Four from Marquette earn BIG EAST Sport Excellence Awards
7/25/2018 3:13:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse, Women's Basketball, Women's Lacrosse, Track & Field, Academics and Student Programs
Blockton, Gabriel, Gross and Wagner honored for academic and athletic achievement and community service
NEW YORK – Marquette University student-athletes Allazia Blockton, Grace Gabriel, Derek Gross and John Wagner were announced as winners of 2017-18 BIG EAST Conference Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Awards for their academic and athletic achievement as well as community service.
Of the 22 honorees, only seven juniors were recognized, including Marquette's quartet. Georgetown and Marquette led the way with four honorees each with DePaul, Seton Hall and Villanova close behind with three. Providence had pair of award winners, while Butler, Creighton and Xavier each had one.
The Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Awards are given to one student-athlete in each BIG EAST-sponsored sport based on academic credentials, athletic accolades or 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. The winners are chosen by the BIG EAST Faculty Athletics Representative Council.
While the format of the awards allows for only one declared winner in each sport category, the selection of the recipients proves each year to be a challenge for the FAR Council, as candidate nominees represent exceptional student-athletes who excel in academics, service, and athletics, and are outstanding representatives of their schools and the Conference.
Marquette's honorees (click here for the full recipients list):
Women's Basketball: Allazia Blockton, Jr., Marquette, Advertising
•            Cumulative GPA of 3.633; 2018 BIG EAST Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
•            BIG EAST All-Academic Team; Athletic Director's honor roll; 2017-18 Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) All-American honorable mention; 2017-18 All-Region 4 Honoree; 2018 BIG EAST Player of the Year; Unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team honoree
Men's Outdoor Track & Field: Derek Gross, Marquette, Jr., Entrepreneurship and Finance
•            Cumulative GPA of 3.859; Member of Chi Alpha Sigma honor society; College of Business Dean's List;
•            Part of the 2018 BIG EAST Outdoor Track & Field Championship squad; Member of BIG EAST third-place 4x800-meter relay team; Two-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team member
Men's Lacrosse: John Wagner, Marquette, Jr., Business Finance and Private Equity Banking
•            Cumulative GPA of 3.848; Chi Alpha Sigma Honors Society; Three-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team; Athletic Director's Honor Roll; Major GPA of 4.00
•            2018 All-BIG EAST First Team honors; 2018 US Lacrosse National Player of the Week, USILA Team of the Week; Two-time BIG EAST Attack Player of the Week; Team Captain
Women's Lacrosse: Grace Gabriel, Marquette, Jr., Finance and Marketing
•            Cumulative GPA of 3.545; Member of Chi Alpha Sigma honors society; College of Business Dean's List; BIG EAST All-Academic Team
•            2018 Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Second Team All-America; 2018 BIG EAST Co-Midfielder of the Year; Two-time unanimous BIG EAST First Team selection (2018, 2017); Was BIG EAST Midfielder of the Week four times in 2018; Two-time team captain
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Of the 22 honorees, only seven juniors were recognized, including Marquette's quartet. Georgetown and Marquette led the way with four honorees each with DePaul, Seton Hall and Villanova close behind with three. Providence had pair of award winners, while Butler, Creighton and Xavier each had one.
The Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Awards are given to one student-athlete in each BIG EAST-sponsored sport based on academic credentials, athletic accolades or 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. The winners are chosen by the BIG EAST Faculty Athletics Representative Council.
While the format of the awards allows for only one declared winner in each sport category, the selection of the recipients proves each year to be a challenge for the FAR Council, as candidate nominees represent exceptional student-athletes who excel in academics, service, and athletics, and are outstanding representatives of their schools and the Conference.
Marquette's honorees (click here for the full recipients list):
Women's Basketball: Allazia Blockton, Jr., Marquette, Advertising
•            Cumulative GPA of 3.633; 2018 BIG EAST Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
•            BIG EAST All-Academic Team; Athletic Director's honor roll; 2017-18 Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) All-American honorable mention; 2017-18 All-Region 4 Honoree; 2018 BIG EAST Player of the Year; Unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team honoree
Men's Outdoor Track & Field: Derek Gross, Marquette, Jr., Entrepreneurship and Finance
•            Cumulative GPA of 3.859; Member of Chi Alpha Sigma honor society; College of Business Dean's List;
•            Part of the 2018 BIG EAST Outdoor Track & Field Championship squad; Member of BIG EAST third-place 4x800-meter relay team; Two-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team member
Men's Lacrosse: John Wagner, Marquette, Jr., Business Finance and Private Equity Banking
•            Cumulative GPA of 3.848; Chi Alpha Sigma Honors Society; Three-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team; Athletic Director's Honor Roll; Major GPA of 4.00
•            2018 All-BIG EAST First Team honors; 2018 US Lacrosse National Player of the Week, USILA Team of the Week; Two-time BIG EAST Attack Player of the Week; Team Captain
Women's Lacrosse: Grace Gabriel, Marquette, Jr., Finance and Marketing
•            Cumulative GPA of 3.545; Member of Chi Alpha Sigma honors society; College of Business Dean's List; BIG EAST All-Academic Team
•            2018 Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Second Team All-America; 2018 BIG EAST Co-Midfielder of the Year; Two-time unanimous BIG EAST First Team selection (2018, 2017); Was BIG EAST Midfielder of the Week four times in 2018; Two-time team captain
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Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Midfield
/ Women's Lacrosse
XC/Distance
/ Track & Field
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