Wayne State's Diehl & Potter Named 2020-21 GLIAC Pat Riepma Postgraduate Scholarship Recipients

Posted: Apr 21, 2021

GLIAC –Wayne State distance runner Teresa Diehl and offensive lineman Lane Potter have been named the recipients of the 2020-21 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Pat Riepma Postgraduate Scholarship. The honor, which awards each recipient, one male and one female, $5,000 in aid to the graduate school of their choice, was voted on by the Faculty Athletic Representatives (FARs) of the GLIAC member institutions.

"Those are three names that are associated with excellence – Teresa, Lane and Pat," remarked WSU Director of Athletics Rob Fournier. "In the case of Teresa and Lane, they have regularly been recognized at our annual academic events and programs for their scholarship and successes which will continue in graduate school with this special achievement. And Pat Riepma, who I considered a very dear friend and was so impactful in the lives of countless students, I know would be proud to be associated with two fine examples of what he inspired, advanced, and championed in young people to make a difference, and they will. They too represent the best of a great conference and its student athletes."

Wayne State | Teresa Diehl | Cross Country - Track & Field

Diehl, who enrolled at WSU in the fall of 2016, to run cross country and track was majoring in Kinesiology but enrolled in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in the Fall of 2019 to pursue a degree in Physical Therapy.

She has been named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll (term GPA 3.5+) all nine previous semesters, including three 4.00 terms. A three-year recipient of the D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award, she has also been a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-District nominee. Diehl, who is a nine-time GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team honoree, was the WSU Athletics Deans' Award winner from the College of Education for having the highest cumulative grade-point average of all student-athletes in that college in 2018-19, and the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in 2019-20.

After competing in all three sports (cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track) as a freshman, she earned the track squad's Most Improved award for 2017-18. As a sophomore, she scored at both the GLIAC Indoor Championships (DMR) and GLIAC Outdoor Championships (Steeplechase). In her junior season, Diehl was the cross country team's Most Improved Runner, then scored at the GLIAC Outdoor Championships in the steeplechase. She served as a team captain as a senior in 2019-20.

Diehl was a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and also the WSU Student Leadership Council.

Wayne State | Lane Potter | Football

Potter has started all 33 games (11 at right tackle in 2017; 11 at right guard in 2018, 11 at left guard in 2019) in his collegiate career and earned a bachelor's degree in Global Supply Chain Management in December 2020 (three-and-a-half years). He has been named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll (term GPA 3.5+) all seven previous semesters, including one 4.00 term. Potter, who is a member of the WSU Student-Athlete Leadership Council, was WSU's Offensive Rookie of the Year award winner in 2017.

In 2018, he received GLIAC All-Academic Excellence recognition and was a CoSIDA Academic All-District nominee for the first of two consecutive seasons. Potter has also been a recipient of the D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award each of the last two years. A 2019 All-GLIAC Second Team honoree, he helped WSU rank second in the GLIAC in rushing yards per game (207.9), rushing TD (22), fewest sacks allowed per game (1.18) and time of possession (32:40).

The selections of Diehl and Potter gives WSU six honorees joining golfer Lance Chamberlain (2006-07), baseball catcher Michael Wiseman (2010-11), men's tennis student-athlete Michael FitzGerald (2013-14) and swimmer Ahmed Ahmed (2019-20).

The GLIAC Postgraduate Scholarship is named after former Northwood University Athletic Director and head football coach Pat Riepma who passed away in July of 2015 after a lengthy and courageous battle with cancer. Pat spent over 21 years at Northwood and was the all-time winningest coach in football history as well as the long time Athletic Director. While his achievements on the field and on behalf of the athletic department are impressive, Pat will be forever remembered for the person he was. Pat was a passionate, spiritual man who inspired thousands of people even before he became sick. While Pat is gone, his mantra of "Go MAD"- Go Make a Difference, will live on.

Click here for previous GLIAC Postgraduate Awards recipients