Loyola's Gibler, Milwaukee's Wenger named U.S. Army Scholar-Athletes of the Month

INDIANAPOLIS - Basketball standout Walt Gibler of Loyola and swimming champion Danielle Wenger of Milwaukee have been named the U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Month for February.

Gibler (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier), a sophomore forward, averaged 10.5 points and 5.5 rebounds off the bench while shooting 49 percent from the field in eight games in February. He scored in double figures five times during the month, including 18 points against Green Bay. Gibler also had 15 points and eight rebounds in the Ramblers' BracketBusters game at Creighton. Last week, he was named the Horizon League's Sixth Man of the Year in voting by the head coaches.

In the classroom, Gibler carries a 3.85 grade-point average as a psychology major. He was previously named the U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete of the Month in December and earned the Don Izban Award in 2008-09 as Loyola's men's basketball student-athlete with the highest grade-point average.

Wenger (Hartford, Wis./Hartford Union), a junior, won Horizon League titles in the 500, 1000 and 1650 freestyles at the conference championships in late February en route to being named Swimmer of the Meet as well as the League's Co-Women's Swimming and Diving Athlete of the Year. Earlier in the month, she broke Klotsche Natatorium records in the 500 and 1000 freestyles in the Panthers' near-upset of six-time League champion Green Bay.

An education major, Wenger owns a 3.76 grade-point average and has been named to the Horizon League All-Academic Team and Academic Honor Roll during her career.

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 month's competition. Winners are selected by the League's faculty athletics representatives, from nominations provided by sports information directors.