Barraza, Montemayor Receive Academic Awards
8/17/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
HOUSTON â€" University of Houston Baseball infielder Justin Montemayor and Men's Indoor Track and Field Star Brian Barraza each received the 2015-16 Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award for their respective sports, Commissioner Mike Aresco announced Wednesday.
Houston was one of six schools with multiple recipients. Memphis led the league with honorees , while Tulsa finished second with three selections. The Cougars joined UConn, USF, SMU and Tulane with two apiece.
ABOUT Brian Barraza
During the 2015 Cross Country season, Barraza became the first Cougar to win a Regional championship when he captured the individual title at the NCAA South Central Regional in November. He ran the 10,000-meter race in 30:07.3 to win by more than two seconds and booked his second straight trip to the NCAA Cross Country Championships.
On the track circuit, Barraza broke three school records during the 2015-16 campaign, including the 10,000-meter record, which had stood since 1960, and claimed the American Indoor Championship in the 3,000-meters. The senior was also named to the 2016 USTFCCCA All-Academic Team earlier this year.
ABOUT Justin Montemayor
As a senior in 2016, Montemayor was one of two Cougars to start all 59 games. Competing at both third base and first base, the Austin, Texas, native knocked in 33 RBIs, the second highest total on the team, while compiling a perfect 4.00 cumulative grade-point average for the 2015-16 academic year.
Montemayor was a two-time All-Conference honoree and a two-time member of The American All-Academic Team. He also received CoSIDA Academic All-District accolades in 2014.
SCHOLAR-ATHLETE SPORT EXCELLENCE AWARDS
These are the latest academic awards that Houston student-athletes have received during the 2015-16 year. In March, Men's Golfer Blair Hamilton was named the league's Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
The Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Awards are given to a student-athlete in each American Athletic Conference-sponsored sport based on academic credentials, athletic accolades and performances, and volunteer service to the community.
Student-athletes who have attained junior academic standing and a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 are eligible.
2015-16 American Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award Winners
| Sport | Recipient |
|---|---|
| Baseball | Justin Montemayor, Houston Hunter Williams, Tulane |
| Men's Indoor Track & Field | Brian Barraza, Houston |
| Men's Basketball | Avery Woodson, Memphis |
| Women's Basketball | Breanna Stewart, UConn |
| Men's Cross Country | Stephen Tankersley, Memphis |
| Women's Cross Country | Emily Howard, UConn |
| Football | Jake Elliott, Memphis |
| Men's Golf | Rigel Fernandes, USF |
| Women's Golf | Leighann Cabush, Memphis |
| Women's Rowing | Marissa Catalanotto, Tulsa |
| Men's Soccer | Alex Cagle, Temple |
| Women's Soccer | Elysia Masters, Memphis |
| Softball | Erica Nunn, USF |
| Men's Swimming & Diving | Bryce Klein, SMU |
| Women's Swimming & Diving | Bailie Monahan, East Carolina Jacqueline Keire, Cincinnati |
| Men's Tennis | Louis Asser, Memphis |
| Women's Tennis | Anki Wind, Memphis |
| Women's Indoor Track & Field | Elizabeth McMillan, Tulane |
| Men's Outdoor Track & Field | Tim Rackers, Tulsa |
| Women's Outdoor Track & Field | Carolina Carmichael, Memphis |
| Women's Volleyball | Avery Acker, SMU |
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Players Mentioned
