UW-Milwaukee's Leibold, Butler's Closser named Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Week
Jan. 23, 2007
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INDIANAPOLIS -- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee sophomore Robby Leibold (men's swimming) and Butler University senior Jackie Closser (women's basketball) have been named the Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Week, commissioner Jonathan B. LeCrone announced Tuesday (Jan. 23).
Leibold led the Panthers to the championship of the Bill Ritter Invitational last weekend, taking first place in both the 1,650-yard freestyle and the 400-yard individual medley while finishing second in the 500-yard freestyle. His 16:16.59 clocking in the 1,650 eclipsed the previous school record, and he finished the 400 IM with a time of 4:12.67.
In the classroom, Leibold has compiled a 3.828 grade-point average. He earned Dean's List recognition in each semester last year and will be recognized when the Horizon League announces its Fall Academic Honor Roll later this week. The weekly award is Leibold's second of the year, as he received the same honor on Nov. 21.
Closser led the Bulldogs with 17 points in a 59-51 victory at the University of Detroit Mercy on Thursday (Jan. 18). She made all 12 of her free-throw attempts in that contest, and added 19 points versus Indiana University-Purdue University-Fort Wayne on Saturday (Jan. 20), extending her streak to 46 consecutive games with at least one three-point field goal made. She ranks eighth in the League in scoring at 13.3 points per game, while her norm of 3.94 assists per contest is third on the League chart.
In the classroom, Closser owns a 3.616 grade-point average as an elementary education major. She was an Academic All-League selection in 2005-06 and has been a member of the Butler Athletic Director's Honor Roll and 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.
OTHER MALE NOMINEES:
Drew Streicher, Butler (basketball, junior, 3.937, chemistry/pre-med) came off the bench with nine points and a team-high five rebounds in 14th-ranked Butler's 80-59 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay on Saturday (Jan. 20). He also drew his second start of the season in BU's 67-39 triumph over Youngstown State University on Wednesday (Jan. 17), scoring four points in that game.
Andrew Hayner, Detroit (indoor track and field, junior, 4.000, political science and history) finished fifth in the 1,500 meters Saturday, setting a personal-best with his 4:05.39 clocking at the Don Wright Team Challenge in London, Ontario. The four-time Academic All-League honoree carries a perfect 4.000 grade-point average.
Blake Booher, UIC (swimming, senior, 3.29, political science) won the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events at the Bill Ritter Invitational over the weekend, setting a pool record with his :20.51 mark in the 50. He was also part of the Flames' victorious 200-yard freestyle and 400-yard medley relay units, pacing the school to a third-place finish in the team standings.
Tom Levin, Loyola (basketball, junior, 3.63, economics) returned to action after missing six games due to injury, recording two points and one rebound in five minutes of action in Saturday's victory over Indiana University-Purdue University-Fort Wayne. Levin had been sidelined since late December with elbow and ankle problems.
Drew Burleson, Wright State (basketball, senior, 3.237, communications studies) scored 11 points and grabbed five rebounds in a 78-67 victory over Cleveland State University on Thursday (Jan. 18). He came back with 13 points and seven caroms versus the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Sunday (Jan. 21), capping a week which included 11-of-17 shooting from the field.
Drew Weizer, Youngstown State (indoor track and field, senior, 3.80, physical education) established new career bests in two events at Baldwin-Wallace College on Friday (Jan. 19). His mark of 57 feet, 3/4 inch in the weight throw won top honors in the event and represents the best showing by a League athlete this season, while his effort of 43 feet, nine inches in the shot put was good for eighth place at the meet.
OTHER FEMALE NOMINEES:
Dominique Butler, Cleveland State (basketball, sophomore, 3.21, sport management) scored 18 points and pulled down nine rebounds at UW-Milwaukee on Saturday. She also recorded four steals in that contest, after posting two steals with two rebounds against League front-runner University of Wisconsin-Green Bay on Thursday.
Zanita Clipper, Detroit (indoor track and field, junior, 3.559, business) finished second in the 60-meter dash at the Don Wright Team Challenge, turning in a time of :07.97. She also ran the first leg of the Titans' 4x200-meter relay at the same meet, helping UDM to a second-place showing in that event.
Nikki Grobbecker, UIC (basketball, sophomore, 3.29, business management) led the Flames with ten rebounds in a victory over cross-town rival Loyola University Chicago on Saturday. She added eight points to finish a basket shy of her third double-double of the season, and lifted her season rate to 5.6 rebounds per game, sixth-best in the League.
Marquise Hanser, Loyola (basketball, senior, 3.40, marketing) averaged 16 points, six rebounds and four assists in two contests last week. She paced the Ramblers past Chicago State University with 12 points, five boards and four helpers on Tuesday (Jan. 16), and scored a team-high 20 points with seven caroms versus UIC on Saturday.
Erin Templin, UW-Green Bay (basketball, sophomore, 3.493, business administration) came off the bench to average 11.5 points to help the Phoenix to a pair of League victories. She tallied a career-high 12 points with four rebounds versus Cleveland State on Thursday, and contributed 11 points and three assists against Youngstown State University on Saturday. She entered the week averaging 4.4 points per game.
Lindsay Caldwell, UW-Milwaukee (swimming, senior, 3.586, journalism & mass communications) paced the Panthers to the championship at the Bill Ritter Invitational, winning the 50-yard (:23.98), 100-yard (:52.24) and 200-yard (1:54.61) freestyle events and swimming the first leg for UWM's victorious 400-yard medley relay team. Her time in the 50 set a pool record.
Steph Comisar, Wright State (basketball, senior, 3.233, accounting) scored 15 points off the bench to help Wright State past the Universiry of Detroit Mercy, 67-51, on Saturday. The two-sport standout (soccer and basketball) was one of four Raiders in double figures, and also pulled down five rebounds while handing out three assists.
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)
