Butler's Graves, Valparaiso's Zappia Named Scholar-Athletes of the Month for March
April 4, 2008
INDIANAPOLIS -
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Butler University senior A.J. Graves (men's basketball) and Valparaiso University senior Andrea Zappia (softball) have been named the U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Month for March, League commissioner Jonathan B. LeCrone announced Friday (April 4).
Last month, Graves helped Butler win the Horizon League Tournament and earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Graves scored 18 points and had a game-high six assists in an 81-61 victory over South Alabama in the first round before posting a game-high 21 points in the Bulldogs' 76-71 overtime loss to Tennessee in the second round. For his efforts this season, Graves was named to the All-League First-Team and was honored on the Collegeinsider.com Mid-Major All-America Team.
Academically, Graves carries a 3.335 grade-point average as a math and actuarial science major. In 2007-2008, he was named to the Academic All-America Second Team, as well as the ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA District V All-Academic First Team. Graves has twice been a Horizon League All-Academic Team honoree, and has been recognized on the League Academic Honor Roll for three consecutive years.
Zappia posted an 8-2 record with three saves for the Crusaders during the month of March, registering an ERA of 1.41 as she struck out 73 batters in just 64.1 innings of play. Her three saves last month gave her 17 for her career, placing her among the Top-10 in NCAA Division I history in that category. Zappia was twice named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week, as she moved into second-place on Valpo's career strikeout chart with 354, just eight shy of the school record. Her month was highlighted by a 7-5 win at #23 Maryland (Mar. 15), Valpo's first victory over a ranked team in Zappia's career.
As a history major, Zappia boasts a 3.792 grade-point average. She is a three-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association Scholar-Athlete, as well as a previous League Scholar-Athlete of the Week winner (Mar. 11). Zappia also was recognized on the ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District V Second Team as a junior, and was a two-time Mid-Continent Conference All-Academic Team member. She also was named to the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll last fall.
The Horizon League instituted the U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete of the Week awards in 2006 as a way to supplement recognition of outstanding academic and athletic achievement by its student-athletes. That commitment continued with the addition of the U.S. Scholar-Athlete of the Month awards in the fall of 2007. 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 month's competition. Winners are selected by a group of League faculty athletic representatives, from nominations provided by sports information directors.
OTHER MALE NOMINEES:
Phil Orno, Cleveland State (tennis, sophomore, 3.40, English) was a perfect 10-0 last month, helping Cleveland State to a 5-1 record, including a 2-1 mark during the Vikings' spring-break trip to Florida. He won all five of his singles and doubles matches in March - sweeping Chicago State, SIU-Edwardsville, Connecticut, Stetson and Dayton - and has now won 12-straight singles matches.
Sean Bidzinski, Loyola (golf, junior, 3.92, finance) recorded a total score of 242 (87-79-76) to place 73rd at the competitive Braveheart Classic in Beaumont, Calif. on Mar. 4-5.
Andy Hetebrueg, Milwaukee (baseball, junior, 3.787, marketing) started in five games on the mound for the Panthers, striking out 15 batters in 29.0 innings. He also played seven games in the field, making five starts and batting .286 with five runs scored, including a 2-for-3 effort against Austin Peay (Mar. 15). In a 12-4 victory over Butler on Mar. 29, Hetebrueg struck out a career-high seven batters in seven innings on the mound.
Steve Bartholomew, Valparaiso (track & field, senior, 3.281, management) was named the Outstanding Field Performer at the Horizon League Indoor Track & Field Championships, as he broke a school and League record in the weight throw with a toss of 67 feet 9 3/4 inches. He also won the event at the Nebraska Last Chance Meet, and eventually finished 16th at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Bartholomew's efforts also earned him the Horizon League Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year award.
Aaron Merrill, Youngstown State (track & field, junior, 3.66, criminal justice) won the shot put at the Horizon League Indoor Track & Field Championships with a school and League meet record. He also finished sixth in the weight throw to score 11 points at the League Championships, the most by any male thrower. Merrill also placed 10th overall and first in his flight at the Virginia Tech Last Chance meet in the shot put.
OTHER FEMALE NOMINEES:
Kailey Klein, Cleveland State (basketball, sophomore, 3.40, business) led the Vikings to a 4-3 record in March, including Cleveland State's first-ever Horizon League Championship title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament by averaging 21.4 points, eight rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. In three Horizon League Championship contests, she averaged 22.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists en route to earning the Most Valuable Player award. Her totals included a 29-point, 13-rebound championship game effort against Wright State.
Ellen Kresl, Loyola (softball, sophomore, 3.67, accounting) batted a team-best .431 (22-for-51) and had a .442 on-base percentage in 16 games last month. She swiped eight bases and helped the Ramblers to seven overall wins, including a 4-1 start in League play. Kresl recorded seven multi-hit games, including a 4-for-4 effort against Texas Tech on Mar. 1.
Bethany Anderson, Youngstown State (track & field, senior, 3.46, physical education) was named the Horizon League Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year for the second-straight season after being honored as the Outstanding Field Performer at the Indoor Track & Field Championships as she led the Penguins to the Horizon League title. She won the weight throw for the third consecutive season, and finished the season ranked 25th nationally in the weight throw event.
Previous U.S. Army Scholar-Athletes of the Month:
August/September: Mark Sommerfeld, Detroit (Golf); Betty Slinger, Green Bay (Volleyball)
October: Robby Leibold, Milwaukee (Swimming); Tara Geegan, Wright State (Volleyball)
November: Mike Schactner, Green Bay (Basketball); Tara Geegan, Wright State (Volleyball)
December: Samuel Haanpää, Valparaiso (Basketball); Elyse VanBogaert, Loyola (Basketball)
January: Ryan Tillema, Green Bay (Basketball); Kailey Klein, Cleveland State (Basketball)
February: Drew Streicher, Butler (Basketball); Jessica Weidert, Wright State (Swimming)
