Butler's Graves, Loyola's Real net Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Week awards

Dec. 27, 2006

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INDIANAPOLIS -- Butler University junior A.J. Graves (men's basketball) and Loyola University Chicago senior Jenna Real (women's basketball) have been named the Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Week, League commissioner Jonathan B. LeCrone announced Wednesday (Dec. 27).

Graves scored 22 points to lead the Bulldogs past instate rival University of Evansville, 76-65, last Friday (Dec. 22), extending Butler's early-season run to 12 victories in 13 games. Graves, who leads the League in scoring at 18.2 points per game, made five of ten shots from the field including three three-pointers, along with a perfect nine-for-nine outing at the free throw line. He leads the nation with a .986 free-throw percentage, making 69 of 70 attempts this season including 41 in a row.

In the classroom, Graves owns a 3.37 grade-point average as an actuarial science major. The junior guard was an Academic All-League selection last winter and earned spots on the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll in each semester in addition to receiving the Paul D. "Tony" Hinkle Scholarship for outstanding acaedmic and athletic achievement.

Real averaged 18 points, 8.5 rebounds and two assists in two games at the San Juan Shootout last week. She posted 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in Loyola's 77-70 loss to Syracuse on Tuesday (Dec. 19), and led LU with 15 points and six rebounds versus 17th-ranked DePaul University on Wednesday (Dec. 20). For the season, she ranks seventh in the League in scoring (12.9 points per game) and fourth in rebounding (6.2 per game) while leading the circuit in field-goal percentage (.625).

In the classroom, Real owns a 3.54 grade-point average in her studies as a fine arts major. She is a four-time member of the League's Academic Honor Roll.

The Horizon League instituted the Scholar-Athlete of the Week awards for this academic year 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 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.

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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)

MULTIPLE-AWARD WINNERS
5 - Bjorn Schantz, Cleveland State
3 - Genni Gardner, Butler
3 - Mary Parker, Detroit
2 - Jenna Real, Loyola
2 - Kent Wories, Butler
2 - Markian Zyga, Loyola