Phoenix Basketball Players Sweep Scholar-Athlete Awards

Jan. 8, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS -

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University of Wisconsin-Green Bay junior Ryan Tillema (men's basketball) and Green Bay senior Kayla Groh (women's basketball) have been named the U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Week, League commissioner Jonathan B. LeCrone announced Tuesday (Jan. 8).

Tillema averaged 20.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game in two Horizon League victories last week. He shot 13-for-19 (.684) from the field, 7-for-12 (.583) from 3-point range, and 7-for-9 from the free-throw line as he led the Phoenix in scoring in both games, racking up 23 points against the University of Detroit Mercy on Thursday (Jan. 3) and 17 points versus Wright State University on Saturday (Jan. 5). Tillema has scored in double-digits in four consecutive games, averaging 22.5 points per game over that time.

In the classroom, Tillema boasts a 3.388 grade-point average as a business administration major. He was also a member of the 2006 Horizon League Academic Honor Roll.

Against Detroit on Thursday, Groh scored a career-high 24 points, missing just one shot out of 14 attempts. She followed that up with a 13-point effort in Green Bay's road victory at Wright State on Saturday. Currently, Groh leads the League in free throw percentage (.897) and is second in three-point shooting (.500).

Academically, Groh earns a 3.681 grade-point average as a business adminstration major. In 2007, she was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District V Second Team, as well as the Academic All-League team. Groh has also aided the Phoenix in earning three straight WBCA Top 25 Academic team honors.

The Horizon League instituted the U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete of the Week 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 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:

Tom Levin, Loyola (basketball, senior, 3.67, finance) had a rebound in 12 minutes of action at Cleveland State University on Thursday (Jan. 3), and added another board and a steal in seven minutes of action at Youngstown State University on Saturday (Jan. 5).

Samuel Haanpää, Valparaiso (basketball, sophomore, 3.72, international business) averaged 9.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game last week for the Crusaders. On 3-of-4 shooting against Indiana Wesleyan on Wednesday (Jan. 2), Haanpää scored nine points, while registering 10 points and a season-high eight rebounds in Valpo's 65-73 loss at #16/17 Butler University on Saturday. Haanpää is currently Valpo's all-time leader in 3-point accuracy at 45.6 percent.

OTHER FEMALE NOMINEES:

Dominique Butler, Cleveland State (basketball, junior, 3.27, social work) helped the Vikings sweep their opening weekend of League play by averaging 14.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.0 steals per game. In Thursday's 75-58 win over Loyola, Butler totaled 14 points, eight boards, and five steals before coming back with 14 points, four rebounds and five steals in Saturday's 66-58 victory over UIC.

Elyse VanBogaert, Loyola (basketball, sophomore, 3.76, undecided) averaged 9.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game last week. She tallied 10 points, four boards, and a block off the bench at Youngstown State on Saturday, after recording nine points, five rebounds and a block at Cleveland State on Thursday. Currently, VanBogaert ranks second on the team with 12.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game this season.

Sarah Ott, Valparaiso (basketball, senior, 3.95, civil engineering) tied a season-high with 14 points in Valpo's inaugural Horizon League game as the Crusaders posted a 77-69 victory over Butler on Saturday. She scored 12 points in the second half, going 4-for-4 from the floor, including 2-for-2 from 3-point range and a perfect 4-4 from the free-throw line, while also adding two boards and an assist in 22 minutes of play.

PREVIOUS U.S. ARMY SCHOLAR-ATHLETES:

Aug. 28,Nina Inic (Butler, volleyball)
Sept. 5,Ryan Miller (Green Bay, cross country); Liz Fazio (Cleveland State, volleyball)
Sept. 11,Chris Honig (Valparaiso, cross country); Katarina Hanackova (UIC, volleyball)
Sept. 18,Malcolm DeBaun (Loyola, soccer); Betty Slinger (Green Bay, volleyball)
Sept. 25,Markian Zyga (Loyola, soccer); Sara Hughes (Valparaiso, volleyball)
Oct. 2,Kent Wories (Butler, cross country); Ani Michl (Valparaiso, soccer)
Oct. 9,Zeke Dombrowski (Milwaukee, soccer); Lotte Rasmussen (Green Bay, soccer)
Oct. 16,Kent Wories (Butler, cross country); Amanda Stinson (Green Bay, soccer)
Oct. 23,Robby Leibold (Milwaukee, swimming); Alyse Serritella (Loyola, volleyball)
Oct. 30,Steve Grove (Cleveland State, swimming); Genni Gardner (Butler, cross country)
Nov. 6,Steve Grove (Cleveland State, swimming); Beth Steuer (Milwaukee, soccer)
Nov. 13,Robby Leibold (Milwaukee, swimming); Cynthia Morote-Ariza (Loyola, soccer)
Nov. 20,Mike Schachtner (Green Bay, basketball); Mel Snyder (Cleveland State, volleyball)
Nov. 27,AJ Graves (Butler, basketball); Kailey Klein (Cleveland State, basketball)
Dec. 4,Drew Streicher (Butler, basketball); Ashley Hall (Milwaukee, diving)
Dec. 11,Jake Diebler (Valparaiso, basketball); Ashley Hall (Milwaukee, diving)
Dec. 18,Samuel Haanpää (Valparaiso, basketball); Leah Hochstetler (Valparaiso, basketball)