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BAY CITY, Mich. -- The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) announced the recipients of the Winter 2010 GLIAC Commissioner’s Awards.  The awards, sponsored by Meijer, Incorporated, are presented after the Fall,Winter, and Spring athletic seasons to six male and six female student-athletes that excel both in the classroom and on the fields of play. All grade point averages are based on a 4.0 scale.

The six female student-athletes to receive the Winter 2010 GLIAC Commissioner’s Awards are:  Stephanie Tinney  of Ashland University; Brooke Knight of Hillsdale College; Sarah Stream and Katie Wysocky of Michigan Technological University; Jodi Ostergren of Northwood University; and Ashley St. Andrew of Wayne State University.

The six male student-athletes to receive the Winter 2010 GLIAC Commissioner’s Awards are:  Greg Burns of Ferris State University; Scott Perkins of Lake Superior State University; Mike Hojnacki of Michigan Technological  University; Jared Fischer of Northwood University; Steve Genther of Saginaw Valley State University, and Cauli Bedran of Wayne State University..

“These 12 student-athletes that represent, their institutions, the GLIAC, and their respective communities truly embody the term student-athlete,” stated GLIAC Comissioner Dell Robinson. “Their pursuit of excellence on and off field serves as a monumental testament of the talented young leaders we have in this conference.  I will look to them to be the leaders of the future. The GLIAC greatly appreciates the support of Meijer for their sponsorship of the 2009-10 Commissioner’s Award. The award, and the continued support by Meijer, are evidence of our pursuit of academic excellence.”

The following are biographies of the Winter 2010 GLIAC Commissioner’s Awards recipients:

Ashland’s junior sprinter Stephanie Tinney (Norwalk, Ohio/Western Reserve) won the first national title of her career at the NCAA D-II Indoor Track and Field Championships, finishing first in the 400 meter run. She helped the AU women finish in a tie for second at the D-II Indoor Track and Field Championships, the best placement in school history.  Tinney was named the United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) 2010 Midwest Region Female “Athlete of the Year”.  At the GLIAC Championships, Tinney won the 400 meter run, setting a conference record (55.23).  She was named the GLIAC Female Track “Athlete of the Year.”   For several weeks, Tinney was ranked first in the country in the 400 meter run.  An exercise science major who holds a 3.72 grade point average, Tinney has been a member of the GLIAC All-Academic Teams for both indoor and outdoor track and field.

Hillsdale College senior Brooke Knight (St. John’s, Mich.) wrapped up a memorable career with the Charger women’s basketball team in 2009-10. She was a three-year starter at point guard, and finished her career ranking second on the school’s all-time assists list with 539. She was named First-Team All-GLIAC South Division once and Second-Team All-GLIAC South Division twice, leading Hillsdale to back-to-back South Division titles in 2008 and 2009. Knightcarries one of the highest overall grade point averages at Hillsdale College, with a 3.83 overall GPA. She’s been named to the Academic All-GLIAC Team all three times she’s been eligible. Knight also participates in Hillsdale’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as the academic coordinator.

   
Michigan Tech senior women’s basketball player Sarah Stream (Ishpeming, Mich./Westwood), with her 4.0 cumulative grade point average in exercise science, garnered two other major academic honors in 2009-10. The 5-7 point guard earned the NCAA Elite 88 Award for having the highest GPA among participants at the Elite Eight and was named to the ESPN the Magazine CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team. Stream averaged 10.4 points and 4.0 assists per game en route to Daktronics All-Midwest Region Second Team and All-GLIAC First Team laurels. Stream finished her career sixth on Tech’s all-time scoring chart with 1,464 points and No. 1 all-time in assists with 459.

The 2010 GLIAC Women’s Basketball “Player of the Year, ” Michigan Tech senior Katie Wysocky (Whitefish Bay, Wis.) boasts a 3.90 GPA in business administration, earning her second straight Commissioner’s Award. This season she became the first player in school history to earn All-America First Team honors. The 6-0 forward posted 25 double-doubles on the season, averaging 17.9 points and 11.3 rebounds. She was named ESPN the Magazine CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team and Daktronics Midwest Region “Player of the Year” in 2009-10. Wysocky finished her career as the school record holder for points in a season (609) and career (1,943) and rebounds in a season (384) and career (1,231).

Jodi Ostergren (Midland, Mich./Dow) finished her career as one of the finest women’s basketball players in Northwood history.  In her senior season she averaged 16.9 points per game, 7.7 rebounds per game and shot 49.6 percent from the floor. She totaled 1, 456 points in her career, the second most in school history.  Ostergren became the only player in school history to earn All-GLIAC honors three times and was recently  named to the WBCA All-America Honorable Mention team.  Ostergren holds every career record for free throws at Northwood – made (460), attempted (566) and percentage (.813).  She finished with 61 victories, the most for any player at the NCAA level in Northwood history. Ostergren, an entertainment sports promotion management major, holds a 3.74 grade point average.

