June 2, 2003
BELLINGHAM, Wash. -
Western Washington University volleyball setter Liz Bishop was named the school's Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the second straight time, and football wide receiver Greg Dykstra earned Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year accolades for 2002-03.
The scholar-athlete award recognizes Viking student-athletes who best demonstrate excellence both on the playing field and in the classroom.
Bishop, a junior from Seattle (Mount Rainier High graduate), is a secondary education major with a 3.88 grade point average (4.0 scale). She was a first-team Verizon District VIII academic all-star in 2002 after earning second-team honors in 2001, and was a Great Northwest Athletic Conference academic all-star for the second straight year.
Bishop, who ranked fifth nationally in assists with a school-record 13.59 per match average, was a first-team American Volleyball Coaches Association and second-team Daktronics NCAA Division II All-American, and a first-team AVCA and Daktronics Pacific Region all-star.
The GNAC Player of the Year, Bishop helped Western finish 23-3, the .885 winning percentage being the best in school history; reach the first round of the NCAA II Pacific Regional and win the GNAC championship with a perfect 18-0 record for the second straight year. The Vikings enter the 2003 season with a 41-match conference winning streak, the seventh longest in NCAA II history.
Dykstra, a senior from Everson (Lynden Christian High graduate), is an engineering major with a 3.64 GPA. He was a Verizon District VIII and league academic all-star, both for the third straight year.
Dykstra, who ranked 23rd nationally in receptions with a 5.9 per game average, was named a second-team D2football.com West Region all-star and first-team GNAC all-star for the second straight year. He caught 57 passes for 919 yards, setting school career records for receptions (181) and consecutive games with a reception (38), and tied the mark for touchdown catches (30).
WWU 2002-03 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
MALE
Cross Country
Emil Newhouse, Senior, No.4, Snohomish, WA, 3.71, French
GNAC Academic all-star. Placed 52nd at NCAA II West Regional and 17th at GNAC Championships. Among Vikings' top three in every regular-season meet competed in, being top runner on two occasions. Helped Western place seventh regionally and fourth in conference. Four-year letter winner.
Soccer
Joel Saulter, Junior, Defender, Edmonds, WA/Blanchet, 3.55, Biology/Anthropology
GNAC academic all-star. Second-team GNAC all-star. Scored two goals, both game winners on 15-4-1 team that won GNAC title with 4-0-0 record. Letter winner.
Football
Greg Dykstra, Senior, Wide Receiver, Everson, WA/Lynden Christian, 3.64, Engineering
Verizon District VIII academic all-star for third straight year. GNAC academic all-star for second year and league academic all-star for third season. Named second-team D2football.com West Region all-star and first-team GNAC all-star for second straight year. Ranked No.23 nationally in receptions (5.9). Caught 57 passes for 919 yards. Set school career records for receptions (181) and consecutive games catching pass (38), and tied mark for touchdowns catches (30). Four-year letter winner.
Basketball
Chris Stevens, Senior, Center, Long Beach, CA/Long Beach Poly, 3.00, Business Admininstration/Marketing
Averaged 3.0 points on 58.7 field goal shooting and 2.4 rebounds, playing in 23 of 27 games on 16-11 team. Four-year letter winner.
Crew
Jonathan Fox, Sophomore, No.2 seat varsity eight, Shoreline, WA/Shorewood, 3.15, Economics/Mathematics
Seated in varsity eight shell that placed fourth in grand final at Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships and won at Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference Championships. Two-year letter winner.
Golf
John Richer, Sophomore, No.4, Everett, WA, 3.72, Secondary Education
Helped Vikings place 11th at NCAA II National Championship and fourth at West Regional. Two-year letter winner.
Track
Steve DeKoker, Senior, Middle Distance, Maple Valley, WA/Tahoma, 3.45, Business Administration
GNAC academic all-star. Placed fifth in 1,500 meters at GNAC Championships. Ranked among school's top 10 all-time in 5,000 meters. Two-year letter winner.
FEMALE
Cross Country
Lisa Pearl, Senior, No.3, Kenmore, WA, 3.34, Spanish
GNAC academic all-star. Placed 42nd at NCAA II West Regional and 14th at GNAC Championship. Among Vikings' top three runners in every meet competed in. Helped Western place seventh regionally and third in conference. Four-year letter winner.
Volleyball
Liz Bishop, Junior, Setter, Seattle, WA/Mount Rainier, 3.88, Education
First-team Verizon Distict VIII academic all-star in 2002 after earning second-team honors in 2001. First-team GNAC academic all star for second straight year. First-team AVCA and second-team Daktronics NCAA II All-American, and first-team AVCA and Daktronics Pacific Region all-star. GNAC Player of the Year. Ranked fifth nationally in assists, averaging school-record 13.59 per match. Helped Vikings finish 23-3, win GNAC title (18-0), and reach first round at NCAA II Pacific Regional. Three-year letter winner.
Soccer
Kristin Whitlock, Senior, Midfielder, Bellingham, WA/Sehome, 3.42, Physical Education
GNAC academic all-star for second straight year. Honorable mention GNAC all-star in 2002 and first-team in 2001. Second on team with six goals and tied for team-high with five assists. Western finished 10-8-1. Four-year letter winner.
Basketball
Tessa DeBoer, Junior, Forward, Lynden, WA/Lynden Christian, 3.73, Speech Pathology
GNAC academic all-star for second straight year. Averaged 9.5 points and team-high 7.5 rebounds, helping Vikings to 22-6 record and first round of NCAA II West Regional. Three-year letter winner.
Softball
Adrienne Moore, Sophomore, Third baseman, Lake Forest Park, WA/Shorecrest, 3.20, Art
First-team GNAC all-star and league academic all-star. Hit .292 (40-for-137) with school-record five home runs on team that finished 26-22 and reached NCAA II West Regional for first time in school history. Led Vikings with 20 runs scored and was second in runs batted in (27) and doubles (7). Paced Western in multiple-RBI games (7) and was second in multiple-hit contests (12). Already ranks second among Western's career home run leaders with nine, just three behind record holder. Two-year letter winner.
Golf
Kate Menlove, Sophomore, No.6, Bellevue, WA/Interlake, 3.39, Business Administration & Marketing
Had 85.6 scoring average. Placed third at Lewis & Clark College Invitational. Two-year letter winner.
Crew
Laurel Kaminski, Junior, bow varsity eight, Bellevue, WA/Newport, 3.92, Mathematics
Verizon District VIII Academic all-star. Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Scholar-Athlete. Helped varsity eight place second at NCAA Division II National Championships and NCAA II West Regional and first in petite final at Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships. Three-year letter winner.
Track
Stacey Hopkins, Junior, Javelin, Sammamish, WA/Eastlake, 3.43, Physical Education
GNAC academic all-star. Earned All-America honors by placing seventh in women's javelin at NCAA II National Championships with throw of 146-7. Earlier in season had personal-best mark of148-4, fifth best throw in school history. National provisional qualifier for second straight year. Two-year letter winner.
WWU SCHOLAR ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
MALE
1999 Erik Meyer, track
2000 Marty Juergens, football
2001 Erik Totten, football
2002 Erik Totten, football
2003 Greg Dykstra, football
FEMALE
1999 Sarah Hiss, track
2000 Sarah Hiss, track
2001 Kelsi Giswald, crew
2002 Liz Bishop, volleyball
2003 Liz Bishop, volleyball
