Bowling Green State University Athletics
Seventeen Falcons Named Winter MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athletes
April 20, 2017 | General, Women's Basketball, Gymnastics, Women's Swimming & Diving, Women's Track and Field, Falcon Club, Student-Athlete Services
Cleveland, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced the Distinguished Scholar Athletes from the eight winter sports during this 2016-17 academic season Thursday, as a total of 208 students were voted by faculty athletic representatives at MAC institutions representing the 'best of the best' from each sport's Academic All-MAC Teams.
Of those 208 students named as 2016-17 Distinguished Scholar Athletes, 17 of them don the Orange and Brown of Bowling Green State University. That total ranked the Falcons tied for third-most in the Mid-American Conference, despite the Falcons not sponsoring men's indoor track & field, men's swimming & diving and wrestling – three of the eight winter sports in the MAC. The BGSU women's swimming and diving program tied for the most student-athletes recognized in the MAC for their sport with six honorees. Women's basketball had three honorees, tied for second-most in their sport, while women's indoor track and field had six, tied for third-most.
Four Falcon student-athletes earned Distinguished Scholar Athlete honors for the third straight year: Becca Rae (women's indoor track & field), Victoria Griffin (women's swimming & diving), Lauren Feely (gymnastics) and Rachel Reis (gymnastics). Five others earned the honor for the second consecutive year: Aliyah Gustafson (women's indoor track & field), Rebecca Schott (women's indoor track & field), Elodie Schreiber (women's swimming & diving), Rachel Myers (women's basketball) and Abby Siefker (women's basketball). The award has only been in existence for three years, created for the 2014-15 academic year.
The Distinguished Scholar Athlete is a second-year award given to students who have excelled in athletics and academics. Following each season from the fall sports schedule, any student with a 3.20 GPA and participation in at least 50 percent of the contests was automatically named to the previously announced Academic All-MAC Team from each sport. Also, first-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence were not eligible for the award.
From the Academic All-MAC Teams, the faculty athletic representatives selected the 'best of the best' of our Academic All-MAC Teams to be honored with Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award for the 2016-17 season. The number of Distinguished Scholar Athletes from each sport were equivalent to the number of first-team selections or 33% of nominees, whichever was greater.
A complete listing of all 17 Bowling Green State University student-athletes to earn the 2016-17 Winter Distinguished Scholar Athlete award is listed below:
WT&F: *Aliyah Gustafson, Bowling Green, Junior, 3.910 GPA, Exercise Science (Iowa City, IA)
WT&F: Elena Lancioni, Bowling Green, Junior, 3.909 GPA, Exercise Science (Le Porte, IN)
WT&F: *^Becca Rae, Bowling Green, Senior, 4.000 GPA, Communication Disorders (Orillia, Ontario)
WT&F: Taylor Rambo, Bowling Green, Senior, 3.360 GPA, Exercise Science (Euclid, OH)
WT&F: *Rebecca Schott, Bowling Green, Junior, 3.909 GPA, Health Science (Montgomery, MI)
WT&F: Rachel Walny, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 4.000 GPA, Exercise Science (Clinton Township, MI)
WS&D: *^Victoria Griffin, Bowling Green, Senior, 3.307 GPA, Criminal Justice (Littlestown, PA)
WS&D: Megan Larson, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 3.878 GPA, Dietetics (Plymouth, MN)
WS&D: *Elodie Schreiber, Bowling Green, Junior, 3.742 GPA, Interior Design (Saint-Nabor)
WS&D: Maya Skorupski, Bowling Green, Senior, 3.452 GPA, Biology (West Chicago, IL)
WS&D: Claire Stam, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 4.00 GPA, Early Childhood Education (Grand Rapids, MI)
WS&D: Amanda Washko, Bowling Green, Junior, 3.929 GPA, Accounting (Livonia, MI)
WBB: *Rachel Myers, Bowling Green, Junior, 4.00 GPA, Dietetics (Findlay, OH)
WBB: Carly Santoro, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 3.823 GPA, Communication Disorders (Bellevue, OH)
WBB: *Abby Siefker, Bowling Green, Senior, 4.00 GPA, Biology/Pre-Dentistry (Ottoville, OH)
GYM: *^Lauren Feely, Bowling Green, Senior, 4.000 GPA, Inclusive Early Childhood Education (Gurnee, IL)
GYM: *^Rachel Reis, Bowling Green, Senior, 4.000 GPA, Exercise Science (Ponte Vedra, FL)
*2015-16 Distinguished Scholar Athlete
^2014-15 Distinguished Scholar Athlete
(Note: 2014-15 was the first year the award was given)
Of those 208 students named as 2016-17 Distinguished Scholar Athletes, 17 of them don the Orange and Brown of Bowling Green State University. That total ranked the Falcons tied for third-most in the Mid-American Conference, despite the Falcons not sponsoring men's indoor track & field, men's swimming & diving and wrestling – three of the eight winter sports in the MAC. The BGSU women's swimming and diving program tied for the most student-athletes recognized in the MAC for their sport with six honorees. Women's basketball had three honorees, tied for second-most in their sport, while women's indoor track and field had six, tied for third-most.
