PORTLAND, Ore. – Twenty of the names listed among the 2018-19 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Faculty Athletic Representative Award Winners were student-athletes from Montana State University Billings, as the conference office revealed the recipients on Friday.
Students who maintain a 3.80 cumulative grade point average while competing on a varsity athletic team in the GNAC are eligible to receive the award. "This group of individuals represents the most elite academic achievers, and it is a group we are very proud of," commented MSUB director of athletics Krista Montague. "Academic achievement is of paramount importance with regard to our mission statement in the athletic department, and these young men and women are being rightfully recognized for their dedication to their studies."
2018-19 MSU Billings GNAC FAR Award Recipients
| Name |
Sport |
Major |
Year |
GPA |
Hometown |
| Amanda Hemmen** |
Women's Soccer |
Biology |
Junior |
4.00 |
Renton, WA |
| Abby Hamilton |
Women's Soccer |
Biology |
Freshman |
4.00 |
Lander, WY |
| Sam Elliott |
Men's Basketball |
Finance |
Freshman |
4.00 |
Kalispell, MT |
| Shannon Reny |
Women's Basketball |
Health/Human Performance |
Freshman |
4.00 |
Libby, MT |
| Tevin Hall |
Baseball |
Business |
Freshman |
4.00 |
Lethbridge, Canada |
| Tierney Messmer |
Women's Golf |
Health Administration |
Freshman |
4.00 |
Sidney, MT |
| Rachel Lythgoe** |
Women's Soccer |
English |
Junior |
3.99 |
Gilbert, AZ |
| Jordan Devoto** |
Women's Soccer |
Health/Human Performance |
Senior |
3.98 |
Wilsall, MT |
| Jakim Ricketts |
Men's Basketball |
Finance |
Freshman |
3.97 |
Livingston, MT |
| Julia Keller |
Women's Soccer |
Business |
Freshman |
3.97 |
Munich, Germany |
| Lili Delgadillo*** |
Women's Soccer |
Health/Human Performance |
Senior |
3.95 |
Vancouver, WA |
| Jared Winslow*** |
Baseball |
Health/Human Performance |
Senior |
3.94 |
Libby, MT |
| Emily Gaines |
Women's Soccer |
Psychology |
Freshman |
3.94 |
Leavenworth, WA |
| Sam Muskat** |
Baseball |
Political Science |
Junior |
3.93 |
Beaverton, OR |
| Courteney Shovlin |
Women's Soccer |
History |
Junior |
3.91 |
Great Falls, MT |
| Shaniah Schwend |
Women's Track |
Elementary Education |
Senior |
3.88 |
Bridger, MT |
| Brenna Beckett |
Women's Track |
Broadfield Science |
Junior |
3.88 |
Broadview, MT |
| Jeanann Lemelin** |
Women's Basketball |
Public Relations |
Junior |
3.88 |
Billings, MT |
| Kalin Sandow* |
Women's Soccer |
Psychology |
Junior |
3.87 |
Murrieta, CA |
| Sammy Legleu |
Men's Basketball |
Business |
Freshman |
3.87 |
Nogales, AZ |
***-Four-Time FAR Award Recipient; **-Three-Time FAR Award Recipient; *-Two-Time FAR Award Recipient.
Among this year's list of award winners were a pair of four-time honorees, including Lili Delgadillo of the Yellowjacket women's soccer team and Jared Winslow of the baseball team. Delgadillo completed her degree in health and human performance with a 3.95 GPA, while Winslow finished his degree in the same area of study with a 3.94.
A total of six Yellowjacket student-athletes maintained a cumulative GPA of 4.0, including three-time FAR Award Recipient and 2018-19 first-team academic All-American Amanda Hemmen of the women's soccer team. Joining Hemmen among those with a perfect GPA were five freshmen, including Abby Hamilton of the women's soccer team, Sam Elliott of the men's basketball team, Shannon Reny of the women's basketball team, Tevin Hall of the baseball team, and Tierney Messmer of the women's golf team.
Five different Yellowjackets earned the honor for the third time in their careers, three of which came from the women's soccer team as Hemmen was joined by teammates Jordan Devoto and Rachel Lythgoe. Jeanann Lemelin of the women's basketball team, and Sam Muskat of the baseball team – both juniors – were MSUB's others to receive the honor for a third time.
Junior Kalin Sandow of the women's soccer team was MSUB's other repeat selection, as she claimed the honor for the second straight year. Nearly half of MSUB's selections came from the women's soccer team, in the form of nine of the 20 athletes on the list.
A faculty athletic representative (FAR) is a member of the faculty at an NCAA member institution who has been designated to serve as a liaison between the institution's faculty and the athletic department. The FAR serves as a representative of the institution in conference and NCAA affairs. MSUB's FAR is
Dr. Tom Rust, who succeeded long-time FAR Dr. Scott Harris upon his retirement after the 2018-19 academic year. The role of the FAR is "to ensure that the academic institution establishes and maintains the appropriate balance between academics and athletics."
