Loyola's Bidzinski, UW-Milwaukee's Nearman named U.S. Army Scholar-Athletes of the Week

April 23, 2007

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INDIANAPOLIS -- Loyola University Chicago sophomore Sean Bidzinski (men's golf) and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee sophomore Holly Nearman (women's outdoor track and field) have been named the U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Week, League commissioner Jonathan B. LeCrone announced Tuesday (April 24).

Bidzinski tied for 24th place at the Wiscon Corporation Invitational last Sunday and Monday (April 16-17), helping the Ramblers to a second-place finish in the team standings. He fired a 77 in each of the three rounds for a 54-hole total of 231. He is averaging 77.2 strokes per round through seven events this year.

In the classroom, Bidzinski carries a 3.88 grade-point average as a biology major. He earned a spot on the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll last fall.

Nearman won the 5,000-meter race at the prestigious Kansas Relays on Friday (April 20), crossing the finish line with a personal-best time of 17:31.43, which ranks fifth in school history. She finished second in the 5,000 and fourth in the 3,000 meters at the 2007 Horizon League Indoor Track and Field Championships in February, helping the Panthers capture the team title.

In the classroom, Nearman boasts a 3.619 grade-point average as a journalism major. She was an Academic All-League honoree during the indoor season and is also a 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 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)
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)
Mar. 20 -- A.J. Graves (Butler, basketball), Kat Krause (Loyola, softball)
Mar. 27 -- John Westra (Cleveland State, baseball), Natalie Berglin (UW-Green Bay, basketball)
Apr. 3 -- Josh Page (Youngstown State, baseball), Kat Krause (Loyola, softball)
Apr. 10 -- Steven Wipprecht (Cleveland State, tennis), Jenni Saarinen (UW-Milwaukee, outdoor track)

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 - Kat Krause, Loyola
2 - Whitney Lewis, Wright State
2 - Robby Leibold, UW-Milwaukee
2 - Mike Schachtner, UW-Green Bay
2 - Kent Wories, Butler
2 - Markian Zyga, Loyola