Butler's Graves, Loyola's Krause named U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Week

March 20, 2007

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INDIANAPOLIS -- Butler University junior A.J. Graves (men's basketball) andLoyola University Chicago junior Kat Krause (softball) have been named the U.S.Army Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Week, League commissioner JonathanB. LeCrone announced Tuesday (March 20).

Graves scored 37 points in two games at the NCAA Championship, leading thefifth-seeded Bulldogs past 12th-seeded Old Dominion University (57-46) and fourth-seededUniversity of Maryland (62-59) to earn a spot in the Sweet 16. He had 18 pointsagainst ODU on Thursday (March 15) and hit two critical three-pointers to lead BU with19 points versus the Terrapins on Saturday (March 17). Butler advanced to the regionalsemifi nals for the second time, matching the best-ever showing by a Horizon Leagueteam. The victory over Maryland was Butler's 29th of the year, setting a League singleseasonrecord in that category, as well.

In the classroom, Graves owns a 3.394 grade-point average as an actuarial science major. The juniorguard was a First-Team Academic All-America selection by the College Sports Information Directors of America last month, and earned Academic All-League honors in 2005-06. He also gained a spot on the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll in each semester in addition to receiving the Paul D. "Tony" Hinkle Scholarship for outstandingacademic and athletic achievement. The weekly award is the second of the season for Graves, whoalso received the honor on Dec. 27.

Krause batted .800 (four-for-fi ve) with a 2.400 slugging percentage which included a triple, two homeruns, three runs scored and fi ve RBI in two games last week. She went two-for-three with a single and a two run homer to lift Loyola past 17th-ranked Illinois State University in the opening game of a doubleheader on Wednesday (March 14), and added a homer, a triple and three RBI in the rain-shortened nightcap. The game one victory was Loyola's first over a ranked opponent since 2000.In the classroom, Krause carries a 3.74 grade-point average as a psychology/sociology major. She earnedAcademic All-League honors after hitting a school-record 11 home runs last spring, and is a three-time member of the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll.

The Horizon League instituted the Scholar-Athlete of the Week awards for this academic year as a way torecognize 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 and 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.

OTHER MALE NOMINEES:

Rob West, Cleveland State (tennis, sophomore, 3.66, psychology) split four singles matches during the Vikings' spring-break trip to Hawaii, andalso won one match at No. 3 doubles. He now owns a 17-6 singles record for the season.

OTHER FEMALE NOMINEES:

Whitney Willard, Cleveland State (softball, junior, 3.66, graphic design) posted a .524 (11-of-21) batting average with fi ve runs scored and two RBI in six games during CSU's spring-break trip to Florida. She extended her hitting streak to 11 games and posted two three-hit performances whilealso stealing seven bases.

Michelle Baggio, Detroit (softball, senior, 3.642, education) hit a team-high .533 (eight-for-15) with a double and three homers at the CatamountClassic. She earned All-Tournament honors at the event, posting a .650 on-base percentage and 1.200 slugging percentage. Baggio extended herseason-opening hitting streak to 14 games before going hitless in the tournament fi nale Sunday (March 18).

Amanda Popp, UW-Green Bay (basketball, senior, 3.793, psychology/human development) scored 14 points and grabbed fi ve rebounds in UWGB's 59-52 victory over the University of New Mexico in the opening round of the NCAA Championship on Sunday. She hit two key three-pointersduring a second-half run to help the Phoenix to its 26th consecutive victory and the second-ever by a League school in the national tournament.

PREVIOUS SCHOLAR-ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Aug. 29 Aaron Thompson (Butler, soccer), Liz Fazio (Cleveland State, volleyball)
Sept. 5 Kent Wories (Butler, cross country), Genni Gardner (Butler, cross country)
Sept. 12 Kent Wories (Butler, cross country), Stephanie Gross (UW-Green Bay, soccer)
Sept. 19 Markian Zyga (Loyola, soccer), Ginny Graczyk (UW-Milwaukee, soccer)
Sept. 26 Paul Mongillo (Butler, soccer), Liz Fazio (Cleveland State, volleyball)
Oct. 3 Tom Sadd (Cleveland State, soccer), Mary Parker (Detroit, soccer)
Oct. 10 Billy Meier (UW-Milwaukee, soccer), Mary Parker (Detroit, soccer)
Oct. 17 Nick Hawley (UW-Milwaukee, cross country), Mary Parker (Detroit, soccer)
Oct. 24 Bjorn Schantz (Cleveland State, swimming), Betty Slinger (UW-Green Bay, volleyball)
Oct. 31 Bjorn Schantz (Cleveland State, swimming), Genni Gardner (Butler, cross country)
Nov. 7 Markian Zyga (Loyola, soccer), Sarah Rauen (UW-Green Bay, volleyball)
Nov. 14 Bjorn Schantz (Cleveland State, swimming), Genni Gardner (Butler, cross country)
Nov. 21 Robby Leibold (UW-Milwaukee, swimming), Sarah Moore (UW-Milwaukee, volleyball)
Nov. 28 Bjorn Schantz (Cleveland State, swimming), Whitney Lewis (Wright State, basketball)
Dec. 5 Bjorn Schantz (Cleveland State, swimming), Amanda Popp (UW-Green Bay, basketball)
Dec. 12 Tom Levin (Loyola, basketball), Jenna Real (Loyola, basketball)
Dec. 19 Mike Schachtner (UW-Green Bay, basketball), Steph Comisar (Wright State, basketball)
Dec. 27 A.J. Graves (Butler, basketball), Jenna Real (Loyola, basketball)
Jan. 9 Mike Schachtner (UW-Green Bay, basketball), Jenna Real (Loyola, basketball)
Jan. 16 Dan Lindstrom (UW-Green Bay, swimming), Whitney Lewis (Wright State, basketball)
Jan. 23 Robby Leibold (UW-Milwaukee, swimming), Jackie Closser (Butler, basketball)
Jan. 30 Drew Streicher (Butler, basketball), Molly Cox (UW-Green Bay, swimming)
Feb. 6 Blake Booher (UIC, swimming), Lindsay Caldwell (UW-Milwaukee, swimming)
Feb. 13 Drew Burleson (Wright State, basketball), Jenni Saarinen (UW-Milwaukee, indoor track)
Feb. 20 Evan West (Butler, tennis), Genni Gardner (Butler, indoor track)
Feb. 27 Blake Booher (UIC, swimming), Lindsay Caldwell (UW-Milwaukee, swimming)
Mar. 6 Rob West (Cleveland State, tennis), Amy Meissner (UW-Green Bay, tennis)
Mar. 13 Mark Sommerfeld (Detroit, golf), Jackie Closser (Butler, basketball)


MULTIPLE-AWARD WINNERS
5 - Bjorn Schantz, Cleveland State
4 - Genni Gardner, Butler
3 - Mary Parker, Detroit
3 - Jenna Real, Loyola
2 - Blake Booher, UIC
2 - Lindsay Caldwell, UW-Milwaukee
2 - Jackie Closser, Butler
2 - A.J. Graves, Butler
2 - Whitney Lewis, Wright State
2 - Robby Leibold, UW-Milwaukee
2 - Mike Schachtner, UW-Green Bay
2 - Kent Wories, Butler
2 - Markian Zyga, Loyola