Wayne State senior Ashley St. Andrew (Grand Rapids, Mich./Jenison) has been selected as a recipient of the GLIAC Winter Commissioner’s Award for the second consecutive year.  At the 2010 NCAA D-II Swimming and Diving  Championships, she won three individual titles (1,000, 1,650, and 500 yard freestyle events) and placed third in the 200 yard freestyle, earning 76 points and helping the Warriors claim their second consecutive national runner-up finish.  St. Andrew was a member of the second-place 800 yard free relay and the fourth-place 400 yard free relay team.  In her career, the senior earned 25 All-America awards, including 19 First Team,  and won five individual D-II titles.  At the 2010 GLIAC Championships, St. Andrew won the 200 yard freestyle (second consecutive year), 500 yard freestyle (third of her career) and 1000 yard freestyle (fourth of her career), and was a member of two winning relays.  St. Andrew was voted WSU’s 2008-09 Female Student-Athlete of the Year.  A pharmacy major, Ashley is a three-time GLIAC All-Academic team selection as well as a two-time ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District selection. St. Andrew has been named to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll (term gpa 3.5+) four times, while being named to the Coach’s Honor Roll (term gpa 3.0-3.49) twice.

 
Ferris State University senior pole vaulter Greg Burns (Litchfield, Mich.) claimed All-America accolades at the 2010 NCAA D-II Indoor Track and Field Championships by matching a personal career-best effort with a performance of 16 ft., 3.25in.  in the event.  Burns is only the third FSU men’s track and field athlete since 1993 to claim either indoor or outdoor All-America accolades by being named to the USTFCCCA Division II All-America squad.  He made his first appearance this season in the NCAA D-II Championships  after winning the pole vault and picking up All-GLIAC laurels at the GLIAC Indoor Championships with a school-record showing (16 ft, 3.25 in.).  A two-year letterwinner, Burns placed among the top 10 finishers in the pole vault in all nine of his indoor meets this year and came away with four individual titles and two runner-up finishes. Previously, Burns claimed Ferris State’s 2008-09 team “MVP” Award for the field events.

Lake Superior State senior Scott Perkins (Perrysburg, Ohio) appeared in 113 basketball games, starting 102, during his impressive four-year career. On the court, the 6-2 guard scored 1,282 career points and totaled 182 three-pointers to rank seventh on LSSU’s all-time list. He helped lead the Lakers to three straight GLIAC Tournament appearances, the program’s first GLIAC North Division title, which the team accomplished in 2009, and the program’s second NCAA Tournament appearance, which also occurred last season. This season he was named to the All-GLIAC North Division First Team and NABC All-Midwest Region Second Team. In November, Perkins was one of 20 semifinalists for the 2009 John Wooden Citizen’s Cup, a prestigious award recognizing outstanding role models in sports. He has been active in Student-Athlete Advisory Committee events, especially the fund-raisers for the Make A Wish Foundation. He has maintained the basketball team’s highest grade point average during the past four years holding a 3.58 GPA.

Mike Hojnacki (Milwaukee, Wis./Eisenhower) was an All-GLIAC North Division Second Team honoree after leading Michigan Tech in scoring (12.7 points per game) and rebounding (6.1 per game). The 6-7 sophomore forward finished the season exceptionally well, averaging 18.5 points and 6.8 rebounds and shooting 53.3 percent from the field in his final eight games. He turned in four 20-point games and two double-doubles in that time frame to help the Huskies finish 5-3. Hojnacki posted a 3.60 GPA in mechanical engineering and is the only sophomore to receive the 2010 GLIAC Winter Commissioner’s Award.

Northwood senior Jared Fischer (Unionville, Mich/USA)  finished third in the 800 meter run at the GLIAC Indoor Championships, earning All-GLIAC honors for the sixth time in his career. During the indoor season, Fischer earned three individual victories in the 800.  His top time of 1:52.88 in the 800  was the 13th best time in D-II for the indoor season. For his career, Fischer has earned a GLIAC Championship in the 800 (outdoor – 2009), nine victories and three NCAA qualifying marks.  A major in automotive marketing/management, Fischer has also earned Academic All-GLIAC honors five times.

Steve Genther (Laingsburg, Mich.), a senior on the SVSU men’s indoor track and field team, turned in a great  season for the Cardinals.  Genther ended the season with a runner-up finish in the 5,000-meter run at the 2010 GLIAC Indoor Track and Field Championships with a time of 14:40.46 and a third place showing in the 3,000-meter run, timing-in at 8:33.50 in that event. Genther has been named to the Dean’s list five times in his career. He is a management major who holds a 3.569 grade point average.

Wayne State senior Cauli Bedran (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) earns his second consecutive Commissioner’s Award.  At the NCAA D-II Swimming and Diving Championships, he earned seven First Team All-America honors by placing fourth in the 50 yard freestyle, sixth in the 100 yard freestyle and eighth in the 100 yard backstroke. Bedran was a member of the fifth-place 200 yard medley relay, the seventh-place 400 medley relay and 400 yard free relay, and the eighth-place 200 yard free relay.  In his career, Bedran earned 24 All-America honors, including 16 First Team.  At the 2010 GLIAC Championships, he won both the 50 yard freestyle and 100 yard freestyle, as well as anchoring three championship relays (200 yard free, 400 yard free and 400 yard medley).  Cauli has been named to the GLIAC All-Academic team three times and WSU’s Athletic Director’s Honor Roll (term gpa 3.5+) five times.  He was a 2009 ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District selection and is a member of Wayne State’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Bedran is a political science major with a 3.66 grade point average.