13 Yellowjackets among GNAC FAR Scholar Athlete Award winners

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Saturday, July 23, 2016 13 Yellowjackets among GNAC FAR Scholar Athlete Award winners

A total of 13 Yellowjacket student-athletes earn the top academic award from the GNAC, holding GPAs of 3.85 or higher to receive FAR Scholar Athlete Award honors.

PORTLAND, Ore. – A total of 13 student-athletes from Montana State University Billings earned the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Faculty Athletic Representative Scholar Athlete Award for the 2015-16 academic year announced the conference office on Friday.

The award is presented annually by the conference’s faculty athletic representatives (FARs), who serve as liaisons between their universities’ athletic departments and university faculty. All student-athletes who are on a varsity roster and who earn a grade point average of 3.85 or higher receive the honor.

“We are proud of the work our student-athletes produce in the classroom, and this award serves as an example of the dedication they have to their academic studies in addition to their sports,” said Yellowjacket athletic director Krista Montague. “To be recognized in the upper echelon of all athletes among the entire conference is a true honor, and these student-athletes are role models for our entire department.”

2015-16 Yellowjacket FAR Scholar-Athlete Award Winners Name Sport Academic Major **Kasie Christensen Women’s Basketball Health/Human Perf. **Brett Christina Baseball History **Drew Christina Baseball Chemistry Lili Delgadillo Women’s Soccer Health/Human Perf.

Jordan Devoto Women’s Soccer General Studies *Bailee Dexter Women’s Golf English Tiana Hanson Women’s Basketball Education *Kari Kastelic Women’s Soccer Finance Della Lyle Women’s Track Psychology Jarod Paul Baseball Health/Human Perf. *Wyatt Schlosser Baseball Health/Human Perf. ***Jinise Trueblood Women’s XC/Track Health/Human Perf.

Jared Winslow Baseball Health/Human Perf. *-Denotes repeat winner

Year So. Sr. Sr. Fr. Fr. So. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Fr. Sr. Fr.

GPA 3.90 4.00 4.00 3.90 3.93 3.93 4.00 3.90 4.00 4.00 3.85 3.99 3.90

Hometown Billings, MT Walla Walla, WA Walla Walla, WA Vancouver, WA Wilsall, MT Townsend, MT Shepherd, MT Phoenix, AZ Gillette, WY Viola, ID Saskatoon, Canada Columbia Falls, MT Libby, MT

Among the honorees from MSUB was senior Jinise Trueblood, who was one of just 10 athletes in the entire conference to win the award for a fourth consecutive year. Trueblood recently completed her career with the Yellowjacket cross country and track and field teams, and held a 3.99 grade point average while studying health and human performance.

MSUB’s baseball team had five players honored, including twin brothers Brett Christina and Drew Christina who are three-time FAR Scholar Athlete Award winners. Brett finished his career as a first baseman and held a 4.00 GPA in history, while Drew was a left-handed pitcher with a 4.00 GPA in chemistry.

Wyatt Schlosser was a repeat award winner, and Jarod Paul and Jared Winslow were each first-time winners from the baseball team.

Kasie Christensen of MSUB’s women’s basketball team won the award for the third straight year, and her teammate junior Tiana Hanson earned the honor for the first time. Women’s soccer team captain Kari Kastelic took home the honor for the second straight year, while women’s soccer freshmen Jordan Devoto and Lili Delgadillo appeared on the list after their first season with the ‘Jackets.

Sophomore Bailee Dexter of MSUB’s women’s golf team, who holds a 3.93 GPA while studying English, was another repeat award winner for the ‘Jackets. Senior All-American Della Lyle of MSUB’s women’s track and field team also won the award, holding a 4.00 GPA in psychology in her only year with the ‘Jackets.

In total, 155 student-athletes from the GNAC won the award, including 106 women and 49 men.

--@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--