Butler's Baker, Valpo's Kondratko named U.S. Army Scholar-Athletes of the Month

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INDIANAPOLIS - Cross country standout Andy Baker of Butler University and soccer player Jackie Kondratko of Valparaiso University have been named the U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Month for October.

Baker (Minehead, United Kingdom), a senior, became the first runner in Horizon League history to win three straight individual cross country championships with his victory Oct. 31 in Milford, Mich. In the process, he led Butler to its 12th consecutive men's team championship. Earlier in October, Baker was the runner-up at the Pre-National Invitational and finished third at the Notre Dame Individual en route to twice being named the League's Men's Cross Country Athlete of the Week during the month.

In the classroom, Baker carries a 3.871 grade-point average and is currently working toward his master's in business administration. He was named to the 2009 ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team for cross country/track and field and also has been selected to the Academic All-League Team, the League's Academic Honor Roll and the Butler Athletic Director's Honor Roll.

Kondratko (Granger, Ind.), a senior midfielder, scored four goals with one assist to lead Valparaiso to a 5-1-1 record in October, including a 4-1 League mark. Two of her goals were game-winners for the Crusaders, who earned the third seed in the Horizon League Women's Soccer Championship presented by U.S. Army.

A mechanical engineering major, Kondratko (pronounced konn-DRAY-koe) owns a 3.95 grade-point average and has been voted to the ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District V First Team this season and last. She also has been selected to the Horizon League All-Academic Team and Academic Honor Roll during her career and is a member of Tau Beta Pi and Alpha Lambda Delta honor societies at Valpo.

The Horizon League instituted the U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete of the Month awards as a way to recognize outstanding academic and athletic achievement by its student-athletes. To be eligible for the honor, a student-athlete must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20 or better (on a 4.00 scale), have completed at least one year at the member institution, passed 24 semester or 36 quarter hours and perform well during the week's competition. Winners are selected by a group of League faculty athletic representatives, from nominations provided by sports information directors.