May 15, 2015
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - Seniors Dana Finkelstein and Carl Jonson led those recognized at the 30th Annual UNLV Scholar-Athlete Honors Banquet, which was held at the MGM Grand Conference Center Wednesday night.
Finkelstein, from the women's golf program, was named UNLV's Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, while Jonson, from the men's golf team, earned the Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.
Finkelstein, from Chandler, Ariz., is a kinesiological sciences major and has a cumulative grade point average of 3.48. She has been recognized as a member of the Academic All-Mountain West Team and she is the only Rebel in history to earn MW Golfer of the Year honors three times. She has also been recognized as a three-time MW All-Conference Team selection and is a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee at UNLV.
Jonson, from Bainbridge Island, Wash., is a business major who has been recognized as a member of the Academic All-MW Team and a MW Scholar-Athlete. He is in the top-10 percent of all student-athletes at UNLV and on the Dean's List with a 3.73 GPA. He was named a Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholar last year and has been selected to the All-MW and PING All-West Region squads.
"It is always a highlight of our school year to celebrate the academic accomplishments of our student-athletes," said UNLV Director of Athletics Tina Kunzer-Murphy. "Congratulations to all of our honorees and especially to Dana and Carl, who have shown to be at the top of their games both in the classroom and on the golf course."
A total of 128 student-athletes were honored for earning academic all-conference honors by achieving GPAs of 3.0 or higher in the Mountain West and the Western Athletic Conference (only men's soccer and men's swimming & diving), while 52 student-athletes were recognized for being named to the MW's Scholar-Athlete Award list for having a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or greater in at least two semesters at UNLV.
A total of 44 individuals were honored as members of the Rebel Top 10 for attaining a GPA placing them in the top-10 percent of all student-athletes at UNLV. The award is based on cumulative GPA's of all student-athletes who have completed one full academic year at UNLV.
Also announced at the banquet were the Student-Athlete Academic Champions awards, which are give to each sport's most well-rounded leaders that demonstrate great academic achievement in addition to maintaining a productive role in their respective sport. Athletic Academic Advisors select each sport's academic champion based off the following criteria: GPA, degree path, credit load, academic class standing, contribution to their sport, community service and character.
2014-15 UNLV Student-Athlete Academic Champions
Baseball -- DJ Myers
Men's Basketball -- Barry Cheaney
Women's Basketball -- Amie Callaway
Cheer -- Sommer Ehrenberg
Cross Country -- Iris Munguia
Dance -- Taylor Amerson
Football -- Marc Philippi
Men's Golf -- Kurt Kitayama
Women's Golf -- Dana Finkelstein
Men's Soccer -- Connor Coletti
Women's Soccer -- Samantha Weber
Softball -- Francesca Foti
Men's Swimming & Diving -- Lucas James
Women's Swimming & Diving -- Janelle Nguyen
Men's Tennis -- Ace Matias
Women's Tennis -- Annett Ferenczi-Bako
Track & Field -- Kylee Vandenberg
Volleyball -- Allison Davies
