Empire 8 Announces 2010 Senior Scholar-Athlete Award Winners; Luke Lennox of St. John Fisher Wins Men's Honor; Two Share Women's Award
June 9, 2010
ROCHESTER, NY – St. John Fisher College soccer player Luke Lennox has been named the 2010 Empire 8 Senior Scholar-Athlete Award men’s winner. The women’s award was shared by soccer player Amy Scheffer of Ithaca College and swimming and diving student-athlete Stephanie Miller of Stevens Institute of Technology. The award honors those student-athletes who best exemplify what it means to be a dedicated scholar and athlete over the course of their four-year collegiate careers.
“Luke, Amy, and Stephanie not only excel in their respective sports as outstanding athletes, but have set themselves apart as exceptional students,” said Empire 8 Commissioner Chuck Mitrano. “They are shining examples of true scholar-athletes will surely continue to excel beyond their playing days.”
The award winners are selected by a committee comprised of conference Faculty Athletic Representatives. To be eligible, a student-athlete must maintain at least a 3.75 cumulative grade point average.
Lennox, the 2007 Empire 8 Men’s Soccer Player of the Year, was named to the all-conference team in each of his three seasons with the Cardinals. He was one of only three student-athletes to be named ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-Region in back-to-back years, was named a National First-Team Academic All-American, and a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Academic All-Region student-athlete.
Lennox, who majored in psychology and minored in biology, was selected to the NCAA All-Region Team and NSCAA All-Region Team three times. He was named Most Outstanding Player of the 2009 ECAC Division III Upstate Men’s Soccer Championship in leading the Cardinals to the title.
“Three words come to mind when I think about Luke Lennox: brilliance, competitiveness, and civility,” said St. John Fisher men’s soccer coach Rob Searl. “These three words describe Luke on the field and in the classroom. In my 30 years of having the privilege of coaching college soccer, Luke Lennox stands out as one of the most brilliant, competitive players I have coached or ever seen. Most importantly his sportsmanship is second to none.”
Scheffer, an accounting major and Price Waterhouse Scholar, was awarded an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. She earned Academic All-American honors in the fall for the second time, NSCAA Regional Academic Team accolades, and ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-American recognition.
Scheffer was named Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive year this past fall and also earned Empire 8 Women’s Soccer Championship Most Valuable Player honors for the second year in a row. She was named a NSCAA Regional All-Star, and ECAC Player of the Year and First-Team All-Star, and was twice selected as NSCAA All-American.
“Amy was a big personality player for us and has been since day one,” said Ithaca women’s soccer coach Mindy Quigg. “Clearly Amy has tremendous skill, but it is her tactical awareness, personality, and drive to compete which make her a “game changing” player on the field. She is a hard-working and gifted student as well. She is confident and competitive, a player who you definitely want wearing your jersey. Despite being double- or triple-teamed over the past two years, she still produced.”
Miller was named as the top female Mechanical Engineering student in her class and a College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Scholar All-American. She earned Upper New York State Collegiate Swimming Association All-Academic Team honors three times.
Miller qualified for the NCAA Division III Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship each of the past two seasons, earning honorable mention All-American honors twice. She swam on the Ducks’ winning 100- and 200-yard medley relays and the runner-up 400-yard medley relay at the 2010 Empire 8 Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship.
“Stephanie is a model student-athlete,” said Stevens swimming and diving coach Trevor Miele. “Through hard work, dedication, and determination, Stephanie became on the top swimmers in the nation. It is remarkable how well she was able to handle the demands of training and maintain nearly a 4.0 grade point average in such a difficult major. She is one of the nicest, caring people I have ever met and she has served as a fantastic role model for our younger student-athletes. She will truly be missed.”