Three MU Student-Athletes Earn Scholar-Athlete Excellence Awards
7/31/2019 1:07:00 PM | General, Men's Lacrosse, Men's Soccer, Women's Lacrosse
NEW YORK – Marquette University student-athletes Julianna Horning, Luka Prpa, and John Wagner were announced as winners of 2018-19 BIG EAST Conference Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Awards, which recognize academic and athletic achievement as well as community service.
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.
A junior goalie for the women's lacrosse team, Horning started all 18 games in her final year at MU, totaling 118 saves on the season. She posted a season-high 18 saves against Georgetown, which is second all-time for a single-game in program history. She's broken numerous school records, ranking No. 1 in all-time in career wins (20) and saves per game (7.76). Horning is second all-time in career saves (376), minutes played (2,335) and games started for goalies (45).
In 2018, Horning set a single-season program record with 153 saves, including a single-game BIG EAST Tournament-record 17 saves against Florida on May 3. A three-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team selection, Horning also made the College of Engineering Dean's List and Athletic Director's Honor Roll from 2017-19. She's the first MU women's lacrosse player to win this award.
Prpa, who will be a senior this fall on the men's soccer team, has earned All-BIG EAST accolades in each of his first three seasons on campus. The Wind Lake, Wisconsin native led the Golden Eagles in goals (six), assists (six) and points (18) last season on his way to First Team All-BIG EAST honors. An all-conference second team selection as a sophomore, Prpa earned BIG EAST All-Academic honors in each of his first two years at MU and was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team in 2018.
He's either led or tied for the team lead in points in all three years of his collegiate career. Prpa is the third Golden Eagle men's soccer player to earn the Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award, joining Charlie Lyon (2014) and current assistant coach Bryan Ciesiulka (2013).
Wagner was an All-BIG EAST Second Team selection as a senior after leading the men's lacrosse squad with 39 points on 21 goals and a team-high 18 assists. The St. Davids, Ontario native earned first team honors in 2018 and was the reigning BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award winner for men's lacrosse. Wagner ended his Marquette career third in points (109) and goals (77), fourth in assists (32) and second in game-winning scores (seven).
He recently made his Major League Lacrosse debut with the Chesapeake Bayhawks and is just the second men's lacrosse player to win the award on two occasions, following Villanova's Brian Karalunas (2010 and 2011).
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):
Men's Lacrosse: John Wagner, Marquette, Sr., Business Finance and Private Equity Banking
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.
A junior goalie for the women's lacrosse team, Horning started all 18 games in her final year at MU, totaling 118 saves on the season. She posted a season-high 18 saves against Georgetown, which is second all-time for a single-game in program history. She's broken numerous school records, ranking No. 1 in all-time in career wins (20) and saves per game (7.76). Horning is second all-time in career saves (376), minutes played (2,335) and games started for goalies (45).
In 2018, Horning set a single-season program record with 153 saves, including a single-game BIG EAST Tournament-record 17 saves against Florida on May 3. A three-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team selection, Horning also made the College of Engineering Dean's List and Athletic Director's Honor Roll from 2017-19. She's the first MU women's lacrosse player to win this award.
Prpa, who will be a senior this fall on the men's soccer team, has earned All-BIG EAST accolades in each of his first three seasons on campus. The Wind Lake, Wisconsin native led the Golden Eagles in goals (six), assists (six) and points (18) last season on his way to First Team All-BIG EAST honors. An all-conference second team selection as a sophomore, Prpa earned BIG EAST All-Academic honors in each of his first two years at MU and was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team in 2018.
He's either led or tied for the team lead in points in all three years of his collegiate career. Prpa is the third Golden Eagle men's soccer player to earn the Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award, joining Charlie Lyon (2014) and current assistant coach Bryan Ciesiulka (2013).
Wagner was an All-BIG EAST Second Team selection as a senior after leading the men's lacrosse squad with 39 points on 21 goals and a team-high 18 assists. The St. Davids, Ontario native earned first team honors in 2018 and was the reigning BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award winner for men's lacrosse. Wagner ended his Marquette career third in points (109) and goals (77), fourth in assists (32) and second in game-winning scores (seven).
He recently made his Major League Lacrosse debut with the Chesapeake Bayhawks and is just the second men's lacrosse player to win the award on two occasions, following Villanova's Brian Karalunas (2010 and 2011).
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):
Men's Lacrosse: John Wagner, Marquette, Sr., Business Finance and Private Equity Banking
- Cumulative GPA of 3.887; Chi Alpha Sigma Honors Society; Four-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team; Athletic Director's Honor Roll; Major GPA of 4.00; Magna Cum Laude
- 2019 All-BIG EAST Second Team and 2018 All-BIG EAST First Team honors; 2018 US Lacrosse National Player of the Week, USILA Team of the Week; member of 2017 BIG EAST Championship Team; Team Captain; Senior CLASS Award Candidate
- Cumulative GPA of 3.563
- Three-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team honoree; Opus College of Engineering Scholar; Three-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team honoree; 2018 BIG EAST Championship All-Tournament team selection; set single-game BIG EAST tournament record in saves (17); Marquette career wins leader
- Cumulative GPA of 3.84; Chi Alpha Sigma Honors Society
- Two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American (2017, 2018), National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Great Lakes Region Third Team; 2018 All-BIG EAST First Team; 2017 All-BIG EAST Second Team; 2016 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year; 2016 BIG EAST All-Freshman Team; Three-time BIG EAST All-Academic honoree
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