June 12, 2008

SPOKANE, Wash. - Track and Field athletes Keith Lemay of Western Washington University, Jarred Rensvold of Montana State University Billings and Amanda (Merrell) Peters of Northwest Nazarene University have been selected the 2007-08 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Male and Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year.

The awards are voted on by the athletic directors at the 10 Great Northwest Athletic Conference schools.

Lemay (Lynden, WA - Lynden Christian) and Rensvold (Wolf Point, MT) tied in the balloting for the men's award, while Peters (Spokane, WA - Mead) was the overwhelming choice in the women's balloting.

Lemay, who is the third Western Washington athlete to win the men's award joining football players Erik Totten (2001-02) and Rob White (2003-04), earned All-American honors this spring by finishing sixth in the 800 meters in the NCAA Division II national track-and-field championships.

He had the best times this spring in the GNAC in both the 800 meters (1:51.33) and 1,500 meters (3:52.35). Those times rank third and fifth, respectively, in WWU school history and rank third and sixth in GNAC history.

He also won the 800 in the GNAC Indoor championships last February in a time of 1:57.86 after earlier setting a school record (1:54.94). In cross country he placed 20th in the GNAC meet, 32nd in the NCAA West Regional and 158th at nationals.

Lemay, who is a physical education (pre-physical therapy) major and has a 3.69 GPA, is a candidate for Academic All-American honors as well. A six-time GNAC academic all-star (three in cross county and three in track and field), he twice has earned CoSIDA Academic District 8 honors. On three different occasions he has been selected as a U.S. Cross Country and Track & Field Coaches Association National Scholar-Athlete for both sports.

Rensvold, a biology major and chemistry minor, has hardly a blemish on his academic record during his four years at MSU Billings, compiling a 3.98 grade point average. Eight times he was on the honor roll despite carrying an average load of 17.38 credits per semester.

Rensvold recently was awarded a $7,500 NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from MSUB on May 3.

During his career at MSUB, he captained both the Yellowjacket cross country (2006 and 2007) and track and field teams (2008). He was MSUB's Most Valuable Cross Country Athlete in 2006 and 2007 and twice earned Heartland Conference all-conference honors prior to MSUB joining the GNAC this past fall.

Peters graduated from Northwest Nazarene with a 3.99 GPA, earning Summa Cum Laude and Dean's List honors. The biology/chemistry major received an academic scholarship from the Science department and also received the President's Scholarship.

She earned six GNAC academic all-conference awards, three in soccer and three in track-and-field and was a CoSIDA Academic District 8 selection for soccer.

Twice she was selected as a second team all-star in soccer. She started 78 consecutive games playing a total of 7,119 minutes in goal over the past four seasons. In track, she was a two-time GNAC Indoor triple jump champion (2005 & 2006) and holds three school track and field records.

GNAC Scholar-Athletes-of-the-Year

Years, Male, Female

2001-02, Erik Totten, Western Washington (Football), Nichole Sauvageau, Seattle (Soccer)

2002-03, Tobias Schwoerer, Alaska Anchorage (Cross Country) Nichole Sauvageau, Seattle (Soccer)

2003-04, Rob White, Western Washington (Football), Liz Bishop, Western Washington (Volleyball)

2004-05, Nathan Carlson, Saint Martin's (Cross County & Track), Martina Kartikova, Saint Martin's (Basketball)

2005-06, Tony Binetti, Seattle Pacific (Basketball), Lindy Mullen, Central Washington (Track & Field)

2006-07, Adam Jensen, Seattle (Soccer), Ana Gutierrez, Seattle (Soccer)

2007-08, Keith Lemay, Western Washington (Cross Country & Track),Amanda Peters, Northwest Nazarene (Soccer & Track and Field), Jarred Rensvold, Montana State Billings (Cross Country & Track)