BOSTON, Mass. – The University of Maine had seven student-athletes receive the 2014-15 America East Presidential Scholar-Athlete Award, announced on Thursday, May 28, 2015.
Scott Merrill (Scarborough, Maine) of the track and field team majored in biology with a 3.77 grade point average. Courtney Anderson (Greene, Maine) of the women’s basketball team earned a degree in elementary education with a 3.84 GPA. Carolyn Stocker (Westfield, Mass.) of the cross country and women’s track and field teams majored in food science and human nutrition with a 3.96 grade point average. Vasiliki Papakotsi (Athens, Greece) of the track and field team was a food science and human nutrition major with a 3.75 grade point average. Zoe Berkey (Duncan. British Columbia) of the field hockey team posted a 3.86 grade point average as a civil engineering major. Rebecca Paradee (Gardiner, Maine), also of the field hockey team, finished with a KPE-exercise science degree with a 3.84 GPA. Liis Emajoe (Tallinn, Estonia) was a KPE-teaching and coaching major with a 3.76 GPA.
To be named, the student-athlete must be an undergraduate student-athlete and be graduating with a 3.75 grade point average or higher. Transfer student-athletes must have been at the institution for a minimum two-year period.
Maine had seven student-athletes honored, which ranked second most in the conference. New Hampshire led the way with 10 student-athletes honored. Maine was followed by Hartford and Stony Brook who each had six student-athletes honored. UMass Lowell had five followed by Binghamton (2), UMBC (2), Vermont (2) and Albany (1).
Holly Stewart (North Vancouver, British Columbia) of the field hockey team was honored in January with the award as she graduated in December with a 3.99 grade point average as a KPE-Exercise Science major.
The Presidential Scholar-Athlete Award was approved by the America East Board of Presidents in June of 2013 and implemented for 2013-14 academic year. In addition to the 41 honorees, five student-athletes who graduated in December were also given the award. Overall 94 student-athletes have been honored as part of the program.
The University of Maine is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2015. In conjunction with this, the athletic department will celebrate 150 student-athletes achievements over the next year.