Four Falcon student-athletes earned Distinguished Scholar Athlete honors for the third straight year: Becca Rae (women's indoor track & field), Victoria Griffin (women's swimming & diving), Lauren Feely (gymnastics) and Rachel Reis (gymnastics). Five others earned the honor for the second consecutive year: Aliyah Gustafson (women's indoor track & field), Rebecca Schott (women's indoor track & field), Elodie Schreiber (women's swimming & diving), Rachel Myers (women's basketball) and Abby Siefker (women's basketball). The award has only been in existence for three years, created for the 2014-15 academic year.
The Distinguished Scholar Athlete is a second-year award given to students who have excelled in athletics and academics. Following each season from the fall sports schedule, any student with a 3.20 GPA and participation in at least 50 percent of the contests was automatically named to the previously announced Academic All-MAC Team from each sport. Also, first-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence were not eligible for the award.
From the Academic All-MAC Teams, the faculty athletic representatives selected the 'best of the best' of our Academic All-MAC Teams to be honored with Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award for the 2016-17 season. The number of Distinguished Scholar Athletes from each sport were equivalent to the number of first-team selections or 33% of nominees, whichever was greater.
A complete listing of all 17 Bowling Green State University student-athletes to earn the 2016-17 Winter Distinguished Scholar Athlete award is listed below:
WT&F: *Aliyah Gustafson, Bowling Green, Junior, 3.910 GPA, Exercise Science (Iowa City, IA)
WT&F: Elena Lancioni, Bowling Green, Junior, 3.909 GPA, Exercise Science (Le Porte, IN)
WT&F: *^Becca Rae, Bowling Green, Senior, 4.000 GPA, Communication Disorders (Orillia, Ontario)
WT&F: Taylor Rambo, Bowling Green, Senior, 3.360 GPA, Exercise Science (Euclid, OH)
WT&F: *Rebecca Schott, Bowling Green, Junior, 3.909 GPA, Health Science (Montgomery, MI)
WT&F: Rachel Walny, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 4.000 GPA, Exercise Science (Clinton Township, MI)
WS&D: *^Victoria Griffin, Bowling Green, Senior, 3.307 GPA, Criminal Justice (Littlestown, PA)
WS&D: Megan Larson, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 3.878 GPA, Dietetics (Plymouth, MN)
WS&D: *Elodie Schreiber, Bowling Green, Junior, 3.742 GPA, Interior Design (Saint-Nabor)
WS&D: Maya Skorupski, Bowling Green, Senior, 3.452 GPA, Biology (West Chicago, IL)
WS&D: Claire Stam, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 4.00 GPA, Early Childhood Education (Grand Rapids, MI)
WS&D: Amanda Washko, Bowling Green, Junior, 3.929 GPA, Accounting (Livonia, MI)
WBB: *Rachel Myers, Bowling Green, Junior, 4.00 GPA, Dietetics (Findlay, OH)
WBB: Carly Santoro, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 3.823 GPA, Communication Disorders (Bellevue, OH)
WBB: *Abby Siefker, Bowling Green, Senior, 4.00 GPA, Biology/Pre-Dentistry (Ottoville, OH)
GYM: *^Lauren Feely, Bowling Green, Senior, 4.000 GPA, Inclusive Early Childhood Education (Gurnee, IL)
GYM: *^Rachel Reis, Bowling Green, Senior, 4.000 GPA, Exercise Science (Ponte Vedra, FL)
*2015-16 Distinguished Scholar Athlete
^2014-15 Distinguished Scholar Athlete
(Note: 2014-15 was the first year the award was given)
Players Mentioned
/ Gymnastics
Freestyle
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Throws
/ Women's Track and Field
Distance
/ Women's Track and Field
Freestyle/Backstroke
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
G
/ Women's Basketball
Distance
/ Women's Track and Field
Sprints/Relays
/ Women's Track and Field
/ Gymnastics
G
/ Women's Basketball
Distance
/ Women's Track and Field
Backstroke
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
C
/ Women's Basketball
Backstroke/Freestyle
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Diver
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Distance
/ Women's Track and Field
Freestyle
/ Women's Swimming & DivingBG Football Press Conference 9.22
Monday, September 22
Chris Fox Post-Match Interview (Sept. 21, 2025)
Sunday, September 21
Christie Fransen Post-Match Interview (Sept. 21, 2025)
Sunday, September 21
Lexi White Post-Match Interview (Sept. 21, 2025)
Sunday, September 21