowing2002 Liz Bishop, volleyball2003 Liz Bishop, volleyball2004 Liz Bishop, volleyball2005 Jodi Gerald, basketball Meghan Evoy, volleyball2006 Jessica Telleria, track2007 Audrey Coon, rowing2008 Audrey Coon, rowing2009 Audrey Coon, rowing2010 Casey Mapes, rowing2011 Katie Sharpe, golf2012 Megan Northey, rowing2013 Kristin Maris, soccer
