Wright State's Parker, UW-Milwaukee's Saarinen named U.S. Army Scholar-Athletes of the Week

May 15, 2007

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INDIANAPOLIS -- Wright State University sophomore Justin Parker (baseball) and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee sophomore Jenni Saarinen (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 (May 15).

Parker batted .368 in helping the Raiders to a perfect 5-0 record last week, including a three-game sweep of Cleveland State University over the weekend to clinch second place in the League standings. Parker collected seven hits and walked four times, scoring ten runs in five outings. Two of his hits were doubles, giving him a League-leading and school-record 23 two-baggers this season.

The academic award is Parker's third Scholar-Athlete of the Week citation this year. In the classroom, Parker owns a 3.564 grade-point average, majoring in organizational leadership. He has garnered Wright State's Highest Honors (3.50 or better GPA) once and High Honors (3.25 or better GPA) twice, and is a member of the Horizon League's Academic Honor Roll.

Saarinen was named the Outstanding Field Performer after winning three events at last week's League Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Saarinen outdistanced the field in the long jump and javelin competitions after capturing the heptathlon championship earlier in the meet. She scored points in five separate events, garnering Second-Team All-League honors in the high jump while leading the Panthers to their first outdoor track and field League title since 2003.

In the classroom, Saarinen carries a 3.808 grade-point average as an elementary education major. She was a member of the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll last semester and has earned Dean's List accolades from UWM. She was also named the Field Newcomer of the Year at the League's Indoor and Outdoor championships as a freshman and won the pentathlon for the second consecutive year at this winter's Indoor Track and Field Championships. Saarinen won the Scholar-Athlete of the Week award for the second time in 2007.

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)
Apr. 17 -- Justin Parker (Wright State, baseball), Kaleigh Rafter (Detroit, softball)
Apr. 24 -- Sean Bidzinski (Loyola, golf), Holly Nearman (UW-Milwaukee, outdoor track)
May 1 -- Justin Parker (Wright State, baseball), Michele Penney (Cleveland State, softball)
May 8 -- Mark Sommerfeld (Detroit, golf), Paige McCracken (Butler, golf)

MULTIPLE-AWARD WINNERS
5 - Bjorn Schantz, Cleveland State
4 - Genni Gardner, Butler
3 - Justin Parker, Wright State
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 - Jenni Saarinen, UW-Milwaukee
2 - Mike Schachtner, UW-Green Bay
2 - Mark Sommerfeld, Detroit
2 - Kent Wories, Butler
2 - Markian Zyga, Loyola